Vacuum chuck, substrate processing apparatus including the same and related method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11476151-B2
Application number	US-202016825352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Sep 9, 2019
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A vacuum chuck includes a pedestal including a first surface on which a substrate may be mounted. The first surface of the substrate may include a vacuum hole to provide a vacuum pressure below the substrate, a vacuum groove connected to the vacuum hole, and a gas hole surrounding the vacuum groove to transmit a bottom gas to the substrate. A vacuum pipe may be provided to connect to the vacuum hole, and a gas pipe may be provided to connect to the gas hole. The diameter of the vacuum hole may be about 2 to about 3 micrometers, and a width of the vacuum groove may be about 1.6 to about 2.5 micrometers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum chuck comprising:
a pedestal comprising a first surface configured to have a substrate mounted thereon, the pedestal having a vacuum groove formed in the first surface and a vacuum hole in fluid communication with the vacuum groove, wherein the vacuum groove and vacuum hole form a vacuum passage configured to provide a vacuum pressure below the substrate;
a heater in the pedestal, the heater being configured to generate heat; and
a vacuum pipe connected to the vacuum hole,
wherein the vacuum hole has a diameter in the range of 2 to 3 micrometers, and
the vacuum groove has a width in the range of 1.6 to 2.5 micrometers.

2. The vacuum chuck of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum groove has a depth in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers.

3. The vacuum chuck of claim 1 , wherein
the diameter of the vacuum hole is the same as the width of the vacuum groove.

4. The vacuum chuck of claim 1 , wherein
the first surface of the pedestal comprises a curved surface having a concave shape in which a central portion of the curved surface is at a lower height than an edge of the curved surface.

5. The vacuum chuck of claim 4 , wherein
the central portion of the first surface is at a lower height than the edge of the first surface by at least 40.

6. The vacuum chuck of claim 1 , wherein
an upper surface of the pedestal of a side portion of the pedestal comprises a curved surface in which a height of the upper surface of the side portion of the pedestal decreases in a direction toward an outer portion of the pedestal.

7. The vacuum chuck of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vacuum pump configured to provide vacuum pressure to the vacuum pipe; and
a controller configured to control at least one of the vacuum pump and the heater,
wherein the controller is configured to control the vacuum pump to provide a selected one of different vacuum pressures as the vacuum pressure provided below the substrate to accommodate a degree of warpage of the substrate.

8. A vacuum chuck comprising:
a pedestal comprising a first surface configured to have a substrate mounted thereon, the pedestal having a vacuum groove formed in the first surface and a vacuum hole in fluid communication with the vacuum groove, wherein the vacuum groove and vacuum hole form a vacuum passage configured to provide a vacuum pressure below the substrate, the pedestal having a gas hole formed in the first surface and surrounding the vacuum groove configured to transmit a bottom gas to the substrate;
a heater in the pedestal, the heater being configured to generate heat;
a vacuum pipe connected to the vacuum hole;
a vacuum pump configured to provide vacuum pressure to the vacuum pipe;
a gas pipe connected to the gas hole;
a bottom gas supply configured to provide bottom gas to the gas pipe;
a cover ring on the pedestal, the cover ring configured to overlap an edge portion of the substrate; and
a clamp configured to support the substrate,
wherein the first surface is a flat surface or a concave surface configured to contact the substrate, and
wherein sidewalls of the vacuum groove meet with the first surface at respective rounded corner portions forming respective curved surfaces.

9. The vacuum chuck of claim 8 , wherein
wherein a diameter of the vacuum hole is in a range of 2 to 3 micrometers, and
wherein a width of the vacuum groove is in a range of 1.6 to 2.5 micrometers, and
wherein a depth of the vacuum groove is in a range of 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers.

10. The vacuum chuck of claim 8 , wherein
a clamp groove is formed in the first surface of the pedestal at an edge of the pedestal and is configured to have the clamp inserted therein, and
the clamp is coupled below the cover ring and is configured to move together with the cover ring.

11. The vacuum chuck of claim 8 , wherein
the first surface of the pedestal comprises the concave surface in which a central portion of the first surface is at a lower height than an edge of the first surface, and
the central portion of the first surface is at the lower height than the edge of the first surface by at least 40 micrometers.

12. The vacuum chuck of claim 8 , further comprising
an elastic support on the first surface of the pedestal, the elastic support being configured to provide a vertical force to the substrate.

13. The vacuum chuck of claim 8 , further comprising
a controller configured to control at least one of the heater, the vacuum pump, and the bottom gas supply,
wherein the controller is configured to control the vacuum pump to provide a selected one of different vacuum pressures as the vacuum pressure provided below the substrate to accommodate a degree of warpage of the substrate.

14. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate comprising:
a chamber defining an inner space configured to process a substrate;
a vacuum chuck configured to support the substrate in the inner space;
a pressure pump configured to regulate pressure in the inner space; and
a top gas supply above the vacuum chuck, the top gas supply comprising a nozzle configured to inject a fluid into the chamber,
wherein the vacuum chuck comprises:
a pedestal comprising a first surface configured to have the substrate mounted thereon, the pedestal having a first vacuum groove formed in the first surface and a first vacuum hole in fluid communication with the first vacuum groove, wherein the first vacuum groove and first vacuum hole form a vacuum passage configured to provide a vacuum pressure below the substrate, and the pedestal having a gas hole formed in the first surface and surrounding the first vacuum groove configured to transmit a bottom gas to the substrate;
a heater in the pedestal, the heater being configured to generate heat;
a vacuum pipe connected to the first vacuum hole; and
a gas pipe connected to the gas hole,
wherein a diameter of the first vacuum hole is in a range of 2 to 3 micrometers, and
a width of the first vacuum groove is in a range of 1.6 to 2.5 micrometers.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein
a depth of the first vacuum groove is in a range of 0.5 to 1.5 micrometers.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first surface of the pedestal has formed therein:
a plurality of azimuthal vacuum grooves surrounding a central portion of the first surface; and
a radial vacuum groove connecting the plurality of azimuthal vacuum grooves with one another,

wherein inner surfaces of each of the plurality of azimuthal vacuum grooves and the radial vacuum grooves comprise curved surfaces.

17. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a vacuum pump configured to provide the vacuum pressure to the vacuum pipe;
a bottom gas supply configured to provide the bottom gas to the gas pipe; and
a controller configured to control at least one of the heater, the vacuum pump, and the bottom gas supply,
wherein the controller is configured to control the vacuum pump to provide a selected one of different vacuum pressures as the vacuum pressure provided below the substrate to accommodate a degree of warpage of the substrate and configured to control the heater to heat the substrate to a selected one of different temperatures according to accommodate a type of a substrate processing.

18. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein
the bottom gas supply is further configured to supply at least one of hydrogen and argon.

19. The substrate processing apparatus of clai

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ji Byounghoon
• Maeng Seoyoung
• Kim Minjoon
• Bae Jongyong
• Uh Jiho
• Lim Hongtaek
• Han Donghoon

Classifications

• H10P72/7606

  characterised by edge clamping, e.g. clamping ring · CPC title

• H10P72/0432

  mainly by conduction · CPC title

• H10P72/78 Primary

  using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7626

  characterised by the construction of the shaft · CPC title

• H10P72/7611

  characterised by edge profile or support profile · CPC title