Electrostatic chuck with concentric cooling base

A substrate support comprising:

• a substrate supporting plate having an upper surface for supporting one or more substrates thereon and a lower surface opposing the upper surface;
• and
• a cooling assembly attached to the lower surface of the substrate supporting plate, wherein the cooling assembly comprises:
• a cooling base having a first side contacting the lower surface of the substrate supporting plate and providing cooling to the substrate supporting plate;
• a diffuser disposed on a second side of the cooling base, wherein the diffuser defines a plurality of cooling paths for delivering a cooling fluid towards the cooling base in a parallel manner;
• and
• an inlet/outlet plate disposed under the diffuser, wherein the inlet/outlet plate is provides an interface between the diffuser and an inlet and outlet of a cooling fluid.

A method for providing cooling to a substrate support, comprising:

• flowing a cooling fluid into an inlet of an inlet/outlet plate of a cooling assembly attached to the substrate support;
• flowing the cooling fluid from the inlet/outlet plate to a plurality of cooling paths in a diffuser of the cooling assembly, wherein the plurality of cooling paths delivers the cooling fluid towards a cooling base of the cooling assembly in a parallel manner, and the cooling base is in direct contact with the substrate support;
• and
• returning the cooling fluid through a plurality of returning channels in the diffuser to an outlet of the inlet/outlet plate.