Substrate holder, substrate supporting apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, and substrate processing method using the same

Abstract

Provided are a substrate holder, a substrate supporting apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method. Particularly, there are provided a substrate holder, a substrate supporting apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method that are adapted to improve process efficiency and etch uniformity at the back surface of a substrate.

1 . A substrate holder comprising:
 a ring-shaped stage configured to receive an edge portion of a substrate thereon;   a sidewall connected to a lower surface of the stage for supporting the lower surface of the stage; and   an exhaust hole formed in the sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate holder of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust hole has a slit shape and extends in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion disposed at an inner circumference of the stage and having a height different from a height of an upper surface of the stage, wherein the substrate is placed on an upper portion of the protrusion. 
     
     
         4 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The substrate holder of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusion is divided into parts. 
     
     
         33 . The substrate holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion disposed at an upper surface of the stage, wherein the substrate is placed on an upper portion of the protrusion or at an inside of the protrusion. 
     
     
         34 . The substrate holder of  claim 33 , wherein the protrusion is divided into parts. 
     
     
         35 . The substrate holder of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall is sloped downwardly toward the inside thereof, or the sidewall is sloped downwardly toward the outside thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The substrate holder of  claim 1 , wherein the stage or the sidewall is divided in a circumferential or vertical direction, or in both circumferential and vertical directions. 
     
     
         37 . The substrate holder of  claim 36 , wherein when the stage or the sidewall is divided in the circumferential direction, the substrate holder further comprises at least one circumferential coupling structure at the stage or the sidewall. 
     
     
         38 . The substrate holder of  claim 37 , wherein the circumferential coupling structure comprises:
 a coupling groove vertically formed in a side of the divided stage or sidewall; and   a coupling part disposed at a side of the divided stage or sidewall adjacent to the coupling groove and configured to be engaged with the coupling groove.   
     
     
         39 . The substrate holder of  claim 36 , wherein when the sidewall is vertically divided, the sidewall comprises at least one vertical coupling structure, wherein the vertical coupling structure comprises upper and lower jaws that are vertically corresponding and are configured to be engaged with each other. 
     
     
         40 . A substrate supporting apparatus comprising:
 an electrode unit;   a buffer member disposed at an outer circumference of the electrode unit;   a substrate holder disposed on the buffer member for spacing a substrate apart from the electrode unit by supporting an edge portion of the substrate; and   an elevating member configured to move the electrode unit and the substrate holder upward and downward.   
     
     
         41 . The substrate supporting apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the buffer member comprises:
 a body in which a predetermined space is defined and having an opened top side;   an elastic member disposed in the predetermined space; and   a holder support disposed at an upper portion of the elastic member and extending upward from the opened top side of the body.   
     
     
         42 . The substrate supporting apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein a lower surface of the substrate holder is supported on an upper surface of the holder support. 
     
     
         43 . The substrate supporting apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the electrode unit comprises:
 an electrode; and   an insulating plate coupled to a lower surface of the electrode,   wherein the buffer member is coupled to an outer circumference of the electrode or the insulating plate.   
     
     
         44 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a chamber;   a shield member disposed in the chamber;   an electrode facing the shield member; and   a substrate holder disposed between the shield member and the electrode,   wherein the substrate holder comprises:   a ring-shaped stage configured to receive an edge portion of a substrate thereon;   a sidewall connected to a lower surface of the stage for supporting the lower surface of the stage; and   an exhaust hole formed in the sidewall.   
     
     
         45 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a lift pin disposed in the chamber and inserted through the electrode. 
     
     
         46 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the electrode comprises an injection hole configured to inject gas therethrough. 
     
     
         47 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a hard stopper protruding downwardly from a lower portion of the shield member. 
     
     
         48 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 47 , further comprising a recess corresponding to the hard stopper and formed in an upper portion of the stage. 
     
     
         49 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a chamber;   a shield member disposed in the chamber;   an electrode unit facing the shield member;   a substrate holder disposed between the shield member and the electrode for supporting an edge portion of a substrate;   a buffer member connecting the electrode unit and the substrate holder; and   an elevating member connected to a lower portion of the electrode unit,   wherein the substrate holder comprises:   a ring-shaped stage configured to receive the edge portion of the substrate thereon;   a sidewall connected to a lower surface of the stage for supporting the lower surface of the stage; and   an exhaust hole formed in the sidewall.   
     
     
         50 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 49 , further comprising a lift pin disposed in the chamber and inserted through the electrode unit. 
     
     
         51 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the electrode unit comprises an injection hole configured to inject gas therethrough. 
     
     
         52 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 49 , further comprising a hard stopper protruding downwardly from a lower portion of the shield member. 
     
     
         53 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein the buffer member comprises:
 a body in which a predetermined space is defined and having an opened top side;   an elastic member disposed in the predetermined space; and   a holder support disposed at an upper portion of the elastic member and extending upward from the opened top side of the body.   
     
     
         54 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 52 , further comprising a recess corresponding to the hard stopper and formed in an upper portion of the stage. 
     
     
         55 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a gas distribution plate configured to uniformly distribute reaction gas supplied from an outer source;   a hard stopper protruding downward from a lower edge portion of the gas distribution plate;   a lower electrode configured to interact with an upper electrode to form an electric field for exciting reaction gas supplied through the gas distribution plate into a plasma state; and   a side baffle vertically protruding from an edge portion of the lower electrode for uniformly exhausting plasma reaction gas therethrough in a lateral direction and making contact with the hard stopper when the lower electrode is lifted to limit the lifting of the lower electrode.   
     
     
         56 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 a lift pin driving unit configured to lift and lower a lift pin inserted through the lower electrode; and   a driving unit coupled to a shaft connected to a lower portion of the lower electrode for lifting and lowering the lower electrode.   
     
     
         57 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 56 , further comprising:
 an optical sensor configured to detect a gap between the gas distribution plate and a substrate by emitting laser beams through a plurality of penetration holes formed through the gas distribution plate; and   a control unit configured to receive a gap-sensing signal from the optical sensor and calculate the gap between the gas distribution plate and the substrate,   wherein when the calculated gap is greater than a predetermined gap value, the control unit determines that there is an error and generates an interlock signal.   
     
     
         58 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein the number of the plurality of penetration holes formed through the gas distribution plate is three, and the plurality of penetration holes are disposed to be spaced apart from each other by the same distance on a circular arc. 
     
     
         59 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein the hard stopper comprises a contact switch configured to be turned on when the hard stopper makes contact with the side baffle. 
     
     
         60 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein when the contact switch is turned on, the control unit controls the driving unit to stop the lower electrode. 
     
     
         61 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein non-reaction gas is discharged through a center portion of the gas distribution plate, and reaction gas is discharged toward an edge portion of the substrate through an edge portion of the gas distribution plate. 
     
     
         62 . A substrate processing method comprising:
 carrying a substrate into a chamber;   loading the substrate onto a substrate holder;   simultaneously lifting the substrate holder and an electrode unit disposed under the substrate holder;   processing the substrate; and   carrying the substrate out of the chamber.   
     
     
         63 . The substrate processing method of  claim 62 , wherein after the simultaneous lifting of the substrate holder and the electrode unit, the substrate processing method further comprises additionally lifting the electrode unit while the substrate holder is stopped. 
     
     
         64 . The substrate processing method of  claim 63 , wherein while the substrate holder is stopped, a buffer member connected between the substrate holder and the electrode unit is compressed to additionally lift the electrode unit.