公开(公告)号：US10324121B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US13729524

申请日：2012-12-28

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  Edward J. Ladny ,  Nathaniel Robinson ,  William Davis Lee

IPC: G01R29/24 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system has an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface via one or more electrodes. A power supply electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp is configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage to the one or more electrodes. A data acquisition system is coupled to the power supply and configured to measure a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, therein defining a measured current. A controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp. A memory stores the charge value associated with the clamping force over a plurality of clamping cycles, therein defining a plurality of charge values, and the controller determines a clamping capability of the electrostatic clamp based on a comparison of a currently determined charge value to the plurality of charge values.

公开(公告)号：US10692749B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-23

申请号：US15831972

申请日：2017-12-05

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  William P. Reynolds

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H02N13/00 ,  G01R19/14 ,  G01R22/10 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system has an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface associated therewith via one or more electrodes. A power supply is electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp and configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage at a clamping frequency to the electrostatic clamp. A data acquisition system measures a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, and a controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp. The controller is further configured to selectively vary one or more of the clamping voltage and clamping frequency based on the determined charge value, thereby maintaining a desired clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp.

公开(公告)号：US09871473B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-16

申请号：US14855667

申请日：2015-09-16

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  Thang D. Nguyen

IPC: H01T23/00 ,  H02N13/00 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687

CPC classification number: H02N13/00 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  H01L21/68742

Abstract: A system and method for clamping a workpiece to an electrostatic clamp (ESC) comprises placing a first workpiece on a surface of the ESC and applying a first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, therein clamping the first workpiece to the surface of the ESC with a first clamping force. A degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is determined and the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC is halted based on a process recipe. A second set of clamping parameters is applied to the ESC after halting the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, and the workpiece is removed from the surface of the ESC concurrent with the application of the second set of clamping parameters to the ESC when the degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is less than or approximately equal to a threshold clamping value. The second set of clamping parameters to the ESC is further halted after removing the workpiece from the surface of the ESC.

公开(公告)号：US20140188416A1

公开(公告)日：2014-07-03

申请号：US13729524

申请日：2012-12-28

Applicant: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  Edward J. Ladny ,  Nathaniel Robertson ,  William Davis Lee

IPC: G01R29/24

CPC classification number: G01R29/24 ,  H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  H01L21/68707

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system is provided having an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface associated therewith via one or more electrodes. A power supply is electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp, wherein the power supply is configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage to the one or more electrodes of the electrostatic clamp. A data acquisition system is coupled to the power supply and configured to measure a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, therein defining a measured current. A controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp. A memory stores the charge value associated with the clamping force over a plurality of clamping cycles, therein defining a plurality of charge values, and the controller determines a clamping capability of the electrostatic clamp based on a comparison of a currently determined charge value to the plurality of charge values.

Abstract translation: 提供一种静电夹钳监测系统，其具有静电夹持器，其构造成选择性地将工件静电夹持到与其相关联的夹紧表面，经由一个或多个电极。 电源电耦合到静电夹持器，其中电源被配置为选择性地向静电夹的一个或多个电极提供钳位电压。 数据采集​​系统耦合到电源并且被配置为测量提供给一个或多个电极的电流，其中限定测量的电流。 控制器将测量的电流随时间整合，其中确定与工件和静电夹具之间的夹紧力相关联的电荷值。 存储器在多个钳位循环中存储与夹紧力相关联的电荷值，其中限定多个电荷值，并且控制器基于当前确定的电荷值与多个电荷值的比较来确定静电钳位的钳位能力 的电费值。

公开(公告)号：US20190172743A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-06

申请号：US15831972

申请日：2017-12-05

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  William P. Reynolds

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  G01R22/10 ,  G01R19/14 ,  H02N13/00

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system has an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface associated therewith via one or more electrodes. A power supply is electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp and configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage at a clamping frequency to the electrostatic clamp. A data acquisition system measures a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, and a controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp. The controller is further configured to selectively vary one or more of the clamping voltage and clamping frequency based on the determined charge value, thereby maintaining a desired clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp.

公开(公告)号：US20160087557A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-24

申请号：US14855667

申请日：2015-09-16

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Edward K. McIntyre ,  Thang D. Nguyen

IPC: H02N13/00

CPC classification number: H02N13/00 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  H01L21/68742

Abstract: A system and method for clamping a workpiece to an electrostatic clamp (ESC) comprises placing a first workpiece on a surface of the ESC and applying a first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, therein clamping the first workpiece to the surface of the ESC with a first clamping force. A degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is determined and the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC is halted based on a process recipe. A second set of clamping parameters is applied to the ESC after halting the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, and the workpiece is removed from the surface of the ESC concurrent with the application of the second set of clamping parameters to the ESC when the degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is less than or approximately equal to a threshold clamping value. The second set of clamping parameters to the ESC is further halted after removing the workpiece from the surface of the ESC.

Abstract translation: 将工件夹持到静电夹（ESC）的系统和方法包括将第一工件放置在ESC的表面上，并向ESC提供第一组夹紧参数，其中将第一工件夹紧到ESC的表面， 第一个夹紧力。 确定工件到ESC的夹紧程度，并且基于工艺配方停止对ESC的第一组夹紧参数的应用。 在停止将第一组夹紧参数应用于ESC之后，将第二组夹紧参数应用于ESC，并且将工件从ESC的表面移除，同时将第二组夹紧参数应用于 当ESC到ESC的夹紧程度小于或大致等于阈值钳位值时，ESC。 在从ESC表面移除工件后，ESC的第二组夹紧参数进一步停止。