Patent ID: 7457097
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for implementing pressure assisted electrostatic chucking, the method comprising: placing a wafer onto an electrostatic chucking pedestal; introducing a supply of backside carrier gas to a backside of said electrostatic chucking pedestal, said electrostatic chucking pedestal having a plurality of gas channels formed through a top surface thereof; monitoring a pressure between said wafer and said electrostatic chucking pedestal to determine whether a threshold level of chucking force exists; decoupling said backside carrier gas from said backside of said electrostatic chucking pedestal and coupling said backside of said electrostatic chucking pedestal to a vacuum supply whenever the actual level of chucking force is less than said threshold level of chucking force, wherein said plurality of gas channels are configured to facilitate vacuum assisted chucking of the wafer, during which vacuum assisted chucking an electrostatic chucking voltage remains applied to the electrostatic chucking pedestal, wherein the vacuum assisted chucking is implemented prior to performing a wafer processing operation for which the wafer is chucked; and decoupling said vacuum supply from said backside of said electrostatic chucking pedestal and coupling said backside of said electrostatic chucking pedestal to said backside carrier gas whenever the actual level of chucking force meets said threshold level of chucking force.