Electrostatic chuck ground punch

1. An electrostatic chuck for clamping a semiconductor workpiece, the electrostatic chuck comprising:

a clamping plate having a clamping surface defined thereon;

one or more electrodes associated with the clamping plate, wherein an electric potential applied to the one or more electrodes is operable to selectively electrostatically clamp the workpiece to the clamping surface of the clamping plate; and

a punch operably coupled to the clamping plate and an electrical ground, wherein the punch comprises a trigger mechanism and a punch tip, wherein the punch tip is configured to translate between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein a point of the punch tip is proud of the clamping surface by a first distance when the punch tip is in the extended position, and wherein the point of the punch tip is configured to translate toward the clamping surface upon the workpiece being clamped to clamping plate, wherein upon reaching the retracted position, the trigger mechanism is configured to impart an impact force to the punch tip, therein forcing the point of the punch tip into the workpiece and providing an electrical connection between the workpiece and the electrical ground.

2. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the punch further comprises a housing having a bore extending therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the punch tip is configured to linearly translate within the bore, and wherein the bore has a constriction defined therein, and wherein the trigger mechanism comprises:

a trip pin configured to translate within the bore upon the translation of the punch tip, wherein the punch tip contacts the trip pin at a contact region thereof, wherein the trip pin comprises a taper and an engagement portion, wherein the taper and engagement portion are configured to selectively extend through the constriction of the bore, and wherein an engagement between the taper and the constriction radially translates the engagement portion from an initial position offset with respect to an axis of the bore to a centered position with respect to the axis upon the translation of the punch tip from the extended position to the retracted position; and

a hammer configured to linearly translate within the housing, the hammer having a face and a recess defined therein;

a spring, wherein the spring generally biases the hammer between the constriction and an end of the housing, wherein the engagement portion of the trip pin generally contacts the face of the hammer when the trip pin is in the initial position, therein compressing the spring upon the translation of the punch tip from the extended position to the retracted position, and wherein the recess in the hammer receives the engagement portion of the trip pin upon the trip pin reaching the centered position, wherein the spring provides the impact force through the hammer onto the trip pin and punch tip.

3. The electrostatic chuck of claim 2 , wherein the clamping plate comprises a hole extending therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the hole has an internal thread, and wherein at least a portion of the housing has an external thread configured to engage the internal thread of the hole, therein fastening the punch to the clamping plate.

4. The electrostatic chuck of claim 2 , wherein the punch further comprises a butt cap having an internal thread configured to engage the external thread of the housing, and wherein the butt cap generally fastens the housing to the clamping plate.

5. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the clamping plate comprises a Johnsen-Rahbek material.

6. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the trigger mechanism further comprises an offset spring, wherein the offset spring generally biases the trip pin from the centered position.

7. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is between approximately 0.1 mm and 1 mm.

8. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the punch is comprised of one or more electrically conductive materials.

9. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the punch tip is comprised of tungsten or boron carbide.

10. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , further comprising providing a DC power source electrically connected to the one or more electrodes, therein defining a DC electrostatic chuck.

11. The electrostatic chuck of claim 2 , wherein a depth of the recess and the a force of the spring generally determines the impact force.

12. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor workpiece comprises a substrate comprised of one or more of silicon and germanium.

13. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor workpiece comprises a nonconductive layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the point of the punch tip is configured to penetrate through the nonconductive layer into the semiconductor substrate, therein providing the electrical connection between the workpiece and the electrical ground.

14. The electrostatic chuck of claim 13 , wherein the nonconductive layer is comprised of one or more of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride.

15. The electrostatic chuck of claim 13 , wherein the nonconductive layer comprises a bare oxide having a thickness of approximately 70 angstroms.

16. The electrostatic chuck of claim 13 , wherein the nonconductive layer has a thickness of approximately 20,000 angstroms or more.