Electrostatic chuck heater resistance measurement to approximate temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12444570-B2
Application number	US-202017437401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 13, 2019
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A controller including a voltage sensor coupled to a heater trace integrated in an electrostatic chuck, the voltage sensor configured to sense a voltage difference across the heater trace, wherein the heater trace is associated with a heater zone. The controller including a current sensor coupled to the heater trace and configured to sense a current in the heater trace. The controller including a resistance identifier configured to identify a resistance of the heater trace based on the voltage difference and the current that is sensed. The controller including a temperature correlator configured to approximate a temperature of the heater zone based on the resistance and a correlation function of the heater trace. The correlation function uses a temperature coefficient of resistance of the heater trace.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller, comprising:
a voltage sensor coupled to a heater trace integrated in an electrostatic chuck, the voltage sensor configured to sense a voltage difference across the heater trace, wherein the heater trace is associated with a heater zone;
a current sensor coupled to the heater trace and configured to directly sense a current in the heater trace;
a resistance identifier configured to identify a resistance of the heater trace based on the voltage difference and the current in the heater trace that are sensed; and
a temperature correlator configured to approximate a temperature of the heater zone based on the resistance of the heater trace and a correlation function of the heater trace,
wherein the correlation function of the heater trace uses a temperature coefficient of resistance of the heater trace,
wherein the correlation function of the heater trace defines a non-linear correlation of temperature and resistance.

2. The controller of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature comparator configured to compare the temperature of the heater zone that is approximated to a desired temperature associated with the heater zone.

3. The controller of claim 2 , further comprising:
a power controller configured to adjust a power to the heater trace based on a comparison result between the temperature of the heater zone that is approximated and the desired temperature.

4. The controller of claim 3 ,
wherein the power controller adjusts the power to the heater trace using pulse width modulation.

5. The controller of claim 3 ,
wherein the voltage sensor and the current sensor and the power controller are located within an RF hot environment of a plasma processing chamber, wherein the power controller includes the resistance identifier and the temperature correlator and the temperature comparator, and
wherein the power controller is configured to provide in situ adjustment of the power to the heater trace.

6. The controller of claim 3 ,
wherein the power controller performs a closed-loop analysis of the temperature of the heater zone that is approximated to adjust the power to the heater trace such that the temperature of the heater zone that is approximated matches the desired temperature.

7. The controller of claim 1 ,
wherein the temperature correlator approximates the temperature of the heater zone without using a temperature sensor.

8. A user interface, comprising:
a display configured to show information related to a first heater zone of an electrostatic chuck for a plasma processing chamber;
wherein the information includes a first temperature associated with the first heater zone;
wherein the first temperature associated with the first heater zone is determined by a first temperature controller that is configured to:
sense a voltage difference across a first heater trace associated with the first heater zone;
sense a current in the first heater trace;
identify a resistance of the first heater trace based on the voltage difference and the current in the first heater trace that is sensed; and
approximate the first temperature associated with the first heater zone based on the resistance of the first heater trace and a correlation function of the first heater trace,
wherein the correlation function of the first heater trace defines a non-linear correlation of temperature and resistance.

9. The user interface of claim 8 , further comprising:
logic configured to trigger an alert based on the first temperature associated with the first heater zone that is approximated.

10. The user interface of claim 9 ,
wherein the alert includes a recommendation providing at least one action to be taken based on the information.

11. The user interface of claim 9 ,
wherein the alert is triggered when a difference between a desired temperature of the first heater zone and the first temperature associated with the first heater zone that is approximated exceeds a threshold.

12. The user interface of claim 8 ,
wherein the information includes a second temperature associated with a second heater zone of the electrostatic chuck.

13. The user interface of claim 12 , wherein the second temperature associated with the second heater zone is determined by a second temperature controller that is configured to:
sense a voltage difference across a second heater trace associated with the second heater zone;
sense a current in the second heater trace;
identify a resistance of the second heater trace based on the voltage difference and the current in the second heater trace that is sensed; and
approximate the second temperature associated with the second heater zone based on the resistance of the second heater trace and a correlation function of the second heater trace.

14. The user interface of claim 12 ,
wherein the first heater zone and the second heater zone are on different horizontal planes.

15. The user interface of claim 8 ,
wherein the first temperature controller is further configured to compare the first temperature associated with the first heater zone that is approximated to a desired temperature associated with the first heater zone.

16. The user interface of claim 15 ,
wherein the first temperature controller is further configured to adjust a power to the first heater trace based on a comparison result between the first temperature associated with the first heater trace that is approximated and the desired temperature associated with the first heater zone.

17. The user interface of claim 16 ,
wherein the first temperature controller is located within an RF hot environment of the plasma processing chamber,
wherein the first temperature controller is configured to provide in situ adjustment of the power to the first heater trace.

18. The user interface of claim 15 ,
wherein the first temperature controller performs a closed-loop analysis of the first temperature associated with the first heater trace that is approximated to adjust a power to the first heater trace such that the first temperature associated with the first heater zone that is approximated matches the desired temperature associated with the first heater zone.

19. A method for controlling temperature of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) in a plasma processing chamber, the ESC having a heater zone with a heater trace integrated therein, the heater trace having an input end and an output end and configured to provide heat to the heater zone, comprising:
supplying a power to the heater trace;
sensing a voltage difference between the input end and the output end of the heater trace;
directly sensing a current in the heater trace;
identifying a resistance of the heater trace based on the voltage difference that is sensed and the current in the heater trace that is sensed; and
approximating a temperature of the heater zone based on the resistance of the heater trace that is identified and a correlation function of the heater trace without using a temperature sensor in the heater zone, wherein the correlation function of the heater trace uses a temperature coefficient of resistance of the heater trace,
wherein the correlation function of the heater trace defines a non-linear correlation of temperature and resistance.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
comparing the temperature of the heater zone that is approximated to a desired temperature associated with the heater zone.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
generating an alert when a comp

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Jing Changyou
• Mikhnenko Oleksandr
• Kimball Christopher

Classifications

• H10P72/0602 Primary

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0432

  mainly by conduction · CPC title

• H10P72/72 Primary

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H01J2237/2007

  Holding mechanisms · CPC title

• H01J37/32522

  Temperature · CPC title