IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,606,912
Granted Patent B2
US 12,606,912 · App. 17/079,155 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

High heat loss heater and electrostatic chuck for semiconductor processing

Inventors: Jian Li (Fremont, CA); Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez (San Carlos, CA); Mayur Govind Kulkarni (Bangalore, IN); Paul L. Brillhart (Pleasanton, CA); Vidyadharan Srinivasamurthy (Bengaluru, IN); Katherine Woo (Santa Clara, CA); Wenhao Zhang (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
C23C16/4586H01J37/32495H01J37/32568H01J37/32724
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,606,912
App. No.
17/079,155
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Exemplary substrate support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body defining a support surface that defines a substrate seat. The substrate support surface may include a dielectric coating. The substrate support assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include a cooling hub positioned below a base of the support stem and coupled with a cooling fluid source. The electrostatic chuck body may define at least one cooling channel that is in communication with a cooling fluid source. The substrate support assemblies may include a heater embedded within the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include an AC power rod extending through the support stem and electrically coupled with the heater. The substrate support assemblies may include a plurality of voids formed within the electrostatic chuck body between the at least one cooling channel and the heater.

Claims (45)

1 . A substrate support assembly, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck body defining a substrate support surface that defines a substrate seat, wherein:

the electrostatic chuck body comprises a conductive material that is operable as a chuck without separate checking electrodes;

the substrate support surface comprises a dielectric coating;

a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body;

a plurality of insulators disposed between the electrostatic chuck body and the support stem, the plurality of insulators comprising an inner insulator and an outer insulator;

a cooling hub positioned below a base of the support stem and coupled with a cooling fluid source, wherein:

the electrostatic chuck body defines at least one cooling channel that is in communication with the cooling fluid source;

a lateral side of the cooling hub defines a cooling fluid inlet and a cooling fluid outlet;

a heater embedded within the electrostatic chuck body;

an AC power rod extending through the support stem and electrically coupled with the heater; and

a plurality of voids formed within the electrostatic chuck body between the at least one cooling channel and the heater, wherein the plurality of voids comprises one or more first voids at a first depth within the electrostatic chuck body and one or more second voids at a second depth within the electrostatic chuck body, wherein the first depth is different than the second depth, wherein the one or more first voids comprises a central void having a circular or elliptical shape and the one or more second voids comprises one or more outer voids having an annular shape.

2 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

an RF rod extending through the support stem and electrically coupled with the electrostatic chuck body.

3 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the dielectric coating covers an entire outer surface of the electrostatic chuck body.

4 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

a top end of the support stem comprises a support bowl that is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck body; and

at least one insulator is supported atop the support bowl and is disposed between the support bowl and the electrostatic chuck body.

5 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , wherein:

the at least one insulator comprises an inner polymeric insulator and an outer ceramic insulator.

6 . The substrate support assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:

an insulative edge ring seated on a recessed ledge of the electrostatic chuck body, wherein the insulative edge ring extends radially outward along an exterior edge of the electrostatic chuck body.

7 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric coating is provided on an entire top surface of the substrate support surface.

8 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling hub includes a top surface with the lateral side extending downward from the top surface.

9 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein a top end of the support stem comprises a support bowl that is disposed beneath the inner insulator and the outer insulator.

10 . The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the inner insulator is mechanically fastened to the support bowl.

11 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outer insulator is floated atop the support bowl without any mechanical coupling.

12 . The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein a peripheral edge of the support bowl extends laterally outward beyond the substrate seat.

13 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner insulator comprises polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

14 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer insulator comprises aluminum oxide.

15 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner insulator and the outer insulator comprise different materials.

16 . The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric coating is disposed between the plurality of insulators and the electrostatic chuck body.

17 . A substrate support assembly, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck body defining a substrate support surface that defines a substrate seat, wherein:

the electrostatic chuck body comprises a conductive material that is operable as a chuck without separate checking electrodes;

the substrate support surface comprises a dielectric coating;

a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body, a top end of the support stem comprises a support bowl that is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck body, wherein a top end of the support stem comprises a support bowl that is disposed beneath the inner insulator and the outer insulator;

a plurality of insulators disposed between the electrostatic chuck body and the support stem, the plurality of insulators comprising an inner insulator and an outer insulator;

a cooling hub positioned below a base of the support stem and coupled with a cooling fluid source, wherein:

the electrostatic chuck body defines at least one cooling channel that is in communication with the cooling fluid source;

a lateral side of the cooling hub defines a cooling fluid inlet and a cooling fluid outlet;

a heater embedded within the electrostatic chuck body;

an AC power rod extending through the support stem and electrically coupled with the heater; and

a plurality of voids formed within the electrostatic chuck body between the at least one cooling channel and the heater, wherein the plurality of voids comprises one or more first voids at a first depth within the electrostatic chuck body and one or more second voids at a second depth within the electrostatic chuck body, wherein the first depth is different than the second depth.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2021
From: LI, JIAN; ROCHA-ALVAREZ, JUAN CARLOS; KULKARNI, MAYUR GOVIND; BRILLHART, PAUL L.; SRINIVASAMURTHY, VIDYADHARAN; WOO, KATHERINE; ZHANG, WENHAO
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056948/0957 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220127723A1 · Apr 28, 2022
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