公开(公告)号：US08337660B2

公开(公告)日：2012-12-25

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 ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/306 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/683

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.

公开(公告)号：US08092639B2

公开(公告)日：2012-01-10

申请号：US12855674

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 ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/00 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/50

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：US07243500B2

公开(公告)日：2007-07-17

申请号：US11137686

申请日：2005-05-26

申请人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga

发明人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga

IPC分类号： F25B41/00 ,  F28F1/36

CPC分类号： F28D7/022 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25D31/002 ,  F25D31/005 ,  F25D2500/02 ,  F28D1/06 ,  F28D2021/0077

摘要： Systems and methods for heat exchange in accordance with the invention define adequately long-interchange distances for two fluids by wrapping a tube containing a first fluid about the wall of an inner cylindrical tank, within a gap formed with a second concentric tank. A second fluid is transmitted in the space defined between the turns of the tube and the two walls, providing effective short length thermal interchange through the tube walls. The tube is in the line contact with both tank walls and the fluids can flow rapidly over an adequately long length, so that high efficiency is provided in a low cost system.

摘要翻译： 根据本发明的用于热交换的系统和方法通过将包含第一流体的管围绕内圆柱形罐的壁在与第二同心圆形成的间隙内缠绕来限定两种流体的足够长的互换距离。 第二流体在管和两个壁之间限定的空间中传递，通过管壁提供有效的短长度热交换。 管与两个罐壁线接触，并且流体可以在足够长的长度上快速流动，从而在低成本系统中提供高效率。

公开(公告)号：US08980044B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-17

申请号：US12855670

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 ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01J37/32 ,  F25B49/02 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/503 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H05H1/46

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 having a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under respective pressures to respective inner and outer zones of a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface, and inner and outer evaporators inside respective inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having respective inner and cuter expansion valves for controlling flow of coolant through the inner and outer evaporators respectively. The reactor further includes inner and outer zone temperature sensors in inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer through the inner and outer zones, respectively, between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the inner and outer temperature sensors, respectively. Inner and outer zone agile control processors coupled to the thermal model govern the inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources, respectively, in response to predictions from the model of changes in the respective pressures that would bring the temperatures measured by the inner and outer zone sensors, respectively, closer to a desired 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内部和外部区域背侧气体压力源，用于将相应压力下的导热气体施加到相应的内部和外部区域 每当工件保持在表面上时形成的工件表面界面，以及静电卡盘的内部和外部区域内的内部和外部蒸发器，以及具有各自的内部和切割器膨胀阀的制冷回路，用于控制冷却剂通过内部 和外部蒸发器。 反应器还包括静电卡盘的内部和外部区域中的内部和外部区域温度传感器以及能够模拟通过蒸发器和表面之间的内部和外部区域的热传递的热模型，其基于来自内部和 外部温度传感器。 耦合到热模型的内部和外部区域敏捷控制处理器分别响应于来自模型的各个压力的变化的预测来控制内部和外部区域背侧气体压力源，该模型将使由内部和外部区域测量的温度 传感器分别更接近所需的温度。

公开(公告)号：US08329586B2

公开(公告)日：2012-12-11

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 ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/461

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：US20080319587A1

公开(公告)日：2008-12-25

申请号：US12230084

申请日：2008-08-22

申请人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： G05D23/00 ,  F25B41/00 ,  F25B41/04 ,  G05D16/00

CPC分类号： F25B41/00 ,  F25B30/02 ,  F25B40/00 ,  F25B41/04 ,  F25B49/027 ,  F25B2339/047 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2400/0415 ,  F25B2400/13 ,  F25B2400/16 ,  F25B2600/0261 ,  F25B2600/2501 ,  F25B2700/21151 ,  F25B2700/2117 ,  Y02A40/965

摘要： A system and method for controlling the temperature of a process tool uses the vaporizable characteristic of a refrigerant that is provided in direct heat exchange relation with the process tool. Pressurized refrigerant is provided as both condensed liquid and in gaseous state. The condensed liquid is expanded to a vaporous mix, and the gaseous refrigerant is added to reach a target temperature determined by its pressure. Temperature corrections can thus be made very rapidly by gas pressure adjustments. The process tool and the operating parameters will usually require that the returning refrigerant be conditioned and processed for compatibility with the compressor and other units, so that cycling can be continuous regardless of thermal demands and changes.

摘要翻译： 用于控制加工工具的温度的系统和方法使用与加工工具直接热交换关系提供的制冷剂的可蒸发特性。 加压制冷剂被设置为冷凝液体和气态两种。 将冷凝的液体膨胀成蒸汽混合物，并且加入气态制冷剂以达到由其压力确定的目标温度。 因此，通过气体压力调节可以非常快速地进行温度校正。 加工工具和操作参数通常需要对返回的制冷剂进行调节和处理以与压缩机和其他单元兼容，使得循环可以是连续的，而不管热需求和变化。

公开(公告)号：US07415835B2

公开(公告)日：2008-08-26

申请号：US11546307

申请日：2006-10-12

申请人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： F25D17/06 ,  F25B41/00

CPC分类号： F25B41/00 ,  F25B30/02 ,  F25B40/00 ,  F25B41/04 ,  F25B49/027 ,  F25B2339/047 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2400/0415 ,  F25B2400/13 ,  F25B2400/16 ,  F25B2600/0261 ,  F25B2600/2501 ,  F25B2700/21151 ,  F25B2700/2117 ,  Y02A40/965

摘要： A system and method for controlling the temperature of a process tool uses the vaporizable characteristic of a refrigerant that is provided in direct heat exchange relation with the process tool. Pressurized refrigerant is provided as both condensed liquid and in gaseous state. The condensed liquid is expanded to a vaporous mix, and the gaseous refrigerant is added to reach a target temperature determined by its pressure. Temperature corrections can thus be made very rapidly by gas pressure adjustments. The process tool and the operating parameters will usually require that the returning refrigerant be conditioned and processed for compatibility with the compressor and other units, so that cycling can be continuous regardless of thermal demands and changes.

公开(公告)号：US20130036753A1

公开(公告)日：2013-02-14

申请号：US13651631

申请日：2012-10-15

申请人： William W. COWANS ,  Glenn W. ZUBILLAGA ,  Kenneth W. COWANS

发明人： William W. COWANS ,  Glenn W. ZUBILLAGA ,  Kenneth W. COWANS

IPC分类号： F25B49/02 ,  F25B1/00 ,  F25B39/02 ,  F25B41/04

CPC分类号： F25B40/00 ,  F25B2341/0662 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2600/0261 ,  F25B2600/2513

摘要： A system for improving the thermal efficiency of a thermal control loop in which refrigerant after compression and condensation is applied to an evaporator employs a subsidiary counter-current heat exchange intercepting refrigerant flow to maintain the quality of the refrigerant by exchanging thermal energy between the input flow and the output flow from the evaporator. The same principle is effective, with particular advantage when small connections have to be made, in systems using mixed phase media and using the concept of direct energy transfer with saturated fluid.

摘要翻译： 一种用于提高热控制回路的热效率的系统，其中压缩和冷凝后的制冷剂被施加到蒸发器，采用辅助逆流热交换拦截制冷剂流，以通过在输入流之间交换热能来保持制冷剂的质量 和来自蒸发器的输出流量。 相同的原理是有效的，特别是在使用混合相介质的系统和使用饱和流体直接能量转移的概念时必须进行小型连接。

公开(公告)号：US08021521B2

公开(公告)日：2011-09-20

申请号：US11408558

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 ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  Williams W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millian

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  Williams W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millian

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 holding a workpiece in a chamber of the reactor includes providing a thermally conductive gas under pressure between a backside of the workpiece and a top surface of the electrostatic chuck, controlling the temperature of the electrostatic chuck, defining a desired workpiece temperature, measuring a current workpiece temperature or temperature related to the workpiece temperature and inputting the measured temperature to a thermal model representative of the electrostatic chuck. The method further includes determining from the thermal model a change in the pressure of the thermally conductive gas that would at least reduce the difference between the measured temperature and the desired temperature, and changing the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in accordance with the change determined from the thermal model.

摘要翻译： 在具有用于将工件保持在反应器的室中的静电卡盘的等离子体反应器中处理工件的方法包括在工件的背面和静电卡盘的顶表面之间提供压力下的导热气体，控制温度 定义所需的工件温度，测量与工件温度相关的当前工件温度或温度，并将测量温度输入到表示静电吸盘的热模型。 该方法还包括根据热模型确定导热气体的压力变化，其将至少减小测量温度和期望温度之间的差异，以及根据确定的变化来改变导热气体的压力 从热模型。

公开(公告)号：US08801893B2

公开(公告)日：2014-08-12

申请号：US12855680

申请日：2010-08-12

申请人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

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

CPC分类号： H01L21/67109

摘要： A method of transferring heat from or to a workpiece support in an RF coupled plasma reactor includes placing coolant in an internal flow channel that is located inside the workpiece support and transferring heat from or to the coolant by circulating the coolant through a refrigeration loop in which the internal flow channel of the workpiece support constitutes an evaporator of the refrigeration loop. The method further includes maintaining thermal conditions of the coolant inside the evaporator within a range in which heat exchange between the workpiece support and the coolant is primarily or exclusively through the latent heat of vaporization of the coolant.

摘要翻译： 在RF耦合的等离子体反应器中将热量传递到工件支架的方法包括：将冷却剂放置在位于工件支架内部的内部流动通道中，并通过使冷却剂循环通过制冷循环来将热量传递或传递给冷却剂， 工件支撑件的内部流动通道构成制冷回路的蒸发器。 该方法还包括将蒸发器内部的冷却剂的热条件保持在工件支承件和冷却剂之间的热交换主要或仅通过冷却剂的潜热潜热的范围内。