Substrate support with pressure zones having reduced contact area and temperature feedback

A substrate support for holding a substrate having a periphery, said substrate support comprising:

• a body having a surface and a first passageway in said body and terminating proximate to said surface, said surface having spaced-apart recessed regions for allowing a gas to flow between said support and said substrate, said spaced-apart recessed regions defining first and second zones and a seal disposed therebetween, said second zone being disposed proximate to said periphery and surrounding said first zone, with said second zone being in fluid communication with said first passageway allowing said gas to enter therein, with said seal and said second zone each have a width associated therewith, with the width associated with said second zone being greater than the width associated with said seal.

A processing system, comprising:

• a substrate processing chamber;
• a support, adapted to hold a substrate, mounted in said chamber, said support including a body having opposed major surfaces and a first passageway in said body and terminating proximate to said surface, said surface having spaced-apart recessed regions defining first and second zones and an annular seal area disposed therebetween, with said first passageway being in fluid communication with said second zone;
• a supply of gas in fluid communication with said passageway to allow gas to flow between said supply and said second zone, thereby allowing gas to flow between said support and said substrate, with said annular seal area being configured to seat against said substrate and maintain said second zone at a pressure greater than said first zone, with said first zone having a volume, associated therewith, greater than a volume associated with said second zone.

A method for effectuating thermal transfer between a support and a substrate disposed thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a flow of a thermally conductive fluid between said surface and said support;
• and
• creating differing heat transfer rates between said substrate and said support by bifurcating said flow so as to provide, in said flow, spaced-apart pressure differentials, with a difference between said differing heat transfer rates defining a heat transfer gradient, with said heat transfer gradient being a function of a magnitude of a separation of said spaced-apart pressure differentials.