Patent Publication Number: US-2018033673-A1

Title: Substrate support with in situ wafer rotation

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/366,883, filed Jul. 26, 2016, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate processing systems and methods, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for enhancing process uniformity. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Substrates processed in substrate processing chambers, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chambers, typically lack uniformity because of azimuthal temperature variation in substrate process chambers. Symmetric chamber designs including a rotating substrate support are often used in such processes in an attempt to enhance uniformity of processing. However, the inventors have observed that due to the lack of relative motion between the substrate support and a substrate disposed thereon, rotatable substrate supports may be ineffective in sufficiently reducing substrate film non-uniformity. For example, the inventors have observed that even substrate supports with relatively high temperature uniformities sometimes produce films with poor uniformity, especially for thick films requiring long process times, or due to variations in substrate placement. 
     Accordingly, the inventors have provided improved apparatus and methods for processing substrates. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support includes: a base having a first support surface designed to support a substrate having a given width; a plurality of arcuate slots formed through the base; a corresponding plurality of lift pins disposed through the arcuate slots, wherein the lift pins are rotationally and vertically movable with respect to the base; and a cover plate disposed on but not coupled to the base to cover the first support surface, wherein the cover plate has a diameter greater than the given width, and wherein the cover plate includes a second support surface designed to support a substrate having the given width. 
     In some embodiments, a substrate support includes a base having a first support surface to support a substrate; and a peripheral member having a first side including a second support surface to support the substrate and an opposing second side, wherein the peripheral member is disposed about the base, wherein the first support surface and the second support surface are rotationally movable with respect to each other, and wherein the first support surface and the second support surface are vertically movable with respect to each other sufficient to provide a first vertical configuration wherein the first support surface and the second support surface are coplanar, and a second vertical configuration wherein the second support surface is raised above the first support surface. 
     In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes performing a process on a substrate of a given width disposed atop a substrate support inside a process chamber, wherein the substrate support has a base having a first support surface covered with a cover plate designed to support the substrate; without removing the substrate from the process chamber, lifting the substrate and the cover plate above the first support surface, and rotating the substrate with respect to the first support surface; and lowering the substrate onto the first support surface and performing the process on the substrate. 
     Other and further embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above and discussed in greater detail below, can be understood by reference to the illustrative embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the appended drawings. However, the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic side view of a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a schematic side view of a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a top view of a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a top view of a cover plate for a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5A  depicts a schematic side view of a substrate support including a peripheral member in a first vertical configuration in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5B  depicts a schematic side view of the substrate support of  FIG. 5A  in a second vertical configuration in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C  depict close up schematic side views of a portion of various embodiments of the substrate support and the peripheral member of  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
         FIG. 7  depicts a top view of the substrate support of  FIGS. 5A and 5B  in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  depicts a top view of a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9A  depicts a schematic side view of the substrate support of  FIG. 8  in a first vertical configuration in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9B  depicts a schematic side view of the substrate support of  FIG. 8  in a second vertical configuration in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing a process on a substrate disposed atop a substrate support in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and may be simplified for clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing a substrate. Embodiments of the disclosure include a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate and configured to rotate with respect to the substrate. The substrate support advantageously provides rotation of a substrate with respect to the substrate support to overcome film non-uniformities due to uneven thermal distribution on the surfaces of the substrate support. Embodiments of the present disclosure further advantageously facilitate rotation of the substrate with respect to the substrate support in situ, i.e., inside the chamber, thus enhancing productivity as compared to transferring the substrate out of the chamber for rotation, and protecting the substrate and films formed thereon from damage due to air exposure and abrupt temperature changes. Although not intended to be limiting of scope, embodiments of the present disclosure may be advantageous in the processing of substrates during thin film processing, fabrication of microelectronic devices, and the like. Exemplary substrates include, for example, semiconductor substrates, glass panels, or the like. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of an exemplary substrate support, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, suitable for use in various substrate process chambers. Examples of suitable process chambers and systems that may be suitably modified in accordance with the teachings provided herein include the ENDURA®, CENTURA®, and PRODUCER® processing systems or other suitable processing systems commercially available from Applied Materials, Inc., located in Santa Clara, Calif. Other process chambers and systems (including those from other manufacturers) may also be adapted to benefit from the present disclosure. For example, the process chamber may generally comprise a vacuum or non-vacuum processing volume. For example, the process chamber may be configured to perform various functions including layer deposition including atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), etch, pre-clean, de-gas, annealing, and other substrate processes. 
     In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  is disposed in the inner volume of a process chamber to facilitate processing of a substrate  108  while keeping the substrate in an isolated atmosphere at all times. In some embodiments, the inner volume may be maintained in a vacuum state (e.g., below atmospheric pressure). The process chamber, and the substrate support  100 , may be configured to process and handle substrates of a particular size, including round wafers (e.g., semiconductor wafers) such as 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 450 mm, or the like. 
     The substrate support  100  includes a base  102 . A top portion of the base  102  includes a first support surface  104  configured to support a substrate  108  of a given width (or diameter), for example, the exemplary diameters recited above. The substrate support  100  is rotatable with respect to the substrate  108  disposed atop the substrate support  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  may optionally include a first heat transfer apparatus  116  disposed in the base  102 , for providing heat to the base  102 . The substrate support  100  may also include a temperature monitoring apparatus for monitoring the temperature of the base, and a thermal profile across the base  102 . In some embodiments, the first heat transfer apparatus  116  may be a resistive heater disposed in the base  102 . Alternatively or in combination, the first heat transfer apparatus  116  may include channels for flowing a heat transfer medium, for example, coolant for cooling the substrate support  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  may be a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck (ESC). In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  may further include processing apparatus such as electrodes for RF bias, pulsed DC bias, and the like. In other embodiments, the substrate support  100  may optionally include an inlet for flowing in an non-reactive gas, for example, helium for preventing or reducing deposition on the backside of substrate  108  or unwanted deposition on the substrate support  100 . 
     The substrate support  100  further includes a plurality of arcuate slots  106  formed through the base  102 . The arcuate slots  106  are more clearly shown in  FIG. 3 , which depicts a top view of the substrate support  100  without a cover plate (e.g., cover plate  110  discussed in more detail below). 
     A plurality of lift pins  112  are movably disposed through the arcuate slots  106 . The lift pins  112  are rotationally and vertically movable with respect to the base  102 , for example, rotationally along the arcuate slots  106 , and vertically through the arcuate slots  106 . As used herein, rotational movement of the lift pins  112  with respect to the base  102  means that the lift pins  112  rotate synchronously (e.g., all at the same time) along the respective arcuate slots  106  and about a central axis of the first support surface  104 , rather than the respective central axes of the lift pins  112 . In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  is non-rotatable and the lift pins  112  are rotatable. In some embodiments, the substrate support  100  is rotatable and the lift pins  112  are non-rotatable. In some embodiments, both the substrate support  100  and the lift pins  112  are rotatable. 
     In some embodiments, the lift pins  112  may be rotatable along the arcuate slots  106  through a range of angles from a minimum angle of rotation of more than 0 degrees to a maximum angle of rotation. For example, in some embodiments, the minimum angle of rotation may be in a range from about 0 degrees to about 5 degrees, for example, 5 degrees, and the maximum angle of rotation may be in a range from about 90 degrees to about 110 degrees, for example 90 degrees. In other words, the lift pins can rotate along the arcuate slots up to about 110 degrees, or up to about 90 degrees, or from about 5 degrees to about 110 degrees, or from about 5 degrees to about 90 degrees. In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the maximum angle of rotation may depend on the number of lift pins  112 . For example, the maximum angle of rotation in an embodiment having a number of n lift pins may be according to the relationship ((360 degrees/n)−10 degrees)). Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , where the number of lift pins is 3, the maximum angle of rotation is 110 degrees. 
     In some embodiments, a cover plate  110  is disposed on the base  102  to cover the first support surface  104 . The cover plate  110  includes a second support surface  114  designed to support a substrate  108  having a given width. The cover plate  110  has a diameter equal to or greater than the given width of the substrate  108 . For example, the diameter of the cover plate  110  may be equal to the given width of the substrate  108  or greater than the given width of the substrate  108 . In some embodiments, for example, in a process chamber configured to process one substrate at a time, the diameter of the cover plate  110  may be up to about 50 mm greater than the given width of the substrate  108 . In other embodiments, for example in a configuration for processing multiple substrates, for example, 6 wafers, the wafers may have a width of about 300 mm and the cover plate may have a diameter of up to 1000 mm. The cover plate  110  has a suitable thickness for handling and to prevent bowing or fracturing during handling and processing of the cover plate  110  and a substrate  108  disposed on the cover plate  110 . In some embodiments, the cover plate has a thickness of about 5 to about 50 mm. In some embodiments, either or both of the second support surface  114  of the cover plate  110  and an opposing bottom surface of the cover plate  110  are planar. In some embodiments, the second support surface  114  and the opposing bottom surface are coplanar. In some embodiments, the second support surface  114  can include a recess to minimize contact with the backside of a substrate disposed on the cover plate  110 . Alternatively or in combination, the second support surface  114  can include protruding substrate locating guides or pins. 
     The cover plate  110  may have a high thermal conductivity, such as from about 5 W/m·K to about 500 W/m·K. In some embodiments, the cover plate  110  may have a thermal conductivity that is greater than or equal to that of the base  102 . The cover plate  110  may be fabricated from one or more suitable process-compatible materials such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic (such as alumina, aluminum nitride, or the like), and the like. The thermal conductivity of the cover plate advantageously facilitates diffusion of heat transferred from the substrate support and smoothing of the resultant thermal profile on the cover plate (and therefore, on the substrate). 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the cover plate  110  further comprises a plurality of holes  202  that are located in positions corresponding to respective positions of the plurality of lift pins  112 . Depending upon the angular orientation of the cover plate  110  with respect to the base  102  (and thus the plurality of lift pins  112 ), the lift pins  112  may engage and lift the cover plate  110  above the first support surface  104  (e.g., when the lift pins  112  are not aligned with the holes  202 ) or the lift pins  112  may pass through the cover plate  110  to lift the substrate  108  above the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  114  of the cover plate  110  (e.g., when the lift pins  112  are aligned with the holes  202 ). 
     For example, in some embodiments, the substrate  108  may be transferred onto or off of the second support surface  114  by a robotic arm or other suitable substrate transfer apparatus by aligning the lift pins  112  and the holes  202  and extending the lift pins  112  through the cover plate  110  to lift only the substrate  108  and not the cover plate  110 . Specifically, during transfer of the substrate  108 , the cover plate  110  may rest on the first support surface  104  and the plurality of holes  202  provide access for the lift pins  112  to move upwardly through the holes  202  and lift the substrate  108  off the second support surface  114 . The lift pins  112  are configured to extend sufficiently to lift the substrate  108  off the second support surface  114  and provide room for a robotic arm or other suitable substrate transfer apparatus to remove the substrate  108  from the substrate support  100 . The lift pins  112  are also configured to extend through the holes  202  to receive a substrate  108  while the cover plate  110  rests on the first support surface  104 . 
     Alternatively, the substrate  108  and the cover plate  110  may be transferred onto or off of the first support surface  104  together. In some embodiments the cover plate  110  may have no holes, for example, wherein the substrate  108  and the cover plate  110  are always transferred onto or off of the first support surface  104  together. 
     Alternatively, in some embodiments the second support surface  114  can include arcuate slots similar to the arcuate slots  106  disclosed above with respect to the substrate support. The arcuate slots can vary in the same manner as described above with respect to the arcuate slots  106 . In embodiments where the second support surface has arcuate slots, the arcuate slots can align with the arcuate slots  106  in the base  102  to facilitate rotation of the substrate with respect to both the cover plate and the substrate support. 
     The lift pins  112  are vertically movable from a retracted position to an extended position. The extended position of the lift pins  112  may be a singular extended position or may include at least a minimum vertical position and a maximum vertical position. The minimum vertical position and the maximum vertical position may, for example, be measured relative to the vertical position of the first support surface  104 . The minimum vertical position is configured to allow rotation of the substrate  108  with respect to the substrate support. For example, the minimum vertical position may be between about 5 mm to about 10 mm. The maximum vertical position is configured to facilitate transferring the substrate  108  onto and off of the substrate support  100 . For example, the maximum height may be selected based on the configuration of a robotic arm or other suitable substrate transfer apparatus for transferring the substrate  108  onto or off the second support surface  114 . For example, the maximum vertical position may be between about 25 mm to about 50 mm. In some embodiments, the lift pins  112  may be vertically movable between more than two extended vertical positions, for example, three or four vertical positions. 
     In operation according to some embodiments, when the cover plate  110  is resting on the first support surface  104 , a process is performed on the substrate  108  disposed on the second support surface  114  of the cover plate  110 . Without removing the substrate from the process chamber, the cover plate  110  and a substrate  108  disposed on the second support surface  114  of the cover plate  110  are lifted together by the lift pins  112  to a vertical position above the first support surface  104 . The lift pins  112  lift the cover plate  110  together with the substrate  108  when the holes  202  and the lift pins  112  are not aligned. 
     When the cover plate  110  and substrate  108  have been lifted from the first support surface  104 , the lift pins  112  rotate azimuthally along the arcuate slots  106  with respect to the first support surface  104 . The cover plate  110  and the substrate  108  supported by the lift pins  112  are similarly rotated with respect to the first support surface  104 . When rotation is complete, the lift pins  112  may be retracted to lower the cover plate  110  and substrate  108  onto the first support surface  104  and the processing of substrate  108  may be resumed. In some embodiments, substrate rotation and processing may be performed concurrently. 
     The angle of rotation of the lift pins  112  along the arcuate slots  106 , as discussed above, may be selected based on a thermal profile across the base  102 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict the substrate support  100  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure where the substrate support  100  further includes a peripheral member  502  having a first side  504  including a second support surface  506  to support the substrate  108  and an opposing second side  508 , wherein the peripheral member  502  is disposed about the base  102 , wherein the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506  are rotationally movable with respect to each other, and wherein the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506  are vertically movable with respect to each other sufficient to provide a first vertical configuration wherein the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506  are coplanar, and a second vertical configuration wherein the second support surface  506  is raised above the first support surface  104 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , in embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , the peripheral member  502  is vertically and rotationally movable with respect to the base  102 . Such vertical and rotational movement may be achieved through control of the position of the peripheral member  502 , the base  102  or both the peripheral member  502  and the base  102 . For example, in some embodiments, the substrate support  100  may further include a vertical and rotational actuator  510 . The vertical and rotational actuator  510  may be coupled to the peripheral member  502  to provide rotational and vertical motion to the peripheral member  502 . The vertical and rotational actuator  510  may include separate actuators for controlling the vertical movement and the rotational movement. Alternatively, or in combination, various combinations of actuators, motors, belts, gears, or the like may be used to control the vertical position of either of the peripheral member  502  or the base  102 . In addition, various combinations of actuators, motors, belts, gears, or the like may be used to control the rotational position of either of the peripheral member  502  or the base  102 . The relative rotational motion and the relative vertical motion may be provided to different ones of the peripheral member  502  and the base  102 . For example, the peripheral member may be vertically fixed with respect to the process chamber and rotationally movable (or rotationally fixed and vertically movable), while the base  102  is vertically movable with respect to the process chamber and rotationally fixed (or rotationally movable and vertically fixed), such that one component provides the relative vertical motion and the other component provides the relative rotational movement. Alternatively, a single one of the peripheral member  502  and the base  102  can provide both of the vertical and rotational movement or both the peripheral member  502  and the base  102  can each provide vertical and rotational movement. 
     In some embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , the substrate support  100  may optionally include lift pins  112  for lifting the substrate  108 , as depicted in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . The lift pins  112  are vertically movable with respect to the base  102 . As used herein, vertical movement of the lift pins  112  with respect to the base  102  means that at least one of the base  102  or the lift pins  112  are vertically movable with respect to each other sufficient to dispose the base  102  and lift pins  112  in a first vertical configuration where tops of the lift pins  112  are disposed above the first support surface of the base  102 , and in a second vertical configuration wherein tops of the lift pins  112  are disposed even with or below the first support surface of the base  102 . 
     In the first vertical configuration depicted in  FIG. 5A , first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506  are coplanar. In the second vertical configuration (depicted in  FIG. 5B ) the second support surface  506  is raised above the first support surface  104 . The second vertical position also provides access to a substrate transfer apparatus, such as a robotic arm or the like to transfer the substrate  108  onto and off the peripheral member  502 , or for transfer of the substrate  108  into and out of the process chamber. 
     In some embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , the first heat transfer apparatus  116  may further provide heat to the peripheral member  502 . In other embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , a temperature monitoring apparatus may be provided for monitoring the temperature and thermal profiles across both the base  102  and the peripheral member  502 . The first heat transfer apparatus  116  is not shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  for clarity. 
     In some embodiments, the peripheral member  502  has a thermal conductivity that is approximately equal to that of the base  102 . In some embodiments, the peripheral member  502  has a thermal conductivity of about 5 W/m·K to about 500 W/m·K. In some embodiments, the peripheral member  502  may comprise at least one of silicon or silicon carbide. In other embodiments, in the first vertical configuration, the peripheral member  502  may rest on an adjacent surface abutting the perimeter of the base  102 . The adjacent surface abutting the perimeter of the base  102  may be fabricated from the same material as the base, for example, silicon or silicon carbide. 
     In some embodiments, the peripheral member  502  may include a feature for receiving and supporting a substrate. The feature may be, for example, a lip designed to ensure that in the first vertical position, the second support surface  506  and the principal surface of the substrate  108  are coplanar. In some embodiments, for example, as depicted in  FIG. 6A , the lip may be formed by a cut-out step disposed in the first side  504  and joining the remainder of the second support surface  506  to an interior edge  602  of the peripheral member  502 . In other embodiments of the first vertical configuration, for example, as depicted in  FIG. 6B , a substantial portion of the second support surface  506  may be flat and coplanar with the first support surface  104  such that the principal surface of the substrate  108  is disposed above both the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506 . In other embodiments of the first vertical configuration, the outer edge of the base  102  engages and mates with the interior edge  602 .  FIG. 6C  illustrates a non-limiting example of an embodiment wherein the outer edge of the base  102  is configured to engage and mate with the interior edge  602 . 
     In some embodiments, the peripheral member  502  may be a hoop, or annular member. The hoop can be any closed shape having a surface surrounding the inner perimeter of the shape. Non-limiting examples of the shapes of the hoop include a circle, a quadrilateral, or a hexagon.  FIG. 7  is an illustration of an embodiment wherein the peripheral member  502  is a circular hoop.  FIG. 7  depicts a top view of the peripheral member  502  surrounding the base  102  having a substrate  108  disposed on the second support surface  506 , and over the base  102 . The dotted inner circle in  FIG. 7  depicts the base  102  in an exemplary embodiment where the diameter of the substrate  108  is larger than the diameter of the base  102  and less than the diameter of the peripheral member  502 . 
     In some embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , the peripheral member  502  may include a plurality of fingers  802  that extend radially inward from the peripheral member  502 . A plurality of slots  804  are formed in the base  102 , as depicted in the top view of the substrate support of  FIG. 8 . The second support surface  506  of the peripheral member is disposed at least partially along the plurality of fingers  802 . 
     The number of the plurality of slots  804  may be the same or more than the number of the plurality of fingers  802 . Thus, in some embodiments of the first vertical configuration (as recited above) each one of the plurality of fingers may be configured to be disposed in any one of the plurality of slots in order to maximize the number of possible angular positions where each one of the plurality of fingers may be disposed. 
     The plurality of fingers  802  extend radially inward from a position outside of the perimeter of the first support surface  104  of the base  102  to a position within the perimeter of the first support surface  104  such that each one of fingers  802  can be selectively disposed inside the slots  804  depending on the position of the peripheral member  502  with respect to the base  102 . 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 9A  and in accordance with the first vertical configuration discussed above, the plurality fingers  802  may be substantially disposed inside the slots  804  so that the second support surface  506  and the first support surface  104  are coplanar. 
       FIG. 9B  depicts a side view of an exemplary second vertical configuration in accordance with the substrate support of  FIG. 8 . As depicted in  FIG. 9B , the plurality of fingers  802  are above the slots  804 , such that the peripheral member  502  is in the second vertical configuration. 
     In operation, according to some embodiments including the peripheral member  502 , when the peripheral member  502  is in the first vertical configuration (e.g., as depicted in  FIGS. 5A and 9A ), a process is performed on the substrate  108 . Without removing the substrate from the process chamber, the substrate  108  disposed on the second support surface  506  and the peripheral member  502  are lifted together by a vertical motion of the vertical and rotational actuator  510  coupled to the peripheral member  502 . The peripheral member  502  and the substrate  108  are lifted above the first support surface  104  to a vertical position corresponding to the second vertical configuration. In the second vertical configuration (e.g., as depicted in  FIGS. 5B and 9B ), the peripheral member  502  having the substrate  108  supported thereon is rotated with respect to the first support surface  104  by the rotational motion of the vertical and rotational actuator  510 . When rotation is complete, the peripheral member  502  and the substrate  108  are lowered by the vertical and rotational actuator  510  onto the first support surface  104 . When the first support surface  104  and the second support surface  506  are coplanar and substrate processing may be resumed. 
     In some embodiments, substrate rotation and processing may be performed concurrently. In other embodiments, substrate processing and rotation may be performed sequentially. The amount of rotation of the peripheral member  502  may be selected based on at least one of thermal profile across the base  102  or the thermal profile across the peripheral member  502 . 
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating a method  1000  of processing a substrate placed on substrate supports of the present disclosure during processing. At  1005 , without removing the substrate from the process chamber, the substrate and the cover plate are lifted above the first support surface. At  1010 , the substrate is rotated with respect to the first support surface. At  1015 , the substrate is lowered onto the first support surface. At  1020 , a process is performed on the substrate. Thus, the substrate may be rotated to improve uniformity, without compromising film quality due to performing substrate rotation outside of the process chamber. 
     Thus, embodiments of substrate support apparatus and methods of using the same to reduce or eliminate substrate film non-uniformities due to, for example, variations between pedestals or variations in wafer-to-wafer placement and methods of using the same have been provided. 
     While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof.