# US 12,002,701 B2 · Electrostatic chuck assembly for plasma processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,701 B2 - Document ID: US12002701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/551,247 - Filed: 2021-12-15 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-29 - Assignees: Mattson Technology, Inc.; Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Mattson Technology, Inc.; Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Maolin Long - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002701B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32577: {Electrical connecting means} - H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder} - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract An electrostatic chuck including a workpiece support surface, clamping layer, heating layer, thermal control system, and sealing band is disclosed. The sealing band surrounds an outer perimeter of the electrostatic chuck including at least a portion of the workpiece surface. The sealing band has a width greater than about 3 millimeters (mm) up to about 10 mm. Plasma processing apparatuses and systems incorporating the electrostatic chuck are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrostatic chuck, comprising: a workpiece support surface configured to support a workpiece during processing; one or more clamping electrodes defining a clamping layer; one or more heating electrodes defining a heating layer; a thermal control system; and a sealing band surrounding an outer perimeter of the electrostatic chuck including at least a portion of the workpiece support surface, the sealing band having a width greater than about 3 millimeters (mm) up to about 10 mm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the clamping electrodes are connected to one or more of a DC power source, AC power source, or an RF power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the one or more clamping electrodes comprise a first clamping electrode and a second clamping electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrostatic chuck of claim 3, wherein the first clamping electrode is coupled to a negative DC voltage, and the second clamping electrode is coupled to a positive DC voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the thermal control system comprises one or more flow channels for circulating a thermal exchange fluid or a thermal exchange gas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrostatic chuck of claim 5, wherein the thermal exchange gas comprises helium gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The electrostatic chuck of claim 5, wherein the flow channels are interconnected to a first zone of release apertures, a second zone of release apertures, a third zone of release apertures, and a fourth zone of release apertures. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrostatic chuck of claim 7, wherein the first zone of release apertures is located innermost radially, wherein the second zone of release apertures is located radially outward from the first zone of release apertures, wherein the third zone of release apertures is located radially outward from the second zone of release apertures and radially inward from the fourth zone of release apertures. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electrostatic chuck of claim 7, wherein the second zone of release apertures includes more apertures than the first zone of release apertures, wherein the third zone of release apertures includes more apertures than the second zone of release apertures, wherein the fourth zone of release apertures includes more release apertures than the third zone of release apertures. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The electrostatic chuck of claim 5, wherein the sealing band is configured to seal the workpiece support surface, such that thermal exchange gas is not capable of leaking around an edge of the workpiece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic chuck defines a first outer boundary and the clamping layer defines a second outer boundary, wherein a first distance D1 between the first outer boundary and the second outer boundary is greater than a second distance D2 defined between one or more turns of the first electrode or the second electrode in the clamping layer, wherein D1 is greater than about 2 millimeters (mm). ### Claim 12 An electrostatic chuck, comprising: a workpiece support surface configured to support a workpiece during processing; a pixelated array of a plurality of micro-electrodes; at least one RF bias source coupled to each of the plurality of micro-electrodes; a clamping power source configured to provide clamping power to each of the plurality of micro-electrodes so that each of the plurality of micro-electrodes is configured to act as a clamping electrode for the workpiece; and a controller configured to control the at least one RF bias source to independently adjust one or more RF parameters of RF bias power to one of the plurality of micro-electrodes relative to at least one other of the plurality of micro-electrodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, wherein the RF bias source comprises a plurality of RF bias sources, each of the plurality of RF bias sources coupled to at least one of the plurality of micro-electrodes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, wherein the one or more RF parameters comprise one or more of RF power, RF frequency, or RF phase. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, further comprising a baseplate disposed beneath the plurality of micro-electrodes in the electrostatic chuck. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrostatic chuck of claim 15, wherein the RF bias source is configured to provide RF bias power to the baseplate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, wherein the clamping power source is configured to provide a plurality of different DC voltages to each of the plurality of micro-electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, wherein the clamping power source comprises a DC power source, the DC power source coupled to at least one of the micro-electrodes via a switching element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrostatic chuck of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to control the switching element using a pulse width modulation to adjust a voltage applied to the at least one micro-electrode coupled to the switching element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The electrostatic chuck of claim 12, wherein the RF bias source comprises the clamping power source, the clamping power source comprising a DC power source coupled to at least one of the micro-electrodes via a switching element, the controller configured to apply RF bias to at least one of the micro-electrodes by controlling the switching element using pulse width modulation.