Patent ID: 8906164

Claim:
A method for stabilizing micro-topography of a ceramic contact surface of an electrostatic chuck, wherein the electrostatic chuck is disposed within a reaction chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing assembly comprising a radio frequency source and a coolant gas supply, the method comprising: (A) clamping electrostatically a conditioning wafer to the ceramic contact surface of the electrostatic chuck; (B) causing surface abrasion between a back side of the conditioning wafer and the ceramic contact surface by cycling an output power of the radio frequency source and an output pressure of the coolant gas supply such that the conditioning wafer expands and contracts once per cycle, each cycle comprising a hot abrasion state and a cold abrasion state; wherein (i) in a hot abrasion state, the output power of the radio frequency source is relatively high and the output pressure of the coolant gas supply is relatively low to yield a relatively hot conditioning wafer; and (ii) in a cold abrasion state, the output power of the radio frequency source is relatively low and the output pressure of the coolant gas supply is relatively high to yield a relatively cool conditioning wafer; (C) removing the conditioning wafer from the ceramic contact surface of the electrostatic chuck; and (D) processing the electrostatic chuck with a waferless auto clean (WAC).