Chuck having pressurized zones of heat transfer gas

A chamber comprising:

• a gas distributor adapted to provide process gas to the chamber,
• an exhaust capable of removing process gas from the chamber,
• optionally, a gas energizer adapted to energize the process gas to form a plasma, and
• a chuck for holding a substrate in the chamber, the chuck comprising a surface capable of receiving the substrate, the surface comprising a gas inlet port to supply a heat transfer gas to the surface, a gas exhaust port to exhaust the heat transfer gas, and at least one protrusion between the gas inlet port and the gas exhaust port, the protrusion comprising a height above the surface that is sufficiently large to impede the flow of heat transfer gas from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas therebetween to form a plurality of zones across the surface, the zones adapted to hold heat transfer gas at different pressures.

A chamber comprising:

• a gas distributor adapted to introduce process gas to the chamber,
• an exhaust capable of removing the process gas from the chamber,
• optionally, a gas energizer adapted to energize the process gas to process a substrate, and
• an electrostatic chuck for holding the substrate, the electrostatic chuck comprising a dielectric covering an electrode, the dielectric having a surface capable of receiving the substrate, the surface comprising a gas inlet port to supply a heat transfer gas to the surface and a gas exhaust port to exhaust the heat transfer gas, and at least one non-sealing protrusion between the gas inlet port and the gas exhaust port, the non-sealing protrusion comprising a height above the surface that is sufficiently large to impede the flow of heat transfer gas from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas therebetween to form a plurality of zones across the surface, the zones adapted to hold heat transfer gas at different pressures.

A method of holding a substrate on a chuck, the method comprising:

• (a) placing a substrate on a surface of the chuck;
• (b) providing heat transfer gas to the surface via a gas inlet port and removing the heat transfer gas via a gas exhaust port;
• and
• (c) maintaining at least one protrusion between the gas inlet port and the gas exhaust port, the protrusion comprising a height above the surface that is sufficiently large to impede the flow of heat transfer gas from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas therebetween to form a plurality of zones across the surface, the zones adapted to hold heat transfer gas at different pressures.

A chamber comprising:

• a gas distributor capable of introducing process gas into the chamber,
• an exhaust capable of removing process gas from the chamber,
• optionally, a gas energizer adapted to energize the process gas to process a substrate, and
• a chuck for holding the substrate in the chamber, the chuck comprising a surface capable of receiving the substrate, the surface comprising a gas inlet port, a gas exhaust port, a plurality of mesas between the gas inlet port and the gas exhaust port, the mesas comprising a height above the surface that is sufficiently large to impede the flow of heat transfer gas from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas therebetween to form a plurality of zones across the surface, the zones adapted to hold heat transfer gas at different pressures, and a sealing protrusion about the periphery of the surface, the sealing protrusion capable of forming a substantially gas-tight seal with the substrate.

A method of holding a substrate on an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrode and a surface having a gas inlet port and a gas exhaust port, the method comprising:

• (a) placing a substrate on the surface of the electrostatic chuck;
• (b) electrostatically holding the substrate on the surface by charging the electrode;
• (c) providing heat transfer gas to the surface via the gas inlet port and removing the heat transfer gas via the gas exhaust port;
• and
• (d) maintaining at least one non-sealing protrusion between the gas inlet port or the gas exhaust port, the non-sealing protrusion comprising a height above the surface that is sufficiently large to impede the flow of heat transfer gas from the gas inlet port to the gas exhaust port without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas therebetween to form a plurality of zones across the surface, the zones adapted to hold heat transfer gas at different pressures.