A substrate processing method comprising: providing a substrate having a silicon-containing dielectric film in the substrate support; and generating plasma from a processing gas including a hydrogen- and fluorine-containing gas to etch the silicon-containing dielectric film, wherein the etching step comprises supplying the processing gas into the chamber, supplying a first radio-frequency signal for generating the plasma to the substrate support or the upper electrode, and supplying a first electrical bias to the upper electrode.

Embodiments of apparatus for high pressure plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an isolator plate and grounding bracket for a substrate support, such as an electrostatic chuck, in a plasma processing chamber. In some embodiments, apparatus for high pressure plasma processing includes: an electrostatic chuck; a ground return bracket spaced apart from the electrostatic chuck; and a dielectric plate disposed between the electrostatic chuck and the ground return bracket.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a cryogenic micro-zone connection assembly for a substrate support assembly suitable for use in cryogenic applications. In one or more embodiments, the cryogenic micro-zone connection assembly has a first end having a micro-zone connector. A second end has a socket connection. A flange is disposed between the micro-zone connector and the socket connection. And a wiring harness is coupled at the first end to the micro-zone connector, extends through the flange and is coupled at the second end to the socket connection.

Aspects generally relate to substrate support apparatus and systems having elevated surfaces for heat transfer between the elevated surfaces and a substrate, and the methods of using the same. In one aspect, the elevated surfaces are disposed between a recessed surface and a plurality of support surfaces of a plurality of support protrusions that extend from the recessed surface. In one aspect, the elevated surfaces are disposed between a base surface and a plurality of support surfaces of a plurality of support protrusions that extend from the base surface. During a substrate processing operation, heat is transferred to the substrate through a plurality of cavities disposed between the elevated surfaces and a backside surface of the substrate.

Various embodiments herein relate to carriers for supporting one or more substrate as the substrates are passed through a processing apparatus. In many cases, the substrates are oriented in a vertical manner. The carrier may include a frame and vertical support bars that secure the glass to the frame. The carrier may lack horizontal support bars. The carrier may allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates, without any need to provide precise gaps between adjacent pairs of substrates. The carriers described herein substantially reduce the risk of breaking the processing apparatus and substrates, thereby achieving a more efficient process. Certain embodiments herein relate to methods of loading substrates onto a carrier.

There is a substrate support comprising: a base; an electrostatic chuck disposed on the base and having a substrate supporting surface to support the substrate; and an edge ring disposed to surround the substrate on the substrate supporting surface, wherein the electrostatic chuck has a ring supporting surface to support the edge ring, and an inner edge side of the ring supporting surface is lower than an outer edge side of the ring supporting surface.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a base plate, an upper plate on the base plate, a DC power supply configured to supply power to the upper plate, and a controller interconnecting the upper plate and the DC power supply. The upper plate includes a first electrode, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode. The controller includes a first controller interconnecting the first electrode and the DC power supply, and a second controller interconnecting the second electrode and the DC power supply. The DC power supply is configured to apply a first voltage to the first electrode via the first controller, and configured to apply a second voltage to the second electrode via the second controller. The first voltage and the second voltage are different.

Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.

An apparatus and a method for non-destructive inspection of quality of an electrostatic chuck are disclosed. The apparatus includes a measurement unit for measuring a first capacitance of a dielectric layer of the electrostatic chuck and for measuring a second capacitance of an electrode installed in the dielectric layer; and a control unit configured to evaluate quality of the electrode, based on the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

The electrostatic chuck includes an insulating substrate having a placement surface on which a suction target object is placed and an opposite surface provided on an opposite side to the placement surface; and a gas hole penetrating from the opposite surface to the placement surface. The gas hole has a first hole portion extending from the opposite surface toward the placement surface, a second hole portion extending from the placement surface toward the opposite surface, and a third hole portion provided between the first hole portion and the second hole portion and formed to communicate the first hole portion and the second hole portion each other. The first hole portion is provided not to overlap with the second hole portion in a plan view.