Soaking and esc clamping sequence for high bow substrates

A method for soaking and clamping a substrate, comprising:

• a) delivering a substrate to a pedestal of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) of a processing chamber;
• b) increasing a pressure in the processing chamber to a first predetermined pressure in a first predetermined pressure range during a first predetermined period,
• wherein the first predetermined pressure is greater than a predetermined process pressure;
• c) clamping the substrate using a first clamping voltage for a second predetermined period;
• d) decreasing pressure in the processing chamber to a second predetermined pressure in a second predetermined pressure range during the second predetermined period;
• e) increasing the first clamping voltage to second clamping voltage during a third predetermined period and increasing the pressure in the processing chamber;
• and
• f) performing a treatment on the substrate at the predetermined process pressure.

A method for soaking and clamping a substrate, comprising:

• a) delivering a substrate to a pedestal of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) of a processing chamber;
• b) increasing a pressure in the processing chamber to a first predetermined pressure in a first predetermined pressure range during a first predetermined period;
• c) after the first predetermined period, clamping the substrate at a first clamping voltage for a second predetermined period;
• d) after the second predetermined period, de-clamping the substrate during a third predetermined period;
• e) after the third predetermined period, clamping the substrate at a second clamping voltage for a fourth predetermined period;
• f) after the fourth predetermined period, increasing the pressure in the processing chamber to a predetermined process pressure;
• and
• g) processing the substrate at the predetermined process pressure.

A substrate processing system for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck with electrodes;
• a gas delivery system configured to deliver a gas mixture to the processing chamber;
• a voltage source configured to supply a clamping voltage to the electrodes;
• and
• a controller configured to cause the gas delivery system and the voltage source to:
• a) increase a pressure in the processing chamber in one or more steps to a first predetermined pressure in a first predetermined pressure range;
• b) soak the substrate at the first predetermined pressure for a first predetermined period without clamping the substrate;
• c) after the first predetermined period, increase a clamping voltage supplied to the electrostatic chuck to a first clamping voltage during a second predetermined period;
• d) after the second predetermined period, increase the pressure in the processing chamber to a predetermined process pressure greater than the first predetermined pressure;
• and
• e) perform a treatment on the substrate at the predetermined process pressure.

A substrate processing system for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck with electrodes;
• a gas delivery system configured to deliver a gas mixture to the processing chamber;
• a voltage source configured to supply a clamping voltage to the electrodes;
• and
• a controller configured to cause the gas delivery system and the voltage source to:
• a) increase a pressure in the processing chamber in one or more steps to a first predetermined pressure in a first predetermined pressure range during a first predetermined period,
• wherein the first predetermined pressure is greater than a predetermined process pressure;
• b) clamp the substrate using a first clamping voltage for a second predetermined period;
• c) decrease pressure in the processing chamber to a second predetermined pressure in a second predetermined pressure range during the second predetermined period;
• d) increase the first clamping voltage to second clamping voltage during a third predetermined period and increasing the pressure in the processing chamber;
• and
• e) perform a treatment on the substrate at the predetermined process pressure.

A substrate processing system for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck with electrodes;
• a gas delivery system configured to deliver a gas mixture to the processing chamber;
• a voltage source configured to supply a clamping voltage to the electrodes;
• and
• a controller configured to cause the gas delivery system and the voltage source to:
• a) increase a pressure in the processing chamber in one or more steps to a first predetermined pressure in a first predetermined pressure range during a first predetermined period;
• b) after the first predetermined period, clamp the substrate at a first clamping voltage for a second predetermined period;
• c) after the second predetermined period, de-clamp the substrate during a third predetermined period;
• d) after the third predetermined period, clamp the substrate at a second clamping voltage for a fourth predetermined period;
• e) after the fourth predetermined period, increase the pressure in the processing chamber to a predetermined process pressure;
• and
• f) process the substrate at the predetermined process pressure.