Substrate carrier with integrated electrostatic chuck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016196997-A1
Application number	US-201414916019-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2014
Priority date	Sep 20, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate carrier adapted to use in a processing system includes an electrode assembly and a support base. The electrode assembly is configured to generate an electrostatic chucking force for securing a substrate to the substrate carrier. The support base has a heating/cooling reservoir formed therein. The electrode assembly and the support base form an unitary body configured for transport within a processing system. A quick disconnect is coupled to the body and configured to trap a heat regulating medium in the reservoir heating/cooling reservoir when the body is decoupled from a source of heat regulating medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A substrate carrier adapted to use in a processing system, the substrate carrier comprising:
an electrode assembly configured to generate an electrostatic chucking force; a support base having a heating/cooling reservoir formed therein, the electrode assembly and support base forming an unitary body configured for transport within a processing system; and a connector coupled to the support base and configured to transfer a heat regulating medium into the heating/cooling reservoir.

2 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy storage device disposed on-board the substrate carrier and coupled to the electrode assembly.

3 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a passage exiting a substrate supporting surface of the body; an integral check valve formed in the connector coupled to the passage.

4 . The substrate carrier of claim 3 , further comprising:
a sealing ridge, elastomeric seal or o-ring projecting above the substrate supporting surface of the body outward of the passage.

5 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 further comprising:
a rail extending from a side of the body.

6 . The substrate carrier of claim 5 , wherein the rail is configured to interface with a drive system adapted to transport the body through the system.

7 . The substrate carrier of claim 2 , wherein the energy storage device further comprises:
at least one of a battery, capacitor, supercapacitor and ultrabattery.

8 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly comprises:
a plurality of distributed electrodes.

9 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 , wherein the distributed electrodes further comprises:
at least a first electrode interleaving with a second electrode.

10 . The substrate carrier of claim 9 , wherein the first electrode has a plurality of fingers interleaving with interleaving with a plurality of fingers of the second electrode.

11 . The substrate carrier of claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly comprises:
an array of independently controllable electrode assemblies

12 . A processing system, comprising:
(a) a substrate carrier comprising:
an electrode assembly configured to generate an electrostatic chucking force and a support base having a heating/cooling reservoir formed therein, the electrode assembly and support base forming an unitary body configured for transport within a processing system; and
a connector coupled to the support base and configured to transfer a heat regulating medium into the heating/cooling reservoir.
(b) a processing chamber adapted to receive the carrier with a substrate electrostatically coupled thereon; and (c) a mating connector operable to automatically couple to the connector of the support base.

16 . The processing system of claim 15 , wherein the mating connector is located in at least one of a loading station, a load lock chamber and a processing chamber.

13 . The substrate carrier of claim 12 , further comprising:
a controller on-board the substrate carrier, the controller adapted to control a state of each electrode assembly.

14 . The substrate carrier of claim 12 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to couple and decouple the connector and mating connector.

15 . A method for transporting a substrate in a processing system, the method comprising:
transferring a substrate onto a substrate carrier; providing a heat transfer medium to a heating/cooling reservoir formed in the substrate carrier; electrostatically chucking the substrate to the substrate carrier; decouping a source of heat transfer medium from the substrate carrier; and transferring the substrate while electrostatically chucked to the substrate carrier.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
supplying a temperature regulating fluid into heating/cooling reservoir formed in the substrate carrier while the carrier is positioned in a processing chamber.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
trapping the temperature regulating fluid inside the substrate carrier.

18 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
automatically disconnecting a power source from the substrate carrier in a processing chamber or in a substrate loading station.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
automatically connecting a power source to the substrate carrier while the substrate carrier is in at least one of a processing chamber, a load lock chamber or in a substrate loading station.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein transferring the substrate further comprises:
transferring the substrate carrier in a substantially vertical orientation into a processing chamber.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• White John M
• Wang Zuoqian

Classifications

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3211

  Changing orientation of the substrate, e.g. from a horizontal position to a vertical position · CPC title

• H10P72/3206

  the substrate being handled substantially vertically · CPC title

• H10P72/3202

  Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title