Heating plate with planar heater zones for semiconductor processing
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorHarmeet Singh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heating plate for a substrate support assembly in a semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, comprises multiple independently controllable planar heater zones arranged in a scalable multiplexing layout, and electronics to independently control and power the planar heater zones. Each planar heater zone includes one or more heater element made of an insulator-conductor composite. A substrate support assembly in which the heating plate is incorporated includes an electrostatic clamping electrode and a temperature controlled base plate. Methods for manufacturing the heating plate include bonding together ceramic having planar heater zones, power supply lines, power return lines and vias.
Claims28
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A method of making a heating plate comprising planar heater zones laterally distributed across an electrically insulating layer configured to form part of a substrate support assembly used to support a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing apparatus, each heater zone comprising one or more heater elements made of an insulator-conductor composite, the method comprising:
- mixing powders of an insulator and a conductor with a liquid (e.g. methanol, ethanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, water, mineral oil) into a slurry, and sintering the slurry.
A method for manufacturing a heating plate comprising an electrically insulating layer, planar heater zones comprising at least first, second, third and fourth planar heater zones, each comprising one or more heater element made of an insulator-conductor composite, the planar heater zones laterally distributed across the electrically insulating layer, power supply lines comprising at least a first electrically conductive power supply line electrically connected to the first and second planar heater zones and a second electrically conductive power supply line electrically connected to the third and fourth planar heater zones, power return lines comprising at least a first electrically conductive power return line electrically connected to the first and third planar heater zones and a second electrically conductive power return line electrically connected to the second and fourth planar heater zones, comprising:
- pressing a mixture of ceramic powder, binder and liquid into sheets;
- drying the sheets;
- forming vias in the sheets by punching holes therein;
- forming the power supply lines and power return lines on the sheets;
- forming heater elements by screen printing or spraying a slurry of insulator and conductor powders;
- aligning the sheets;
- bonding the sheets by sintering to form the electrically insulating layer;
- filling the vias with a slurry of conducting powder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.