Lift pin interface in a substrate support
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorAlexander SULYMAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for lift pin interfaces for electrostatic chucks are provided herein. In some embodiments, a lift pin interface in an electrostatic chuck includes: a dielectric plate having a support surface for a substrate; a conductive plate disposed beneath the dielectric plate and having an opening formed therethrough, wherein the dielectric plate includes a protrusion extending into the opening in the conductive plate; and a lift pin guide disposed in the opening, wherein the lift pin guide includes one or more features that extend from an upper surface of the lift pin guide and that overlap with the protrusion of the dielectric plate.
Claims20
A lift pin interface in an electrostatic chuck, comprising:
- a dielectric plate having a support surface for a substrate;
- a conductive plate disposed beneath the dielectric plate and having an opening formed therethrough, wherein the dielectric plate includes a protrusion extending into the opening in the conductive plate;
- and
- a lift pin guide disposed in the opening, wherein the lift pin guide includes one or more features that extend from an upper surface of the lift pin guide and that overlap with the protrusion of the dielectric plate, and wherein the lift pin guide includes a passageway to accommodate a lift pin.
An electrostatic chuck, comprising:
- a dielectric plate having a support surface for a substrate;
- one or more electrodes disposed in the dielectric plate;
- a conductive plate disposed beneath the dielectric plate and having an opening formed therethrough, wherein the dielectric plate includes a protrusion extending into the opening in the conductive plate;
- and
- a lift pin guide disposed in the opening, wherein the lift pin guide includes one or more features that extend from an upper surface of the lift pin guide and that overlap with the protrusion of the dielectric plate, wherein the lift pin guide includes a passageway to accommodate a lift pin, and wherein the dielectric plate and the protrusion include openings aligned with the passageway in the lift pin guide to form a lift pin opening such that a lift pin can move sufficiently to extend beyond the surface of the dielectric plate and to retract beneath the support surface.
A substrate support including an electrostatic chuck, comprising:
- a conductive plate having an opening formed therethrough;
- a dielectric plate having a support surface for a substrate coupled to the conductive plate, wherein the dielectric plate includes a protrusion extending into the opening in the conductive plate;
- an elastomer bond layer disposed between the conductive plate and the dielectric plate;
- one or more electrodes disposed in the dielectric plate and configured to be coupled to a chucking power supply;
- and
- a lift pin guide disposed in the opening of the conductive plate, wherein the lift pin guide includes one or more features that extend from an upper surface of the lift pin guide and that overlap with the protrusion of the dielectric plate, wherein the lift pin guide includes a passageway to accommodate a lift pin, and wherein the dielectric plate and the protrusion include openings aligned with the passageway in the lift pin guide to form a lift pin opening such that a lift pin can move sufficiently to extend beyond the surface of the dielectric plate and to retract beneath the support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.