Translating and rotating chuck for processing microelectronic substrates in a process chamber

Abstract

Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate a compact drive system to cause chuck rotation. The system uses an offset drive gear that drives a ring gear. This reduces components whose friction or lubricants might generate undue contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method for treating a microelectronic substrate, comprising
 a) providing an apparatus comprising a process chamber;   b) holding a microelectronic substrate on a chuck in the process chamber,   wherein the chuck comprises a first chuck portion and a second, rotatable chuck portion,   wherein the second, rotatable chuck portion rotates independently of the first chuck portion around a central rotation axis, wherein a rotational drive mechanism is incorporated into the chuck in a manner that rotates the second, rotatable chuck portion independently relative to the first chuck portion, wherein the apparatus further comprises a nozzle that is configured to be connected to a fluid supply comprising a pressurized and cooled fluid in a manner such that the nozzle dispenses a treatment medium derived from the fluid supply onto the microelectronic substrate, and wherein said rotational drive mechanism comprises:
 i) a drive gear that rotates about a drive gear axis that is offset radially outward from the central rotation axis of the chuck, and 
 iii) a ring gear attached to the second, rotatable chuck portion, wherein the drive gear engages an inner periphery of the ring gear to rotatably drive the ring gear to impart rotation to the second, rotatable chuck portion; and 
   c) using the rotational drive mechanism to cause the second, rotatable chuck portion on which the substrate is held to rotate during the treatment.   
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for treating a microelectronic substrate, comprising
 a) a housing configured to provide a processing chamber in which the microelectronic substrate is subjected to a treatment;   b) a rotatable chuck disposed within the processing chamber, wherein the chuck holds the microelectronic substrate during at least a portion of the treatment;   c) a substrate holding system incorporated into the rotatable chuck, said substrate holding system comprising an active substrate retention member, wherein the active substrate member comprises a pivot arm that pivots around an axis, wherein the pivot arm comprises a first end that is actuated to pivot the pivot arm and a second end that comprises a retainer head that helps to retain the substrate on the chuck, wherein the pivot arm is biased to maintain the active substrate retention member to be in a substrate retention configuration, and wherein actuation of the first end of the pivot arm causes the active substrate retention member to pivot to a second configuration that releases retention of the substrate by the active substrate retention member; and   d) an actuation member that is configured to engage the first end of the pivot arm to cause the active substrate retention member to pivot to the second configuration when the substrate is lifted from the chuck and that allows the active substrate retention member to pivot to the first configuration when the substrate is lowered onto the chuck 
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         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a plurality of stationary retention member on the chuck, wherein the stationary retention member supports the substrate on a pad and further comprises a barrier that restrains lateral movement of the substrate. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the first end comprises a roller bearing. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprises an actuation pin that engages the roller pin to cause the pivot arm to move to the second configuration. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the process chamber is at a vacuum pressure in the range from 1 milliTorr to under 10 Torr during the treatment. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the nozzle is deployed at a distance from 0.5 mm to 60 mm from an upper surface of the substrate during the treatment. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid is supplied to the nozzle at a temperature in the range from 70 K to 150 K and a pressure in the range from 10 psig to 100 psig during the treatment. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid comprises at least one of argon and nitrogen. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the pressurized and cooled fluid further comprises at least one of helium and hydrogen. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising translating the chuck in the process chamber during the treatment. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first chuck portion comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the method further comprises heating the substrate during the treatment using a heater assembly. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein heating the substrate during the treatment comprises using a heater assembly comprising a lower plate, an upper plate, and a heater film positioned between the upper plate and lower plate, and wherein each of the upper plate and lower plate of the heater assembly comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the lower plate of the heater assembly is attached to a central hub of the first chuck portion in a manner such that the heater assembly cantilevers radially outward from the central hub toward an outer periphery of the chuck. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first chuck portion further comprises a chamber that houses the drive gear. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the rotational mechanism further comprises a ring bearing comprising an inner race connected to the first chuck portion and an outer race connected to the second chuck portion. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the outer race is clamped between the first chuck portion and the ring gear. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of using an offset motor to rotate the drive gear around an offset drive gear axis. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the drive gear comprises PEEK. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the ring gear comprises PEEK.