# US 9,518,326 B2 · Method for forming an electrostatic chuck using film printing technology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,326 B2 - Document ID: US9518326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/059,402 - Filed: 2013-10-21 - Published: 2015-04-23 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Karl M. Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518326B2 ## CPC - C23C 28/32: {including at least one pure metallic layer} - C23C 28/34: {including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates} - H02N 13/00: Clutches or holding devices using electrostatic attraction, e.g. using Johnson-Rahbek effect - H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract In one embodiment, a method for forming an electrostatic chuck includes forming vias in a ceramic plate and printing a metal paste in the vias and curing the ceramic plate. The method includes printing the metal paste on a front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate, and printing the metal paste on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate to form one or more contact pads. The method also includes printing a dielectric film on the front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate. The method may further include printing one or more heating elements on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate, printing the dielectric film on the bottom, and bonding the ceramic plate to a backing plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising: forming vias in a ceramic plate; printing a metal paste in the vias and curing the ceramic plate; printing the metal paste on a front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate; printing the metal paste on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate to form one or more contact pads on the bottom surface of the ceramic plate, wherein the metal paste on the front surface and the metal paste on the bottom surface are electrically coupled by the metal paste in the vias; and printing a dielectric film on the front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the metal paste on the bottom surface of the ceramic plate further comprises: printing one or more heating elements on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: printing the dielectric film on the bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate to encapsulate the one or more heating elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the metal paste on the front surface forms at least two electrodes on the front surface of the ceramic plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the at least two electrodes form a Double O pattern, an interdigitated pattern, or a spiral pattern. ### Claim 6 A method for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising: forming vias in a ceramic plate; printing a metal paste in the vias and curing the ceramic plate; printing the metal paste on a front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate; printing the metal paste on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate to form one or more contact pads on the bottom surface of the ceramic plate; and printing a dielectric film on the front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate, wherein the printing the dielectric film comprises printing dielectric bumps on the front surface of the ceramic plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the metal paste comprises silver or palladium and the dielectric film comprises glass. ### Claim 8 A method for fabricating an electrostatic chuck comprising: forming vias in a ceramic plate; printing a silver paste in the vias and curing the ceramic plate; printing the silver paste on a front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate; printing the silver paste on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate to form one or more contact pads and one or more heating elements on a bottom surface of the ceramic plate; printing a dielectric film on the front surface of the ceramic plate and curing the ceramic plate; bonding the ceramic plate to a backing plate by using a reactive nano metal bond, wherein the metal bond is a resistive element sandwiched within a low temperature melting material on both sides, wherein the low temperature material melts at about 100 degrees Celsius or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the low temperature material is indium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein bonding the ceramic plate to the backing plate does not include a thermal annealing process. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the backing plate comprises a metal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the ceramic plate comprises aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and the backing plate comprises aluminum or titanium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the curing is performed in a thermal annealing chamber at about 850 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the ceramic plate has a thickness of between about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the dielectric film comprises glass. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the glass dielectric film has a thickness of between about 95 μm to about 105 μm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the silver paste on the front surface of the ceramic plate form electrodes and the one or more contact pads are configured to provide voltage to the electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the metal backing plate comprises one or more terminal configured to supply voltage to the contact pads. ### Claim 19 An electrostatic chuck comprising: a ceramic plate comprising: vias formed therethrough, wherein the vias are filled with silver; one or more silver layers on a front surface of the ceramic plate forming one or more electrodes; and one or more silver layers on a back surface of the ceramic plate forming one or more contact pads, wherein the one or more contact pads are coupled to the electrodes by the vias; and a metal backing plate bonded to the ceramic plate with a reactive nano metal bond, without a thermal annealing process.