IP Library Granted Patent US 12683131
Granted Patent B2
US 12683131 · App. 18/122,574 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Apparatus and methods for controlling substrate temperature during processing

Inventors: Jian Li (Fremont, CA); Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez (San Carlos, CA); Vijay D. Parkhe (San Jose, CA); Wenhao Zhang (San Jose, CA); Mayur Govind Kulkarni (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01J37/32724C23C16/45565C23C16/4586C23C16/463C23C16/50C23C16/52H01J2237/2001H01J2237/3321
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683131
App. No.
18/122,574
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate support assembly includes a shaft with a platen extending perpendicularly from the shaft at an upper end of the shaft. The shaft includes an electric line and a plurality of coolant conduits. A cooling plate including a coolant channel fluidically coupled to the coolant conduits is mounted to the platen, and extends beyond an outer rim of the platen. A puck assembly including a heater is mounted to the cooling plate. A simultaneous operation of the heater and a flow of coolant through the coolant channel regulates a temperature gradient across the puck assembly during a substrate processing operation.

Claims (22)

1 . A substrate support assembly comprising:

a shaft including a plurality of coolant conduits;

a platen extending perpendicularly from the shaft at an upper end of the shaft;

a cooling plate mounted to the platen, the cooling plate including a coolant channel fluidically coupled to the plurality of coolant conduits;

a puck assembly mounted to the cooling plate, and secured thereto by a plurality of first fasteners extending through the cooling plate; and

a clamp ring mounted to an underside of the cooling plate by a plurality of second fasteners, the clamp ring sealingly covering the first fasteners and encircling the platen.

2 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the cooling plate includes:

a first portion coupled to the platen; and

a second portion extending beyond an outer rim of the platen;

the coolant channel is fluidically coupled to the plurality of coolant conduits at the first portion; and

the coolant channel extends from the first portion into the second portion.

3 . The substrate support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the coolant channel defines a pathway including a plurality of loops.

4 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a skirt surrounding an outer rim of the cooling plate.

5 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , wherein the skirt includes a lip disposed between the cooling plate and the puck assembly.

6 . The substrate support assembly of claim 5 , wherein the skirt extends to a location at or below a level of the underside of the cooling plate.

7 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , wherein an outer diameter of the skirt is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the puck assembly.

8 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , wherein the skirt is integrally formed with a puck of the puck assembly.

9 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , wherein the clamp ring includes the skirt.

10 . The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the skirt extends to a location level with a top surface of the cooling plate.

11 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal choke layer disposed between the puck assembly and the cooling plate.

12 . The substrate support assembly of claim 11 , wherein the thermal choke layer includes a sheet of a material comprising a polymer, a metal, graphene, or any combination thereof.