DYNAMIC TEMPERATURE BACKSIDE GAS CONTROL FOR IMPROVED WITHIN-SUBSTRATE PROCESSING UNIFORMITY

摘要

Control of radial or non-radial temperature distribution is controlled across a substrate during processing to compensate for non-uniform effects, including non-uniformities arising from system or process. Temperature is controlled, preferably dynamically, by flowing backside gas differently across different areas on a wafer supporting chuck (substrate support table 20, 20a) to vary heat conduction across the wafer. Ports (26, 26a) in the support table (20, 20a) are grouped, and gas to or from the groups is separately controlled by different valves (32) responsive to a controller (35) that controls gas pressure in each of the areas to spatially and preferably dynamically control wafer temperature to compensate for system and process non-uniformities. Wafer deformation is affected by separately controlling the pressure of the backside gas at different ports (26, 26a) to control the local force exerted on the backside of the substrate, by separately dynamically controlling valves (32) affecting gas flow to a port (26, 26a) and ports (26, 26a) surrounding said port (26, 26a).