IP Library Granted Patent US 11,094,574
Granted Patent B2
US 11,094,574 · App. 16/243,160 · Granted Aug 17, 2021

Substrate supporting device and plasma processing apparatus

Inventor: Hideo Eto (Yokkaichi, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
H01L21/6833H01J37/32724H01L21/68742H01J2237/3341H01L21/67069
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,094,574
App. No.
16/243,160
Granted
Aug 17, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a substrate supporting device is a substrate supporting device that supports a substrate in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, the substrate supporting device including an electrostatic chuck including a placing plate containing at least a ceramic and having the substrate electrostatically attracted by the placing plate, a lift pin configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck and which delivers the substrate to and from the electrostatic chuck, and a cover containing at least a ceramic of a same type as the placing plate and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the lift pin.

Claims (115)

1. A substrate supporting device that supports a substrate in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, the substrate supporting device comprising:

an electrostatic chuck including a placing plate containing at least a ceramic and having the substrate electrostatically attracted by the placing plate, the electrostatic chuck being connectable to a power supply that supplies power to generate plasma in the processing container;

a lift pin configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck and which delivers the substrate to and from the electrostatic chuck; and

an electrically-insulating cover containing at least a material of ceramic that is a same as a material of the placing plate and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the lift pin, the cover configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck together with the lift pin,

wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:

a lift pin storage hole in which the lift pin is stored, and

an insulating supporting member that covers an inner wall of the lift pin storage hole;

a lower end portion of the cover comes into contact with the supporting member and is supported by the supporting member in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck, and

an upper surface of the cover and an upper surface of the placing plate of the electrostatic chuck are located at an approximately equal height,

wherein, in a state where the substrate is electrostatically attracted by the placing plate,

an upper space is formed between the placing plate and the substrate,

a lower space surrounded by the cover and the supporting member is formed around the lift pin stored in the lift pin storage hole, and

the upper space and the lower space are isolated.

2. The substrate supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a first soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

a second soaking plate inside the cover, the second soaking plate being located at an approximately equal height to the first soaking plate of the electrostatic chuck, in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck.

3. The substrate supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the cover includes

a cap portion that covers an upper end portion of the lift pin and a cylindrical portion that covers a side surface of the lift pin, and

the cap portion is

configured to be fittable onto the cylindrical portion in a fitting amount adjustable manner.

4. The substrate supporting device according to claim 3 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

the cap portion fittable onto the cylindrical portion while inserting a member of a same type as the soaking plate.

5. The substrate supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the lift pin includes

a lower member that supports the whole lift pin, and

an upper member configured to be fittable onto the lower member such that a height of an upper surface of the lift pin with respect to an upper surface of the placing plate is adjustable by adjusting a fitting amount.

6. The substrate supporting device according to claim 1 , wherein

an upper end portion of the supporting member coming into contact with the cover has an inclined shape in which a side of the lift pin storage hole becomes low.

7. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a processing container in which a substrate is processed;

a power supply that supplies power into the processing container to generate plasma;

an electrostatic chuck including a placing plate containing at least a ceramic and having the substrate electrostatically attracted by the placing plate in the processing container;

a lift pin configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck and which delivers the substrate to and from the electrostatic chuck; and

an electrically-insulating cover containing at least a material of ceramic that is a same as a material of the placing plate and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the lift pin,

wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:

a lift pin storage hole in which the lift pin is stored, and

an insulating supporting member that covers an inner wall of the lift pin storage hole;

a lower end portion of the cover comes into contact with the supporting member and is supported by the supporting member in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck, and

an upper surface of the cover and an upper surface of the placing plate of the electrostatic chuck are located at an approximately equal height,

wherein, in a state where the substrate is electrostatically attracted by the placing plate,

an upper space is formed between the placing plate and the substrate,

a lower space surrounded by the cover and the supporting member is formed around the lift pin stored in the lift pin storage hole, and

the upper space and the lower space are isolated.

8. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a first soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

a second soaking plate inside the cover, the second soaking plate being located at an approximately equal height to the first soaking plate of the electrostatic chuck, in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck.

9. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the cover includes

a cap portion that covers an upper end portion of the lift pin and a cylindrical portion that covers a side surface of the lift pin, and

the cap portion is

configured to be fittable onto the cylindrical portion in a fitting amount adjustable manner.

10. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

the cap portion fittable onto the cylindrical portion while inserting a member of a same type as the soaking plate.

11. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the lift pin incudes

a lower member that supports the whole lift pin, and

an upper member configured to be fittable onto the lower member such that a height of an upper surface of the lift pin with respect to an upper surface of the placing plate is adjustable by adjusting a fitting amount.

12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the lower end portion of the cover coming into contact with the supporting member has a sealing structure.

13. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the sealing structure of the cover is formed such that an O-ring is fit into a groove provided in the lower end portion of the cover.

14. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

an upper end portion of the supporting member coming into contact with the cover has an inclined shape in which a side of the lift pin storage hole becomes low.

15. A substrate supporting device that supports a substrate in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, the substrate supporting device comprising:

an electrostatic chuck including a placing plate containing at least a ceramic and having the substrate electrostatically attracted by the placing plate, the electrostatic chuck being connectable to a power supply that supplies power to generate plasma in the processing container;

a lift pin configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck and which delivers the substrate to and from the electrostatic chuck; and

an electrically-insulating cover containing at least a material of ceramic that is a same as a material of the placing plate and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the lift pin, the cover configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck together with the lift pin,

wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:

a lift pin storage hole in which the lift pin is stored, and

an insulating supporting member that covers an inner wall of the lift pin storage hole;

a lower end portion of the cover comes into contact with the supporting member and is supported by the supporting member in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck,

an upper surface of the cover and an upper surface of the placing plate of the electrostatic chuck are located at an approximately equal height, and

the lower end portion of the cover coming into contact with the supporting member has a sealing structure.

16. The substrate supporting device according to claim 15 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a first soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

a second soaking plate inside the cover, the second soaking plate being located at an approximately equal height to the first soaking plate of the electrostatic chuck, in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck.

17. The substrate supporting device according to claim 15 , wherein

the cover includes

a cap portion that covers an upper end portion of the lift pin and a cylindrical portion that covers a side surface of the lift pin, and

the cap portion is

configured to be fittable onto the cylindrical portion in a fitting amount adjustable manner.

18. The substrate supporting device according to claim 17 , wherein

the electrostatic chuck includes

a heater and a soaking plate under the placing plate, and

the cover includes

the cap portion fittable onto the cylindrical portion while inserting a member of a same type as the soaking plate.

19. The substrate supporting device according to claim 15 , wherein

the lift pin includes

a lower member that supports the whole lift pin, and

an upper member configured to be fittable onto the lower member such that a height of an upper surface of the lift pin with respect to an upper surface of the placing plate is adjustable by adjusting a fitting amount.

20. The substrate supporting device according to claim 15 , wherein

the sealing structure of the cover is formed such that an O-ring is fit into a groove provided in the lower end portion of the cover.

21. A substrate supporting device that supports a substrate in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, the substrate supporting device comprising:

an electrostatic chuck including a placing plate containing at least a ceramic and having the substrate electrostatically attracted by the placing plate, the electrostatic chuck being connectable to a power supply that supplies power to generate plasma in the processing container;

a lift pin configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck and which delivers the substrate to and from the electrostatic chuck; and

an electrically-insulating cover containing at least a material of ceramic that is a same as a material of the placing plate and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the lift pin, the cover configured to be storable inside the electrostatic chuck together with the lift pin,

wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:

a lift pin storage hole in which the lift pin is stored, and

an insulating supporting member that covers an inner wall of the lift pin storage hole;

a lower end portion of the cover comes into contact with the supporting member and is supported by the supporting member in a state where the lift pin is stored inside the electrostatic chuck,

an upper surface of the cover and an upper surface of the placing plate of the electrostatic chuck are located at an approximately equal height, and

an upper end portion of the supporting member coming into contact with the cover has an inclined shape in which a side of the lift pin storage hole becomes low.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 31, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058905/0582 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2019
From: ETO, HIDEO
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047937/0969 →