US5753132A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making electrostatic chuck with conformal insulator film
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1996-10-04
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Granted: 1998-05-19
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Expires: 2016-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck (20) comprising the steps of (c) forming a base (80) having an upper surface with cooling grooves (85) therein, the grooves sized and distributed for holding a coolant therein for cooling the base; and (d) pressure conforming an electrical insulator layer (45) to the grooves on the base by the steps of (i) placing the base into a pressure forming apparatus (25) and applying an electrical insulator layer over the grooves in the base; and (ii) applying a sufficiently high pressure onto the insulator layer to pressure conform the insulator layer to the grooves to form a substantially continuous layer of electrical insulator conformal to the grooves on the base.
Inventors
- 👤 Shamouil Shamouilian
- 👤 Sasson Somekh
- 👤 Hyman J. Levinstein
- 👤 Manoocher Birang
- 👤 Semyon Sherstinsky
- 👤 John F. Cameron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/72; H02; H02N; H02N13/00; H10P72/722
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck the process comprising the steps of: (a) forming a base having grooves therein; and (b) pressure conforming an electrical insulator layer to the grooves in the base by the steps of: i) placing the base into a pressure forming apparatus and applying an electrical insulator layer over the grooves in the base; and ii) applying a sufficiently high pressure onto the insulator layer to pressure conform the insulator layer to the grooves to form a substantially continuous insulator layer conformal to the grooves in the base, an upper surface of the insulator layer thereby comprising grooves sized and distributed for holding coolant for cooling a substrate held thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck the process comprising the steps of: (a) forming a base having grooves therein; and (b) pressure conforming an electrical insulator layer to the grooves in the base by the steps of: i) placing the base into a pressure forming apparatus and applying an electrical insulator layer over the grooves in the base; and ii) applying a sufficiently high pressure onto the insulator layer to pressure conform the insulator layer to the grooves to form a substantially continuous insulator layer conformal to the grooves in the base, an upper surface of the insulator layer thereby comprising grooves sized and distributed for holding coolant for cooling a substrate held thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the base of the chuck is fabricated from electrically conductive material and serves as an electrode of the chuck.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1, wherein in step (b) the insulator layer is conformably and directly bonded to the base, without use of an adhesive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises forming in the base, grooves that are at least about 5 μm wide and at least about 10 μm deep.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The process of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the following steps: (1) heating the insulator layer to a temperature sufficiently high to cause the insulator layer to become malleable and flow into the grooves in the base; and (2) applying a sufficiently high pressure on the insulator layer to conform the malleable insulator layer to the grooves in the base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the insulator is conformed to the grooves in the base by the steps of: (1) placing the base with the insulator layer thereon, into a pressure forming apparatus selected from the group consisting of an autoclave, platen press and isostatic press; and (2) maintaining the pressure forming apparatus at a pressure sufficiently high to force the insulator layer into the grooves in the base.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 6, wherein step (1) further comprises the steps of: (a) placing the base with the insulator layer thereon, into a vacuum bag; and (b) evacuating the vacuum bag and placing the vacuum bag in the pressure forming apparatus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the insulator layer is pressure conformed to the grooves in the base by applying a pressure differential through the thickness of the insulator layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
The process of claim 8, wherein the insulator layer on the base has a contact surface in contact with the base and an opposing exposed surface, and wherein the pressure differential is applied to the insulator layer by (i) maintaining the exposed surface of the electrically insulator layer at a first pressure, and simultaneously (ii) maintaining the contact surface of the insulator layer at a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 9, wherein the second pressure is at least about 500 Torr lower than the first pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 9, wherein the first pressure is at least about 500 Torr, and the second pressure is less than about 100 Torr.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 9, further comprising the step of forming holes through the base which terminate at the grooves on the base and wherein the contact surface of the insulator layer is maintained at the second pressure via a vacuum system connected to the holes in the base.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 9, wherein the first pressure is maintained using a pressure forming apparatus selected from the group consisting of an autoclave, platen press and isostatic press.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The process of claim 1, comprising the step of applying an electrical insulator layer on the base before step (b) by at least one of the following steps: (a) applying a solid polymeric insulator layer on the base; or (b) applying a liquid polymeric insulator precursor on the base by spin-coating, spraying, dipping, painting, or silk screening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the insulator layer on the base comprises an electrode embedded therein, and is formed by the steps of: (a) selecting a first insulator film having an electrically conductive layer thereon; (b) etching the electrically conductive layer on the first insulator film to form an electrode; and (c) adhering a second insulator film over the electrode so that the electrode is embedded between the first and second electrical insulator films.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising the steps of: (a) forming first grooves in a surface of a base; (b) applying an electrical insulator film on the base; (c) applying pressure on the electrical insulator film, while heating the insulator film, to promote the conformal adherence of the insulator film to the first grooves of the base so that the insulator film exhibits second grooves generally conforming to the first grooves; and (d) sizing and distributing the first grooves to enable the second grooves to retain and distribute coolant between the insulator film and a substrate held thereon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising the steps of: (a) forming first grooves in a surface of a base; (b) applying an electrical insulator film on the base; (c) applying pressure on the electrical insulator film, while heating the insulator film, to promote the conformal adherence of the insulator film to the first grooves of the base so that the insulator film exhibits second grooves generally conforming to the first grooves; and (d) sizing and distributing the first grooves to enable the second grooves to retain and distribute coolant between the insulator film and a substrate held thereon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising the steps of: (a) forming grooves in a surface of a base; and (b) conformably bonding an electrical insulator film to the grooves in the base by (i) applying the insulator film on the base, and (ii) maintaining a pressure differential across the thickness of the insulator film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising the steps of: (a) forming grooves in a surface of a base; and (b) conformably bonding an electrical insulator film to the grooves in the base by (i) applying the insulator film on the base, and (ii) maintaining a pressure differential across the thickness of the insulator film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process of claim 17, wherein the insulator film on the base has comprises a contact surface in contact with the base and an opposing exposed surface, and the step of maintaining a pressure differential across the insulator film comprises applying a first pressure on the exposed surface of the insulator film and simultaneously applying a second pressure on the contact surface of the insulator film, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the second pressure is at least about 500 Torr lower than the first pressure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the first pressure is from about 500 to about 30,000 Torr.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the second pressure is from about 10 -6 Torr to about 100 Torr.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the contact surface of the film is maintained at a second pressure via a vacuum system connected to holes formed in the base, the holes terminating at the grooves on the base.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 16 wherein step (b) comprises the step of applying on the base, an electrical insulator film having an electrode embedded therein.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
67 words
The process of claim 16 wherein in step (c) a pressure is applied to the electrical insulator film by the steps of (i) placing the base with the electrical insulator film, into a pressure-forming apparatus comprising an autoclave, platen press or isostatic press; and (2) maintaining the pressure in the pressure forming apparatus sufficiently high to force the electrical insulator film into the grooves in the base.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 24 wherein step (c) comprises the initial steps of: (1) placing the base with the electrical insulator film into a vacuum bag and evacuating the vacuum bag; and (2) placing the vacuum bag in the pressure-forming apparatus.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 16 wherein step (c) comprises the step of applying a pressure differential across the thickness of the electrical insulator film.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
77 words
The process of claim 26 wherein the electrical insulator film on the base has a contact surface in contact with the base and an opposing exposed surface, and wherein the pressure differential is applied to the electrical insulator film by (i) maintaining the exposed surface of the electrical insulator film at a first pressure, and simultaneously (ii) maintaining the contact surface of the electrical insulator film at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
The process of claim 27 wherein the first and second pressures comprise at least one of the following characteristics: (i) the second pressure is at least about 500 Torr lower than the first pressure; (ii) the first pressure is at least about 500 Torr; or (iii) the second pressure is less than about 100 Torr.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck, the process comprising the steps of: (a) forming grooves in a base; (b) applying an insulator film having an electrode embedded therein, on the base; (c) applying pressure to the insulator film, while heating the insulator film, to promote the adherence of the insulator film to the grooves in the base so that the insulator film has a shape conforming to the shape of the grooves.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for fabricating an electrostatic chuck, the process comprising the steps of: (a) forming grooves in a base; (b) applying an insulator film having an electrode embedded therein, on the base; (c) applying pressure to the insulator film, while heating the insulator film, to promote the adherence of the insulator film to the grooves in the base so that the insulator film has a shape conforming to the shape of the grooves.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
64 words
The process of claim 29 wherein in step (c) a pressure is applied to the insulator film by the steps of (i) placing the base with the insulator film, into a pressure-forming apparatus comprising an autoclave, platen press or isostatic press; and (2) maintaining the pressure in the pressure forming apparatus sufficiently high to force the insulator film into the grooves in the base.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 30 wherein step (c) comprises the initial steps of: (1) placing the base with the insulator film into a vacuum bag and evacuating the vacuum bag; and (2) placing the vacuum bag in the pressure-forming apparatus.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 29 wherein step (c) comprises the step of applying a pressure differential across the thickness of the insulator film.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
73 words
The process of claim 32 wherein the insulator film on the base has a contact surface in contact with the base and an opposing exposed surface, and wherein the pressure differential is applied to the insulator film by (i) maintaining the exposed surface of the insulator film at a first pressure, and simultaneously (ii) maintaining the contact surface of the insulator film at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
55 words
The process of claim 33 wherein the first and second pressures comprise at least one of the following characteristics: (i) the second pressure is at least about 500 Torr lower than the first pressure; (ii) the first pressure is at least about 500 Torr; or (iii) the second pressure is less than about 100 Torr.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |