Termoelectric heating and cooling apparatus for semiconductor processing

Abstract

A thermoelectric wafer chuck is disclosed. The thermoelectric wafer chuck includes a wafer support surface for supporting a wafer; and a thermoelectric module provided in thermal contact with the wafer support surface for heating and/or cooling the wafer support surface and wafer.

1 . A thermoelectric wafer chuck comprising: 
 a wafer support surface for supporting a wafer; and    a thermoelectric module provided in thermal contact with said wafer support surface.    
   
   
       2 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 1  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a single-layer thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       3 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 2  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       4 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 1  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a stacked thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       5 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 4  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       6 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 1  further comprising a chuck base and wherein said wafer support surface is carried by said chuck base.  
   
   
       7 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 6  further comprising at least one fluid channel extending through said chuck base.  
   
   
       8 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 7  wherein said at least one fluid channel extends through said chuck base in a single-loop configuration.  
   
   
       9 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 7  wherein said at least one fluid channel extends through said chuck base in a multi-loop configuration.  
   
   
       10 . A thermoelectric wafer chuck comprising: 
 a chuck base;    at least one coil-free fluid channel extending through said chuck base; and    a wafer support surface carried by said chuck base.    
   
   
       11 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 10  wherein said at least one coil-free fluid channel extends through said chuck base in a single-loop configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The coil-free thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 10  wherein said at least one coil-free fluid channel extends through said chuck base in a multi-loop configuration.  
   
   
       13 . The coil-free thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 10  further comprising a thermoelectric module provided in said chuck base in thermal contact with said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       14 . The coil-free thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 13  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a single-layer thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       15 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 14  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       16 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 13  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a stacked thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       17 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 16  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       18 . A thermoelectric wafer chuck comprising: 
 a chuck base; 
 a wafer support plate having a wafer support surface for supporting a wafer carried by said chuck base;  
 a chuck interior defined between said chuck base and said wafer support plate; and  
 a thermoelectric module provided in said chuck interior in thermal contact with said wafer support surface.  
   
   
   
       19 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 18  further comprising at least one fluid channel provided in said chuck base.  
   
   
       20 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 19  wherein said at least one coolant channel extends through said chuck base in a single-loop configuration.  
   
   
       21 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 19  wherein said at least one coolant channel extends through said chuck base in a multi-loop configuration.  
   
   
       22 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 18  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a single-layer thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       23 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 22  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.  
   
   
       24 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 18  wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a stacked thermoelectric module.  
   
   
       25 . The thermoelectric wafer chuck of  claim 24  wherein said thermoelectric module defines a plurality of heating zones on said wafer support surface.