公开(公告)号：US08157951B2

公开(公告)日：2012-04-17

申请号：US11408333

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01L21/306 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/46

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber having a top surface for supporting a workpiece and having indentations in the top surface that form enclosed gas flow channels whenever covered by a workpiece resting on the top surface. The reactor further includes thermal control apparatus thermally coupled to the electrostatic chuck, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck, a pressurized gas supply of a thermally conductive gas, a controllable gas valve coupling the pressurized gas supply to the indentations to facilitate filling the channels with the thermally conductive gas for heat transfer between a backside of a workpiece and the electrostatic chuck at a heat transfer rate that is a function of the pressure against the backside of the workpiece of the thermally conductive gas. The reactor further includes an agile workpiece temperature control loop including (a) a temperature probe in the electrostatic chuck, and (b) a backside gas pressure controller coupled to an output of the temperature probe and responsive to a specified desired temperature, the controller governing the gas valve in response to a difference between the output of the temperature probe and the desired temperature.

摘要翻译： 用于加工工件的等离子体反应器包括反应室，腔室内的静电吸盘具有用于支撑工件的顶表面，并且在顶表面上具有凹陷，每当由搁置在顶表面上的工件覆盖时形成封闭的气体流动通道。 反应器还包括热耦合到静电卡盘的热控制装置，RF等离子体偏置功率发生器，其被耦合以向静电卡盘施加RF功率，导热气体的加压气体供应，将加压气体供应连接到 所述凹槽有助于用导热气体填充通道，用于在工件的背面与静电卡盘之间传热，其传热速率是导热气体工件背面压力的函数。 反应器还包括敏捷工件温度控制回路，其包括（a）静电卡盘中的温度探针，和（b）耦合到温度探头的输出并响应于指定的期望温度的背侧气体压力控制器，控制器控制 气体阀响应于温度探头的输出与所需温度之间的差异。

公开(公告)号：US08034180B2

公开(公告)日：2011-10-11

申请号：US11410782

申请日：2006-04-24

申请人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： C23C16/00 ,  C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/306

CPC分类号： H01L21/67109

摘要： A method of controlling the temperature of a workpiece on a workpiece support in a plasma reactor includes placing coolant in a flow channel thermally coupled to the workpiece support, supporting a thermally conductive gas between the workpiece and the workpiece support to establish a backside gas pressure, providing sensors to measure the temperature of the workpiece support and the workpiece, and determining whether the rate of change in workpiece temperature is less or more than a rate limited by a thermal mass of the workpiece support. If the rate is less or equal, the thermal conditions of the coolant in the flow channel are changed to reduce a difference between the measured workpiece support temperature and a target workpiece support temperature. If the rate is more, the pressure of the thermally conductive gas is changed to reduce a difference between the measured workpiece temperature and a target workpiece temperature.

摘要翻译： 控制等离子体反应器中的工件支撑件上的工件的温度的方法包括将冷却剂放置在与工件支撑件热耦合的流动通道中，在工件和工件支撑件之间支撑导热气体以建立背侧气体压力， 提供传感器来测量工件支撑件和工件的温度，并且确定工件温度的变化率是否小于或大于由工件支撑件的热质量限制的速率。 如果速率小于或等于，则改变流道中的冷却剂的热条件以减少测量的工件支撑温度和目标工件支撑温度之间的差。 如果速率更高，则改变导热气体的压力，以减小所测量的工件温度和目标工件温度之间的差异。

公开(公告)号：US20110065279A1

公开(公告)日：2011-03-17

申请号：US12949028

申请日：2010-11-18

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01L21/465

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  F25B49/02 ,  F25B2400/0401 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2700/21174 ,  F25B2700/21175 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H05H2001/4682

摘要： A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the workpiece within a reactor chamber, the method including circulating a coolant through a refrigeration loop that includes an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck, while pressurizing a workpiece-to-chuck interface with a thermally conductive gas, sensing conditions in the chamber including temperature near the workpiece and simulating heat flow through the electrostatic chuck in a thermal model of the chuck based upon the conditions. The method further includes obtaining the next scheduled change in RE heat load on the workpiece and using the model to estimate a change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator that would hold the temperature nearly constant by compensating for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator prior to the time of the next scheduled change by a head start related to the thermal propagation delay through the electrostatic chuck.

摘要翻译： 一种在等离子体反应器中处理工件的方法，所述等离子体反应器具有用于在反应室内支撑工件的静电卡盘，所述方法包括使冷却剂循环通过包括静电卡盘内的蒸发器的制冷回路，同时对工件 - 卡盘 与导热气体接触，基于条件，感测室内的条件，包括工件附近的温度，并模拟卡盘热模型中通过静电卡盘的热流。 该方法还包括获得在工件上的RE热负荷的下一个调度的变化，并且使用该模型来估计蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化，该变化将通过补偿下一个预定的RF热变化来保持温度几乎恒定 在通过静电卡盘的热传播延迟的头开始的下一次预定改变之前，在蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化。

公开(公告)号：US20100319852A1

公开(公告)日：2010-12-23

申请号：US12855675

申请日：2010-08-12

申请人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： C23F1/08 ,  H01L21/306

CPC分类号： H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/6831

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber for supporting a workpiece, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. Preferably, the evaporator includes a meandering passageway distributed in a plane beneath a top surface of the electrostatic chuck. Preferably, refrigerant within the evaporator is apportioned between a vapor phase and a liquid phase. As a result, heat transfer between the electrostatic chuck and the refrigerant within the evaporator is a constant-temperature process. This feature improves uniformity of temperature distribution across a diameter of the electrostatic chuck.

摘要翻译： 用于处理工件的等离子体反应器包括反应室，用于支撑工件的室内的静电卡盘，耦合以向静电卡盘施加RF功率的RF等离子体偏置功率发生器和在静电卡盘内具有蒸发器的制冷回路， 制冷剂入口和制冷剂出口。 优选地，蒸发器包括分布在静电卡盘的顶表面下方的平面中的曲折通道。 优选地，蒸发器内的制冷剂在气相和液相之间分配。 结果，静电吸盘和蒸发器内的制冷剂之间的热传递是恒温过程。 该特征改善了静电卡盘的直径上的温度分布的均匀性。

公开(公告)号：US20100303680A1

公开(公告)日：2010-12-02

申请号：US12855678

申请日：2010-08-12

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： B01J19/08

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber having a top surface for supporting a workpiece and having indentations in the top surface that form enclosed gas flow channels whenever covered by a workpiece resting on the top surface. The reactor further includes thermal control apparatus thermally coupled to the electrostatic chuck, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck, a pressurized gas supply of a thermally conductive gas, a controllable gas valve coupling the pressurized gas supply to the indentations to facilitate filling the channels with the thermally conductive gas for heat transfer between a backside of a workpiece and the electrostatic chuck at a heat transfer rate that is a function of the pressure against the backside of the workpiece of the thermally conductive gas. The reactor further includes an agile workpiece temperature control loop including (a) a temperature probe in the electrostatic chuck, and (b) a backside gas pressure controller coupled to an output of the temperature probe and responsive to a specified desired temperature, the controller governing the gas valve in response to a difference between the output of the temperature probe and the desired temperature.

摘要翻译： 用于加工工件的等离子体反应器包括反应室，腔室内的静电吸盘具有用于支撑工件的顶表面，并且在顶表面上具有凹陷，每当由搁置在顶表面上的工件覆盖时形成封闭的气体流动通道。 反应器还包括热耦合到静电卡盘的热控制装置，RF等离子体偏置功率发生器，其被耦合以向静电卡盘施加RF功率，导热气体的加压气体供应，将加压气体供应连接到 所述凹槽有助于用导热气体填充通道，用于在工件的背面与静电卡盘之间传热，其传热速率是导热气体工件背面压力的函数。 反应器还包括敏捷工件温度控制回路，其包括（a）静电卡盘中的温度探针，和（b）耦合到温度探头的输出并响应于指定的期望温度的背侧气体压力控制器，控制器控制 气体阀响应于温度探头的输出与所需温度之间的差异。

公开(公告)号：US20070091541A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11409326

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  F25B49/02 ,  F25B2400/0401 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2700/21174 ,  F25B2700/21175 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H05H2001/4682

摘要： A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the workpiece within a reactor chamber, the method including circulating a coolant through a refrigeration loop that includes an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck, while pressurizing a workpiece-to-chuck interface with a thermally conductive gas, sensing conditions in the chamber including temperature near the workpiece and simulating heat flow through the electrostatic chuck in a thermal model of the chuck based upon the conditions. The method further includes obtaining the next scheduled change in RF heat load on the workpiece and using the model to estimate a change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator that would hold the temperature nearly constant by compensating for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator prior to the time of the next scheduled change by a head start related to the thermal propagation delay through the electrostatic chuck.

摘要翻译： 一种在等离子体反应器中处理工件的方法，所述等离子体反应器具有用于在反应室内支撑工件的静电卡盘，所述方法包括使冷却剂循环通过包括静电卡盘内的蒸发器的制冷回路，同时对工件 - 卡盘 与导热气体接触，基于条件，感测室内的条件，包括工件附近的温度，并模拟卡盘热模型中通过静电卡盘的热流。 该方法还包括获得在工件上的RF热负荷的下一个预定的改变，并且使用该模型来估计蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化，该变化将通过补偿下一个预定的RF热变化来保持温度几乎恒定 在通过静电卡盘的热传播延迟的头开始的下一次预定改变之前，在蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化。

公开(公告)号：US20070091539A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11409183

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  F25B49/02 ,  F25B2400/0401 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2700/21174 ,  F25B2700/21175 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H05H2001/4682

摘要： A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck with a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes a backside gas pressure source coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under a selected pressure into a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface and an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an expansion valve for controlling flow of coolant through the evaporator. The reactor further includes a temperature sensor in the electrostatic chuck and a memory storing a schedule of changes in RF power or wafer temperature. The reactor further includes a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the temperature sensor, and a control processor coupled to the thermal model and to the memory and governing the backside gas pressure source in response to a prediction from the model of a change in the selected pressure that would compensate for the next scheduled change in RF power or implement the next scheduled change in wafer temperature.

摘要翻译： 具有反应室和具有用于将工件保持在室内的表面的静电卡盘的等离子体反应器包括耦合到静电卡盘的背侧气体压力源，用于在选定压力下将导热气体施加到每次形成的工件表面界面中 工件被保持在表面上，蒸发器在静电卡盘内部，制冷回路具有用于控制通过蒸发器的冷却剂流动的膨胀阀。 反应器还包括静电卡盘中的温度传感器和存储RF功率或晶片温度变化计划的存储器。 反应器还包括热模型，其能够基于来自温度传感器的测量来模拟蒸发器和表面之间的热传递;以及控制处理器，其耦合到热模型和存储器，并且响应于所述热模型和存储器控制背侧气体压力源 从所选压力的变化的模型中预测将补偿下一次调频的功率变化或实现下一个预定的晶片温度的变化。

公开(公告)号：US20070081296A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-12

申请号：US11410859

申请日：2006-04-24

申请人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/6831 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67248

摘要： In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck with an electrostatic chuck top surface for supporting a workpiece, thermal transfer medium flow channels in the interior of the electrostatic chuck, a method for controlling temperature of the workpiece during plasma processing includes circulating thermal transfer medium through the thermal transfer medium flow passages and supplying a thermally conductive gas between the workpiece and the electrostatic chuck top surface, and changing thermal transfer medium thermal conditions of thermal transfer medium flowing in the thermal transfer medium flow channels so as to change the temperature of the electrostatic chuck at a first rate limited by the thermal mass of the electrostatic chuck. The method further includes changing the backside gas pressure of the thermally conductive gas so as to change the temperature of the workpiece at a second rate faster than the first rate.

摘要翻译： 在具有用于支撑工件的静电卡盘顶面的静电卡盘的等离子体反应器中，静电卡盘内部的热转印介质流动通道，用于在等离子体处理期间控制工件的温度的方法包括循环热转印介质通过 热转印介质流动通道，并且在工件和静电卡盘顶表面之间提供导热气体，以及改变在热转印介质流动通道中流动的热转印介质的热转印介质热条件，以便改变静电卡盘的温度 以由静电卡盘的热质量限制的第一速率。 该方法还包括改变导热气体的背侧气体压力，以便以比第一速率更快的速度改变工件的温度。