IP Library Granted Patent US 12,651,730
Granted Patent B2
US 12,651,730 · App. 18/075,081 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Substrate processing apparatus including edge ring assembly and substrate processing method using the same

Inventors: Sungsoo Choi (Suwon-si, KR); Wonyoung Jee (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H01J37/32642H01J37/32715H10P72/722H10P72/7611
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,651,730
App. No.
18/075,081
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a lower plate in a chamber, an electrostatic chuck on the lower plate, the electrostatic chuck including a first step surface, an intermediate ring disposed on the first step surface of the electrostatic chuck, a lower ring surrounding a portion of the intermediate ring and an outer sidewall of the electrostatic chuck on the lower plate, an upper ring covering an upper portion of the intermediate ring, a screw extending through the electrostatic chuck into the lower plate, and a socket connected to each of the screw and the intermediate ring. Each of the screw, the socket and the intermediate ring includes a conductor.

Claims (53)

1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a lower plate in a chamber;

an electrostatic chuck on the lower plate, the electrostatic chuck comprising a first step surface;

an intermediate ring disposed on the first step surface of the electrostatic chuck;

a lower ring surrounding a portion of the intermediate ring and an outer sidewall of the electrostatic chuck on the lower plate;

an upper ring covering an upper portion of the intermediate ring;

a screw extending through the electrostatic chuck into the lower plate; and

a connector connected to each of the screw and the intermediate ring,

wherein each of the screw, the connector and the intermediate ring comprises a conductor.

2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the screw comprises an inner hole;

the intermediate ring comprises an insertion hole; and

a lower portion of the connector is inserted into the inner hole, and an upper portion of the connector is inserted into the insertion hole.

3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrostatic chuck comprises a screw hole extending through the first step surface; and

a portion of the screw is disposed in the screw hole.

4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electrostatic chuck comprises a second step surface at a level higher than a level of the first step surface;

the intermediate ring comprises:

a first flange portion disposed on the second step surface, and

a second flange portion disposed on the lower ring; and

a thickness of the second flange portion is 4 to 5 mm.

5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate ring further comprises an inclined surface connecting a top surface of the intermediate ring to an inner side surface of the intermediate ring.

6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the upper ring comprises:

a body portion contacting a top surface of the intermediate ring,

an inner portion contacting an inner side surface of the intermediate ring, and

an outer portion contacting an outer side surface of the intermediate ring;

a recess is defined by the body portion, the inner portion and the outer portion; and

a thickness of the body portion is 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein an upper portion of the intermediate ring is disposed in the recess.

8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a level of a top surface of the intermediate ring is higher than a level of a top surface of the electrostatic chuck.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the upper ring and the lower ring comprises quartz.

10 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a lower plate;

an electrostatic chuck on the lower plate;

an edge ring assembly on the lower plate and the electrostatic chuck;

a screw extending through the electrostatic chuck into the lower plate; and

a connector connected to each of the screw and the edge ring assembly,

wherein a lower portion of the connector is disposed in the screw, and an upper portion of the connector is disposed in the edge ring assembly.

11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the edge ring assembly comprises:

an intermediate ring disposed on an edge of the electrostatic chuck;

a lower ring surrounding a portion of the intermediate ring and an outer sidewall of the electrostatic chuck on the lower plate; and

an upper ring covering the intermediate ring.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the connector is connected to the intermediate ring.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the intermediate ring comprises:

a first flange portion disposed on a step surface of the electrostatic chuck; and

a second flange portion disposed on the lower ring.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the intermediate ring comprises an inclined surface connecting a top surface of the intermediate ring to an inner side surface of the intermediate ring.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein:

each of the lower ring and the upper ring comprises quartz; and

the intermediate ring comprises a conductor.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein each of the intermediate ring and the connector comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2022
From: CHOI, SUNGSOO; JEE, WONYOUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061980/0602 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0186880 · Dec 24, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230207281A1 · Jun 29, 2023
References Cited (32)
US 6159299A · Koai · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 7244336B2 · Fischer · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 8449679B2 · Dhindsa · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 10672629B2 · Kim et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10847347B2 · Noorbakhsh · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10854492B2 · Bosch · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11456159B2 · Jeong · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11798789B2 · Sanchez · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 12094752B2 · Rice · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12123709B2 · Sadeghi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12354849B2 · Park · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20180323042A1 · Wang · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190229007A1 · Mustafa et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200020565A1 · Rathnasinghe · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200234928A1 · Vishwanath · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200303224A1 · Yoshimori · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200312633A1 · Rathnasinghe · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210013014A1 · Sarode Vishwanath · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210057194A1 · Kon · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210066052A1 · Emura · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220122878A1 · Wu · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220285136A1 · Han · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220328290A1 · Mishra · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 108538744A · 2018 [cited by examiner]
JP 2002246370A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010150605A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
KR 20060052443A · 2006 [cited by examiner]
KR 20140004724U · 2014 [cited by examiner]
KR 1020200023172A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200129613A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 102177146B1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
KR 20220072209A · 2022 [cited by examiner]