Purged vacuum chuck with proximity pins

A method of manufacturing a substrate support structure, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
• forming a plurality of recessed regions in the first surface;
• providing a plurality of seed crystals having at least one planar surface;
• placing the plurality of seed crystals in the plurality of recessed regions so that the at least one planar face is substantially coplanar with the first surface;
• and
• selectively depositing a plurality of proximity pins in contact with the plurality of seed crystals and extending to a first height above the first surface.

A method of manufacturing a substrate support structure, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate support, the substrate support comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
• forming a plurality of recessed regions in the first surface, the plurality of recessed regions characterized by a first depth;
• providing a plurality of support structures characterized by a dimension greater than the first depth;
• inserting the plurality of support structures into the plurality of recessed regions;
• pressing the plurality of support structures into the plurality of recessed regions to align a surface of the plurality of support structures with the first surface, thereby deforming the plurality of recessed regions;
• removing a portion of the substrate support defined by a depth measured from the first surface to a third surface to expose to expose a portion of the support structures.