Coaxial lifting device with dynamic levelling

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to process chambers with coaxial lift devices. In some embodiments, the device includes both a bottom bowl lifter and a pedestal lifter. The bottom bowl lifter supports the bottom bowl and is configured to move the bottom bowl to a position that reduces the process volume. The bottom bowl lifter is coaxial with the pedestal lifter and the bottom bowl lifter and the pedestal lifter are attached for vacuum operation. The pedestal lifter includes a plurality of actuators to create a dynamic lift mechanism. The two systems complete a nested system such that the bottom bowl lifter is adjustable and can close the bottom bowl, creating a symmetric and small process volume. The pedestal lifter is independently movable to the process position of the pedestal lifter and tilts in a desired direction without interference from the bottom bowl lifter, increasing film uniformity on the processed substrate.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese Patent Application (PCT Application No. PCT / US2019 / 048529) with the filing date of August 28, 2019, the application number of 201980057060.8, and the title of “Coaxial Lift with Dynamic Leveling”. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Embodiments described herein generally relate to lift devices for raising and lowering substrate support elements used in process chambers. BACKGROUND

[0003] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is commonly employed to deposit films on substrates, such as semiconductor wafers or transparent substrates for flat panel displays, in semiconductor process chambers. CVD is typically achieved by introducing process gases into a vacuum chamber containing the substrate. A precursor gas or gas mixture is typically directed downward through a gas distribution assembly located near the top of the chamber. The gas distribution assembly is placed a small distance above the substrate positioned on a heated pedestal, such that the gas distribution assembly and process gases are heated by heat provided by heating elements within the pedestal.

[0004] During a CVD process, the process gases in the chamber can be energized (e.g., excited) into a plasma by applying radio frequency (RF) power to the chamber from one or more RF sources coupled to the chamber, which is referred to as plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD). The RF sources coupled to the pedestal through an RF matching circuit and a faceplate of the gas distribution assembly grounded to the chamber body facilitate the formation of a capacitive plasma coupling. The RF sources provide RF energy to the pedestal to facilitate the creation of a capacitively coupled plasma (also referred to as a primary plasma) between the pedestal and the faceplate of the gas distribution assembly. However, as a byproduct of creating the capacitively coupled plasma and the grounded path of the faceplate, a parasitic plasma (also referred to as a secondary plasma) can be created in the lower volume of the vacuum chamber below the pedestal. The parasitic plasma reduces the concentration of ions formed in the capacitively coupled plasma and, thus, the density of the capacitively coupled plasma, which reduces the deposition rate of the film.

[0005] Furthermore, in conventional designs, the wafer pedestal is transferred between a process position and a transfer position within the process chamber using only linear motion. However, due to mechanical tolerance issues between hardware components in the process chamber, the surface of the pedestal and the faceplate of the showerhead are often not parallel, which results in process non-uniformity on the processed substrate surface. In one example, the deposited film has a thickness non-uniformity across the entire substrate that varies with the edge. CVD processes each have a different uniformity response to the pedestal tilt and position relative to one or more chamber components, such as the showerhead. To ensure the best process results, each layer requires an independently adjusted or tuned pedestal tilt and position relative to the showerhead to achieve the best process results.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a device that allows independent motion between two devices in a process chamber while preventing parasitic plasma in unwanted areas of the process chamber. SUMMARY

[0007] One or more embodiments described herein relate to a lift assembly that is capable of adjusting the relative position and orientation of a pedestal relative to one or more fixed components within a process chamber. The lift assembly includes hardware components useful within a plasma process chamber, such as a chamber for performing PECVD, etch, or other useful plasma processes on a substrate. One or more embodiments described herein relate to methods of using the lift assembly. One or more embodiments described herein relate to systems including the lift assembly.

[0008] In one embodiment, a lift assembly includes a pedestal having a substrate support surface and a sidewall, the sidewall defining an outer dimension of the pedestal; a bottom bowl lift, the bottom bowl lift including a bottom bowl having a wall, the wall having an inner dimension that is greater than the outer dimension of the pedestal; a bottom bowl carriage configured to support the bottom bowl; a bottom bowl actuator assembly configured to translate the bottom bowl carriage in a first direction; and a pedestal lift, the pedestal lift including a pedestal carriage coupled to the pedestal; and a plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a separate portion of the pedestal carriage, and the plurality of actuators is configured to induce relative linear and angular motion between the pedestal and the bottom bowl when one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators translates at least a portion of the pedestal carriage in the first direction.

[0009] In another embodiment, a method for a lift system includes lowering a bottom bowl lift to an exchange position such that the bottom bowl is in a lowered position proximate to a bottom surface of a process chamber, wherein the bottom bowl includes a wall having an inner surface defining an interior volume; raising the bottom bowl lift to a process position at a distance from the bottom surface of the process chamber; orienting a top surface of a pedestal at a first orientation relative to an output surface of a showerhead, wherein the first orientation of the top surface of the pedestal is not coplanar relative to the output surface of the showerhead; and the pedestal is positionable within the interior volume of the bottom bowl; and depositing a first material layer on a substrate disposed on the top surface of the pedestal while the top surface of the pedestal is oriented at the first orientation and the bottom bowl lift is in the process position.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, a lift system includes a pedestal having a substrate support surface and a sidewall, the sidewall defining an outer dimension of the pedestal; a bottom bowl lift, the bottom bowl lift including: a bottom bowl having a wall, the wall having an inner dimension that is greater than the outer dimension of the pedestal; a bottom bowl carrier configured to support the bottom bowl; a bottom bowl actuator assembly configured to move the bottom bowl carrier between an exchange position and a process position, the exchange position such that the bottom bowl is in a lowered position proximate to a bottom of a process chamber, the process position such that the bottom bowl is in a raised position relative to the bottom of the process chamber; and a pedestal lift, the pedestal lift including: a pedestal carrier configured to support the pedestal, wherein the pedestal is positionable within the interior volume of the bottom bowl; a plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a separate portion of the pedestal carrier, and the plurality of actuators is configured to raise the pedestal proximate to an output surface of a showerhead, and orient a top surface of the pedestal at a first orientation relative to the output surface of the showerhead, wherein the first orientation of the top surface of the pedestal is not coplanar relative to the output surface of the showerhead. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] Accordingly, a more complete understanding of the present disclosure can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers represent comparable elements throughout the figures. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features can be exaggerated relative to each other for clarity.

[0012] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a process chamber according to at least one embodiment described in the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lift system according to at least one embodiment described in the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 is Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bottom bowl lift in

[0015] Figure 4 is Figure 1 a perspective view of a pedestal lifter in

[0016] Figure 5A is a side view of a lifter system according to at least one embodiment described in the present disclosure; and

[0017] Figure 5B is a side view of a lifter system according to at least one embodiment described in the present disclosure.

[0018] For ease of understanding, the same reference numbers have been used in the drawings to designate the same elements common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment can be beneficially incorporated into other embodiments without further recitation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that one or more embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Embodiments described herein generally relate to a lift apparatus for raising and lowering a substrate support element or pedestal used in a substrate process chamber. The lift apparatus is a multi-component design that allows independent movement between two components within the substrate process chamber. In some embodiments, the lift apparatus includes both a bottom bowl lift assembly and a pedestal lift assembly. The bottom bowl lifter supports the bottom bowl and is configured to move the bottom bowl component to a position that reduces the process volume, which provides a shorter and symmetric path for RF energy to propagate to ground to reduce the generation of parasitic plasma, increasing deposition rate, reducing the chance of generating particles, and improving the uniformity of the deposited film. In some embodiments, the bottom bowl lifter is positioned such that the bottom bowl lifter is coaxial with the pedestal lifter, and the two lifters are attached such that each lifter moves independently. The pedestal lifter includes a plurality of actuators that are capable of manipulating the orientation of the pedestal relative to the output surface of the showerhead. Further, the pedestal lifter can be independently moved to a process position of the pedestal lifter and moved in a desired direction without interfering with the bottom bowl lifter. In some embodiments, the bottom bowl lifter has one axis of motion that is coaxially aligned with the pedestal lifter that has three axes of motion.

[0021] Figure 1is a side cross-sectional view of a process chamber 100 according to at least one embodiment described in this disclosure. The process chamber 100 includes sidewalls 102, a top 104, and a bottom 106. A gas source 108 provides gas through the top 104 of the process chamber 100 via an opening 110. The gas then flows through a plurality of holes 113 to an output surface 114 of a showerhead 112 and into a process region 116. The gas is energized within the process region 116 by applying RF power to the process chamber 100 from one or more RF sources 191. In some embodiments, the delivered RF energy promotes the generation of a capacitively coupled plasma (also referred to as a main plasma) that is used to form or process a semiconductor film disposed on a substrate 118. During processing, the substrate 118 is typically located on a top surface 120A of a pedestal 120. The top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 is located at a small distance 119 from the output surface 114 of the showerhead 112. The pedestal 120 is typically an electrostatic chuck, a vacuum chuck, or any other similar device that can be heated or cooled to a process temperature, which in some cases can be a temperature greater than about 700 degrees Celsius. The pedestal 120 also has sidewalls 120C that define an outer dimension 120B of the pedestal 120.

[0022] In addition to the main plasma formed in the process region 116, a secondary plasma (also referred to as a parasitic plasma) can also be formed in a lower volume of the process chamber 100 below the pedestal 120. This occurs as a byproduct of the generation of the main plasma and the ground path for the RF current within the lower volume of the process chamber 100. The parasitic plasma reduces the concentration of ions formed within the main plasma and, thus, the density of the main plasma, which reduces the deposition rate and the uniformity of the film for a plasma-enhanced deposition process. To counteract the amount of parasitic plasma formed, a bottom bowl 122 is raised to a process position (explained below in Figure 5B When the bottom bowl 122 is in the process position, the bottom bowl 122 is typically positioned such that an upper end 122A of the bottom bowl 122 abuts a surface of an edge ring 123 or another similar component. The edge ring 123 can be coupled to or positioned adjacent to the showerhead 112. When the bottom bowl 122 is in the process position of the bottom bowl 122, the bottom bowl 122 has a wall 122C that includes an inner volume 121 within the process chamber 100. The inner volume 121 has a reduced surface area, indicated by reference numeral 129, relative to the total volume of the process chamber 100. The reduced surface area 129 is defined by an inner surface of the wall 122C of the bottom bowl 122. The chamber volume of the process chamber 100 outside of the inner volume 121 is indicated by reference numeral 131. The reduced surface area 129 enables a shorter and more controlled ground path such that a parasitic plasma is not generated below the pedestal 120 that is not in the inner volume 121. As Figure 1 andFigures 5A-5B As shown, the bottom bowl 122 is an axially symmetrical component (e.g., surrounding). Figure 1 The bottom bowl 122 (within the Z-axis) is sized such that at least the upper end 122A and wall 122C of the internal volume 121 forming the bottom bowl 122 are larger than the external dimension 120B (e.g., diameter) of the base 120. In other words, the size of the internal volume 121, indicated by reference numeral 122B, is larger than the external dimension 120B of the base 120. This configuration allows the bottom bowl 122 to move independently without interference from the base 120. The bottom bowl 122 is formed of a conductive material that does not typically react with the process gases used during processing in the process chamber 100. In one example, the bottom bowl 122 is formed of stainless steel, metal-coated aluminum alloy or uncoated aluminum alloy, doped silicon carbide, or other useful materials.

[0023] As the bottom bowl lifter 124 raises the bottom bowl 122, the base 120 is raised by the base lifter 126 to manipulate the orientation of the top surface 120A of the base 120 relative to the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112. The base lifter 126 and the bottom bowl lifter 124 are configured to move independently so that they do not interfere with each other during use. In some embodiments, the base lifter 126 may orient the base 120 such that the base 120 is tilted relative to a horizontal plane (i.e., the XY plane) and / or the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112, for example as shown in position 128 (dashed line). This helps to offset mechanical tolerance issues arising between hardware components in the processing chamber. Typically, the top surface 120A of the base 120 and the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112 are not parallel, which results in process inhomogeneities on the surface of the substrate 118 disposed on the top surface 120A of the base lifter 126. However, as described herein, the base lifter 126 is used to orient the top surface 120A of the base 120 so that the top surface 120A of the base 120 can maintain a parallel relationship with the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112 to ensure optimal process results. For example, the base 120 may need to be tilted to position 128 to obtain optimal results. In these embodiments, the tilt angle 127 may be offset upward or downward by about 0.05 inches to about 0.1 inches; however, other tilt angles are also possible.

[0024] The bottom bowl lifter 124 and the base lifter 126 are attached to each other via a bellows 130, allowing the base lifter 126 to move independently without interference from the bottom bowl lifter 124. The bellows 130 and the cooling hub 208... Figure 2A seal is provided between the pedestal lift 126 / bottom bowl lift 124. The lower end of the bottom bowl 122 includes a bellows 132 having an upper end that is bolted and sealed to a portion of the bottom 106 of the process chamber 100 to form a chamber seal that allows the process region 116 of the process chamber 100 to be pumped to a vacuum state by a chamber pump (not shown). Both the bellows 130 and the bellows 132 allow the process region 116 of the process chamber 100 to be maintained at a desired pressure, such as a vacuum pressure. The bellows 130 and the bellows 132 are typically formed of a metallic material, such as stainless steel, Inconel alloy, or other suitable fatigue-resistant and electrically conductive material.

[0025] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lift system 200 according to at least one embodiment described in this disclosure. Figure 3 is a perspective view of only the bottom bowl lift 124, while Figure 4 is a perspective view of only the pedestal lift 126. As Figure 2 illustrated, the lift system 200 includes a bottom bowl lift 124 and a pedestal lift 126. The bottom bowl lift 124 includes a bottom bowl carriage 202 that couples and supports the bottom bowl 122. The bottom bowl 122 is configured to move within the process chamber 100. The pedestal lift 126 includes a pedestal carriage 204 that couples and supports the pedestal 120. The pedestal 120 can be raised and lowered, and can also be tilted (pitched and rolled) in any direction, as will be further described below. The bottom bowl carriage 202 and the pedestal carriage 204 are attached to one another via the bellows 130 Figure 1 ), such that the pedestal lift 126 components can move independently without interference from the bottom bowl lift 124 components. As noted above, the bellows 130 and the cooling hub 208 provide a seal between the pedestal lift 126 and the bottom bowl lift 124. Water supplied by the cooling hub 208 flows through the bottom bowl carriage 202 to provide cooling during processing. The bottom bowl carriage 202 and the pedestal carriage 204 are coaxially supported via two shaft positioners 210. The bottom bowl lift 124 includes a backbone structure 212 Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) that is attached to the bottom bowl carriage 202 using kinematic mounts 214 that provide angular adjustment of the bottom bowl 122 relative to a reference surface on the bottom 106 of the process chamber 100.

[0026] Referring to Figure 3The bottom bowl lifter 124 includes an actuator assembly 302 and one or more guides 303. The actuator assembly 302 is used to move the bottom bowl support 202 between an exchange position and a process position (hereinafter referred to as...). Figures 5A-5B The actuator assembly 302 moves vertically upward and downward (i.e., in the Z-direction) between the backbone structure 212 and the bottom bowl support 202. As described above, the backbone structure 212 provides angle adjustment for the bottom bowl lifter 124 assembly, allowing the angle alignment of the bottom bowl 122 supported by the bottom bowl support 202 to be adjusted independently relative to components within the process chamber. The actuator assembly 302 may include linear actuators, such as linear motors, cylinders, or ball screw actuators. The actuator assembly 302 may include and be driven by a servo motor system 304. The servo motor system 304 may drive the actuator assembly 302 using an absolute encoder, a servo motor, and a brake. One or more guides 303 may be sliders and may each include a linear motion guide to allow relative linear movement between the backbone structure 212 and the bottom bowl support 202. This guides the bottom bowl support 202 between the process position and the transfer position of the bottom bowl support 202.

[0027] Reference Figure 4 The base lifter 126 includes a base plate 118 ( Figure 1 The base 120 is supported by a base bracket 204, as described above. A cooling hub 208 provides water flow to keep the base bracket 204 (and the bottom bowl 122) cool during treatment, which may in some cases exceed 700 degrees Celsius. A base lifter 126 is configured to manipulate the base 120 relative to the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112. Figure 1 The position and / or orientation of the base 120. In this embodiment, the base lifter 126 uses three contact points with the base bracket 204 to establish a leveling plane of the base 120 relative to the output surface 114 of the nozzle 112.

[0028] The base carrier 204 is generally adapted to move vertically in a direction parallel to the central axis 401 using a plurality of actuators 402. In these embodiments, there are three actuators 402, but more or less than three actuators can be used. Similar to the actuator assembly 302 discussed above, the actuators 402 can each include a linear actuator such as a linear motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or a ball screw actuator. The top end of the actuators 402 are attached to a base assembly 410 that is attached to a reference surface on the bottom 106 of the process chamber 100. A spherical joint assembly 406 couples the actuators 402 to the base carrier 204 and facilitates motion between the base carrier 204 and the actuators 402. In some embodiments, the spherical joint assembly 406 allows for three degrees of freedom (pitch, yaw, and roll) about the point of attachment formed on the base carrier 204. The actuators 402 are configured to cause relative linear and angular motion between the base 120 and the bottom bowl 122. A flexure hinge 412 is attached at one end to the base assembly 410 and at the other end to the actuators 402. In this embodiment, the combination of three actuators 402 configured in opposing support locations fully constrain the motion of the base carrier 135 while giving the base lift 126 the flexibility to move with 4 degrees of freedom (e.g., elevation (Z-direction), pitch, yaw, and roll). The flexure hinges 412 flex due to the moments created by the different motions of the actuators 402, which flexing causes the base carrier 204 to pivot in directions relative to the central axis 401. Each flexure hinge 412 provides a very stiff mounting point for each actuator 402 to resist loads on the assembly while allowing a small amount (<0.5 degrees) of rotation to occur at each actuator 402. The flexure hinges 412 also act as a radial preload for the spherical joint assemblies 406 in the assembly.

[0029] The servo motor 404 drives the actuator 402 and, thus, the ball joint assembly 406 and the susceptor carrier 204 in the vertical direction (Z-direction) along the actuator 402. In operation, a system controller (not shown) drives the servo motor 404 that continuously moves the actuator 402 using a dynamic motion profile to manipulate the position and / or orientation of the susceptor 120. Such operation can allow the position and / or orientation of the susceptor 120 relative to the output surface 114 of the showerhead 112 to continuously vary as the susceptor 120 is pivoted and / or moved along the central axis 401. By continuously driving the servo motor 404, the orientation of the susceptor 120 will continuously move in one or more directions relative to a stationary frame of reference (e.g., an X-Y-Z frame of reference). It has been found that using multiple actuators 402 to maintain a continuous tilt relative to the output surface 114 of the showerhead 112 and to precess the susceptor 120 about the central axis 401 for a period of time results in improved process uniformity for the deposition of certain CVD deposition films. However, as noted above, there remains a need to reduce and / or prevent the generation of parasitic plasma within the area beneath the susceptor 120, which can be addressed by using a bottom bowl lifter 124 that controls the position of the bottom bowl 122. As noted above, due to the configuration of the susceptor lifter 126 and the bottom bowl lifter 124, the two assemblies are each capable of being individually adjusted and controlled such that the orientation and position of their respective hardware components move independently. Thus, the various embodiments described herein allow the components in each of these assemblies to be properly and separately aligned with one or more different components within the process chamber to provide a desired film formed or processed on the substrate, and also prevent the generation of parasitic plasma that would otherwise generate particles and result in an undesirable processing result (e.g., low deposition rate, poor uniformity, etc.).

[0030] Figure 5A The lifter system 500 is shown in the exchange position, Figure 5B The lifter system 500 is shown in the process position. When the lifter system 500 is in the exchange position, the bottom bowl 122 is lowered by the bottom bowl lifter 124 near the bottom 504 of the process chamber 502. Further, when the lifter system 500 is in the exchange position, the susceptor 120 is lowered by the susceptor lifter 126 to a position such that the susceptor 120 can receive the substrate 118 through a slit valve 507 formed through the process chamber 502. The slit valve 507 allows the substrate 118 Figure 1 ) to be placed on the top surface 120A of the susceptor 120 so that a semiconductor film can be fabricated on the substrate 118 during processing.

[0031] When the lifter system 500 is in the process position, the bottom bowl 122 is raised by the bottom bowl lifter 124 such that the upper end 122A of the bottom bowl 122 Figure 1and Figure 5B ) contacting components within the upper region 101 of the process chamber, such as the edge ring 123, to form the internal volume 121 within the process chamber 502 Figure 1 ). This reduces the process volume below the pedestal 120 and also provides a shorter and symmetric path for RF energy to propagate to ground to reduce the generation of parasitic plasma, increasing deposition rate, reducing the chance of particle generation, and improving uniformity of the deposited film. Additionally, the pedestal lift 126 raises the pedestal 120 such that the top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 is proximate to the showerhead 506 located within the upper region 101 of the process chamber 502. As discussed above, the pedestal lift 126 is also configured to raise the pedestal 120 to be proximate to the output surface 510 of the showerhead 506. The top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 is oriented such that the top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 is not coplanar with respect to the output surface 510 of the showerhead 506. Additionally, the top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 can be tilted without adjusting the position of the bottom bowl 122. As discussed above, the pedestal lift 126 is configured such that when the bottom bowl 122 is raised to a separate region within the process chamber 502 away from the pedestal 120, the pedestal 120 moves independently without interference from the bottom bowl 122.

[0032] As discussed above in Figure 1 , gas is provided through the showerhead 506 within the upper region 101 of the process chamber 502. The gas is then distributed through the showerhead 506 to the output surface 510 and then to the process region 512 where a semiconductor film is formed on the substrate 118 located on the top surface 120A of the pedestal 120. When the top surface 120A of the pedestal 120 is not coplanar with respect to the output surface 510 of the showerhead 506, a first layer of material can be deposited on the substrate 118. Any number of layers of material can be distributed while the pedestal 120 is in this orientation, or the pedestal 120 can be positioned in a different orientation with respect to the output surface 510 of the showerhead 506 before another layer of material is applied to the substrate 118. The advantage of tilting the pedestal 120 is to improve the uniformity of the process, such as film deposition, performed in the process chamber. The position of the pedestal 120 can be fine-tuned for each process. The addition of the bottom bowl 122 and the bottom bowl lift 124 allows for the benefits of the ability to individually tilt the pedestal 120 while also allowing for the formation of a smaller internal volume 121 within the process chamber 502 that provides additional substrate processing benefits, as described above.

[0033] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A lift assembly comprising: a bottom bowl lifter, the bottom bowl lifter comprising: a bottom bowl, the bottom bowl comprising a wall having an inner surface defining an interior volume; a bottom bowl carriage configured to support the bottom bowl; a backbone structure attached to the bottom bowl carriage and having an adjustable mount configured to provide angular adjustment of the backbone structure and the bottom bowl; and a bottom bowl actuator assembly configured to translate the bottom bowl carriage in a first direction.

2. The lift assembly of claim 1, further comprising a base lifter having a base carriage, wherein the bottom bowl carriage and the base carriage are attached together via a bellows, the bellows forming a seal between the bottom bowl lifter and the base lifter.

3. The lift assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom bowl actuator assembly further comprises a bottom bowl actuator and one or more guides, wherein the one or more guides are coupled to the backbone structure and the bottom bowl carriage, and the one or more guides are configured to allow relative linear motion between the backbone structure and the bottom bowl carriage in the first direction when the bottom bowl actuator translates the bottom bowl carriage in the first direction.

4. The lift assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spherical joint assembly, wherein each of the spherical joint assemblies couples one of a plurality of actuators to a base carriage.

5. The lift assembly of claim 4, wherein the spherical joint assemblies allow three degrees of freedom about a point of attachment: pitch, yaw, and roll.

6. The lift assembly of claim 4, further comprising a flexure hinge having a first end and a second end, wherein each of the flexure hinges is attached to a base assembly at the first end and to one of the plurality of actuators at the second end.

7. The lift assembly of claim 2, further comprising a cooling hub attached to the bottom bowl carriage and the base carriage.

8. The lift assembly of claim 1, further comprising a base having a base plate support surface and a sidewall defining an outer dimension of the base, wherein the wall of the bottom bowl has an inner surface defining an interior volume dimension, the interior volume dimension being greater than the outer dimension of the base.

9. The lift assembly of claim 1, further comprising a base lifter, the base lifter comprising: a base; a base carriage coupled to the base; and a plurality of actuators, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a separate portion of the base carriage, and the plurality of actuators are configured to induce relative linear and angular motion between the base and the bottom bowl when one or more of the plurality of actuators translates at least a portion of the base carriage in the first direction. ​ 10. The lift assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of actuators comprises three actuators.

11. A lifter system, comprising: a bottom bowl lifter, the bottom bowl lifter comprising: a bottom bowl, the bottom bowl comprising a wall having an inner surface defining an interior volume; a bottom bowl carriage configured to support the bottom bowl; a backbone structure attached to the bottom bowl carriage and having an adjustable mount configured to provide angular adjustment of the backbone structure and the bottom bowl relative to a bottom of a process chamber; and a bottom bowl actuator assembly configured to move the bottom bowl carriage between an exchange position in which the bottom bowl is in a lowered position proximate to the bottom of the process chamber and a process position in which the bottom bowl is in a raised position relative to the bottom of the process chamber.

12. The lifter system of claim 11, wherein a lower end of the bottom bowl further comprises a bellows having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bellows coupled to the wall and the second end of the bellows sealed to a portion of the bottom of the process chamber.

13. The lifter system of claim 11, wherein the bottom bowl actuator is a linear ball screw actuator.

14. The lifter system of claim 13, wherein the linear ball screw actuator is driven by a servo motor.

15. The lifter system of claim 11, further comprising: a pedestal lifter, the pedestal lifter comprising: a pedestal; a pedestal carriage configured to support the pedestal, wherein the pedestal is positionable within the interior volume of the bottom bowl; and a plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator of the plurality of actuators is coupled to a separate portion of the pedestal carriage and the plurality of actuators are configured to raise the pedestal proximate to an output surface of a showerhead and orient a top surface of the pedestal relative to the output surface of the showerhead in a first orientation, wherein the first orientation of the top surface of the pedestal is not coplanar relative to the output surface of the showerhead.

16. The lifter system of claim 15, further comprising a spherical joint assembly, wherein each spherical joint assembly of the spherical joint assembly couples one actuator of the plurality of actuators to the pedestal carriage.

17. The lifter system of claim 16, wherein the spherical joint assembly allows for three degrees of freedom about a point of attachment: pitch, yaw, and roll.

18. The lifter system of claim 15, further comprising a flexure hinge having a first end and a second end, wherein each flexure hinge of the flexure hinge is attached to a base assembly at the first end and to one actuator of the plurality of actuators at the second end.

19. The lifter system of claim 15, further comprising a cooling hub attached to the bottom bowl carrier and the base carrier.

20. The lifter system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of actuators comprises three actuators.

21. A method for a lifter system, comprising: lowering a bottom bowl lifter to an exchange position such that a bottom bowl is in a lowered position proximate to a bottom surface of a process chamber, wherein the bottom bowl comprises a wall having an inner surface defining an interior volume, wherein the lifter system comprises a bottom bowl carrier coupled to the bottom bowl, and wherein the bottom bowl lifter comprises a backbone structure attached to the bottom bowl carrier and having an adjustable mount configured to provide angular adjustment of the backbone structure and the bottom bowl; lifting the bottom bowl lifter to a process position at a distance from the bottom surface of the process chamber; orienting a top surface of a base in a first orientation relative to an output surface of a showerhead; and depositing a first material layer on a substrate disposed on the top surface of the base while the top surface of the base is oriented in the first orientation and the bottom bowl lifter is in the process position.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the lifter system comprises a bottom bowl carrier, wherein the bottom bowl carrier is coupled to the bottom bowl.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the bottom bowl lifter comprises a backbone structure attached to the bottom bowl carrier and having an adjustable mount configured to provide angular adjustment of the backbone structure and the bottom bowl.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the lifter system comprises a base carrier, wherein the base carrier is coupled to the base.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the lifter system comprises a plurality of actuators configured to induce relative linear and angular motion between the base and the bottom bowl.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the bottom bowl lifter comprises a bottom bowl actuator assembly, a bottom bowl carrier, and a backbone structure, the bottom bowl actuator assembly further comprising a bottom bowl actuator and one or more guides, wherein the one or more guides are coupled to the backbone structure and the bottom bowl carrier, and the one or more guides are configured to allow relative linear motion between the backbone structure and the bottom bowl carrier in a first direction when the bottom bowl actuator translates the bottom bowl carrier in the first direction.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the lifter system further comprises a cooling hub attached to the bottom bowl carrier and the base carrier.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the bottom bowl carrier and the base carrier are attached together via a bellows that forms a seal between the bottom bowl lifter and a base lifter.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein a lower end of the bottom bowl further comprises a bellows, the bellows having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bellows coupled to the wall, and the second end of the bellows sealed to a portion of the bottom surface of the process chamber.

Images