# US 11,443,975 B2 · Planar substrate edge contact with open volume equalization pathways and side containment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,975 B2 - Document ID: US11443975B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/836,062 - Filed: 2020-03-31 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-28 - Assignees: Lam Research Corporation - Applicants: Lam Research Corporation - Inventors: Patrick Breiling; Ramesh Chandrasekharan; Karl Leeser; Paul Konkola; Adrien LaVoie; Chloe Baldasseroni; Shankar Swaminathan; Ishtak Karim; Yukinori Sakiyama; Edmund Minshall; Sung Je Kim; Andrew Duvall; Frank Pasquale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443975B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support} - C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds} - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C 16/5096: {Flat-bed apparatus} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder} - H10P 72/04: {Apparatus for manufacture or treatment} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0468: {comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process} - H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile} - H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins} - H10P 72/7616: {characterised by a coating, a hardness or a material} - B05C 13/02: for particular articles - C23C 16/4581: {characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate} - C23C 16/4583: {the substrate being supported substantially horizontally} - H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings} - H01J 2237/334: Etching - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H10P 72/0448: {Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) ## Abstract A pedestal for a substrate processing system includes a pedestal body including a substrate-facing surface. An annular band is arranged on the substrate-facing surface that is configured to support a radially outer edge of the substrate. A cavity is defined in the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body and is located radially inside of the annular band. The cavity creates a volume between a bottom surface of the substrate and the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body. A plurality of vents pass though the pedestal body and are in fluid communication with the cavity to equalize pressure on opposing faces of the substrate during processing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pedestal for a substrate processing system, comprising: a pedestal body including a substrate-facing surface and an annular notch around a radially outer edge thereof; an annular band arranged on the substrate-facing surface that is configured to contact a radially outer edge of a substrate; and a cavity that is defined in the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body and that is located radially inside of the annular band, wherein the cavity creates a volume between a bottom surface of the substrate and the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body; a plurality of vents passing through the pedestal body and in fluid communication with the cavity to equalize pressure on opposing faces of the substrate during processing; and a ring that is separate from the pedestal body and that is arranged in the annular notch on the pedestal body, wherein a bottom surface of the ring lies below a bottom surface of the substrate, wherein a top surface of the ring lies below a top surface of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the annular band has a width in a range from 4 mm to 12 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the annular band has a surface roughness (Ra) in a range from 2 to 32. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the annular band is made of a material selected from a group consisting of a dielectric coating formed on a surface of a conductive material, an uncoated conductive material, an uncoated metal, and an uncoated dielectric material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the ring is made of a dielectric material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The pedestal of claim 5, wherein the dielectric material is selected from a group consisting of alumina, aluminum nitride, sapphire, quartz, and silicon oxide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein a height of the ring is greater than a depth of the annular notch on the pedestal body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the ring lies above a top surface of the annular band. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of pins arranged in the cavity to support a center of the substrate, wherein a top surface of the pins is one of below, parallel to or above a top surface of the annular band during processing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pedestal of claim 9 further comprising a controller configured to extend the pins during processing such that a top surface of the pins is one of below, parallel to, and above the top surface of the annular band. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pedestal of claim 1, wherein the annular band is configured to support the bottom surface of the substrate along the radially outer edge such that the substrate is parallel to the annular band during processing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A substrate processing system comprising: a processing chamber; the pedestal of claim 1, wherein the pedestal is arranged in the processing chamber; and an RF generator arranged in the processing chamber. ### Claim 13 A pedestal for a substrate processing system, comprising: a pedestal body including a substrate-facing surface; an annular band arranged on the substrate-facing surface that is configured to contact a radially outer edge of a substrate; and a cavity that is defined in the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body and that is located radially inside of the annular band, wherein the cavity creates a volume between a bottom surface of the substrate and the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body; a plurality of vents passing through the pedestal body and in fluid communication with the cavity to equalize pressure on opposing faces of the substrate during processing; and a ring that is separate from the pedestal body and that is arranged radially outside of the substrate and the annular band on the pedestal body, wherein a top surface of the ring is arranged above a top surface of the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pedestal of claim 13, wherein the ring is made of a dielectric material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pedestal of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material is selected from a group consisting of alumina, aluminum nitride, sapphire, quartz, and silicon oxide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The pedestal of claim 13, wherein a bottom surface of the ring is lies below a bottom surface of the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The pedestal of claim 13, wherein the pedestal body includes an annular notch formed in a radially outer edge of the pedestal body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pedestal of claim 17, wherein the ring includes; a first portion that sits within the annular notch; and a second portion that extends radially inwardly of the annular notch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The pedestal of claim 18, wherein a radially inner edge of the second portion of the ring is located radially outwardly of a radially outer edge of the annular band. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The pedestal of claim 18, wherein a first thickness of the first portion is one of greater than and less than a second thickness of the second portion. ### Claim 21 A pedestal for a substrate processing system, comprising: a pedestal body including a substrate-facing surface; an annular band arranged on the substrate-facing surface that is configured to contact a substrate; and a cavity that is defined in the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body and that is located radially inside of the annular band, wherein the cavity creates a volume between a bottom surface of the substrate and the substrate-facing surface of the pedestal body; a plurality of vents passing through the pedestal body and in fluid communication with the cavity to equalize pressure on opposing faces of the substrate during processing; and a ring that is separate from the pedestal body, that is arranged on the pedestal body, and that includes a radially inner surface arranged radially inside of and below the substrate and a radially outer surface arranged radially outside of the substrate, wherein a top surface of the ring is parallel to a top surface of the substrate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The pedestal of claim 21, wherein the ring is made of a dielectric material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The pedestal of claim 22, wherein the dielectric material is selected from a group consisting of alumina, aluminum nitride, sapphire, quartz, and silicon oxide. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The pedestal of claim 22, wherein a radially innermost edge of the top surface of the ring is disposed outside of a radially outer edge of the substrate.