Carbon nanotube electrostatic chuck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11069554-B1
Application number	US-202016749336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2020
Priority date	Jan 22, 2020
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A platen having improved thermal conductivity and reduced friction is disclosed. In one embodiment, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes are grown on the top surface of the platen. The carbon nanotubes have excellent thermal conductivity, thus improving the transfer of heat between the platen and the workpiece. Furthermore, the friction between the carbon nanotubes and the workpiece is much lower than that with conventional embossments, reducing particle generation. In another embodiment, a support plate is disposed on the platen, wherein the carbon nanotubes are disposed on the top surface of the support plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A platen comprising:
a dielectric layer having openings on a top surface, wherein all openings are used for lift pins and/or ground pins;
a base;
one or more electrodes disposed between the dielectric layer and a top surface of the base or embedded in the base; and
a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes disposed on the top surface of the dielectric layer, wherein a height of the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is between 1 and 500 μm and wherein the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes transfer heat between the platen and a workpiece disposed on the platen.

2. The platen of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vertically aligned nanotubes are arranged in a plurality of islands.

3. The platen of claim 2 , wherein the number density in each island is between 10 7 and 10 11 nanotubes/cm 2 .

4. The platen of claim 1 , further comprising lift pins extending out from the top surface of the dielectric layer.

5. The platen of claim 4 , wherein the openings on the top surface of the dielectric layer accommodate the lift pins.

6. The platen of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes prevent the workpiece from contacting the top surface of the electrostatic chuck.

7. An assembly for holding a workpiece, comprising:
an electrostatic chuck; and
a support plate, separate from the electrostatic chuck and disposed on a top surface of the electrostatic chuck, comprising a dielectric material and a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes disposed on a top surface of the support plate, wherein a height of the plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is between 1 and 500 pm;
wherein the electrostatic chuck comprises lift pins operable to extend outward from the top surface of the electrostatic chuck, and wherein the support plate comprises openings to allow the lift pins to pass through.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein all of the openings in the support plate are used for the lift pins and ground pins.

9. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of vertically aligned nanotubes are arranged in a plurality of islands.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the number density in each island is between 10 7 and 10 11 nanotubes/cm 2 .

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Sun Dawei
• Anella Steven M
• Chen Qin
• Serisky Ron
• Blake Julian G
• Chipman David J

Classifications

• H10P72/722 Primary

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7614

  characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions · CPC title

• H10P72/72 Primary

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• B23Q3/154

  Stationary devices · CPC title

• H01L21/6833 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic