# US 2018/0025932 A1 · Laminated top plate of a workpiece carrier in micromechanical and semiconductor processing

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- Number: US 2018/0025932 A1
- Document ID: US20180025932A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/356,905
- Filed: 2016-11-21
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Kadthala R. Narendrnath
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025932A1

## CPC

- H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks}
- H05B 3/143: {applied to semiconductors, e.g. wafers heating (H05B3/0047 takes precedence)}
- H05B 3/283: {the insulating material being an inorganic material, e.g. ceramic}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P 72/7616: {characterised by a coating, a hardness or a material}
- H05B 2203/017: Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A laminated top plate of a workpiece carrier is described that is particularly suitable for mechanical and semiconductor processing. In one example, A method of fabricating a workpiece carrier top plate includes dispensing conductive paste onto at least one of a plurality of ceramic sheets, embedding the paste between the plurality of ceramic sheets, compacting ceramic sheets together with the paste, and sintering the paste.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating a workpiece carrier top plate comprising:
dispensing conductive paste onto at least one of a plurality of ceramic sheets;
embedding the paste between the plurality of ceramic sheets;
compacting ceramic sheets together with the paste; and
sintering the paste.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sintering the paste further comprises sintering the ceramic sheets.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising embossing the ceramic sheets are before the conductive paste is dispensed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein dispensing the paste comprises spreading the paste and then removing the paste with a squeegee.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising applying a stencil over a selected one of the ceramic sheets and wherein spreading comprises spreading the paste through the stencil onto the selected ceramic sheet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the stencil defines a line pattern of openings so that the paste is applied to the selected ceramic sheet as lines.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising piercing holes through the ceramic sheets.

### Claim 8

A workpiece carrier top plate for carrying a semiconductor substrate, the carrier comprising:
a plurality of ceramic sheets compacted together;
sintered conductive paste dispensed onto the ceramic sheets and embedded between the ceramic sheets; and
electrical terminals coupled to the conductive paste to apply an electrical current to the conductive paste.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier top plate of claim 8, wherein the ceramic sheets are sintered.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier top plate of claim 8, wherein the ceramic sheets are embossed before the conductive paste is dispensed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier top plate of claim 8, wherein the paste is dispensed by spreading and then removing with a squeegee.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier tog plate of claim 8, wherein the ceramic sheets have pierced through holes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier top plate of claim 8, wherein the paste is in the form of electrodes and the electrical terminals allow an electrostatic charge to the electrodes.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The workpiece carrier top plate of claim 8, wherein the paste is in the form of resistive heaters and the electrical terminals allow a current to be applied to heat the heaters.

### Claim 15

A method of forming a top plate for a workpiece carrier comprising:
embossing a pattern of wells into a ceramic sheet;
applying a conductive paste into the wells of the ceramic sheet;
drying the paste; and
compacting the ceramic sheet with a plurality of other ceramic sheets to form the top plate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein embossing includes pressing a die into the ceramic sheet or, conversely, pressing a ceramic sheet into the die.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein embossing includes pressing a pin through the ceramic sheet to form a hole.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein embossing includes forming a recess for an electrical part.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising sintering the paste after drying the paste.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein applying a conductive paste comprises applying a stencil over the ceramic sheet and applying the paste through the ceramic sheet.