IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,690,418
Granted Patent B2
US 12,690,418 · App. 18/628,136 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Apparatus for clamping a substrate on a mono-polar electrostatic chuck for deposition of photoresist films

Inventors: Sushim Koshti (West Linn, OR); Vijay Parkhe (San Jose, CA); Nitin Bharadwaj Satyavolu (Santa Clara, CA); Venugopal Vellanki (San Jose, CA); Niranjana Balesan (Fremont, CA); Ashutosh Sawant (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H10P72/722C23C16/4585C23C16/4586H01J37/32642H01J37/32724H10P72/7612H10P72/7616H10P72/7624H01J2237/3321H01J2237/3323
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,690,418
App. No.
18/628,136
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses for clamping a substrate on a mono-polar electrostatic chuck for deposition of photoresist films are disclosed. In an example, a lift-pin assembly includes a first metal spring, a first metal above and coupled to the first metal spring, a second metal spring above and coupled to the first metal, a second metal above and coupled to the second metal spring, and a ceramic above and coupled to the second metal.

Claims (42)

1 . A lift-pin assembly, comprising:

a first metal spring;

a first metal above and coupled to the first metal spring;

a ceramic above and coupled to the first metal; and

a second metal spring above and coupled to the first metal, and a second metal above and coupled to the second metal spring, wherein the ceramic is above and coupled to the second metal.

2 . The lift pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first metal spring provides a consistent ground path for the lift-pin assembly.

3 . The lift pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first metal spring provides compliance for the lift-pin assembly.

4 . The lift pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first metal spring provides guided linear motion for the lift-pin assembly.

5 . The lift pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second metal spring provides contact pressure for the lift-pin assembly.

6 . The lift pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic is for supporting a wafer, and wherein the ceramic comprises SiC.

7 . A mono-polar electrostatic chuck, comprising:

a chuck body;

a plurality of lift-pin holes in the chuck body; and

a plurality of lift-pins, individual ones of the plurality of lift-pins in corresponding ones of the plurality of lift-pin holes, wherein each of the plurality of lift-pins comprises:

a first metal spring;

a first metal above and coupled to the first metal spring;

a second metal spring above and coupled to the first metal;

a second metal above and coupled to the second metal spring; and

a ceramic above and coupled to the second metal.

8 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins provides a consistent ground path for the lift-pin assembly.

9 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins provides compliance for the lift-pin assembly.

10 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins provides guided linear motion for the lift-pin assembly.

11 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the second metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins provides back pressure for the lift-pin assembly.

12 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the second metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins provides contact pressure for the lift-pin assembly.

13 . The mono-polar electrostatic chuck of claim 7 , wherein the ceramic of each of the plurality of lift-pins is for supporting a wafer, and wherein the ceramic comprises SiC.

14 . A system, comprising:

a chamber;

a plasma source within or coupled to the chamber; and

a mono-polar electrostatic chuck within the chamber, the mono-polar electrostatic chuck comprising:

a chuck body;

a plurality of lift-pin holes in the chuck body; and

a plurality of lift-pins, individual ones of the plurality of lift-pins in corresponding ones of the plurality of lift-pin holes, wherein each of the plurality of lift-pins comprises:

a first metal spring;

a first metal above and coupled to the first metal spring;

a second metal spring above and coupled to the first metal;

a second metal above and coupled to the second metal spring; and

a ceramic above and coupled to the second metal.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck provides a consistent ground path for the lift-pin assembly.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck provides compliance for the lift-pin assembly.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck provides guided linear motion for the lift-pin assembly.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the second metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck provides back pressure for the lift-pin assembly, and wherein the second metal spring of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck provides contact pressure for the lift-pin assembly.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the ceramic of each of the plurality of lift-pins of the mono-polar electrostatic chuck is for supporting a wafer, and wherein the ceramic comprises SiC.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2024
From: KOSHTI, SUSHIM; PARKHE, VIJAY; SATYAVOLU, NITIN BHARADWAJ; VELLANKI, VENUGOPAL; BALESAN, NIRANJANA; SAWANT, ASHUTOSH
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 067194/0160 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63470088 · May 31, 2023
Related Publication 20240404861A1 · Dec 5, 2024
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