Process chamber having improved temperature control

A method of processing a substrate in a process chamber, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing a substrate on a support in the process chamber;
• (b) introducing process gas into the process chamber;
• (c) coupling RF energy to the process gas to sustain a plasma of the process gas;
• and
• (d) regulating a flow of heat to and from the process chamber via a heat transfer member bonded to an external surface of the process chamber.

A process chamber for processing a substrate in a plasma, the process chamber comprising:

• (a) a support;
• (b) a gas distributor;
• (c) a ceiling comprising semiconductor material having an electrical susceptibility that is sufficiently low to allow an RF induction field to permeate therethrough;
• (d) an inductor antenna adjacent to the ceiling to couple an RF induction field through the ceiling into the process chamber;
• (e) a temperature control system comprising a heat exchanger, and a heat transfer member having a heat conduction surface bonded to the ceiling and a heat transmitting surface thermally coupled to the heat exchanger;
• and
• (f) an exhaust,
• whereby a substrate held on the support is processed by a plasma of process gas distributed into the process chamber by the gas distributor, the process gas being exhausted by the exhaust, and the heat transfer member transfers heat from the process chamber to maintain substantially uniform temperatures across the ceiling.

A method of processing a substrate in a process chamber, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing a substrate in the process chamber;
• (b) introducing a process gas into the process chamber;
• (c) charging an inductor antenna adjacent to a ceiling of the process chamber to couple RF energy to the process gas to sustain a plasma in the process chamber;
• and
• (d) monitoring the temperature of the ceiling and regulating the flow of heat to and from the process chamber via a heat transfer member bonded to the ceiling, a heater, and a heat exchanger.

A method of bonding a heat transfer member to an external surface of a process chamber, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a heat transfer member having a heat conduction surface;
• (b) providing a thermally conducting adhesive between the heat transfer member and the external surface;
• (c) pressing the heat transfer member against the external surface;
• and
• (d) heating the thermally conducting adhesive to cure the adhesive and form a thermally conducting bond between the heat transfer member and the external surface of the process chamber.