CN107426837B

CN107426837B - Connection between laminated heater and heater voltage input

Info

Publication number: CN107426837B
Application number: CN201710321618.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 奥库拉·尤马; 达雷尔·欧利希; 埃里克·A·佩普
Original assignee: Lam Research Corp
Current assignee: Lam Research Corp
Priority date: 2016-05-10
Filing date: 2017-05-09
Publication date: 2021-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-09
Also published as: JP2017216440A; CN107426837A; KR102360248B1; JP6907018B2; KR102329513B1; TW201802947A; JP2017216439A; CN107393847B; JP6960763B2; KR20170126802A; CN107393847A; KR20170126803A; TWI744323B; TW201806441A

Abstract

The present invention provides a connection between a laminate heater and a heater voltage input. A substrate support for a substrate processing system includes a plurality of heating zones, a base plate, a heating layer disposed on the base plate, a ceramic layer disposed on the heating layer, and a wire provided through the base plate, the heating layer, and into the ceramic layer of a first zone of the plurality of heating zones. Electrical connections are routed from a wire in a first region of the plurality of heating regions, across the ceramic layer, to a second region of the plurality of heating regions, and to a heating element in a heating layer in the second region.

Description

Connection between laminated heater and heater voltage input

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application No.62/334,097 filed on day 10/5/2016 and U.S. provisional application No.62/334,084 filed on day 10/5/2016.

The present application relates to U.S. patent application No.15/586,178 filed on 3/5/2017. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to substrate processing systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for controlling the temperature of a substrate support.

Background

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Substrate processing systems may be used to process substrates such as semiconductor wafers. Exemplary processes that may be performed on the substrate include, but are not limited to, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), conductor etching, and/or other etching, deposition, or cleaning processes. The substrate may be disposed on a substrate support (e.g., a pedestal, an electrostatic chuck (ESC), etc.) in a process chamber of a substrate processing system. During etching, a gas mixture including one or more precursors may be introduced into the process chamber and a plasma may be used to initiate chemical reactions.

A substrate support such as an ESC may include a ceramic layer configured to support a substrate. For example, the substrate may be clamped to the ceramic layer during processing. The heating layer may be disposed between the ceramic layer and the base plate of the substrate support. For example, the heating layer may be a ceramic heating plate including heating elements, wiring, and the like. By controlling the temperature of the heating plate, the temperature of the substrate can be controlled during processing.

Disclosure of Invention

A substrate support for a substrate processing system includes a plurality of heating zones, a base plate, a heating layer disposed on the base plate, a ceramic layer disposed on the heating layer, and wiring provided through the base plate, the heating layer, and into the ceramic layer in a first zone of the plurality of heating zones. Electrically connecting a wiring from the first region across the ceramic layer to a second region of the plurality of heating regions and to a heating element wiring in the heating layer of the second region.

In other features, the electrical connections correspond to electrical traces. The electrical connection corresponds to a second wiring different from the wiring provided through the substrate. The second region is located radially outward of the first region. The electrical connection has a lower electrical resistance than the heating element.

In other features, the substrate support includes a via provided through the base plate, the heating layer, and the ceramic layer in the first region, and the wire is routed through the via. The electrical connection is coupled to the connection point of the heating element using at least one of a solder connection and a conductive epoxy.

In still other features, the substrate support comprises a via provided through the ceramic layer and the heating layer in the second region. The through-hole is filled with an electrically conductive material coupling the electrical connection to a connection point of the heating element. The substrate support comprises contact pads arranged between the electrical connections and the heating elements. The contact pad includes a first portion disposed in the ceramic layer and a second portion disposed in the heating layer. The through holes are filled with a conductive material. The conductive material is disposed between the first portion of the contact pad and the second portion of the contact pad.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Some aspects of the invention may be described as follows:

1. a substrate support for a substrate processing system, the substrate support comprising:

a plurality of heating zones;

a substrate;

a heating layer disposed on the substrate;

a ceramic layer disposed on the heating layer;

a wiring provided through the substrate, the heating layer, and into the ceramic layer in a first region of the plurality of heating regions;

electrical connections from a wire at the first region across the ceramic layer to a second region of the plurality of heating regions and to a heating element wiring in the heating layer of the second region.

2. The substrate support of clause 1, wherein the electrical connections correspond to electrical traces.

3. The substrate support of clause 1, wherein the electrical connection corresponds to a second wire different from the wire provided through the base plate.

4. The substrate support of clause 1, wherein the second region is located radially outward of the first region.

5. The substrate support of clause 1, further comprising a via provided through the base plate, the heating layer, and the ceramic layer in the first region, wherein the wire is routed through the via.

6. The substrate support of clause 1, wherein the electrical connection has a lower resistance than the heating element.

7. The substrate support of clause 1, wherein the electrical connection is coupled to a connection point of the heating element using at least one of a solder connection and a conductive epoxy.

8. The substrate support of clause 1, further comprising a via provided through the ceramic layer and the heating layer in the second region.

9. The substrate support of clause 8, wherein the through-holes are filled with a conductive material coupling the electrical connections to connection points of the heating element.

10. The substrate support of clause 8, further comprising a contact pad disposed between the electrical connection and the heating element.

11. The substrate support of clause 10, wherein the contact pad comprises a first portion disposed in the ceramic layer and a second portion disposed in the heating layer.

12. The substrate support of clause 11, wherein the through-holes are filled with a conductive material.

13. The substrate support of clause 12, wherein the electrically conductive material is disposed between the first portion of the contact pad and the second portion of the contact pad.

Drawings

The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary substrate processing system including a substrate support according to the principles of the present disclosure;

fig. 2A is an exemplary electrostatic chuck according to the principles of the present disclosure;

fig. 2B illustrates a region of an exemplary electrostatic chuck and a thermal control element according to principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary wiring for electrical connection through a ceramic layer of an electrostatic chuck, according to principles of the present disclosure;

fig. 4A and 4B illustrate a first exemplary connection between a ceramic layer and a heating layer according to the principles of the present disclosure;

fig. 5A and 5B illustrate a second exemplary connection between a ceramic layer and a heating layer according to the principles of the present disclosure; and

fig. 6A and 6B illustrate a third exemplary connection between a ceramic layer and a heating layer according to the principles of the present disclosure.

In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and/or identical elements.

Detailed Description

A substrate support such as an electrostatic chuck (ESC) can include one or more heating zones (e.g., a multi-zone ESC). The ESC may include a respective heating element for heating each region of the layer. The heating elements are controlled to achieve approximately a desired set point temperature (setpoint temperature) in each of the respective zones.

The heating layer may include a laminated heater plate disposed between an upper ceramic layer of the substrate support and the base plate. The heater plate includes a plurality of heating elements disposed throughout an area of the ESC. The heating element includes an electrical trace or other wiring that receives a voltage input provided through the substrate from a voltage source below the ESC. For example, the substrate may include one or more through-holes (e.g., holes or inlets) that align with connection points of the heating elements in the heating plate. The wiring is connected between the voltage source and the connection point of the heating element through a through hole in the substrate.

In general, it is desirable that the vias and the wiring routed through the vias be as close as possible to the corresponding connection points of the heating element to avoid heater exclusion areas (i.e., areas where the heating element cannot be located) and to reduce temperature non-uniformity. For example, the through-hole may be located directly below the connection point. However, in some ESCs, various structural features may interfere with providing vias, wiring, and other heating element components in the most desirable locations. Thus, the vias and corresponding connections may be further separated and/or may be located outside of the target area of the ESC. For example, in an ESC having an inner region, a middle outer region, and an outer region, vias and connections for the outer region may be located below the middle outer region, resulting in asymmetric heating patterns and temperature non-uniformities.

Systems and methods according to the principles of the present disclosure provide a connection between a voltage input and a heater plate through a ceramic layer above the heater plate. In other words, the wiring is provided up through the through holes in the substrate and the heating layer and into the ceramic layer. Within the ceramic layer, wires (which may include electrical traces, contacts, etc.) are routed horizontally (i.e., laterally) toward the desired connection points of the heating layer, and then back down into the heating layer at the desired connection points. Therefore, the electrical connection between the via and the corresponding connection point is embedded in the ceramic layer, and it is not necessary to minimize the distance between the via and the wiring for the voltage input and the connection point. In this manner, electrical connection routing through the ceramic layer increases design flexibility (e.g., location of vias), reduces heater exclusion areas, and improves temperature uniformity throughout the ESC.

Referring now to fig. 1, an exemplary substrate processing system 100 is shown. By way of example only, substrate processing system 100 can be used to etch using RF plasma and/or other suitable substrate processing. Substrate processing system 100 includes a substrate processing chamber 102 that encloses other components of substrate processing chamber 102 and contains an RF plasma. The substrate processing chamber 102 includes an upper electrode 104 and a substrate support 106, such as an electrostatic chuck (ESC). During operation, the substrate 108 is disposed on the substrate support 106. Although a particular substrate processing system 100 and chamber 102 are shown as examples, the principles of the present disclosure may be applied to other types of substrate processing systems and chambers, such as substrate processing systems that generate plasma in situ, substrate processing systems that enable remote plasma generation and transmission (e.g., using microwave tubes), etc.

For example only, the upper electrode 104 may include a showerhead 109 that introduces and distributes process gases. The showerhead 109 can include a stem that includes one end that is coupled to the top surface of the process chamber. The base is generally cylindrical and extends radially outwardly from an opposite end of the stem at a location spaced from the top surface of the process chamber. The surface or face plate of the base of the showerhead facing the substrate includes a plurality of holes through which process or purge gases flow. Alternatively, the upper electrode 104 may comprise a conductive plate and the process gas may be introduced in another manner.

The substrate support 106 includes a conductive base plate 110 that serves as a lower electrode. The substrate 110 supports the ceramic layer 111, and the heating plate 112 is disposed between the substrate 110 and the ceramic layer 111. For example, the heater plate 112 may correspond to a stacked multi-zone heater plate. A thermal resistance layer 114 (e.g., a bonding layer) may be disposed between the heater plate 112 and the substrate 110. The base plate 110 may include one or more coolant channels 116 for flowing coolant through the base plate 110.

The RF generation system 120 generates and outputs an RF voltage to one of the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode (e.g., the base plate 110 of the substrate support 106). The other of the top electrode 104 and the substrate 110 may be dc grounded, ac grounded, or floating. For example only, the RF generation system 120 may include an RF voltage generator 122 that generates an RF voltage that is fed to the upper electrode 104 or the substrate 110 by a matching and distribution network 124. In other examples, the plasma may be generated inductively or remotely. Although shown as an example, the RF generation system 120 corresponds to a Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP) system, the principles of the present disclosure may also be implemented in other suitable systems, such as, by way of example only, Transformer Coupled Plasma (TCP) systems, CCP cathode systems, remote microwave plasma generation and delivery systems, and the like.

The gas delivery system 130 includes one or more gas sources 132-1,132-2, and 132-N (collectively referred to as gas sources 132), where N is an integer greater than zero. The gas source provides one or more precursors and mixtures thereof. The gas source may also supply a purge gas. Vaporized precursors may also be used. The gas source 132 is connected to the manifold 140 by valves 134 and 134-N (collectively referred to as valves 134) and mass flow controllers 136 and 136-N (collectively referred to as mass flow controllers). The output of the manifold 140 is fed to the process chamber 102. For example only, the output of the manifold 140 is fed to the showerhead 109.

The temperature controller 142 may provide a voltage input to a heating element 144 disposed in the heater plate 112. For example, the heating element 144 may include, but is not limited to: heating elements corresponding to respective zones in a multi-zone heating plate and/or an array of micro-heating elements arranged across multiple zones of a multi-zone heating plate. The temperature controller 142 may be used to control the plurality of heating elements 144 to control the temperature of the substrate support 106 and the substrate 108. The substrate support 106 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure is routed through the ceramic layer 111 for electrical connection of the heating element 144, as described in more detail below.

The temperature controller 142 may be in communication with a coolant assembly 146 to control the flow of coolant through the passage 116. For example, coolant assembly 146 may include a coolant pump and a reservoir. The temperature controller 142 operates the coolant assembly 146 to selectively flow coolant through the channels 116 to cool the substrate support 106.

A valve 150 and a pump 152 may be used to exhaust the reactants from the process chamber 102. The system controller 160 can be used to control the components of the substrate processing system 100. A robot 170 may be used to transfer substrates onto the substrate support 106 and may remove substrates from the substrate support 106. For example, the robot 170 may transfer substrates between the substrate support 106 and the load lock 172. Although shown as a separate controller, the temperature controller 142 may be implemented within the system controller 160.

Referring now to fig. 2A and 2B, an exemplary ESC 200 is shown. The temperature controller 204 communicates with the ESC 200 via one or more electrical connections 208. For example, the electrical connections 208 may include, but are not limited to, connections for selectively controlling the heating elements 212-.

As shown, ESC 200 is a multi-region ESC comprising regions 224-1,224-2,224-3, and 224-4 (collectively referred to as regions 224), which may be referred to as an outer region, an intermediate inner region, and an inner region. The outer region may correspond to the outermost region. Although illustrated with four concentric zones 224, ESC 200 may comprise one, two, three, or more than four zones 224 in one embodiment. The shape of the region 224 may vary. For example, the area 224 may be provided as a fan or another grid-like arrangement. For example only, each zone 224 includes a respective one of the zone temperature sensors 220 and a respective one of the heating elements 212. In various embodiments, there may be more than one temperature sensor 220 per zone 224.

The ESC 200 comprises: a base plate 228 including coolant channels 232; a thermal resistance layer 236 formed on the substrate 228; a multi-region ceramic heater plate 240 formed on the thermal resistance layer 236; and an upper ceramic layer 242 formed on the heating plate 240. The voltage input is provided from temperature controller 204 to heating element 212 using wiring routed through substrate 228 and ceramic layer 242.

The temperature controller 204 controls the heating element 212 according to a desired set point temperature. For example, the temperature controller 204 may receive (e.g., as the system controller 160 shown in fig. 1) a setpoint temperature for one or more zones 224. For example, the temperature controller 204 may receive the same set point temperature for all or some of the zones 224 and/or a different respective set point temperature for each of the zones 224. The setpoint temperature for each zone 224 may vary between different processes and between different steps of each process.

The temperature controller 204 controls the heating elements 212 of each zone 224 based on the respective set point temperature and temperature feedback provided by the sensors 220. For example, the temperature controller 204 individually adjusts the power (e.g., current or duty cycle) provided to each heating element 212 to achieve a setpoint temperature at each sensor 220. The heating elements 212 may each comprise a single resistive coil or other structure schematically represented by the dashed lines of fig. 2B. Thus, adjusting one of the heating elements 212 affects the temperature of the entire respective region 224, and may also affect other ones of the regions 224. The sensors 220 may provide temperature feedback for only a localized portion of each region 224. For example only, the sensors 220 may be located in portions of each of the regions 224 that are predetermined to be most relevant to the average temperature of that region 224.

As shown,

respective vias

246, 250, and 254 and respective voltage inputs are disposed in the middle outer region 224-2, the middle inner region 224-3, and the inner region 224-4. As used herein, "via" generally refers to an opening, port, etc. through a structure, such as substrate 228, and "wiring" refers to conductive material within the via. Although vias are shown in pairs at particular locations by way of example only, any suitable location and/or number of vias may be implemented. For example, vias 246, 250, and 254 are provided through substrate 228, and wiring is provided to the respective connection points through

vias

246, 250, and 254. However, the through-holes 258 corresponding to the outer region 224-1 may be located farther than the through-

holes

246, 250, and 254, and may be located in the middle outer region 224-2. In other words, the wiring for the heating elements of outer region 224-1 is not disposed directly below outer region 224-1. Thus, additional electrical connections are required to provide voltage inputs to the heating elements of outer region 224-1.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary ESC 400 having electrical connections 404 routed within (e.g., laterally through, laterally) a ceramic layer 408. While the ceramic layer 408 is shown as a single uniform layer, in some examples, the ceramic layer 408 may correspond to a plurality of discrete layers, one of a plurality of layers, or the like. ESC 400 has a plurality of regions, including, by way of example only, an outer region 410-1 (e.g., corresponding to the radially outermost region of ESC 400), an intermediate outer region 410-2, an intermediate inner region 410-3, and an inner region 410-4, which may be collectively referred to as region 410. For example, the through-holes 412 in the substrate 416 can be located outside the outer region 410-1 (e.g., in the middle outer region 410-2) of the ESC 400 as described above in fig. 2A and 2B. A voltage input (e.g., a wire) 420 is routed through the via 412 and the heater layer 424 and into the ceramic layer 408. Within the ceramic layer 408, the electrical connection 404 is routed through the ceramic layer 408 toward a connection point 428 at the heating layer 424. Thus, the voltage input to the heating layer 424 in the outer region 410-1 of the ESC is provided through the substrate 416 and the ceramic layer 408. In some examples, electrical connections 404 correspond to electrical traces. In other examples, the electrical connection 404 includes a wire. For example, the wiring of electrical connection 404 may be the same or different from the wiring of voltage input 420.

The electrical connections 404 within the ceramic layer 408 may include conductive materials and/or dimensions having a low electrical resistance (e.g., relative to the heating element 436 of the heating layer 424). For example, the electrical connections 404 may include, but are not limited to, tungsten, copper, magnesium, palladium, silver, and/or various alloys thereof. Instead, the heating element 436 may include, but is not limited to, a nickel alloy, an iron alloy, a tungsten alloy, and the like. The heating layer 424 may comprise polyimide, acrylic, silicone, etc., in which the heating element 436 is embedded.

Although vias 412 are shown in the middle outer region 410-2 and electrical connections 404 are routed across ceramic layer 408 from the middle outer region 410-2 to the outer region 410-1, in other examples vias 412 may be located in any of regions 410 and electrical connections 404 may be routed to any of the other regions 410. In some examples, electrical connections 404 are routed across multiple ones of regions 410 (e.g., from vias located in middle inner region 410-3 to outer region 410-1). Further, although as shown, electrical connection 404 is routed from a via in a radially inward region to a radially outward region, in other examples, electrical connection 404 is routed from a via in a radially outward region to a radially inward region (e.g., from a via located in outer region 410-1 to intermediate inner region 410-3).

Referring now to fig. 4A and 4B, a first exemplary arrangement of an ESC 450 is shown in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view, and fig. 4B is a plan view. In this example, electrical connection 454 (e.g., corresponding to electrical connection 404) is routed through ceramic layer 458 formed on heating layer 462. For example, electrical connections 454 are routed from a middle outer region to an outer region of ESC 450. Electrical connection 454 is electrically coupled to a connection point of heating element 466 using conductive material 470 (e.g., solder, conductive epoxy, etc.).

Referring now to fig. 5A and 5B, a second exemplary arrangement of an ESC500 is shown in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view, and fig. 5B is a plan view. In this example, electrical connection 504 is routed through ceramic layer 508 formed on heating layer 512. For example, electrical connections 504 are routed from a middle outer region to an outer region of the ESC 500. The electrical connections 504 are electrically coupled to connection points of the heating element 516 using vias 520 filled with a conductive material 524 (e.g., solder, conductive epoxy, etc.). For example, vias 520 may be formed through respective regions in electrical connection 504, ceramic layer 508, heating layer 512, and heating element 516, and then filled with conductive material 524.

Referring now to fig. 6A and 6B, a third example arrangement of an ESC 600 is shown in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view, and fig. 6B is a plan view. In this example, electrical connections 604 are routed through a ceramic layer 608 formed on a heating layer 612. For example, electrical connections 604 are routed from a middle outer region to an outer region of the ESC 600. The electrical connection 604 is electrically coupled to a connection point of the heating element 616 using a via 620 filled with a conductive material 624 (e.g., solder, conductive epoxy, etc.) and a contact pad 628 disposed between the electrical connection 604 and the heating element 616. For example, vias 620 may be formed through respective areas of electrical connection 604, ceramic layer 608, heater layer 612, heating element 616, and contact pad 628, and then filled with conductive material 624.

As shown, conductive material 624 may be disposed between separate portions of contact pads 628 (i.e., between portion 632 of contact pad 628 coupled to electrical connection 604 and portion 636 of contact pad 628 coupled to heating element 616).

Portions

632 and 636 of contact pad 628 may comprise the same or different materials. For example, portion 632 may comprise the same material as electrical connection 604, while portion 636 comprises the same material as heating element 616. In other examples, contact pads 628 may correspond to a single structure coupled to both electrical connection 604 and heating element 616 with vias 620 through which vias 620 are formed.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps of the method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, although each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in and/or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the exchange of one or more embodiments with each other remains within the scope of the present disclosure.

Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," joined, "" coupled, "" adjacent, "" on. When a relationship between first and second elements is described in the above disclosure, unless explicitly described as "direct", such relationship may be a direct relationship wherein no other intermediate element is present between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship wherein one or more intermediate elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, at least one of the phrases A, B and C should be construed to refer to logic (a OR B OR C) using a non-exclusive logic OR (OR), and should not be construed to refer to "at least one of a, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

In some embodiments, the controller is part of a system, which may be part of the above-described embodiments. Such systems may include semiconductor processing equipment including one or more process tools, one or more chambers, one or more platforms for processing, and/or specific processing components (substrate pedestals, gas flow systems, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronic devices to control the operation of these systems before, during, or after processing of semiconductor substrates or substrates. The electronics may be referred to as a "controller," which may control various components or sub-portions of one or more systems. Depending on the process requirements and/or type of system, the controller can be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, including controlling the delivery of process gases, the setting of temperatures (e.g., heating and/or cooling), the setting of pressures, the setting of vacuums, the setting of powers, the setting of Radio Frequency (RF) generators, the setting of RF matching circuits, the setting of frequencies, the setting of flow rates, the setting of fluid delivery, the setting of positions and operations, the transfer of substrates to and from other delivery tools and/or load locks connected to or interfaced with a particular system.

In a broad sense, a controller may be defined as an electronic device having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and/or software that receives instructions, issues instructions, controls operations, enables cleaning operations, enables endpoint measurements, and the like. These integrated circuits may include a chip storing program instructions in firmware, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a chip defined as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and/or one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers executing program instructions (e.g., software). The program instructions may be transmitted to the controller or system as various individual settings (or program files) that define the operating parameters for a particular process on or for a semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, the operating parameter may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to complete one or more process steps in the fabrication of one or more layer(s), material, metal, oxide, silicon dioxide, surface, circuit, and/or die of a substrate.

In some embodiments, the controller may be part of or coupled to a computer that is integrated with, coupled to, or otherwise connected to the system via a network, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller may be in the "cloud" or be all or part of a fab (fab) host system, which may allow remote access to the substrate process. The computer may enable remote access to the system to monitor a current process of the manufacturing operation, check a history of past manufacturing operations, check trends or performance criteria of a plurality of manufacturing operations to change parameters of the current process, set processing steps to follow the current process or start a new process. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g., a server) may provide the process recipe to the system over a network, which may include a local network or the internet. The remote computer may include a user interface that allows parameters and/or settings to be input or programmed, which are then communicated from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data that specify parameters for each process step to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that these parameters may be specific to the type of process to be performed and the type of tool that the controller is configured to interface with or control. Thus, as described above, a controller may be distributed, for example, by including one or more discrete controllers that are networked together and operate toward a common goal (e.g., the processes and controls described herein). An example of a distributed controller for these purposes may be one or more integrated circuits within a room that communicate with one or more remote integrated circuits (e.g., at the platform level or as part of a remote computer) that combine to control the in-room process.

Example systems may include, but are not limited to, plasma etch chambers or modules (using inductively or capacitively coupled plasma), deposition chambers or modules, spin rinse chambers or modules, metal plating chambers or modules, cleaning chambers or modules, bevel edge etch chambers or modules, Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) chambers or modules, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) chambers or modules, Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) chambers or modules, Atomic Layer Etch (ALE) chambers or modules, ion implantation chambers or modules, track chambers or modules, and any other semiconductor processing system that may be associated with or used in the preparation and/or fabrication of semiconductor substrates.

As described above, depending on the process step or steps to be performed by the tool, the controller may communicate with one or more other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, tools located throughout the factory, a mainframe, another controller, or tools used in the handling of the containers of substrates to and from tool locations and/or load ports in a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

Claims

a plurality of heating zones;

a substrate;

a heating layer disposed on the substrate;

a ceramic layer disposed on the heating layer;

a wiring provided through the substrate, the heating layer, and into a portion of the ceramic layer in a first region of the plurality of heating regions; and

2. The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the electrical connections correspond to electrical traces.

3. The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection corresponds to a second wire different from the wire provided through the base plate.

4. The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the second region is located radially outward of the first region.

5. The substrate support of claim 1, further comprising a via provided through the base plate, the heating layer, and the ceramic layer in the first region, wherein the wire is routed through the via.

6. The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection has a lower resistance than the heating element.

7. The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection is coupled to a connection point of the heating element using at least one of a solder connection and a conductive epoxy.

8. The substrate support of claim 1, further comprising a via provided through the ceramic layer and the heating layer in the second region.

9. The substrate support of claim 8, wherein the through-holes are filled with an electrically conductive material coupling the electrical connection to a connection point of the heating element.

10. The substrate support of claim 8, further comprising a contact pad disposed between the electrical connection and the heating element.

11. The substrate support of claim 10, wherein the contact pad comprises a first portion disposed in the ceramic layer and a second portion disposed in the heating layer.

12. The substrate support of claim 11, wherein the vias are filled with a conductive material.

13. The substrate support of claim 12, wherein the conductive material is disposed between the first portion of the contact pad and the second portion of the contact pad.