IP Library Granted Patent US 12701960
Granted Patent B2
US 12701960 · App. 18/630,696 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Bipolar ESC to prevent substrate backside discharging

Inventors: Jian Li (Fremont, CA); Ganesh Balasubramanian (Fremont, CA); Govindarajasekhar Singu (Santa Clara, CA); Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez (San Carlos, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H10P72/722H01J37/32715H01J2237/2007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701960
App. No.
18/630,696
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electrostatic chuck including a ring surrounding a top surface of the electrostatic chuck and a mesa extending along a diameter of the top surface of the electrostatic chuck such that the mesa contacts the ring on opposed ends thereof. The mesa is a single continuous feature. The mesa contacts a bottom surface of a substrate placed over the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck includes a first electrode and a second electrode. When a voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck, an electric field is present between the first electrode and the second electrode. The mesa prevents the electric field from creating hatch marks on the top surface of the electrostatic chuck. The mesa is vertically offset from the first electrode and the second electrode or is vertically aligned with a gap defined between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Claims (26)

1 . An electrostatic chuck comprising:

a ring surrounding a top surface of the electrostatic chuck; and

a mesa being a single continuous feature extending along a diameter of the top surface of the electrostatic chuck such that the mesa contacts the ring on opposed ends thereof.

2 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the mesa is substantially linear.

3 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the mesa includes aluminum nitride (AlN).

4 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the mesa contacts a bottom surface of a substrate placed over the electrostatic chuck.

5 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic chuck includes a first electrode and a second electrode.

6 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 5 , wherein, the mesa is substantially rectangular.

7 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 6 , wherein the mesa has a height ranging between 30 μm and 50 μm, and a width ranging between 2 mm and 6 mm.

8 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 5 , wherein the mesa is vertically offset from the first electrode and the second electrode.

9 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 5 , wherein the mesa is vertically aligned with a gap defined between the first electrode and the second electrode.

10 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 5 , wherein the mesa has a thickness equal to a horizontal distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

11 . An electrostatic chuck comprising:

a first electrode and a second electrode; and

a mesa being extending along an entirety of a diameter of a top surface of the electrostatic chuck, wherein the mesa is vertically aligned with a gap defined between the first electrode and the second electrode.

12 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 11 , wherein a ring is formed around the top surface of the electrostatic chuck.

13 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 12 , wherein the mesa contacts the ring on opposed ends thereof.

14 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 11 , wherein the mesa contacts a bottom surface of a substrate placed over the electrostatic chuck.

15 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 11 , wherein the mesa is substantially rectangular.

16 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 15 , wherein the mesa has a height ranging between 30 um and 50 um, and a width ranging between 2 mm and 6 mm.

17 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 11 , wherein the mesa is vertically offset from the first electrode and the second electrode.

18 . The electrostatic chuck of claim 11 , wherein the mesa is spaced from a bottom surface of a substrate by a gap of less than 30 um.

19 . A method comprising:

forming a ring surrounding a top surface of an electrostatic chuck; and

forming a mesa being a single continuous feature extending along a diameter of the top surface of the electrostatic chuck such that the mesa contacts the ring on opposed ends thereof.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising vertically aligning the mesa with a gap defined between a first electrode and a second electrode of the electrostatic chuck.