IP Library Granted Patent US 12,293,933
Granted Patent B2
US 12,293,933 · App. 17/551,857 · Granted May 6, 2025

Electrostatic chuck with multiple heater zones

Inventors: Woo Hyung Choi (Seongnam-si, KR); Sang Woo Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: VM INC.
H01L21/6833H01L21/67103
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,293,933
App. No.
17/551,857
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an electrostatic chuck with multiple heater zones. The electrostatic chuck with multiple heater zones comprises multiple micro heater zones; a switch module having each switching means connected to each micro heater zone; and a switch controlling module for controlling an operation of the switch module, wherein each micro heater zone can be heated individually by a corresponding heating element, and each partial area of a wafer secured on the electrostatic chuck is heated independently by each micro heater zone.

Claims (14)

1. An electrostatic chuck with multiple heater zones, the electrostatic chuck comprising:

multiple heater zones formed within a ceramic layer, wherein each of the multiple heater zones is configured to be heated individually by a corresponding heating element, and each of the multiple heater zones is configured to heat independently each corresponding partial area of a wafer secured on the electrostatic chuck;

a switch module having each switching means connected to each of the heater zones;

a switch controlling module for controlling an operation of the switch module;

multiple AC heater zones formed above the multiple heater zones within the ceramic layer and operating independently from the multiple heater zones, wherein the multiple AC heater zones are coupled to an AC power source and correspond to the multiple heater zone, respectively;

multiple semiconductor switches coupled to the multiple AC heater zones, respectively, and configured to heat the multiple AC heater zones individually and independently, wherein the multiple AC zones, the multiple semiconductor switches and the AC power source form multiple heating circuits operating individually and independently;

an operating body formed under the ceramic layer and made of an aluminum;

a cooling line formed within the operating body;

a heating regulation area formed between the operating body and the ceramic layer and filled with a thermal paste;

a zone board formed within the heating regulation area and spaced apart from a bottom of the heating regulation area, wherein the ceramic layer is disposed on the zone board; and

an optical communicating circuit module configured to deliver controlling information to a driving module and a power circuit module disposed on a lower surface of the zone board,

wherein the multiple AC heater zone is configured to heat the wafer and the multiple heater zone is configured to perform a temperature compensation on the heated wafer.

2. The electrostatic chuck according to claim 1 , further comprising: a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the multiple AC heater zones.

3. The electrostatic chuck according to claim 1 , wherein the number of multiple heater zones is 50 to 500.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: ADAPTIVE PLASMA TECHNOLOGY CORP.
To: VM INC.
Reel/Frame 070641/0529 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2021
From: CHOI, WOO HYUNG; LEE, SANG WOO
To: ADAPTIVE PLASMA TECHNOLOGY CORP.
Reel/Frame 058399/0574 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230187251A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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