Method and apparatus for controlling temperature of a substrate

#1. Field of the Invention

#Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to semiconductor substrate processing systems. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling temperature of a substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing system.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

#FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary semiconductor substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate pedestal in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

#FIGS. 1B-1C are partial cross-sectional views of embodiments of a substrate pedestal having gaps formed in different locations in a material layer of the substrate pedestal.

#To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is also contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated on other embodiments without further recitation.

#The present invention generally is a method and apparatus for controlling temperature of a substrate during processing. Although invention is illustratively described in a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, such as, e.g., a processing reactor (or module) of a CENTURA® integrated semiconductor wafer processing system, available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., the invention may be utilized in other processing systems, including etch, deposition, implant and thermal processing, or in other application where control of the temperature profile of a substrate or other workpiece is desirable.

#FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary etch reactor 100 having one embodiment of a substrate pedestal assembly 116 that may illustratively be used to practice the invention. The particular embodiment of the etch reactor 100 shown herein is provided for illustrative purposes and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.