# US 9,753,463 B2 · Increasing the gas efficiency for an electrostatic chuck

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- Number: US 9,753,463 B2
- Document ID: US9753463B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/529,985
- Filed: 2014-10-31
- Published: 2016-03-17
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-12
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753463B2

## CPC

- G05D 7/0623: {characterised by the set value given to the control element}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/32724: {Temperature}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks}
- Y10T 29/49771: Quantitative measuring or gauging
- Y10T 29/49776: Pressure, force, or weight determining
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A gas is received through an inlet. A portion of the gas is supplied to an electrostatic chuck. A portion of the gas is re-circulated through a compressor. A pressure of the second portion of the gas is increased. The second portion of the gas is stored in a gas storage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method to increase the efficiency of a backside gas for an electrostatic chuck comprising:
receiving the gas through an inlet;
supplying a first portion of the gas to the electrostatic chuck;
re-circulating a second portion of the gas through a compressor;
supplying the second portion of the gas through an orifice to a vacuum line for a first time interval, wherein the second portion of the gas is supplied to the re-circulating line for a second time interval.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising
increasing a pressure of the second portion of the gas by the compressor;
storing the second portion of the gas in a gas storage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is helium, argon, neon, krypton, xenon, other inert gas, nitrogen, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 4

A method to increase the efficiency of a backside gas for an electrostatic chuck comprising:
receiving the gas through an inlet;
supplying a first portion of the gas to the electrostatic chuck;
re-circulating a second portion of the gas through a compressor;
determining a pressure set point for the gas at the electrostatic chuck;
obtaining a calibration curve for the gas;
estimating a flow rate of the first portion of the gas for the pressure set point based on the calibration curve; and
controlling the first portion of the gas based on the estimated flow rate.

### Claim 5

A method to increase the efficiency of a backside gas for an electrostatic chuck comprising:
receiving the gas through an inlet;
supplying a first portion of the gas to the electrostatic chuck;
re-circulating a second portion of the gas through a compressor; and
measuring a flow of the gas at a plurality of pressure values to generate a calibration curve.

### Claim 6

A method to increase the efficiency of a backside gas for an electrostatic chuck comprising:
receiving the gas through an inlet;
supplying a first portion of the gas to the electrostatic chuck;
re-circulating a second portion of the gas through a compressor;
determining if the gas is supplied through the inlet; and
sending a trigger signal to the compressor, if the gas is supplied to the inlet.