Substrate support with varying depths of areas between mesas and corresponding temperature dependent method of fabricating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227840-B2
Application number	US-202217880855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2022
Priority date	Nov 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A method is provided and includes: determining a temperature distribution pattern across a substrate or a support plate of a substrate support; determining, based on the temperature distribution pattern, a number of masks to apply to a top surface of the support plate, where the number of masks is greater than or equal to two; and determining patterns of the masks based on the temperature distribution pattern; and applying the masks over the top surface. The method further includes: performing a first machining process to remove a portion of the support plate unprotected by the masks to form first mesas and first recessed areas between the first mesas; removing a first mask from the support plate; performing a second machining process to form second recessed areas and at least one of second mesas or a first seal band area; and removing a second mask from the support plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining a temperature distribution pattern across a substrate or a support plate of a substrate support;
determining, based on the temperature distribution pattern, a number of masks to apply to a top surface of the support plate, wherein the number of masks is greater than or equal to two;
determining patterns of the masks based on the temperature distribution pattern;
applying the masks over the top surface of the support plate;
performing a first machining process to remove a portion of the support plate unprotected by the masks to form first mesas and first recessed areas between the first mesas;
removing a first one of the masks from the support plate;
performing a second machining process to form second recessed areas and a first seal band area, wherein the second machining process to form the first seal band area includes forming a pair of seal bands of the first seal band area, wherein the second machining process includes increasing depths of the first recessed areas, and wherein, subsequent to performing the second machining process, the depths of the first recessed areas are greater than the depths of the second recessed areas; and
removing a second one of the masks from the support plate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first seal band area is formed during the second machining process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the second machining process includes forming second mesas.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein heights of the first mesas, heights of the second mesas and heights of bands of the first seal band area are at a same level relative to a bottom of the support plate.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
performing a third machining process to form at least one of third mesas and a second seal band area; and
removing a third one of the masks from the support plate.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one of patterns, an application order and a removal order of the masks based on the temperature distribution pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a baseplate cooling pattern of the substrate support; and
determining, based on the baseplate cooling pattern of the substrate support, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a cooling pattern of the support plate; and
determining, based on the cooling pattern of the support plate, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a heat transfer distribution pattern across the support plate based on seal band locations and the cooling pattern of the support plate; and
determining, based on the heat transfer distribution pattern, the at least one of the number of masks, the patterns of the masks, the application order of the masks and the removal order of the masks.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining plasma patterns across the support plate; and
determining, based on the plasma patterns across the support plate, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying hot and cold spots of the support plate having irregular temperatures as compared to surrounding areas across the support plate; and
determining, based on the hot and cold spots, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
estimating at least one areal density of a plurality of mesas across at least a portion of the support plate, the plurality of mesas including the first mesas; and
determining, based on the at least one areal density of the plurality of mesas, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining at least one of a mesa configuration, a distribution pattern of mesas, and a pattern of depths of areas between mesas; and
based on the at least one of the mesa configuration, the distribution pattern of mesas, and the pattern of depths of areas between mesas, determining at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pair of seal bands define a radially inner annular side and a radially outer annular side of the first seal band area.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein, during the second machining process, a depth between adjacent ones of the first recessed areas is increased and one of the second recessed areas is formed between the adjacent ones of the first mesas.

16. A method comprising:
determining a temperature distribution pattern across a substrate or a support plate of a substrate support;
determining, based on the temperature distribution pattern, a number of masks to apply to a top surface of the support plate, wherein the number of masks is greater than or equal to two;
determining patterns of the masks based on the temperature distribution pattern;
applying the masks over the top surface of the support plate;
performing a first machining process to remove a portion of the support plate unprotected by the masks to form first mesas and first recessed areas between the first mesas;
removing a first one of the masks from the support plate;
performing a second machining process to form second recessed areas, second mesas and a first seal band area, wherein the second mesas are separate from the first mesas; and
removing a second one of the masks from the support plate.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second machining process includes increasing depths of the first recessed areas.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein, subsequent to performing the second machining process, depths of the first recessed areas are greater than depths of the second recessed areas.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the second machining process includes increasing depths of the first recessed areas; and
subsequent to performing the second machining process, the depths of the first recessed areas are greater than the depths of the second recessed areas.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining at least one of patterns, an application order and a removal order of the masks based on the temperature distribution pattern.

21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining a baseplate cooling pattern of the substrate support; and
determining, based on the baseplate cooling pattern of the substrate support, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining a cooling pattern of the support plate; and
determining, based on the cooling pattern of the support plate, at least one of the number of masks, patterns of the masks, an application order of the masks and a removal order of the masks.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
determining a

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Gaff Keith
• Ramdutt Devin
• Erickson Ann

Classifications

• H10P72/7614

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

• H10P72/0602

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H10P72/722

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• C23C16/463

  Cooling of the substrate · CPC title