ESC Temperature Map

Place points on a 300 mm wafer (x/y in mm), paste a table for custom layouts, enter two TC columns, and compare maps side by side with a per-site Δ map. Presets: 9 / 13 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 36-point.

Reference: 300 mm wafer (radius 150 mm). Enter two TC columns and compare maps top/bottom. Paste a table for custom layouts.

Formats: name, x, y, TC1, TC2 or x, y, TC1, TC2 (TC2 optional). Tab or comma separated. Applying paste sets preset to Custom.

Sensor points (21)

Namex mmy mmTC1TC2Δ (B−A)
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TC1

P01P02P03P04P05P06P07P08P09P10P11P12P13P14P15P16P17P18P19P20P21Ø 300 mm

TC2

P01P02P03P04P05P06P07P08P09P10P11P12P13P14P15P16P17P18P19P20P21Ø 300 mm

Δ (TC2 − TC1) per site

P01P02P03P04P05P06P07P08P09P10P11P12P13P14P15P16P17P18P19P20P21Ø 300 mm

TC1/TC2 legends share one temperature scale. The Δ panel lists sites by |Δ| (largest first). Blue = TC2 cooler than TC1; red = warmer.

Technical Explanation

What is an ESC temperature map?

An electrostatic chuck (ESC) holds the wafer and often includes heaters and temperature sensors (TC or RTD). A temperature map plots those discrete readings on a circular face so radial and azimuthal non-uniformity is easier to see than in a spreadsheet alone. This tool is a general engineering visualization—not a copy of any OEM calibration UI.

Coordinates and statistics

This tool assumes a 300 mm wafer (radius 150 mm). Positions are Cartesian x, y in millimeters from center. You can paste a table (name, x, y, TC1, TC2) for custom sites, compare TC1/TC2 maps side by side, and view a per-site Δ (B−A) difference map. Presets: 9 / 13 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 36-point. For n valid temperatures Ti:

  • Tavg = (Σ Ti) / n
  • ΔT = Tmax − Tmin
  • σ = sample standard deviation (n − 1 denominator when n > 1)

Optional min/max tolerance marks Pass if every entered point lies inside the band; otherwise Fail lists the out-of-range sensors.

Interpolation on the map

Colors between sensors use inverse-distance weighting (IDW). That fills the disk for readability; it is not a heat-transfer model of coolant channels, RF, or heater zones. Sparse sensors can invent smooth gradients that do not exist on the real chuck—always trust measured points over the fill.

Semiconductor applications

In PVD and etch, ESC temperature affects film stress, etch rate, and adhesion. After ESC or heater work, mapping center-vs-edge ΔT helps separate a bad sensor from a real thermal imbalance. Use your site or vendor acceptance limits for Pass/Fail—not the example defaults.

References & Disclaimer

Sensor layouts and acceptance criteria come from equipment manuals and fab procedures. This page is educational and preliminary engineering reference only—not a substitute for OEM calibration software or safety procedures.

Engineering Guide

Why this calculation matters

ESC (electrostatic chuck) temperature uniformity affects film stress, adhesion, and process repeatability in PVD and etch. Mapping discrete TC or RTD points into a spatial view makes hot/cold spots and ΔT limits easier to judge than a raw table.

In semiconductor equipment work: Post-maintenance ESC checks, comparing heater setpoints vs sensor readings, documenting calibration runs, and teaching how radial/azimuthal non-uniformity shows up on a circular chuck.

Input parameters

Layout preset
Standard 300 mm site maps: 9, 13, 17, 21 (default), 25, 36-point, or custom.
Paste table
Excel/CSV/TSV paste: name,x,y,TC1,TC2 (or x,y,TC1,TC2). Sets Custom layout.
Point position
Name, x and y in mm from wafer center (−150…+150; +x right, +y up).
TC1 / TC2 temperatures
Two °C columns for side-by-side (top/bottom) map comparison.
Tolerance (optional)
Min/max °C Pass/Fail checked independently for TC1 and TC2.

Output interpretation

Dual circular maps
TC1 | TC2 side by side, plus Δ (B−A) difference map below.
Per-site Δ (B−A)
Difference column and summary stats for paired sites.
T_avg, ΔT, σ
Separate stats for TC1, TC2, and Δ.
Pass/Fail
Per TC column when tolerance is set.

Compare top vs bottom maps with the shared scale. Large per-site Δ (B−A) flags sensor mismatch or drift; radial ΔT patterns still point to edge/center balance.

Assumptions

  • 300 mm wafer only (radius 150 mm); coordinates in mm from center.
  • Presets are generic standard site maps, not OEM ESC/TC layouts.
  • Shared color scale uses min/max across both TC columns.
  • Displayed field between sensors is IDW interpolation—not a thermal model.

Limitations

  • Does not model heat transfer, coolant channels, or RF/heater zoning physics.
  • Paste parser expects simple CSV/TSV; complex Excel formats may need cleanup.
  • Not a substitute for OEM calibration procedures or vendor acceptance criteria.
  • 200 mm / other diameters are not supported in this tool.

Worked example

21-point dual TC compare on 300 mm

  1. Load example — TC1 ref vs TC2 slightly cooler.
  2. Compare top/bottom maps under one color scale.
  3. Check Δ (B−A) column and Δ stats panel.
  4. Or paste Excel rows: name, x, y, TC1, TC2 → Apply paste (Custom).

Related tools

Related articles

References

  • Vendor ESC / heater manuals — sensor layout and acceptance limits
  • SEMATECH / industry notes on chuck temperature uniformity (general)

Engineering Reference Notice

This calculator is designed for educational and preliminary engineering reference. Results may differ from actual equipment behavior due to conductance limits, gas properties, temperature, contamination, equipment configuration, and process conditions. Always verify with official specifications and qualified judgment. See Disclaimer.

Written by: Semiconductor Tools Editorial Team

Last updated: 2026-06-14

Reviewed for: Formula consistency and unit accuracy

This tool is intended for educational and preliminary engineering reference only. Always verify results with official specifications, equipment manuals, and qualified engineering judgment.