High temperature electrostatic chucking with dielectric constant engineered in-situ charge trap materials

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatuses for increasing the breakdown voltage while substantially reducing the voltage leakage of an electrostatic chuck at temperatures exceeding about 300 degrees Celsius in a processing chamber.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a substrate comprising:
 depositing a silicon-based material on a substrate positioned on a substrate support assembly in a vacuum chamber;   removing the substrate from the vacuum chamber; and   depositing about 100 Å to 3000 Å of a silicon and carbon containing material on the substrate support assembly, the silicon and carbon containing material having a carbon content of less than about 5% by weight.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon-based material is deposited using at least one of a chemical vapor deposition process, a spray process, a dipping process, or a thermal process. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the silicon and carbon containing material comprises performing a carbon cleaning operation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising performing the carbon cleaning operation after depositing the silicon-based material and removing the substrate from the substrate support assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein performing the carbon cleaning operation comprises pumping out the vacuum chamber to remove residual process gases. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising depositing a second layer of silicon and carbon containing material on the substrate support assembly to compensate for silicon and carbon containing material being removed during the carbon cleaning operation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the silicon and carbon containing material comprises performing a plurality of carbon cleaning operations. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon and carbon containing material is deposited during one or more plasma processing operations. 
     
     
         9 . A method for processing a substrate in a vacuum processing chamber, the method comprising:
 pre-chucking the substrate while on a substrate support assembly, wherein pre-chucking comprises exposing the substrate to a stabilized pressure and flow of a helium gas in the vacuum processing chamber;   chucking the substrate to the substrate support assembly;   depositing a layer of material on the substrate;   dechucking the substrate; and   removing the substrate from the vacuum processing chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pre-chucking further comprises:
 flowing helium gas into the vacuum processing chamber from about 500 sccm to about 4000 sccm.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein dechucking further comprises:
 striking a small plasma to dissipate a chucking voltage.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein chucking further comprises:
 chucking to substantially flatten the substrate with forces above 100 mv/cm at temperatures greater than about 300 degrees Celsius.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 seasoning the substrate support assembly by depositing about 100 Å to 3000 Å of a silicon and carbon containing material on a surface of the substrate support assembly, the silicon and carbon containing material having a carbon content of less than about 5% by weight.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the silicon and carbon containing material is deposited on the surface of the substrate support assembly while the substrate is chucked on the substrate support assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the silicon and carbon containing material is deposited using at least one of a chemical vapor deposition process, a spray process, a dipping process, or a thermal process. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein depositing the silicon and carbon containing material comprises performing a carbon cleaning operation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising depositing a second layer of silicon and carbon containing material on the substrate support assembly to compensate for silicon and carbon containing material being removed during the carbon cleaning operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the silicon and carbon containing material is deposited during one or more plasma processing operations. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising applying between 50 W to about 300 W of RF power at about 13.56 MHz to maintain a plasma within the processing chamber during the pre-chucking. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising applying a plasma to the substrate to help dissipate a chucking force while dechucking the substrate.