E-Chuck Power Supplies

Software-driven electrostatic chuck power supplies for improving the quality of wafer and to eliminate several issues during the treatment process.

Supplier: Trek Inc. (Advanced Energy)

Technology type: Chuck Power Supplies

Trek's electrostatic chuck power supplies are used to apply AC and DC voltages to the electrode(s) of Couloumbic or Johnsen-Rahbek electrostatic chucks. They are ideal for applications such as the precise manipulation and clamping of semiconductor wafers or flat panel displays during device processing and handling operations. Their range of chuck power supplies includes unique capabilities such as customisable AC waveforms (for faster de-clamping) and an easy-to-use wafer detection system.

User configurable for custom clamp and de-clamp sequences and wave shapes
Virtually eliminates sticky wafer or wafer popping issues
Lockable front panel control interface

±2kV bipolar or unipolar operation
10mA peak current
Coulombic or Johnson-Rahbek operation

Operating principle

Trek’s electrostatic chuck power supply is a software-driven, amplifier-powered, process optimisation supply used for electrostatic bi-polar semiconductor wafer chucking (E-chuck) systems. The technology of models 645 and 646 enables various chucking/de-chucking profiles to be uploaded to the unit. The supply uses the uploaded profiles to generate the desired waveforms and voltages that deliver optimum E-chuck performance in a given process/facility. The product consists of two high voltage amplifiers and control circuitry, which utilise the various profiles that are uploaded to the supply via the unit's user-friendly software. After they are uploaded, the profiles are stored internally using non-volatile memory and they are used to effectively chuck and de-chuck the wafer.

The unit's interactive software provides control of parameters such as over-current, wafer-present, and wafer-clamped thresholds, clamp voltage, offset voltage, and internal or external amplitude/offset control. All these features are contained within a thin 1U enclosure, freeing up valuable rack space for other instrumentation. Additional features include in-process-adjustable amplitude/ offset and output-control versatility. The output can be controlled by the back panel I/O, serial computer command (USB, RS232, or optional Ethernet), or by the controls on the front panel. The versatility of models 645 and 646, along with its dial-in performance, enables the unit to be used in multiple unique tools/ processes and eliminates the need to specify a new supply for each unique tool or process in a facility.

Additional benefits of Trek’s ESC HV power supplies include its ease of use and portability. Easy-to-use functionality includes a user-friendly menu system in which frequently used functions are keystroke addressable and advanced functions can be enabled as needed. Also, a powerful graphics display emphasises important information and provides context-based prompts to the operator. Relative to its portability, models 645 and 646 are small, lightweight, and is designed for ease of movement around the facility.

What's in this range?

All the variants in the range and a comparison of what they offer

Model	Output voltage range	Output current	Output phasing, output voltage A (reference phase)	Output phasing, output voltage B
645	0 to ±2kV	0 to ±6.5mA DC with peak capability of 10mA	0 to ±2kV	0 to ±2kV (Phase B =[-1] x Phase A)
646	0 to ±3kV	0 to ±6.5mA DC with peak capability of 10mA	0 to ±3kV	0 to ±3kV (Phase B =[-1] x Phase A)