# US 12,014,946 B2 · Electrostatic chuck, vacuum processing apparatus, and substrate processing method

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- Number: US 12,014,946 B2
- Document ID: US12014946B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/270,742
- Filed: 2019-08-08
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-05
- Assignees: Ulvac, Inc.
- Applicants: Ulvac, Inc.
- Inventors: Genji Sakata; Hidekazu Yokoo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014946B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks}
- C23C 14/48: Ion implantation
- C23C 14/50: Substrate holders
- H10P 14/60: of insulating materials
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 72/0471: {comprising at least one ion or electron beam chamber}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P 72/7614: {characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions}
- H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support}
- H10P 30/20: into semiconductor materials, e.g. for doping
- 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)

## Abstract

[Object] To provide an electrostatic chuck that stably supports a substrate while suppressing a rapid increase in the volume of a gas, a vacuum processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method. [Solving Means] An electrostatic chuck according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a chuck plate that has a first surface supporting a substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The chuck plate includes an exhaust passage that exhausts a gas from between the substrate and the first surface, the gas being emitted from the substrate between the substrate and the first surface when the substrate is supported by the first surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrostatic chuck, comprising:
a chuck plate that has a first surface supporting a substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and includes an exhaust passage that exhausts a gas emitted from the substrate from between the substrate and the first surface when the substrate is supported by the first surface,
wherein the chuck plate is an elastic member,
wherein the first surface is provided with a plurality of convex portions and an annular convex portion that surrounds the plurality of convex portions,
wherein a height h0 of the plurality of convex portions from the first surface is less than or equal to a height of the annular convex portion, and
wherein the height h0 of the plurality of convex portions from the first surface is capable of being adjusted to a height h1 lower than the height h0 by electrostatically adsorbing the substrate to the first surface when the substrate is placed on the first surface provided with the plurality of convex portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust passage includes
a groove provided in the first surface and
a first through hole that communicates with the groove and passes through from the first surface to the second surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electrostatic chuck according to claim 2, wherein the groove includes
a plurality of first groove portions that extends from a center of the chuck plate outwardly of the chuck plate, and
a plurality of second groove portions that intersects the plurality of first groove portions and is annularly formed around the center of the chuck plate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust passage includes
a linear embanked portion provided on the first surface and
a first through hole that passes through from the first surface to the second surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, further comprising
a chuck base that has a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface facing the second surface of the chuck plate, the fourth surface being opposite to the third surface,
wherein the chuck base is provided with a second through hole that passes through from the third surface to the fourth surface, and the second through hole is configured to communicate with the first through hole.

### Claim 6

A vacuum processing apparatus, comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
an electrostatic chuck including
a chuck plate that has a first surface supporting a substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and includes an exhaust passage that exhausts a gas emitted from the substrate from between the substrate and the first surface when the substrate is supported by the first surface;
a support stage that is housed in the vacuum chamber and has a fifth surface and a sixth surface, the fifth surface supporting the electrostatic chuck, the sixth surface being opposite to the fifth surface; and
a deposition shieled plate that surrounds the support stage and partitions an inside of the vacuum chamber into a first region and a second region, the electrostatic chuck being disposed in the first region, the support stage being disposed in the second region,
wherein the support stage is provided with a different exhaust passage that exhausts the gas guided through the exhaust passage to the second region,
wherein the chuck plate is an elastic member,
wherein the first surface is provided with a plurality of convex portions and an annular convex portion that surrounds the plurality of convex portions,
wherein a height h0 of the plurality of convex portions from the first surface is less than or equal to a height of the annular convex portion, and
wherein the height h0 of the plurality of convex portions from the first surface is capable of being adjusted to a height h1 lower than the height h0 by electrostatically adsorbing the substrate to the first surface when the substrate is placed on the first surface provided with the plurality of convex portions.