Holding apparatus 100 for electrostatic holding component 1 (e.g., semiconductor wafer), includes base body 10 with at least one plate 10A, protruding burls 11 on upper side of plate and end faces 12 of which span a burls support plane for supporting component, and electrode device 20 in layered form in spacings between burls and insulator layer 21 which is connected to plate, dielectric layer 23 of inorganic dielectric and electrode layer 22 between insulator and dielectric layers. Between burls support plane and dielectric layer upper side, predetermined gap spacing A is set. Electrode device has openings 24 and is on plate upper side between burls, which protrude therethrough. Insulator layer includes inorganic dielectric and is connected with adhesive 13 to base body upper side between burls. Electrode device is embedded in adhesive. Spacing between burls and electrode device is filled with adhesive. A production method is also described.

Various embodiments of wafer bonding apparatuses and methods are described herein for reducing distortion in a post-bonded wafer pair. More specifically, the present disclosure provides embodiments of wafer bonding apparatuses and methods to reduce post-bond wafer distortion that occurs primarily within the center and/or the edge of the post-bonded wafer pair. In the present disclosure, post-bonded wafer distortion is reduced by correcting for variations in the pre-bond wafer shapes. Variations in pre-bond wafer shape are corrected, or compensated for, by making hardware modifications to the wafer chuck. Such modifications may include, but are not limited to, modifications to the surface height and/or the temperature of the wafer chuck. Although hardware modifications are disclosed herein for reducing post-bond wafer distortion near the center and/or the edge of the post-bonded wafer pair, similar modifications can be made to reduce post-bond wafer distortion within other areas or zones of the post-bonded wafer pair.

A method of unloading an object from a support table, the object clamped to the support table during an exposure process by: applying a first pressure to a central region of the support table under a central portion of the object; and applying a second pressure to a peripheral region of the support table under a peripheral portion of the object, wherein during clamping the first pressure and the second pressure are controlled such that liquid is retained between the object and a seal member that is positioned radially between the central region and the peripheral region at an upper surface of the support table and protrudes towards the object, the method including: increasing the first pressure towards ambient pressure; removing at least some of the liquid retained between the object and the seal member by decreasing the second pressure; and increasing the second pressure towards the ambient pressure.

Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing the semiconductor device and tools are disclosed herein. Some methods include providing an electrostatic chuck and placing an edge ring adjacent to the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck includes a first electrode to generate a sheath at a first distance over the electrostatic chuck. The edge ring includes a coil and a second electrode to generate an electric field control to maintain a portion of the sheath over the edge ring in a coplanar orientation with the portion of the sheath over the electrostatic chuck.

A bonding fixture. In some embodiments, the fixture includes: a plate for supporting a central region of the wafer, the central region including 80% of the area of the wafer; and a frame for supporting: the edge of the wafer, and the edge of the plate, the frame having: a first vacuum passage, for pulling the wafer against an upper surface of the frame, and a second vacuum passage, for pulling the plate against the frame.

Some embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods of modifying a heater pedestal to improve temperature and thickness uniformity. Some embodiments of the disclosure relate to the modified heater pedestals with improved temperature and thickness uniformity. In some embodiments, the height of support mesas in different regions of the pedestal are modified to increase temperature uniformity. In some embodiments, the heater elements are moved above the vacuum channel and purge channel to increase temperature uniformity. In some embodiments, the edge ring is modified to be coplanar with the top of a supported substrate.

A mounting table is provided. The mounting table includes a base having a first flow path, a recess, and a second flow path connected to the recess, and a variable control mechanism configured to variably control a contact area between a target object disposed on the base and a mounting surface for mounting thereon the target object by filling and discharging fluid into and from the recess through the second flow path.

An apparatus for securing a wafer includes a chuck, at least one O-ring disposed on the chuck, a vacuum system connected to the chuck, such that the vacuum system comprises a plurality of vacuum holes through the chuck connected to one or more vacuum pumps, and a controller configured to control the height of the at least one O-ring relative to the top surface of the chuck. The controller is connected to pressure sensors capable of detecting a vacuum. The at least one O-ring may include a plurality of O-rings.

A reaction-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) body is produced by: providing a preform including ceramic elements and carbon, and one or more surface features; providing a powder which includes diamond particles and carbon; locating the powder in the surface feature(s); and infiltrating the preform and the powder with molten silicon (Si) to form reaction-bonded SiC in the preform, and to form reaction-bonded SiC coatings on the diamond particles. The present disclosure also relates to a device/component which includes: a main body portion and discrete elements located at least partially within the main body portion. The main body portion may include reaction-bonded SiC and Si, but not diamond, while the discrete elements include diamond particles, reaction-bonded SiC coatings surrounding the diamond particles, and Si. According to the present disclosure, diamond may be advantageously located only where it is needed.

A substrate processing device capable of preventing deformation of a substrate during a process includes a substrate supporting unit having a contact surface that comes into contact with an edge of a substrate to be processed, wherein the substrate supporting unit includes a protruding (e.g. embossed) structure protruding from a base to support deformation from the inside of the edge of the substrate to be processed.