PASSIVE COMPENSATION FOR TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT WAFER GAP CHANGES IN PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEMS

摘要

Passive wafer gap compensation arrangements and methods relying on temperature- driven dimensional change of thermally expanding component(s) to counteract, substantially or partially, the change in the wafer gap due to chamber component temperature change is provided. The passive arrangements and techniques involve passively raising or lowering the substrate-facing component or the substrate support to counteract, substantially or partially, the gap-narrowing effect or gap-expanding effect of rising temperature, thereby reducing or eliminating the change in the wafer gap due to a change in the chamber component temperature. Cooling arrangement(s) and thermal break(s) are optionally provided to improve performance.