High temperature vacuum sealing

Abstract

A gas distribution assembly and a processing chamber including the same are described. The gas distribution assembly includes a gas distribution plate, a cover, and a primary O-ring. The primary O-ring is positioned between a purge channel of a first contact surface and a second contact surface of the gas distribution plate. A method of sealing a processing chamber using the disclosed gas distribution assembly is described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for vacuum sealing a process chamber. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatus and methods for high temperature vacuum sealing capable of reducing oxygen permeation. Background Art

[0002] During semiconductor manufacturing, process chambers often require high-temperature vacuum seals, ultrapure environments, and low molecular oxygen levels during processing. Process chamber components are connected using O-rings to prevent metal-to-metal contact and form a seal. This seal is largely fluid-tight but may allow some atmospheric gases to permeate. Gas permeation is temperature-sensitive, increasing at higher temperatures. Because process chambers typically operate at elevated temperatures, gas permeation through O-rings can significantly increase.

[0003] In conventional process chambers, dual seals with adequate differential pumping are often used with high-temperature vacuum components. Dual seals have limited applicability in situations where space is limited. Furthermore, the use of dual seals typically comes with longer lead times and the added cost of custom O-rings. Therefore, there is a need in the art for apparatus and methods for sealing process chamber environments to prevent the migration of ambient gaseous species. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gas distribution assembly comprising: a gas distribution plate, a cover, and a primary O-ring. The gas distribution plate has a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate has a sealing area at an outer edge. The sealing area has a first contact surface and a second contact surface, and the first contact surface includes a purge channel formed in the first contact surface. The cover has a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness. The front surface of the cover is positioned adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate. The cover includes a purge gas line inlet and a purge gas line outlet, the purge gas line inlet having an opening at the front surface, and the purge gas line outlet having an opening at the front surface. The inlet opening and the outlet opening are aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface. The primary O-ring is positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0005] Additional embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a processing chamber comprising: a chamber body having sidewalls and a bottom to define a processing volume. A substrate support is within the processing volume and has a support surface. A gas distribution assembly comprises a gas distribution plate, a cover, and a primary O-ring to define the processing volume. The gas distribution plate has a front surface facing the support surface of the substrate support and a back surface to define a thickness. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate has a sealing area at an outer edge, and the sealing area has a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The first contact surface includes a purge channel formed in the first contact surface. The cover has a front surface and a back surface to define a thickness. The front surface of the cover is positioned adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate. The cover includes a purge gas line inlet having an opening at the front surface and a purge gas line outlet having an opening at the front surface. The inlet opening and the outlet opening are aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface, and the primary O-ring is positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0006] A further embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for sealing a processing chamber. A pressure is measured in a purge gas line downstream of a purge gas line outlet, the purge gas line outlet being aligned with a purge channel in a gas distribution assembly comprising a gas distribution plate and a cover separated by a primary O-ring. The purge gas line is in fluid communication with the purge channel and a purge gas line inlet. The purge gas line inlet and the purge gas line outlet are each aligned with the purge channel. A flow rate of inert gas is provided into the purge channel such that there is substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In order that the manner in which the above-described features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure (briefly summarized above) may be given by reference to embodiments thereof, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0008] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional isometric view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3is an exploded cross-sectional view of a processing station according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a processing platform according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the region VI;

[0014] Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 a partially exploded schematic cross-sectional view of the gas distribution assembly in the area of ​​??; and

[0015] Figure 8 is similar to Figure 5 Schematic view of a portion of the cross section of region VIII. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Before describing several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details of construction or processing steps set forth in the following description, and the present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

[0017] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "substrate" refers to a surface or portion of a surface upon which a process is performed. Those skilled in the art will also understand that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references to a substrate may also refer to only a portion of a substrate. Additionally, references to depositing on a substrate may refer to both a bare substrate and a substrate upon which one or more films or features are deposited or formed.

[0018] As used herein, "substrate" refers to any substrate or material surface formed on a substrate on which film processing is performed during the manufacturing process. For example, substrate surfaces on which processing may be performed include materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, strained silicon, silicon on insulator (SOI), carbon-doped silicon oxide, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, glass, sapphire, and any other material, such as metals, metal nitrides, metal alloys, and other conductive materials, depending on the application. Substrates include, but are not limited to, semiconductor wafers. The substrate may be exposed to pre-treatment processes to polish, etch, reduce, oxidize, hydroxylate, anneal, UV cure, electron beam cure, and / or bake the substrate surface. In addition to performing film processing directly on the surface of the substrate itself, in the present disclosure, any film processing step disclosed may also be performed on an underlying layer formed on the substrate, as disclosed in more detail below, and the term "substrate surface" is intended to include the underlying layer indicated by the context. Thus, for example, where a film / layer or portion of a film / layer has already been deposited on a substrate surface, the exposed surface of the newly deposited film / layer becomes the substrate surface.

[0019] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "precursor," "reactant," "reactant gas," and the like are used interchangeably to refer to any gaseous substance that can react with a substrate surface or with a film formed on a substrate surface.

[0020] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide techniques for enabling high temperature vacuum sealing. Some embodiments provide apparatus and methods for effectively removing gaseous species outgassed from O-rings, minimizing or eliminating the negative effects of atmospheric molecular oxygen (O2) in the processing environment.

[0021] Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gas distribution assembly having a pumped purge channel and a single seal (O-ring). In some embodiments, the channel is continuously purged with an inert gas (e.g., Ar, N2) to maintain equal pressure in the chamber and the channel. In other words, the pressure difference (ΔP) between the channel and the processing chamber is minimized. In some embodiments, the pressure difference is substantially zero (ΔP=0). Zero pressure difference prevents inert or purge gas (e.g., Ar, N2) from flowing into the reaction space of the chamber.

[0022] In some embodiments, a pressure transducer is used to control the pressure in the purge channel relative to the pressure in the process chamber. In some embodiments, a gas distribution assembly includes more than one purge gas channel, or a process chamber includes more than one gas distribution assembly with purge gas channels. In some embodiments, the pressure of each purge channel is individually controlled relative to the ambient gas pressure. In some embodiments, since the purge channels will be continuously purged and pumped away, the diffusion of purge gas (e.g., Ar, N2) into the chamber or into the gas channels in the showerhead is essentially zero. In some embodiments, a pulse purge mechanism is used to remove or eliminate contamination due to O-ring defects or trapped gases.

[0023] Some embodiments of the present disclosure use less space to incorporate a purge channel mechanism compared to conventional double seal process chambers. In some embodiments, the process chamber is isolated from the atmosphere without a double seal arrangement, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, O-ring outgassing caused by high temperatures is purged from the system without flowing into the process cavity. In some embodiments, the O-ring material is not directly exposed to process chemicals. Some embodiments prevent O-ring defects from migrating and / or chemical byproducts from flowing into the chamber. Some embodiments provide improved manufacturing lead time for gas distribution components relative to conventional double seal systems. In some embodiments, the oxygen (O2) content in the chamber is reduced.

[0024] The present disclosure provides a gas distribution assembly for use with a single wafer or multi-wafer (also known as a batch) processing chamber. Figure 1 and Figure 2 A processing chamber 100 is illustrated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 A processing chamber 100 is shown in a cross-sectional isometric view according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 A processing chamber 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown in cross-section. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a processing chamber 100 that incorporates a substrate support 200 and a top plate 300.

[0025] The processing chamber 100 has a housing 102 with walls 104 and a bottom 106. The housing 102, together with a top plate 300, defines a processing volume 109, also referred to as an interior volume.

[0026] The illustrated processing chamber 100 includes a plurality of processing stations 110. The processing stations 110 are located in the processing volume 109 of the housing 102 and are arranged in a circular arrangement about the rotation axis 211 of the substrate support 200. Each processing station 110 includes a gas distribution plate 112 (also referred to as a gas injector) having a front surface 114. In some embodiments, the front surface 114 of each gas distribution plate 112 is substantially coplanar. The processing stations 110 are defined as areas in which processing can be performed. For example, in some embodiments, the processing stations 110 are defined as areas bounded by a support surface 231 of a heater 230 (described below) and the front surface 114 of the gas distribution plate 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the heater 230 serves as a substrate support surface and forms part of the substrate support 200.

[0027] The processing station 110 can be configured to perform any suitable process and provide any suitable processing conditions. The type of gas distribution plate 112 used depends on, for example, the type of process being performed and the type of showerhead or gas injector. For example, a processing station 110 configured to operate as an atomic layer deposition apparatus may have a showerhead or swirl type gas injector. However, a processing station 110 configured to operate as a plasma station may have one or more electrodes and / or ground plates configured to generate a plasma while allowing the plasma gas to flow toward the wafer. Figure 2 The embodiment illustrated in FIG has different types of processing stations 110 on the left side of the figure (processing station 110a) and on the right side of the figure (processing station 110b). Suitable processing stations 110 include, but are not limited to, thermal processing stations, microwave plasma, three-electrode CCP, ICP, parallel plate CCP, UV exposure, laser processing, pumping chambers, annealing stations, and metrology stations.

[0028] Figure 3 1 illustrates an exploded view of a gas distribution assembly 105 for use in a process station 110 or process chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The embodiments illustrated in the drawings may be general schematics and may omit details (e.g., gas channels). The illustrated gas distribution assembly 105 includes three main components: a gas distribution plate 112, a cover 180, and an optional spacer ring 330. The spacer ring 330 is also referred to as a pump / purge spacer, plug-in, or pump / purge plug-in. In some embodiments, the spacer ring 330 is connected to a vacuum (exhaust) or is in fluid communication with a vacuum (exhaust). In some embodiments, the spacer ring 330 is connected to a purge gas source or is in fluid communication with a purge gas source.

[0029] The opening 310 in the top plate 300 can be uniform in size or have varying sizes. Gas distribution plates 112 of varying sizes / shapes can be used with the pump / purge spacer ring 330, which is appropriately shaped to transition from the opening 310 to the gas distribution plate 112. For example, as shown, the pump / purge spacer ring 330 includes a top 331 and a bottom 333 having sidewalls 335. When inserted into the opening 310 in the top plate 300, the ledge 334 is configured to rest in the opening 310.

[0030] The pump / purge spacer ring 330 includes an opening 339 into which the gas distribution plate 112 can be inserted. The illustrated gas distribution plate 112 has a flange 342 that can contact a ledge formed by a back surface 332 adjacent to the top 331 of the pump / purge spacer ring 330. The diameter or width of the gas distribution plate 112 can be any suitable size that can fit within the opening 339 of the pump / purge spacer ring 330. This allows various types of gas distribution plates 112 to be used within the same opening 310 in the top plate 300.

[0031] Figure 4 A processing platform 400 is shown in accordance with one or more implementations of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The embodiment illustrated in the figures represents only one possible configuration and should not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the processing platform 400 has one or more of a different number of processing chambers 100, buffer stations 420, and / or robot 430 configurations than the illustrated embodiment.

[0032] The exemplary processing platform 400 includes a central transfer station 410 having a plurality of sides 411, 412, 413, and 414. The transfer station 410 is shown as having a first side 411, a second side 412, a third side 413, and a fourth side 414. Although four sides are shown, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the transfer station 410 may have any suitable number of sides depending on, for example, the overall configuration of the processing platform 400. In some embodiments, the transfer station 410 has three sides, four sides, five sides, six sides, seven sides, or eight sides.

[0033] The transfer station 410 has a robot 430 positioned therein. The robot 430 can be any suitable robot capable of moving wafers during processing. In some embodiments, the robot 430 includes a first arm 431 and a second arm 432. The first arm 431 and the second arm 432 can move independently of the other arms. The first arm 431 and the second arm 432 can move in the xy plane and / or along the z-axis. In some embodiments, the robot 430 includes a third arm (not shown) or a fourth arm (not shown). Each arm can move independently of the other arms.

[0034] The illustrated embodiment includes six processing chambers 100, with two processing chambers 100 connected to each of the second side 412, third side 413, and fourth side 414 of the central transfer station 410. Each processing chamber 100 may be configured to perform a different process.

[0035] The processing platform 400 may also include one or more buffer stations 420 connected to the first side 411 of the central transfer station 410. The buffer stations 420 may perform the same or different functions. For example, a buffer station may receive wafer cassettes that have been processed and returned to their original cassettes, or one of the buffer stations may receive unprocessed wafers that are moved to another buffer station after processing. In some embodiments, one or more buffer stations are configured to pre-treat, pre-heat, or clean the wafers before and / or after processing.

[0036] The processing platform 400 may also include one or more slit valves 418 between the central transfer station 410 and any of the processing chambers 100. The slit valves 418 may be opened and closed to isolate the interior space within the processing chamber 100 from the environment within the central transfer station 410. For example, if a processing chamber generates plasma during processing, it may be beneficial to close the slit valve of the processing chamber to prevent stray plasma from damaging a robot in the transfer station.

[0037] The processing platform 400 can be connected to a factory interface 450 to allow wafers or wafer cassettes to be loaded into the processing platform 400. A robot 455 within the factory interface 450 can be used to move wafers or wafer cassettes into and out of the buffer station. Wafers or cassettes can be moved within the processing platform 400 by a robot 430 in the central transfer station 410. In some embodiments, the factory interface 450 is a transfer station for another cluster tool (i.e., another multi-chamber processing platform).

[0038] A controller 495 may be provided and coupled to various components of the processing platform 400 to control their operation. The controller 495 may be a single controller that controls the entire processing platform 400, or multiple controllers that control various portions of the processing platform 400. For example, some embodiments of the processing platform 400 include separate controllers for one or more of the following: individual processing chambers 100, the central transfer station 410, the factory interface 450, and / or the robot 430.

[0039] In some embodiments, the processing chamber 100 further includes a controller 495 coupled to the plurality of substantially coplanar support surfaces 231, the controller 495 being configured to control one or more of the first temperature or the second temperature. In one or more embodiments, the controller 495 controls the substrate support 200 ( Figure 2 )'s movement speed.

[0040] In some embodiments, controller 495 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 496, memory 497, and support circuits 498. Controller 495 can control processing platform 400 directly or via computers (or controllers) associated with specific processing chambers and / or support system components.

[0041] The controller 495 can be any form of general-purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial environment to control various chambers and sub-processors. The memory 497 or computer-readable medium of the controller 495 can be one or more of readily accessible memories such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), floppy disk, hard disk, optical storage media (e.g., compact disk or digital video disk), flash drive, or any other form of local or remote digital storage. The memory 497 can retain a set of instructions that can be operated by the processor (CPU 496) to control the parameters and components of the processing platform 400.

[0042] Support circuits 498 are coupled to CPU 496 for supporting the processor in a conventional manner. These circuits include caches, power supplies, clock circuits, input / output circuits and subsystems, etc. One or more processes may be stored in memory 497 as software routines that, when executed or invoked by the processor, cause the processor to control the operation of processing platform 400 or individual processing chambers in the manner described herein. The software routines may also be stored and / or executed by a second CPU (not shown) located remotely from the hardware controlled by CPU 496.

[0043] Some or all of the processes and methods of the present disclosure may also be implemented in hardware. Thus, the processes may be implemented in software and may be executed in hardware using a computer system (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit or other type of hardware implementation) or in a combination of software and hardware. When executed by a processor, the software routines convert a general-purpose computer into a specialized computer (controller) that controls chamber operations to perform the processes.

[0044] In some embodiments, the controller 495 has one or more configurations to perform individual processes or sub-processes to perform the method. The controller 495 can be connected to and configured to operate intermediate components to perform the functions of the method. For example, the controller 495 can be connected to and configured to control one or more of a gas valve, an actuator, a motor, a slit valve, a vacuum control, or other components.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, the processing chamber 100 further includes at least one wafer on the support surface. In some embodiments, the first emissivity and first temperature and / or the second emissivity and second temperature provide a steady-state temperature of the wafer in the first station and the second station.

[0046] Figures 5 to 8 One or more embodiments of a gas distribution assembly 105 are illustrated. Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic view of a processing chamber 100 having a gas distribution assembly 105 is shown. Figure 6 Icon similar to Figure 5 Schematic cross-sectional view of the gas distribution assembly 105 in region VI. Figure 7 Icon Figure 6 Exploded view of the gas distribution assembly 105 . Figure 8 Icon similar to Figure 5 Schematic cross-sectional view of the gas distribution assembly 105 in region VIII.

[0047] In some embodiments, the gas distribution assembly 105 includes a gas distribution plate 112 having a cover 180. The gas distribution plate 112 has a front surface 114 and a back surface 115 to define the thickness of the gas distribution plate 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer peripheral region of the gas distribution plate 112 has surface features and contact surfaces as described below and is not considered part of the back surface 115. The back surface 115 is the surface of the gas distribution plate 112 that another component can contact and provide a fluid path for gas to pass through the thickness of the gas distribution plate 112 through the plurality of holes 133 extending therethrough.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the gas distribution plate 112 includes a plurality of channels 130 formed in the back surface 115. Each of the plurality of channels 130 extends a distance toward the front surface 114 to a channel bottom 131, and holes 133 are positioned within the channels 130 to extend from the channel bottom 131 to the front surface 114 of the gas distribution plate 112.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the gas distribution plate 112 has a sealing area 135 at the outer peripheral edge. The sealing area 135 of some embodiments extends beyond the back surface 115 and is not part of the back surface 115. The sealing area 135 of some embodiments has one or more contact surfaces configured to be placed adjacent to or in contact with adjacent components. In some embodiments, the sealing area 135 has a first contact surface 136 and a second contact surface 137.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first contact surface 136 includes a purge channel 140 formed in the first contact surface 136. The purge channel 140 has a width W measured from the center of the gas distribution plate toward the outer edge of the gas distribution plate. p , and the depth D measured from the contact surface into the body of the gas distribution plate p The width W of the purification channel 140 is pIn some embodiments, the width W of the purge channel 140 is p In the range of about 0.1 mm to about 50 mm, or in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 25 mm, or in the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. In some embodiments, the depth D of the purge channel 140 p In the range of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm, or in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

[0051] The purge channel 140 extends around the perimeter of the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. The boundary of the back surface 115 of some embodiments is the area of ​​the gas distribution plate 112 within the perimeter of the purge channel 140. In some embodiments, the width and / or depth of the purge channel 140 varies along the length of the channel, making the purge channel wider in some areas and deeper in other areas. In some embodiments, the width and / or depth of the purge channel remains substantially the same along the length (the perimeter measured at the mid-width of the channel). As used in this manner, the term "substantially the same" means that the channel width at any location is within ±10%, ±5%, ±2%, or ±1% of the average width of the channel.

[0052] The gas distribution assembly 105 includes a cover 180. The cover 180 has a back surface 181 and a front surface 182. The cover 180 is configured so that the front surface 182 is positioned adjacent to the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the cover 180 directly contacts the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the cover 180 contacts the gas distribution plate via one or more O-rings.

[0053] Some embodiments of the cover 180 include a purge gas line 190 having one or more openings 191 at the front surface 182 of the cover 180. In some embodiments, the openings 191 of the purge gas line 190 extend around the perimeter of the front surface 182 and separate the front surface 182 from a contact surface outside the perimeter of the purge gas line openings 191. The purge gas line 190 has a purge gas line inlet 192 (e.g., Figure 8 ) and the purge gas line outlet 193 (as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 ). Each of the purge gas line inlet 192 and the purge gas line outlet 193 has an opening 191 at the front surface 182. In some embodiments, the opening 191 of the purge gas line inlet 192 and the opening 191 of the purge gas line outlet 193 are aligned with the purge channel 140 formed in the first contact surface 136 of the gas distribution plate 112.

[0054] In some embodiments, the primary O-ring 150 is positioned between the purge channel 140 and the second contact surface 137 of the first contact surface 136. In some embodiments, the primary O-ring 150 is positioned in a primary O-ring groove 151 in the first contact surface 136 of the gas distribution plate 112. The depth of the primary O-ring groove 151 can vary based on, for example, the shape of the particular primary O-ring 150 or cover being used. The primary O-ring 150 can be made of any suitable material known to those skilled in the art.

[0055] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the secondary O-ring 155 is placed between the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112 and the front surface 182 of the cover 180. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the secondary O-ring 155 is placed on the opposite side of the purge channel 140 from the primary O-ring 150. In other words, in some embodiments, the secondary O-ring 155 is placed within the perimeter of the primary O-ring 150 or within the perimeter of the purge channel 140. The secondary O-ring 155 of some embodiments isolates the channels of the gas distribution plate from the isolation O-rings.

[0056] The secondary O-rings 155 of some embodiments isolate adjacent channels 130 formed in the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the secondary O-rings 155 are positioned within grooves 184 formed in one or more of the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112 or the front surface 182 of the lid 180. The illustrated embodiment shows the secondary O-rings 155 positioned within the grooves 184 in the front surface 182 of the lid 180. The secondary O-rings 155 of some embodiments are aligned with the outer edges 138 of the outermost channels 130a. The secondary O-rings 155 of some embodiments separate the gas flow path from the lid 180 through the gas distribution plate 112 to the processing chamber from the purge channels 140.

[0057] In some embodiments, a secondary O-ring 155 is placed between each channel 130 in the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the secondary O-rings 155 are aligned with the dividers that separate adjacent channels. In some embodiments, the channels 130 form one or more winding spiral paths, and the grooves 184 have a complementary shape, and the secondary O-rings 155 extend along the grooves 184.

[0058] Some embodiments of the gas distribution plate 112 further include a spacer ring 330 between the gas distribution plate 112 and the opening 310 in the top plate 300. The spacer ring 330 has an inner surface 337, an outer surface 338, and a back surface 332. The inner surface 337 is positioned adjacent to the outer surface 141 of the gas distribution plate 112. Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the back surface 332 of the spacer ring 330 is placed adjacent to the third contact surface 143 in the sealing area 135 of the gas distribution plate 112 .

[0059] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 8 , the gas distribution plate 112 of some embodiments further includes a spacer ring purge gas line 336 extending from the back surface of the sealing area 135 through the gas distribution plate 112 to the third contact surface 143. In some embodiments, the spacer ring purge gas line 336 includes a spacer ring purge gas line inlet 336a having an opening 341 at the back surface of the sealing area 135 of the gas distribution plate 112 and a spacer ring purge gas line outlet 336b having an opening 341 at the back surface of the sealing area 135 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the inlet opening 341 and the outlet opening 341 are aligned with the spacer ring purge channel 371. In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown in FIG, a spacer ring purge channel 371 is formed in the third contact surface 143 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 , a spacer ring purge channel 371 is formed in the back surface 332 of the spacer ring 330. In some embodiments, a spacer ring purge channel O-ring 372 is in the spacer ring purge channel 371.

[0060] like Figure 5 and Figure 8As shown in , some embodiments of the gas distribution assembly 105 further include a pressure transducer 390 in communication with the purge gas line inlet 192. In some embodiments, the pressure transducer 390 is in fluid communication with the purge gas line inlet 192 so that the purge gas 391 flowing through the line 392 can be controlled to maintain a pressure differential. In some embodiments, the pressure transducer 390 controls the flow of purge gas into both the purge gas line inlet 192 and the spacer ring purge gas line inlet 336a simultaneously. In some embodiments, there is a separate pressure transducer for the spacer ring purge gas line 336a compared to the purge gas line inlet 192. In some embodiments, a pressure gauge 393 is in the purge gas line upstream of the purge gas line inlet 192. In some embodiments, a pressure gauge 393 is located in the purge gas line outlet 193. In some embodiments, the pressure transducer 390 is in communication with one or more of the purge gas line inlets 192 of the spacer ring purge gas line inlet 336a. In some embodiments, a pressure transducer 390 is in communication with one or more of the purge gas line inlet 192 or the spacer ring purge gas line inlet 336a. In some embodiments, a pressure gauge 393 is placed in one or more of the purge gas line outlet 193 or the spacer ring gas line outlet 336b.

[0061] Some embodiments of the gas distribution assembly 105 include a controller 495, such as Figure 4 . The controller 495 of some embodiments is configured to control the pressure transducer 390 based on the measurement from the pressure gauge 393 to provide a flow rate of inert gas into the purge gas line inlet 192 sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate 112 and the purge channels 140. In some embodiments, the controller 495 is configured to control the pressure transducer 390 based on the measurement from the pressure gauge 393 to provide a flow rate of inert gas into one or more of the purge gas line inlet 192 or the spacer ring gas line inlet 336a sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate 112 and the purge channels 140 or between the gas distribution plate 112 and the spacer ring purge channels 371.

[0062] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for sealing a process chamber. The pressure in a purge gas line is measured at any suitable location along the purge gas flow path. In some embodiments, the pressure is measured upstream of the purge gas line inlet, within the purge gas line channel, or downstream of the purge gas line outlet. An inert gas flow is provided into the purge channel such that there is substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate (or process pressure) and the purge channel.

[0063] The processing can generally be stored in a memory as a software routine that, when executed by a processor, causes the processing chamber to perform the processing of the present disclosure. The software routine can also be stored and / or executed by a second processor (not shown) that is located remotely from the hardware controlled by the processor. Some or all of the methods of the present disclosure can also be executed in hardware. In this way, the processing can be implemented in software and can be performed in hardware using a computer system (e.g., a special application integrated circuit or other type of hardware implementation) or in a combination of software and hardware. When executed by a processor, the software routine converts a general-purpose computer into a special-purpose computer (controller) that controls the operation of the chamber to perform the processing.

[0064] In some embodiments, the controller 495 has one or more configurations to execute individual processes or sub-processes to perform the method. The controller 495 can be connected to and configured to operate intermediate components to perform the functions of the method. For example, the controller 495 can be connected to and configured to control one or more of a gas valve, an actuator, a motor, a slit valve, a vacuum control, etc.

[0065] The controller 495 of some embodiments has one or more configurations selected from the following: a configuration for measuring the pressure in one or more of the gas distribution plate 112 channels 130 or the spacer ring purge gas channels 371; a configuration for actuating the pressure transducer 390 to cause the purge gas to flow into the purge gas line 190 or the spacer ring purge gas line 336; a configuration for controlling the flow of the purge gas in response to readings from a pressure gauge in one or more of the purge gas outlet lines or the channels in the gas distribution plate.

[0066] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," "certain embodiments," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearance of terms such as "in one or more embodiments," "in certain embodiments," "in one embodiment," or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0067] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the methods and apparatus of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to encompass modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gas distribution assembly comprising: a gas distribution plate having a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness, the gas distribution plate including a plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate, the gas distribution plate having a sealing area at an outer edge, the sealing area having a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface including a purge channel formed therein; a cover having a front surface and a back surface to define a thickness, the front surface of the cover being positioned adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the cover including a purge gas line inlet and a purge gas line outlet, the purge gas line inlet having an opening at the front surface, the purge gas line outlet having an opening at the front surface, the inlet opening and the outlet opening being aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface; a primary O-ring positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface; a spacer ring having an inner surface adjacent to the outer surface of the gas distribution plate and a back surface adjacent to a third contact surface in the sealing area of ​​the gas distribution plate; and A spacer ring purification gas pipeline extends from the back surface through the gas distribution plate to the third contact surface, and the spacer ring purification gas pipeline includes a spacer ring purification gas pipeline inlet and a spacer ring purification gas pipeline outlet, the spacer ring purification gas pipeline inlet has an opening at the back surface of the gas distribution plate, and the spacer ring purification gas pipeline outlet has an opening at the back surface of the gas distribution plate, and the inlet opening and the outlet opening are aligned with the spacer ring purification channel. 2 . The gas distribution assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary O-ring is positioned in a primary O-ring groove in the first contact surface.

3. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, further comprising a secondary O-ring between the back surface of the gas distribution plate and the front surface of the cover.

4. The gas distribution assembly of claim 3, wherein the secondary O-ring is on a side of the purge passage opposite the primary O-ring.

5. The gas distribution assembly of claim 3, wherein the secondary O-ring is in a groove formed in one or more of the back surface of the gas distribution plate or the front surface of the cover.

6. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pressure converter in communication with the purge gas line inlet.

7. The gas distribution assembly of claim 6, further comprising a pressure gauge, the pressure gauge being positioned in the purge gas line outlet.

8. The gas distribution assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to control the pressure transducer based on the measurement from the pressure gauge to provide a flow rate of inert gas into the purge gas line inlet sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel.

9. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacer ring purge channel is formed in one or more of the third contact surface or the back surface of the spacer ring.

10. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, further comprising a pressure transducer in communication with one or more of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet.

11. The gas distribution assembly of claim 10, further comprising a pressure gauge positioned in one or more of the purge gas line outlet or the spacer ring gas line outlet.

12. The gas distribution assembly of claim 11, further comprising a controller configured to control the pressure converter based on the measurement value from the pressure gauge to provide a flow of inert gas into one or more of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet, the flow being sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure difference between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel or between the gas distribution plate and the spacer ring purge channel.

13. A gas distribution assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of channels formed in the back surface, each of the plurality of channels extending a distance toward the front surface to a channel bottom and the holes are positioned within the channels to extend from the channel bottom to the front surface of the gas distribution plate.

14. A processing chamber comprising: a chamber body having sidewalls and a bottom to define a processing space; a substrate support within the processing volume, the substrate support having a supporting surface; and A gas distribution assembly, the gas distribution assembly comprising a gas distribution plate, a cover, and a primary O-ring, the gas distribution plate having a front surface and a back surface facing the support surface of the substrate support to define a thickness, the gas distribution plate including a plurality of holes extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate, the gas distribution plate having a sealing area at an outer edge, the sealing area having a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface including a purge channel formed in the first contact surface, the cover having a front surface and a back surface to define a thickness, the front surface of the cover being placed adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the cover including a purge gas line inlet and a purge gas line outlet, the purge gas line inlet having an opening at the front surface, the purge gas line outlet having an opening at the front surface, the inlet opening and the outlet opening being aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface and at the first contact surface. The main O-ring is placed between the purification channel of the contact surface and the second contact surface, wherein the gas distribution assembly further includes a spacer ring, the spacer ring having an inner surface and a back surface, the inner surface is adjacent to the outer surface of the gas distribution plate, the back surface is adjacent to the third contact surface in the sealing area of ​​the gas distribution plate, and wherein the gas distribution plate further includes a spacer ring purification gas pipeline, the spacer ring purification gas pipeline extends from the back surface through the gas distribution plate to the third contact surface, the spacer ring purification gas pipeline includes a spacer ring purification gas pipeline inlet and a spacer ring purification gas pipeline outlet, the spacer ring purification gas pipeline inlet has an opening at the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the spacer ring purification gas pipeline outlet has an opening at the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the inlet opening and the outlet opening are aligned with the spacer ring purification channel.

15. The processing chamber of claim 14, further comprising: a pressure converter connected to one or more of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet, a pressure gauge placed in one or more of the purge gas line outlet or the spacer ring gas line outlet, and a controller configured to control the pressure converter based on measurements from the pressure gauge to provide a flow of inert gas into one or more of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet, the flow being sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel or between the gas distribution plate and the spacer ring purge channel.

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