Grounding device for substrate processing chamber

Abstract

A ground strip for a processing chamber includes a core layer and an outer layer, wherein the outer layer contains at least 99% aluminum. The ground strip configuration of the present invention is resistant to corrosion by an aluminum coating, thereby preventing a reduction in ground function due to corrosion and improving handling capabilities in semiconductor deposition, etching, and the like of the chamber including the ground strip.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to coatings for components of manufacturing equipment. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to corrosion resistant coatings for grounding devices of process chambers. Background Art

[0002] Various manufacturing processes expose chamber components and coating materials of the chamber components to high temperatures, high energy plasmas, mixtures of corrosive gases, high stresses, high intensity electric fields, and combinations thereof. These extreme conditions may increase the susceptibility of the components and coating materials to defects. The coatings used may effectively protect the chamber components from one or more of these damaging conditions. In some cases, coatings that protect from a variety of conditions may be appropriate for a particular component, chamber, process, etc. Summary of the invention

[0003] The following is a simplified overview of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. This overview is not a comprehensive review of the present disclosure. This overview is neither intended to identify the important or key elements of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to define any scope of a specific implementation of the present disclosure or any scope of the claims. The sole purpose of this overview is to present some concepts of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a preface to a more detailed description presented later.

[0004] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a grounding strap for a processing chamber includes a core layer and an outer layer. The core layer may be composed of a first material, and the outer layer may be composed of aluminum. The outer layer may be composed of at least 99% pure aluminum.

[0005] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a processing chamber includes a chamber body. The processing chamber further includes a substrate support. The processing chamber further includes a grounding device coupled to the chamber body and the substrate support. The grounding device includes a core layer. The grounding device further includes an outer layer. The outer layer includes at least 99% aluminum.

[0006] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes providing a grounding device for application of an outer coating. The method further includes depositing an outer layer on the grounding device. The outer layer comprises at least 99% aluminum. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation.It should be noted that different references to "an" or "one" embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

[0008] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a processing chamber including a multi-layer grounding device according to some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 2A A cross-section of a grounding device including a core layer and an outer layer according to some embodiments is illustrated.

[0010] Figure 2B A cross section of a grounding device including a core layer, an outer layer and an intermediate layer is illustrated.

[0011] Figure 3 is a diagram of an example architecture of a deposition system for performing sputtering deposition, according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 4A Deposition mechanisms suitable for deposition techniques utilizing energetic particles, such as ion-assisted deposition, are depicted according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of an ion-assisted deposition apparatus according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for making and using a coated grounding device according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Described herein is a technique for providing protection for components of a manufacturing chamber by coating the components with one or more resistant materials. A manufacturing apparatus (e.g., a processing chamber) is used to process a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer. The properties of the substrate are determined by the conditions in which the substrate is processed. The components of the processing chamber affect the conditions near the substrate and have an impact on performance (e.g., target substrate properties, production consistency, etc.). In some embodiments, the components of the processing chamber may be subjected to harsh or damaging environments. Coating the components with resistant materials can protect the components from wear and / or damage caused by these environments.

[0016] In a processing and / or manufacturing system, many components that perform various functions are in contact with a processing atmosphere. The processing atmosphere may contain corrosive materials, such as corrosive gases. The processing atmosphere may cycle between gases that include a variety of materials, including one or more corrosive materials. The processing atmosphere may experience extreme temperatures. The processing atmosphere may cycle between temperatures, such as between high temperature and room temperature during processing, between processing operations, or the like.

[0017] Components of processing systems are composed of materials selected for the function of the component. In addition to material properties suitable for the function of the component, properties related to the conditions experienced by the component are also considered in the design and manufacture of processing system components. Components can be used to carry gases, generate plasma, support substrates, transport substrates, conduct heat, conduct electricity, or perform any of a variety of other functions to support processing procedures. Components can also be designed to resist mechanical stress. For example, a substrate support stack can include components of the stack that support other components, and the components can resist damage due to movement or wear, etc.

[0018] In some processes, components of a processing system or processing chamber may provide a path for current to flow. The processing chamber may be configured to perform an etching process to etch one or more features or patterns into a substrate. The processing chamber may be configured to generate a plasma for processing. The generation and application of plasma may be enhanced by maintaining a current flow through one or more components of the processing chamber. A ground strap may be used to maintain a path for current flow between components, such as between a substrate support and a body of the processing chamber.

[0019] In some systems, the substrate support may be movable, for example, may be movable up and down to hold the substrate at different distances from the showerhead, to facilitate loading and / or unloading of the substrate, etc. The substrate support may be grounded, for example, one or more components may provide a flow path for current from the substrate support to the body of the processing chamber. Grounding of the substrate support may be achieved by including one or more grounding strips. The grounding strip may include a flexible conductor that provides a path for current to flow between the substrate support and the body of the processing chamber or another component. The grounding strip may be or include a ribbon of metallic material.

[0020] The grounding device can be constructed to withstand the conditions expected in the processing chamber. For example, the grounding device can be constructed to withstand a heated corrosive environment. These limitations, as well as the conductivity, mechanical stability, and flexibility characteristics, limit the design and construction options for some grounding devices. In some conventional systems, pure aluminum can be used for the grounding strip. Pure aluminum has sufficient conductivity, but may not have sufficient mechanical strength to resist damage in normal use, especially at high temperatures (e.g., above 300°C). In some conventional systems, aluminum alloys can be used for grounding strips. Aluminum alloys can improve mechanical strength, including at high temperatures, but may lack the corrosion resistance of pure aluminum (e.g., to corrosive gases such as nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)). Other metals (such as steel or nickel) may have similar defects.

[0021] In some systems, the grounding strap may include a metal core coated with a protective inert layer (such as ceramic). For example, a steel core may be coated with a protective layer of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The aluminum oxide or another protective coating may provide corrosion resistance to the core. In some systems, layered components may become susceptible to failure over time. For example, the layers of the grounding device may separate from each other, particles may be generated to interfere with process operations, the grounding device may break (cutting off the flow path of the current), etc.

[0022] The apparatus and methods of the present disclosure can address at least some of the deficiencies of conventional systems. The present disclosure implements a multi-layer grounding device, such as a grounding strip. The grounding device can be secured between a substrate support and a processing chamber body. The grounding device can include a core material and an outer material. The grounding device can include one or more intermediate materials. The outer material can include pure aluminum.

[0023] In some embodiments, the core material may include an aluminum alloy. In some embodiments, the core material may include a flexible ceramic, such as an aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide tape. In some embodiments, the core material may include a flexible carbon, such as a carbon fiber tape. In some embodiments, the core material may include a metal that is not an aluminum alloy, such as stainless steel or nickel. In some embodiments, the layered grounding device may include one or more intermediate layers. The intermediate layer may be used to improve the adhesion between the core layer and the outer layer. The intermediate layer may be used to reduce the thermal expansion mismatch between adjacent layers. The intermediate layer may be used to reduce the mismatch of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the layers. In some embodiments, the outer layer may be deposited by physical vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the intermediate layer may be deposited by physical vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the outer layer and / or the intermediate layer may be deposited by sputtering (e.g., sputtering of pure aluminum).

[0024] The devices, systems and methods of the present disclosure provide technical advantages over conventional analogs. Pure aluminum can provide high tolerance to corrosive environments. Pure aluminum can provide high tolerance to NF3 environments, even at high temperatures. Depositing pure aluminum on cores of different materials can alleviate the operational defects of pure aluminum as a grounding device, such as the mechanical strength of the material. Compared with a single layer (e.g., a single alloy) structure, a grounding device of a multilayer structure may have a higher tensile strength. Compared with a single layer structure, a grounding device of a multilayer structure may have a higher yield strength. Compared with a conventional grounding device, a grounding device of a multilayer structure may have a longer life. An increase in the life of a grounding device (e.g., a grounding strip) may increase the production time (e.g., the normal production time (green time)) of a processing chamber. An increase in the life of a grounding device may reduce the frequency of maintenance operations, reduce the cost of replacing a grounding device, etc. An increase in the life of a grounding device may improve the operation of a chamber. For example, multiple grounding strips can be used to provide sufficient flow paths for current between components of a processing chamber. When a grounding strip fails, the operation of the processing chamber may potentially change in an unpredictable manner. In some cases, the processing chamber may still be usable, but the results may be somewhat inconsistent or undesirable. Reducing the likelihood of grounding device failure may maintain the preferred operating conditions of the chamber for a longer period of time. If the processing chamber performs in an unexpected manner (e.g., due to wear or damage to one or more grounding devices), substrates processed in the chamber may exhibit unexpected properties. Substrates processed in the chamber may not meet performance thresholds, such as threshold metrology values. Improving the reliability and life of the grounding devices may reduce the costs associated with producing (e.g., in terms of material consumption, gas consumption, time consumption, chamber wear and / or aging, energy consumption, etc.) and handling defective products.

[0025] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a ground strap for a processing chamber includes a core layer and an outer layer. The core layer may be composed of a first material, and the outer layer may be composed of aluminum. The outer layer may be composed of at least 99% pure aluminum.

[0026] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a processing chamber includes a chamber body. The processing chamber further includes a substrate support. The processing chamber further includes a grounding device coupled to the chamber body and the substrate support. The grounding device includes a core layer. The grounding device further includes an outer layer. The outer layer includes at least 99% aluminum.

[0027] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes providing a grounding device for application of an outer coating. The method further includes depositing an outer layer on the grounding device. The outer layer comprises at least 99% aluminum.

[0028] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 100 including a multi-layer grounding device according to some embodiments. The processing chamber 100 can be used for processes in which components of the processing chamber 100 carry a large amount of electrical energy (such as a large current, voltage, etc.). The processing chamber 100 can be used for processes in which a corrosive plasma environment (e.g., plasma processing conditions) is provided. For example, the processing chamber 100 can be a chamber for a plasma etcher or a plasma etching reactor, a plasma cleaner, etc. The processing chamber 100 can be used to introduce a corrosive gas (such as NF3) into a substrate for processing. Examples of chamber components that may be included in the processing chamber 100 include a substrate support assembly 104, an electrostatic chuck (ESC), a ring (e.g., a process kit ring or a single ring), a chamber wall, a base, a gas distribution plate, a showerhead 106, a nozzle, a cover, a liner, a liner kit, a shield, a plasma screen, a flow equalizer, a cooling base, a chamber viewing port, a chamber cover, etc. The processing chamber 100 can be a semiconductor processing chamber.

[0029] As illustrated, the substrate support assembly 104 includes a grounding device 136 (e.g., a grounding strap). The grounding device 136 may be anchored to a portion of the substrate support assembly 104 (e.g., a pedestal). The grounding device 136 may be anchored to a grounded portion of the processing chamber 100, such as the chamber body 108, the sidewall 112, the bottom 114, etc. The grounding device 136 may provide a flow path for the current. The grounding device 136 may be flexible, for example, to allow the substrate support assembly 104 to move relative to the chamber body 108 while maintaining a flow path for the current.

[0030] The grounding device 136 can be a multi-layer grounding device. The grounding device 136 can include a core layer and an outer layer. The grounding device 136 can include one or more intermediate layers. The outer layer can be pure aluminum (e.g., 99% pure aluminum, 99.9% pure aluminum, 99.99% pure aluminum, or other high purity aluminum). The core layer of the grounding device 136 can be an aluminum alloy (such as an aluminum-manganese alloy, a silicon-containing alloy, or the like). The core layer can be another metal composition (such as steel or nickel). The core layer can be a flexible ceramic, such as an aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide tape. The core layer can be a flexible carbon, such as a carbon fiber.

[0031] In one embodiment, the processing chamber 100 includes a chamber body 108 and a showerhead 106 enclosing an interior volume 110. The showerhead may include a showerhead base and a showerhead gas distribution plate. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the showerhead 106 may be replaced by a cover and a nozzle. The chamber body 108 may be made of aluminum, stainless steel, or other suitable materials. The chamber body 108 generally includes sidewalls 112 and a bottom 114.

[0032] An exhaust port 116 can be defined in the chamber body 108 and can couple the interior volume 110 to a pump system 118. The pump system 118 can include one or more pumps and throttle valves used to evacuate and regulate the pressure of the interior volume 110 of the processing chamber 100.

[0033] The showerhead 106 may be supported on a sidewall 112 of the chamber body 108. The showerhead 106 (or lid) may be opened to allow access to the interior volume 110 of the processing chamber 100, and may provide a seal for the processing chamber 100 when closed. A gas panel 120 may be coupled to the processing chamber 100 to provide processing gases and / or cleaning gases to the interior volume 110 through the showerhead 106 or lid and nozzles. The showerhead 106 is used in a processing chamber used for dielectric etching (etching of dielectric materials). The showerhead 106 includes a gas distribution plate (GDP) having a plurality of gas delivery holes throughout the GDP. The showerhead 106 may include a GDP bonded to an aluminum base or an anodized aluminum base. The GDP may be made of Si or SiC, or may be a ceramic such as Y2O3, Al2O3, YAG, etc. The processing chamber may further include one or more heaters, for example, to increase the temperature of the processing chamber, to increase the temperature of the substrate being processed, to maintain the temperature of the substrate, the processing chamber, or the processing environment, etc. The processing chamber may be configured to reach and / or maintain a target temperature. The processing chamber may be configured to reach and / or maintain a target temperature at which some materials have reduced properties. The processing chamber may be configured to reach and / or maintain a target temperature at which aluminum has reduced strength. The processing chamber may be configured to reach and / or maintain a target temperature of at least 300°C.

[0034] For processing chambers used for conductor etching (etching of conductive materials), a cover can be used instead of a showerhead. The cover can include a central nozzle that fits into a central hole in the cover. The cover can be a ceramic, such as A12O3, Y2O3, YAG, or a ceramic compound containing Y4Al2O9 and a solid-solution of Y2O3-ZrO2. The nozzle can also be a ceramic, such as Y2O3, YAG, or a ceramic compound containing a solid-solution of Y4A12O9 and Y2O3-ZrO2. The cover, showerhead base, GDP, and / or nozzle can be coated with a coating that is resistant to arc discharge and plasma

[0035] Examples of process gases that can be used to process substrates in the process chamber 100 include halogen-containing gases (such as C2F6, SF6, SiCl4, HBr, NF3, CF4, CHF3, CH2F3, F, NF3, Cl2, CCl4, BCl3, and SiF4, etc.) and other gases (such as O2 or N2O). Examples of carrier gases include N2, He, Ar, and other gases that are inert to the process gas (e.g., non-reactive gases). The substrate support assembly 104 is disposed below the showerhead 106 or the cover in the interior volume 110 of the process chamber 100. The substrate support assembly 104 holds the substrate 102 during processing. A ring (e.g., a single ring) can cover a portion of the support assembly 104 (e.g., the pedestal 122) and can protect the covered portion from exposure to plasma during processing. In one embodiment, the ring can be silicon or quartz. The substrate support assembly 104 can include a base 124 and a pedestal 122.

[0036] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B Depicted is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary grounding device according to some embodiments. Figure 2A A cross section of a grounding device 200 including a core layer 202 and an outer layer 204 is illustrated. The core layer 202 may be a body of any of a variety of materials. The core layer 202 may be a material that provides mechanical strength to the grounding device, for example, a material that is capable of maintaining strength through repeated movement, bending, etc. The body (e.g., the core layer 202) may be made of a metal (such as an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, nickel, etc.), a ceramic, a metal-ceramic composite, a polymer, a polymer-ceramic composite, carbon, or other suitable material. The core layer 202 may include a nickel-based material, such as pure nickel (e.g., at least 99% pure), a nickel alloy (e.g., a nickel-molybdenum-chromium alloy, a nickel-chromium-iron alloy, or other nickel alloys), or the like. The core layer 202 may include a flexible ceramic material.

[0037] In some embodiments, the outer layer 204 applied directly to the core layer 202 may be composed of aluminum. The outer layer 204 may be composed of substantially pure aluminum (e.g., at least 99% pure aluminum, at least 99.9% pure aluminum, at least 99.99% pure aluminum, or another purity of aluminum). In some embodiments, the outer layer 204 may cover the core layer 202, for example, it may cover all sides and / or all surfaces of the core layer 202. The outer layer 204 may completely cover the core layer 202, for example, including any edge of the core layer 202. The outer layer 204 may protect the core layer 202 from the surrounding environment (including a corrosive environment, a plasma environment, or the like). The outer layer 204 may be deposited by physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, ion-assisted deposition, or any other method suitable for depositing a thin layer of material on a body. The outer layer 204 may be deposited by cold spraying (e.g., by accelerating a jet of coating material powder to the surface of the core layer 202 to produce the outer layer 204). The outer layer 204 may be deposited by thermal spraying (e.g., by spraying a molten or heated material onto the surface of the core layer 202). The outer layer 204 may be deposited by plasma spraying. The outer layer 204 may be deposited by sputtering. The grounding device 200 may be in various shapes (e.g., a belt, a rope, or a wire, etc.). The outer layer 204 may be a thin layer. The outer layer 204 is about 15 μm thick, for example, between 10 μm and 20 μm. The outer layer 204 may be between 100 nm and 100 μm, between 1 μm and 100 μm, between 5 μm and 50 μm, or any inclusive range of any of these ranges. The outer layer 204 may have a thickness between 1 μm and 100 μm. The core layer 202 and the outer layer 204 may be of different chemical compositions, different alloys, different metals, different materials, etc.

[0038] Coating the core material with a protective aluminum coating can provide benefits to the operation and use of a grounding device, such as a grounding strap. A grounding device can benefit from, for example, the corrosion resistance of the outer layer and the strength of the core layer. In some embodiments, the material of the core layer 202 can be selected based on the strength of the material. The material of the core layer 202 can be selected to meet a threshold strength condition. The material of the core layer 202 can be selected to meet a threshold yield strength or the strength of the material before permanent deformation. The material of the core layer 202 can be selected to meet a threshold tensile strength or the strength that the material withstands before breaking. The material of the core layer 202 can be selected based on different measures of strength, toughness, flexibility, etc.

[0039] The grounding device including the outer layer 204 of pure aluminum may have a strength greater than that of pure aluminum. The grounding device may have a tensile strength greater than 100 megapascals (MPa). The grounding device may have a tensile strength greater than 150 MPa. The grounding device may have a tensile strength greater than 200 MPa, greater than 300 MPa, greater than 500 MPa, etc., depending on the material of the core layer 202, for example. The grounding device including the outer layer 204 of pure aluminum may have a yield strength greater than that of pure aluminum. The grounding device may have a yield strength greater than 50 MPa. The grounding device may have a yield strength greater than 70 MPa, greater than 100 MPa, greater than 150 MPa, greater than 200 MPa, greater than 300 MPa, greater than 400 MPa, etc. These strengths may be measured at room temperature. The material may be selected based on the strength at room temperature, elevated temperature, a proposed processing temperature, etc.

[0040] The grounding device 200 (and / or other / additional grounding devices) may be installed in a processing chamber. Installing the grounding device 200 in the processing chamber may include attaching a portion of the grounding device 200 to a component of the processing chamber. Installing the grounding device 200 in the processing chamber may include forming a path through the grounding device for current to flow. Installing the grounding device 200 may include attaching a portion of the grounding device 200 to a substrate support, a pedestal, a plasma generating device, a portion of the chamber that collects charge, or the like. Installing the grounding device 200 may include attaching a portion of the grounding device 200 to a charge sink, such as the body of the processing chamber.

[0041] Figure 2B The cross section of the grounding device 210 including the core layer 212, the outer layer 214 and the middle layer 216 is illustrated. The core layer 212, the outer layer 214 and the middle layer 216 can each be of different materials, different compositions, different alloys, etc. The core layer 212 can be Figure 2A The core layer 212 may share one or more characteristics with the core layer 202. The core layer 212 may be a material that exhibits a target mechanical strength. The core layer 212 may be aluminum, stainless steel, nickel, ceramic, carbon, or an alloy of another material. The outer layer 214 may be Figure 2A The outer layer 204 shares one or more characteristics. The outer layer 214 can be pure aluminum.

[0042] The grounding device 210 includes one or more intermediate layers 216 disposed between the core layer 212 and the outer layer 214. The intermediate layer 216 can improve the adhesion between the core layer 212 and the outer layer 214. For example, the intermediate layer 216 can adhere to both the core layer 212 and the outer layer 214 more robustly than the materials of the core layer 212 and the outer layer 214 adhere to each other. Adhesion can be improved by the selection of the material of each layer. The intermediate layer 216 can be selected to reduce the thermal expansion mismatch at the interface between the layers. For example, the intermediate layer 216 can be a material having a thermal expansion coefficient between the thermal expansion coefficient of the core layer 212 and the thermal expansion coefficient of the outer layer 214. In some embodiments, the core layer 212 can be composed of steel. The core layer 212 can be composed of stainless steel. The intermediate layer 216 can be titanium. The intermediate layer 216 can be nickel. The outer layer 214 can be pure aluminum.

[0043] Figure 3 4 depict several methods of applying a coating to a component according to some embodiments. Figure 3 4 depict variations of physical vapor deposition. Other forms of physical vapor deposition may be used to deposit a coating on a grounding device. In some embodiments, other techniques (eg, techniques other than physical vapor deposition) may be used to deposit a coating on a grounding device.

[0044] Figure 3 An example architecture of a deposition system 300 for performing sputter deposition according to some embodiments is depicted. The deposition system 300 can be used to deposit a coating on a grounded device, such as a grounded device for a processing chamber. The deposition system 300 can be used to deposit a pure aluminum coating onto a core layer of the grounded device.

[0045] System 300 includes a deposition chamber 302. For sputtering deposition, deposition chamber 302 may be maintained under reduced pressure (e.g., vacuum conditions). Deposition chamber 302 may include a stage 304 for mounting a component to be coated. Grounding device 306 will be coated with a protective coating (e.g., pure aluminum) via sputtering in deposition chamber 302. Deposition chamber 302 also includes a sputtering target 308. Sputtering target 308 may be the material to which grounding device 306 is to be coated, e.g., pure aluminum.

[0046] The deposition chamber 302 may be coupled to a pumping system 316 via an exhaust port 314. The pumping system 316 may reduce the pressure inside the deposition chamber 302, may create a vacuum within the chamber 302, may carry gases introduced or generated during deposition away from the chamber 302, etc. The pumping system 316 may include any pumps, valves, chambers, lines, etc. used to achieve and maintain a target pressure and / or flow rate in the deposition chamber 302.

[0047] The deposition chamber 302 may be coupled to a sputtering gas supply system 312 via an input port 310. The sputtering gas supply system 312 may include any chambers, valves, lines, etc. for introducing sputtering gas into the deposition chamber 302. The sputtering gas may include an inert gas such as neon, argon, krypton, xenon, etc. The sputtering gas supply system 312 may generate gaseous ions, for example, argon ions for sputtering. The ions may be generated via plasma generation, such as radio frequency plasma generation.

[0048] The sputtering gas may be accelerated at the sputtering target 308. The ions may be accelerated toward the target 308 using an electric field and / or a magnetic field. When high energy particles impact the target 308 (e.g., ions of the sputtering gas), material (e.g., pure aluminum) is released from the target 308 and travels through the deposition chamber 302 to be deposited on the ground device 306. Sputtering may continue until a layer of coating material may be deposited on the ground device 306 of a target thickness (e.g., between 10 μm thick and 20 μm thick). Layers of varying thickness may be deposited on the ground device 306. The ground device 306 may be a variety of materials, such as aluminum alloys, stainless steel, nickel, flexible ceramics, flexible carbon, etc.

[0049] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B Depicted are mechanisms and apparatus for performing deposition techniques utilizing energetic particles, according to some embodiments. Figure 4A Deposition mechanisms suitable for a variety of deposition techniques utilizing energetic particles, such as ion assisted deposition (IAD), are depicted. Exemplary IAD methods include deposition processes combined with ion bombardment, such as evaporation (e.g., activated reactive evaporation (ARE)) and sputtering in the presence of ion bombardment to form coatings as described herein. Any of the IAD methods may be performed in the presence of reactive gas species such as O2, N2, halogens, etc.

[0050] As shown, thin coating layer 415 is formed by the accumulation of deposited material 402 in the presence of energetic particles 403 (such as ions). Deposited material 402 includes atoms, ions, free radicals, or a mixture of the above items. Energetic particles 403 can impact and compact the thin final protective coating layer 415 as it is formed. The coating layer can be pure aluminum. The coating layer can provide protection for the grounding device (e.g., grounding device 410) from the harsh environment. The coating layer can provide protection for the grounding device 410 from the corrosive gas environment of the substrate processing chamber.

[0051] In one embodiment, IAD is used to form the thin coating layer 415 . Figure 4BA schematic diagram of an IAD deposition apparatus is depicted. As shown, a material source 450 provides a flux of deposition material 452 for deposition on an article 460, and an energetic particle source 455 provides a flux of energetic particles 453, both of which impact the article 460 throughout the IAD process. The energetic particle source 455 may be an oxygen or other ion source. The energetic particle source 455 may also provide other types of energetic particles, such as inert free radicals, neutron atoms, and nanometer-scale particles from a particle generation source (e.g., from plasma, reactive gas, or from a material source providing deposition material). IAD may utilize one or more plasmas or beams to provide a material source and an energetic ion source. During the deposition of a plasma-resistant coating, a reactive substance may also be provided. The deposition material 452 may be pure aluminum atoms for coating a grounding device for use in a substrate processing chamber.

[0052] Through the IAD process, the high-energy particles 453 can be controlled by the high-energy ion (or other particle) source 455 without considering other deposition parameters. According to the energy (e.g., velocity), density and incident angle of the high-energy ion flux, the composition, structure, crystal orientation and grain size of the thin film protective layer can be manipulated. Additional parameters that can be adjusted are the temperature of the product during deposition and the duration of deposition. Ion energy can be roughly classified into low-energy ion assistance and high-energy ion assistance. Compared with low-energy ion assistance, ions are projected at a higher speed through high-energy ion assistance. In general, high-energy ion assistance shows excellent performance. The substrate (product) temperature during deposition can be roughly divided into low temperature (about 120°C to 150°C in one embodiment, which is typical room temperature) and high temperature (about 270°C in one embodiment).

[0053] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method 500 for making and using a coated grounding device according to some embodiments. At block 502, a grounding device is provided. The grounding device may be a flexible device. The grounding device may be a core material, for example, a material that will form a core of the coated grounding device. The grounding device may be a grounding strip. The grounding device may include an aluminum alloy, steel, another metal or metal alloy (such as nickel), a ceramic (e.g., a flexible ceramic strip), a flexible carbon, etc. The grounding device may be provided to an apparatus for applying a coating, such as a physical vapor deposition chamber.

[0054] At block 504, one or more intermediate layers are optionally deposited on the grounding device. The deposited layers may be applied to substantially cover the grounding device, for example, to protect the grounding device from the surrounding corrosive environment during use of the grounding device. The intermediate layers may aid in the adhesion of the layers of the grounding device. The intermediate layers may be of a material selected to reduce one or more differences between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials at the interfaces between the layers.

[0055] At block 506, an outer layer is deposited on the grounding device. The outer layer may be pure aluminum. The outer layer may protect the grounding device during substrate processing. The outer layer may extend the life of the grounding device, for example from a few weeks or months (in the case of aluminum alloys, including materials susceptible to corrosive gases) to several months or years.

[0056] Boxes 508 and 510 describe the use of a coated grounding device. At box 508, the coated grounding device is installed in a processing chamber. The grounding device can be installed in a processing chamber used to expose a substrate to a corrosive environment. The grounding device can be installed in a processing chamber that processes at high temperatures. The grounding device can be installed in an etching chamber. The grounding device can be installed in a chamber that utilizes NF3. The grounding device can provide a flow path for current. The grounding device can be attached to a component of the processing chamber that may accumulate charge. The grounding device can be coupled to ground (e.g., by attaching to the body, bottom plate, or sidewall of the processing chamber). The grounding device can provide a current flow path from a portion of a substrate support assembly (such as a pedestal) to the body of the processing chamber.

[0057] At block 510, a substrate is processed in a processing chamber including a coated grounding device. The processing chamber may include a plurality of coated grounding devices, for example, an array of grounding devices. Substrate processing may include introducing a corrosive gas, increasing temperature, generating a plasma, and the like.

[0058] The foregoing description sets forth numerous specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, etc., in order to provide a good understanding of several embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other examples, well-known components or methods are not described in detail, or well-known components or methods are presented in a simple block diagram format to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. Specific implementations may differ from these exemplary details and are still contemplated to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0059] The foregoing description refers to coatings being applied to various components, bodies, articles, etc. In some cases, a coating or layer is described as being applied "on" or "to" a body, layer, material, etc. Unless clear from the context, a layer described as being on a layer, body, component, material, etc. may not be directly adjacent to the layer, body, component, material, etc. on which it is disposed, and an intervening layer of another material may exist between the two.

[0060] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the various appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". When the term "about" or "approximately" is used herein, this is intended to mean that the nominal value presented is accurate to within ±10%.

[0061] Although the operations of the methods herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be changed so that some operations may be performed in reverse order, or so that some operations may be performed at least partially concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, the instructions or sub-operations of different operations may be in an intermittent and / or alternating manner.

[0062] It will be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive. After reading and understanding the above description, many other embodiments will be clear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the full scope of the equivalents given by the attached claims and such claims.

Claims

1. A grounding strip for a processing chamber, the grounding strip comprising: Core layer; as well as An outer layer, wherein the outer layer comprises at least 99% aluminum.

2. The ground strip of claim 1, wherein the outer layer comprises at least 99.9% aluminum.

3. The ground strip of claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises an aluminum alloy.

4. The ground strip of claim 1 wherein the core layer comprises steel.

5. The ground strap of claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises carbon.

6. The ground strip of claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises a flexible ceramic material.

7. The ground strip of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate layer disposed between the core layer and the outer layer, the core layer, the intermediate layer, and the outer layer each comprising a different chemical composition.

8. The ground strip of claim 7, wherein the value of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the material of the intermediate layer is between the value of the CTE of the material of the core layer and the value of the CTE of the material of the outer layer.

9. The ground strip of claim 1, wherein the outer layer has a thickness between 1 μm and 100 μm.

10. The ground strap of claim 1, wherein the ground strap has a yield strength of at least 70 MPa at room temperature.

11. A processing chamber, comprising: Chamber body; a substrate support; as well as a grounding device coupled to the chamber body and the substrate support, wherein the grounding device comprises: Core layer; as well as An outer layer, wherein the outer layer comprises at least 99% aluminum.

12. The processing chamber of claim 11, wherein the processing chamber further comprises: one or more heaters, wherein the processing chamber is configured to reach a temperature of at least 300°C; as well as One or more means for delivering a corrosive gas to the processing chamber.

13. The processing chamber of claim 11, wherein the outer layer has a thickness between 100 nm and 100 m.

14. The processing chamber of claim 11, wherein the outer layer has a thickness between 10 μm and 20 μm.

15. The processing chamber of claim 11, wherein the processing chamber comprises a semiconductor processing chamber.

16. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein the processing chamber comprises an etch chamber.

17. A method comprising: providing a grounding device for application of the outer coating; as well as An outer layer is deposited over the grounding device, wherein the outer layer comprises at least 99% aluminum.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the grounding device comprises an alloy of aluminum.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the outer layer has a thickness between 1 μm and 100 μm.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising: depositing one or more intermediate layers on the grounding device before depositing the outer layer on the grounding device; as well as The coated grounding device is installed in a processing chamber, wherein installing the grounding device includes facilitating the flow of electrical current from one component of the processing chamber to a second component of the processing chamber.

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