Coatings for enhancement of properties and performance of substrate articles and apparatus

Abstract

Coatings applicable to a variety of substrate articles, structures, materials, and equipment are described. In various applications, the substrate includes metal surface susceptible to formation of oxide, nitride, fluoride, or chloride of such metal thereon, wherein the metal surface is configured to be contacted in use with gas, solid, or liquid that is reactive therewith to form a reaction product that is deleterious to the substrate article, structure, material, or equipment. The metal surface is coated with a protective coating preventing reaction of the coated surface with the reactive gas, and / or otherwise improving the electrical, chemical, thermal, or structural properties of the substrate article or equipment. Various methods of coating the metal surface are described, and for selecting the coating material that is utilized.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to International Application No. PCT / US2016 / 017910, filed Feb. 13, 2016, which in turn claims the benefit under the provisions of 35 U.S. C. §119 of the following U.S. provisional patent applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 116,181 filed Feb. 13, 2015 in the names of Carlo Waldfried, et al. for “THIN FILM ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION COATINGS”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 167,890 filed May 28, 2015 in the names of Bryan C. Hendrix, et al. for “COATINGS TO PREVENT TRANSPORT OF TRACE METALS BY AL2CL6 VAPOR”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 188,333 filed Jul. 2, 2015 in the names of Bryan C. Hendrix, et al. for “COATINGS FOR ENHANCEMENT OF PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE OF SUBSTRATE ARTICLES AND APPARATUS”; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 221,594 filed Sep. 21, 2015 in the names of Bryan C. Hendrix, et al. for “COATINGS FOR ENHANCEMENT OF PROPERTIES AND PERF...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method for improving the performance and lifespan of structures, materials, or equipment that come into contact with reactive gas, solid, or liquid that can form harmful reaction products on metal surfaces. This is achieved by coating the metal surface with a protective coating that prevents reaction with the reactive gas. Additionally, the patent also suggests a method for enhancing the service life of plasma source structures, components, or equipment that are exposed to plasma and high voltage levels. This is achieved by coating the plasma-wetted surface with an ALD coating of alumina, followed by a PVD coating of aluminum oxynitride.

Problems solved by technology

In many fields of endeavor, structures, materials, and apparatus are encountered that include surface susceptible to formation of contaminant species, such as surfaces of aluminum, anodized aluminum, quartz, stainless steel, etc. that are susceptible to formation of undesired oxide, nitride, and halide (e.g., fluoride and / or chloride) contaminant species thereon, which interfere with the use, utility, or function of the associated products, equipment, or materials.

Although Al2O3 is widely deposited by ALD using trimethyl aluminum as a source reagent, trimethyl aluminum nonetheless is a pyrophoric liquid subject to significant safety and regulatory costs.

As a result, when dialuminum hexachloride encounters such metal oxides, the metal oxides react with the dialuminum hexachloride to form corresponding vapor phase metalloaluminum chloride compounds which can transport to wafers and semiconductor devices or device precursor structures and may deposit the trace metals or otherwise damage the products being manufactured in the equipment.

Alternatively, the metal oxide can react with Al2Cl6 vapor to form Al2O3 and particulate metal chlorides that can transport to the device structure and cause damage.

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