System and method for performing hot water seal on electrostatic chuck

Abstract

A method is provided for treating a bipolar ESC having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface including an anodized layer. The method includes eliminating the anodized layer, disposing a new anodized layer onto the front surface, and treating the new anodized layer with water to seal the new anodized layer.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A bipolar ESC having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface having an anodized layer comprising a first layer of Al 2 O 3  and a second layer of Al 2 O 3 ,
 wherein the first layer of Al 2 O 3  has a first thickness and a first density,   wherein the second layer of Al 2 O 3  has a second thickness and a second density,   wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness, and   wherein the first density is greater than the second density.   
     
     
         2 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer of Al 2 O 3  is a layer of porous Al 2 O 3  treated with hot deionized water to create AlO(OH). 
     
     
         3 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer of Al 2 O 3  is a layer of porous Al 2 O 3  treated with water to create AlO(OH) by reacting the second layer of porous Al 2 O 3  with the water to create boehmite. 
     
     
         4 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is under the second layer, the first layer has a thickness of about 750 to 800 angstroms and the second layer has a thickness of about 2 mils. 
     
     
         5 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the anodized layer has a dielectric constant of about 10. 
     
     
         6 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer consists essentially of pore-free AlO(OH). 
     
     
         7 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer has an exposed surface on which a semiconductor wafer can be electrostatically clamped. 
     
     
         8 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the anodized layer has a consistent dielectric constant effective to avoid failure associated with chucking or de-chucking wafers thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The bipolar ESC of  claim 1 , wherein the anodized layer is an anodized surface of an aluminum alloy.