Faraday panel

Abstract

An example semiconductor processing chamber panel may include a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The body may define a plurality of apertures extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface. The panel may include a heater disposed inside the body. The panel may include a first RF grid disposed between the heater and the first surface. The panel may include a second RF grid disposed between the heater and the second surface. The first RF grid and the second RF grid may be coupled together and form a Faraday cage surrounding the heater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications: This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 979,572, filed on November 2, 2022, entitled "FARADAY FACEPLATE", and hereby incorporates by reference the content of this U.S. application.

[0002] The present invention relates to semiconductor processing equipment. More specifically, the present technology relates to semiconductor chamber components and substrate processing methods. Background Art

[0003] Plasma is used for various operations during substrate processing. In some applications, plasma is intended to be generated only under the panel within the processing area of the substrate processing system during substrate processing. However, unwanted plasma (referred to as parasitic plasma) may inadvertently be generated at locations outside the processing area. Such parasitic plasma can cause various problems, including an increased risk of substrate contamination, temperature non - uniformity across the substrate, and failure of certain components of the substrate processing system.

[0004] Therefore, it would be beneficial for a substrate processing system to minimize parasitic plasma. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An exemplary semiconductor processing chamber panel may include a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The body may define a plurality of holes extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface. The panel may include a heater disposed inside the body. The panel may include a first RF grid disposed between the heater and the first surface. The panel may include a second RF grid disposed between the heater and the second surface. The first RF grid and the second RF grid may be coupled together and form a Faraday cage around the heater.

[0006] In some embodiments, the panel may include one or more ducts disposed inside the body. The one or more ducts are in fluid communication with the plurality of holes. The one or more ducts may form a recursive pattern for distributing gas radially outward around the region of the panel. The body may include a first strut that secures the heater to the first conductive grid. The body may include a second strut that secures the heater to the second conductive grid. A portion of the first strut may extend through the first surface of the body. An insulating sleeve may circumferentially surround the portion of the first strut. The insulating sleeve may include a ceramic material. The portion of the first strut may be coupled to a grounded RF strap. The body may be made of a ceramic material.

[0007] Some specific embodiments of the present technology may cover a semiconductor processing chamber panel. The panel may include a ceramic body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The body may define a plurality of holes extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface. The panel may include a heater disposed inside the body. The panel may include a Faraday cage disposed inside the body and formed around the heater.

[0008] In some specific embodiments, the Faraday cage may include a first RF grid. The panel may include a first strut that fixes the heater to the first RF grid. The Faraday cage may include a second RF grid. The panel may include a second strut that fixes the heater to the second RF grid. The plurality of holes may extend only through the second surface of the body. The panel may include a shaft coupled to the body. The shaft may include a ground rod. The edge of the body may include an RF ground strap.

[0009] Some specific embodiments of the present technology may cover a semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a chamber body that defines a processing chamber. The chamber may include a substrate support disposed inside the processing chamber. The chamber may include a panel located on top of the chamber body. The panel may be characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface may face the substrate support. The panel may define a plurality of holes extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface. A heater may be disposed inside the panel. A first RF grid may be disposed between the heater and the first surface. A second RF grid may be disposed between the heater and the second surface. The first RF grid and the second RF grid may be coupled together and form a Faraday cage around the heater.

[0010] In some specific embodiments, the edge of the panel may include a grounding component coupled to at least one lid laminate component. The grounding component may be coupled to the Faraday cage. The grounding component may be coupled to the Faraday cage through a strut extending through the first surface. A portion of the strut extending outward from the panel may include a ceramic sleeve. Description of the Drawings

[0011] The nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be further understood with reference to the remainder of the specification and the drawings.

[0012] Figure 1A A schematic top view of an exemplary processing tool in accordance with some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0013] Figure 1B A schematic partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing system in accordance with some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of a transfer portion of an exemplary substrate processing system in accordance with some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a panel layout of an exemplary substrate processing system according to some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a panel of a panel processing system.

[0017] Figure 5 Shows Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of a panel of a panel processing system.

[0018] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary panel layout of an exemplary substrate processing system according to some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0019] The schematic diagram includes several drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustration purposes and should not be considered to be to scale unless specifically stated to be so. Additionally, as a schematic diagram, the drawings are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to the actual presentation and may include exaggerated content for illustration.

[0020] In the drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numerals. Furthermore, for each component of the same type, they may be distinguished by the letter following the reference numeral, and this letter distinguishes similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in the specification, the description thereof may apply to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the suffix letter. Detailed Description

[0021] Substrate processing can include time-intensive operations for adding, removing, or otherwise modifying materials on a wafer or semiconductor substrate. Efficient movement of substrates can reduce queue times and increase substrate throughput. To increase the number of substrates processed in a cluster tool, additional chambers can be incorporated onto a host. Although transfer robots and processing chambers can be continuously added by lengthening the tool, as the footprint of the cluster tool expands, spatial efficiency may decrease. Accordingly, the present technology can include a cluster tool having an increased number of processing chambers within a defined footprint. To accommodate a limited footprint with respect to transfer robots, the present technology can increase the number of processing chambers laterally outward from the robot. For example, some conventional cluster tools can include one or two processing chambers positioned around a central portion of a transfer robot to maximize the number of radial chambers around the robot. The present technology can build on this concept by incorporating additional chambers laterally as another row or group of chambers to expand. For example, the present technology can be applied with a cluster tool including three, four, five, six, or more processing chambers, the processing chambers being accessible at each of one or more robot access positions.

[0022] However, due to the addition of the other processing positions, access to these positions from the central robot may no longer be feasible without additional transfer capabilities at each position. Some conventional techniques can include a wafer carrier in which a substrate is held on a wafer during transport. However, the wafer carrier can cause thermal non-uniformity and particulate contamination on the substrate. The present technology overcomes these problems by incorporating a transfer section vertically aligned with the processing chamber area, and a turntable or transfer device that can operate in concert with a central manipulator to access additional wafer positions.

[0023] Many deposition and cleaning operations are more effective and / or efficient at elevated temperatures, such as temperatures above 400 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C, or higher. Conventionally, panels are made of aluminum and may sag or otherwise deform at such high temperatures. Additionally, some conventional processing systems can be designed to generate plasma only within a processing region (e.g., between a panel and a substrate support). However, the presence of an electric field above the panel can cause parasitic plasma to be generated on chamber components above the panel. Such parasitic plasma can cause a number of problems. For example, the parasitic plasma can create a source of power loss that consumes power used to deposit material on a substrate within the processing region. Since residues of the parasitic plasma flake off surfaces of the processing system that are not easily reached during chamber cleaning operations, the parasitic plasma can cause particulate problems. The formation of parasitic plasma can cause process non-uniformity because the generation of plasma (and subsequent power loss) can result in an asymmetric generation of plasma within the processing region. Additionally, parasitic plasma can cause chamber matching problems because the amount of parasitic plasma generated in each chamber may vary.

[0024] The present technology overcomes these challenges by using a panel formed of a ceramic material capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 600 °C. This can enable the panel to be used in high-temperature processing and / or cleaning operations. Additionally, a specific embodiment of the panel can incorporate a Faraday cage surrounding a heating component disposed within the panel itself. Using such a Faraday cage can help reduce the amount of electric field present above the panel and can subsequently reduce or eliminate the generation of any parasitic plasma on chamber components above the panel. In some specific embodiments that reduce the amount of electric field present above the panel, the peripheral edge of the panel can be grounded, which can further reduce the amount of electric field present above the panel. Accordingly, the present technology enables higher-temperature processing efficiency while also helping to reduce or eliminate the presence of parasitic plasma within the processing system.

[0025] Although the remaining disclosure will conventionally identify specific structures for which this structure and method can be used, such as a four-position transfer region, it will be readily understood that the system and method are equally applicable to any number of structures and devices that may benefit from the illustrated transfer functionality. Accordingly, the technology should not be considered limited to use with any specific structure. Moreover, although an exemplary tool system will be described to provide a basis for the present technology, it should be understood that the present technology can be incorporated with any number of semiconductor processing chambers and tools that may benefit from some or all of the operations and implementations of the system to be described.

[0026] Figure 1A A top view of a specific embodiment of a substrate processing tool or processing system 100 for deposition, etching, baking, and curing chambers in accordance with some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown. In the figure, a set of front-opening wafer transfer cassettes 102 provide substrates of various sizes that are received by robotic arms 104a and 104b in a factory interface 103 and placed in a load lock device or low-pressure hold area 106, and then transferred to one of a substrate processing area 108 within a chamber system or quad section 109a-c, each of which can be a substrate processing system having a transfer region fluidly coupled to a plurality of processing areas 108. Although a quad system is shown, it should be understood that platforms including stand-alone chambers, dual-chamber, and other multi-chamber systems are equally covered by the present technology. A second robotic arm 110 housed in a transfer chamber 112 can be used to transfer substrate wafers from the hold area 106 to the quad section 109 and back, and the second robotic arm 110 can be housed within the transfer chamber, with each quad section or processing system being connectable to the transfer chamber. Each substrate processing area 108 can be configured to perform a number of substrate processing operations, including any number of deposition processes, including cyclic layer deposition, atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, as well as etching, pre-cleaning, annealing, plasma processing, degassing, orientation, and other substrate processing.

[0027] Each quadrant section 109 may include a transfer area that receives substrates from the second robotic arm 110 and transfers the substrates to the second robotic arm 110. The transfer area of the chamber system may be aligned with a transfer chamber having the second robotic arm 110. In some embodiments, the transfer area may be laterally accessible by a robot. In subsequent operations, components of the transfer section may vertically translate the substrate into the upper processing area 108. Similarly, the transfer area may also be used to rotate the substrate between positions within each transfer area. The substrate processing area 108 may include any number of system components for depositing, annealing, curing, and / or etching material films on the substrate or wafer. In one configuration, two sets of processing areas (e.g., the processing areas in quadrant sections 109a and 109b) may be used to deposit material on the substrate, and a third set of processing chambers (e.g., the processing chambers or areas in quadrant section 109c) may be used to cure, anneal, or process the deposited film. In another configuration, all three sets of chambers, such as all twelve chambers shown, may be configured to deposit and / or cure films on the substrate.

[0028] As shown, the second robotic arm 110 may include two arms for simultaneously transporting and / or retrieving multiple substrates. For example, each quadrant section 109 may include two access ports 107 along the surface of the housing of the transfer area, which may be laterally aligned with the second robotic arm. The access ports may be defined along a surface adjacent to the transfer chamber 112. In some embodiments such as those shown, the first access port may be aligned with a first substrate support in a plurality of substrate supports of the quadrant section. Additionally, the second access port may be aligned with a second substrate support in the plurality of substrate supports of the quadrant section. In some embodiments, the first substrate support may be adjacent to the second substrate support, and the two substrate supports may define a first column of substrate supports. In the configuration shown, a second column of substrate supports may be located behind the first column of substrate supports, with the first column of substrate supports extending laterally outward from the transfer chamber 112. The two arms of the second robotic arm 110 may be spaced apart to allow both arms to simultaneously enter the quadrant section or chamber system to transfer or retrieve one or two substrates to or from the substrate supports within the transfer area.

[0029] Any one or more of the described transfer regions may be combined with additional chambers separate from the fabrication systems shown in different embodiments. It should be understood that system 100 contemplates additional configurations for deposition, etching, annealing, and curing chambers for material films. Additionally, the present technology may utilize any number of other processing systems, which may incorporate transfer systems for performing any particular operations such as substrate movement. In some embodiments, an access may be provided to multiple processing chamber regions, while a processing system that maintains a vacuum environment in each section, such as the holding and transfer regions described, may allow operations to be performed in multiple chambers while maintaining a specific vacuum environment between each process.

[0030] Figure 1B A schematic cross-sectional front view of an embodiment of an exemplary processing tool in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology is shown, for example, through a chamber system. Figure 1B A cross-sectional view through any two adjacent processing regions 108 in any of the four-fold sections 109 may be shown. The front view may show the configuration or fluid coupling of one or more processing regions 108 and the transfer region 120. For example, the continuous transfer region 120 may be defined by a transfer region housing 125. The housing may define an open interior space in which a plurality of substrate supports 130 may be arranged. For example, as Figure 1A shown, an exemplary processing system may include four or more, including a plurality of substrate supports 130 distributed around the transfer region within the housing. As shown, the substrate supports may be pedestals, although many other configurations may also be used. In some embodiments, the pedestal may be translated vertically between the transfer region 120 and the processing region overlying the transfer region. The substrate support may be translated vertically along a path between a first position and a second position within the chamber system along the central axis of the substrate support. Thus, in some embodiments, each substrate support 130 may be axially aligned with an overlying processing region 108 defined by one or more chamber components.

[0031] The open transfer region may provide the transfer device 135, such as a turntable, the ability to engage and, for example, rotationally move substrates between various substrate supports. The transfer device 135 may rotate about a central axis. This may allow the substrate to be positioned for processing within any of the processing regions 108 within the processing system. The transfer device 135 may include one or more end effectors that may engage the substrate from above, below, or may engage the outer edge of the substrate to move around the substrate support. The transfer device may receive the substrate from a transfer chamber robot (e.g., the robot 110 described previously). The transfer device may then rotate the substrate to replace the substrate support to facilitate the conveyance of additional substrates.

[0032] Once positioned and awaiting processing, the transfer device can position the end effector or arm between the substrate supports, which can allow the substrate supports to be lifted past the transfer device 135 and convey the substrate into the processing area 108, which can be vertically offset from the transfer area. For example, and as shown, substrate support 130a can convey the substrate into processing area 108a, while substrate support 130b can convey the substrate into processing area 108b. This can occur in the other two substrate supports and processing areas, as well as in additional substrate supports and processing areas in specific embodiments including additional processing areas. In this configuration, when, for example, operatively engaged at a second position to process the substrate, the substrate support can at least partially define the processing area 108 from below, and the processing area can be axially aligned with the associated substrate support. The processing area can be defined from above by the panel 140 and other lid laminate components. In some specific embodiments, each processing area can have a separate lid laminate component, but in some specific embodiments, these components can accommodate multiple processing areas 108. Based on this configuration, in some specific embodiments, each processing area 108 can be fluidly coupled to the transfer area while being fluidly isolated from each other processing area above within the chamber system or quadrant section.

[0033] In some specific embodiments, the panel 140 can be used as an electrode of the system to generate a local plasma within the processing area 108. As shown, each processing area can utilize or incorporate a separate panel. For example, panel 140a can be included to define the processing area 108a from above, and panel 140b can be included to define the processing area 108b from above. In some specific embodiments, the substrate support can be used as a mating electrode for generating a capacitively coupled plasma between the panel and the substrate support. In some specific embodiments, a heater 142 extending around the panel can be utilized to heat the panel. Depending on the spatial geometry, the pumping bushing 145 can at least partially radially or laterally define the processing area 108. Similarly, separate pumping bushings can be used for each processing area. For example, pumping bushing 145a can at least partially radially define processing area 108a, while pumping bushing 145b can at least partially radially define processing area 108b. The pumping bushing 145 can be located on the baffle plate 147, which can control the heat distribution from the lid laminate to the cooled chamber body. In a specific embodiment, the partition plate 150 can be located between the lid 155 and the panel 140, and can again include separate partition plates to facilitate the distribution of fluid within each processing area. For example, partition plate 150a can be included to distribute to processing area 108a, and partition plate 150b can be included to distribute to processing area 108b.

[0034] The cover 155 can be a separate component for each processing area or can include one or more common aspects. In some specific embodiments, the cover 155 can be one of two separate cover plates of the system. For example, the first cover plate 158 can be located above the transfer area housing 125. The transfer area housing can define an open space, and the first cover plate 158 can include a plurality of holes through the cover plate that separate the overlying space into specific processing areas. In some specific embodiments as shown, the cover 155 can be the second cover plate and can be a single component that defines a plurality of holes 160 for delivering fluid to the respective processing areas. For example, the cover 155 can define a first orifice 160a for delivering fluid to the processing area 108a, and the cover 155 can define a second orifice 160b for delivering fluid to the processing area 108b. When additional processing areas are included within each section, additional orifices can be defined. In some specific embodiments, each quadrant section 109 or multi-processing area section that can accommodate more or fewer than four substrates can include one or more remote plasma units 165 for delivering plasma effluent into the processing chamber. In some specific embodiments, individual plasma units can be incorporated for each chamber processing area, but in some specific embodiments, fewer remote plasma units can be used. For example, as shown, a single remote plasma unit 165 can be used for multiple chambers, such as two, three, four, or more chambers, up to all the chambers of a particular quadrant section. In specific embodiments of the present technology, conduits can extend from the remote plasma unit 165 to each orifice 160 for delivering plasma effluent for processing or cleaning.

[0035] In some specific embodiments, the purge channels 170 can extend through the transfer area housing near or adjacent to each substrate support 130. For example, a plurality of purge channels can extend through the transfer area housing to provide a fluid path for delivering a purge gas that is fluidly coupled. The number of purge channels can be the same as or different from the number of substrate supports within the processing system, including more or fewer. For example, the purge channels 170 can extend through the transfer area housing below each substrate support. In the case where two substrate supports 130 are shown, a first purge channel 170a can extend through the housing adjacent to the substrate support 130a, and a second purge channel 170b can extend through the housing adjacent to the substrate support 130b. It should be understood that any additional substrate supports can similarly have a drooping purge channel extending through the transfer area housing to provide purge gas into the transfer area.

[0036] When the purge gas is delivered through one or more purge channels, the purge gas can similarly be exhausted through the pumping bushing 145, which can provide all the exhaust paths from the processing system. Thus, in some embodiments, both the precursor being processed and the purge gas can be exhausted through the pumping bushing. The purge gas can flow upward to the associated pumping bushing. For example, the purge gas flowing through the purge channel 170b can be exhausted from the processing system through the pumping bushing 145b.

[0037] As noted, the processing system 100, or more specifically the quadrupole section or chamber system in combination with system 100 or other processing systems, can include a transfer section located below the illustrated processing chamber area. Figure 2 A schematic isometric view of a transfer section of an exemplary chamber system 200 in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology is shown. Figure 2 Other aspects or variant aspects of the transfer area 120 described above can be shown and can include any of the components or features described. The illustrated system can include a transfer area housing 205 that defines the transfer area and can include a plurality of components. The transfer area can additionally be at least partially defined from above by a processing chamber (or a processing area fluidly coupled to the transfer area), such as Figure 1A the processing chamber area 108 of the quadrupole section 109 shown. The sidewalls of the transfer area housing can define one or more access locations 207 through which substrates can be delivered and retrieved, for example, by the second robotic arm 110 as described above. The access location 207 can be a slit valve or other sealable access location that can include a door or other sealing mechanism in some embodiments to provide an airtight environment within the transfer area housing 205. Although two such access locations 207 are shown, it should be understood that in some embodiments, only a single access location 207 can be included, as well as access locations on multiple sides of the transfer area housing. It should also be understood that the dimensions of the illustrated transfer section can be sized to accommodate any substrate size, including 200 mm, 300 mm, 450 mm, or larger or smaller substrates, including substrates characterized by any number of geometries or shapes.

[0038] Within the transfer area housing 205 may be a plurality of substrate supports 210 positioned around the transfer area space. Although four substrate supports are shown, it should be understood that specific embodiments of the present technology similarly encompass any number of substrate supports. For example, according to specific embodiments of the present technology, greater than or approximately three, four, five, six, eight or more substrate supports 210 may be accommodated in the transfer area. The second robotic arm 110 may transfer substrates through the access port 207 to one or both of the substrate supports 210a or 210b. Similarly, the second robotic arm 110 may retrieve substrates from these positions. The lift pins 212 may project from the substrate supports 210 and may allow a robotic hand to enter beneath the substrate. In some specific embodiments, the lift pins may be fixed to the substrate supports, or to positions where the substrate supports may be recessed below, or the lift pins may additionally be raised or lowered through the substrate supports. The substrate supports 210 may be vertically translatable and, in some specific embodiments, may extend into the processing chamber area of a substrate processing system located above the transfer area housing 205, such as the processing chamber area 108.

[0039] The transfer area housing 205 may provide an access port for an alignment system 215, which may include an aligner that may extend through a hole in the transfer area as shown, and may project or transmit through a nearby aperture together with a laser, camera or other monitoring device, and may determine whether the substrate being translated is correctly aligned. The transfer area housing 205 may also include transfer equipment 220, which may be operated in a variety of ways to position substrates and move substrates between various substrate supports. In one example, the transfer equipment 220 may move substrates on the substrate supports 210a and 210b to the substrate supports 210c and 210d, which may allow additional substrates to be transferred into the transfer chamber. Additional transfer operations may include rotating substrates between substrate supports for additional processing in the covered processing area.

[0040] The transfer device 220 may include a central hub 225, and the central hub 225 may include one or more shafts extending into the transfer chamber. Coupled to the shafts is an end effector 235. The end effector 235 may include a plurality of arms 237 extending radially or laterally outward from the central hub. Although shown with a central body from which the arms extend, the end effector may alternatively include individual arms, and in various embodiments, each arm is coupled to a shaft or the central hub. Any number of arms may be included in the embodiments of the present technology. In some embodiments, the number of the plurality of arms 237 may be similar to or equal to the number of substrate supports 210 included in the chamber. Thus, as shown, for four substrate supports, the transfer device 220 may include four arms extending from the end effector. The arms may be characterized by any number of shapes and profiles, such as a straight profile or an arcuate profile, and include any number of distal profiles, including hooks, loops, forks, or other designs for supporting substrates and / or accessing substrates (e.g., for alignment or engagement).

[0041] The end effector 235 or components or portions of the end effector may be used to contact the substrate during transfer or movement. These components as well as the end effector may be made of or include a variety of materials including conductive and / or insulating materials. In some embodiments, the materials may be coated or plated to withstand contact with precursors or other chemicals that may enter the transfer chamber from an overlying processing chamber.

[0042] In addition, materials may also be provided or selected to withstand other environmental characteristics, such as temperature. In some embodiments, the substrate support may be used to heat the substrate disposed on the support. The substrate support may be configured to increase the surface or substrate temperature to greater than or about 100 °C, greater than or about 200 °C, greater than or about 300 °C, greater than or about 400 °C, greater than or about 500 °C, greater than or about 600 °C, greater than or about 700 °C, greater than or about 800 °C or higher. Any of these temperatures may be maintained during operation, and thus the components of the transfer device 220 may be exposed to any of these stated or covered temperatures. Thus, in some embodiments, any material may be selected to accommodate these temperature ranges, and the materials may include materials such as ceramics and metals, which may be characterized by a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion or other beneficial properties.

[0043] The component coupler can also be adapted to operate in high temperature and / or corrosive environments. For example, when both the end effector and the end portion are ceramic, the coupler can include a press-fit, snap-fit, or other fitting that does not include other materials such as bolts that can expand and contract with temperature and can cause the ceramic to crack. In some specific embodiments, the end portion can be continuous with the end effector and can be integrally formed with the end effector. Any number of other materials that can facilitate operation or resistance during operation can be used, and the present technology similarly encompasses other materials.

[0044] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary panel arrangement 300 of an exemplary substrate processing system according to some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown. Specifically, the panel arrangement 300 includes a shaft 310, a ground rod 320, and a panel 400. The ground rod 320 can be used to discharge current associated with the panel 400. The shaft 310 can accommodate the ground rod 320 and / or other components. For example, in some specific embodiments, one or more gas delivery lines can be disposed within the shaft 310. The gas delivery lines can be coupled to one or more gas sources and can be used to deliver one or more precursors, cleaning gases, inert gases, and / or other gases to the delivery space of the panel 400.

[0045] Figure 4 and Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of a panel 400 according to some specific embodiments of the present technology is shown. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Further details related to components in the system 100 can be shown, such as the panel 140. The panel 400 is understood to include any features or aspects of the system 100 previously discussed in some specific embodiments. The panel 400 can be used to perform semiconductor processing operations, including the deposition of hard mask materials as previously described, as well as other deposition, removal, and cleaning operations. The panel 400 can show a partial view of a panel that can be incorporated into a semiconductor processing system and can show a view through the center of the panel. The panel can also be of any other size and can contain any number of holes. Although multiple holes extending laterally or radially outward are shown, it should be understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes only and are not considered to be drawn to scale. For example, the features of an exemplary panel can be multiple holes along the central diameter, as will be further described below, greater than or about 20 holes, and can be characterized by greater than or about 25 holes, greater than or about 30 holes, greater than or about 35 holes, greater than or about 40 holes, greater than or about 45 holes, greater than or about 50 holes or more.

[0046] As noted, panel 400 can be included in any number of processing chambers, including system 100 described above. Panel 400 can be included as part of a gas inlet assembly, such as together with a gas box and a baffle plate. For example, the gas box can define or provide an access port into the processing chamber. A substrate support can be included within the chamber and can be configured to support a substrate for processing. The baffle plate can be included in the chamber between the gas box and the substrate support. The baffle plate can include or define a plurality of holes through the plate. These components can include any features of the similar components described previously, as well as various other modifications similarly covered by this technology.

[0047] In some specific embodiments as previously illustrated, panel 400 can be positioned between the baffle plate and the substrate support within the chamber. Panel 400 can include a body 410 having a top (or first) surface 401 and a bottom (or second) surface 402 opposite the top surface 401. For example, in some specific embodiments, the first surface 401 can face the baffle plate, the gas box, or the gas inlet into the processing chamber, while the second surface 402 can be positioned to face the substrate support or the substrate within the processing area of the processing chamber. For example, in some specific embodiments, the second surface 402 of panel 400 and the substrate support can at least partially define the processing area within the chamber. Panel 400 can be characterized by a central axis that can extend vertically through the midpoint of the showerhead and can be coaxial with the central axis passing through the processing chamber.

[0048] The panel 400 may define a plurality of holes 403 that extend through at least a portion of the panel 400. For example, in some embodiments, the holes 403 may extend from a first surface 401 through a second surface 402. In other words, each hole 403 may extend through the entire thickness of the panel 400. In other embodiments, each hole 403 may be defined only by the second surface 402 and extend through the second surface 402. For example, the panel 400 may define a central space 470 and / or one or more recirculation ducts 450 that may be fluidly coupled to the holes 403 and may receive one or more gases from one or more gas delivery lines (which may be provided within the shaft 310 in some embodiments). The gases from the delivery lines may be distributed within the central space 470 and / or the recirculation ducts 450. Due to the small size of the holes 403, the gases may flow radially outward within the central space 470 and / or through the length of the recirculation ducts 450 and through the holes 403 formed by the entire panel 403. Each hole 403 may provide a fluid path through the panel 400, and the holes 403 may provide fluid access to the processing region of the chamber. Depending on the size of the panel 400 and the size of the holes 403, the panel 400 may define any number of holes 403 through the plate, such as greater than or about 1,000 holes, greater than or about 2,000 holes, greater than or about 3,000 holes, greater than or about 4,000 holes, greater than or about 5,000 holes, greater than or about 6,000 holes, or more. As described above, the holes may be included in a set of rings that extend outward from a central axis and may include any number of rings as described previously. The rings may be characterized by any number of shapes, including circular or oval, as well as any other geometric pattern, such as rectangular, hexagonal, or any other geometric pattern that may include holes distributed in a plurality of radially outward rings. The holes may have a uniform or staggered spacing and may be spaced less than or about 10 mm center to center. The holes may also be spaced less than or about 9 mm, less than or about 8 mm, less than or about 7 mm, less than or about 6 mm, less than or about 5 mm, less than or about 4 mm, less than or about 3 mm, or less.

[0049] These rings can be characterized by any of the geometries described above, and in some specific embodiments, the holes can be characterized by a scaling function of the holes of each ring. For example, in some specific embodiments, a first hole can extend through the center of the panel, such as along a central axis. The first ring of holes can extend around the central hole and can include any number of holes, such as between about 4 and about 10 holes, which can be equidistantly spaced around a geometry that extends through the center of each hole. Any number of additional rings of holes can extend radially outward from the first ring and can include a number of holes that can be a function of the number of holes in the first ring. For example, the number of holes in each successive ring can be characterized by the number of holes within each corresponding ring according to the equation XR, where X is the base number of holes and R is the corresponding ring number. The base number of holes can be the number of holes within the first ring and can be some other number in some specific embodiments, as will be further described below, where the first ring has an increasing number of holes. For example, for an exemplary panel having 5 holes distributed around the first ring, and where 5 can be the base number of holes, the second ring can be characterized by 10 holes, (5)x(2), the third ring can be characterized by 15 holes, (5)x(3), and the twentieth ring can be characterized by 100 holes, (5)x(20). This also applies to any number of rings of holes as described above, such as up to, greater than, or approximately 50 rings. In some specific embodiments, each of the plurality of holes across the panel can be characterized by a hole profile, which can be the same or different in the specific embodiments of the present technology. For example, the hole profile can be cylindrical as shown, or can be generally frustoconical in shape. In some specific embodiments, the hole profiles of some or all of the holes can include multiple cylindrical and / or conical portions and can include one or more flow-blocking regions. The hole profile of each hole can be the same, or can be different in the respective specific embodiments.

[0050] The body 410 can house a plurality of components of the panel 400. Specifically, the body 410 can house the top (or first) RF grid 420, the second (or bottom) RF grid 430, the heater 460, the support 440, and / or the conduit 450. As shown, the body 410 can fully house the grids 420, 430, the heater 460, the support 440, and / or the conduit 450. However, in other specific embodiments, at least a portion of one or more components may not be fully housed within the body 410.

[0051] The heater 460 may be embedded within the body 410, as described above. The heater 460 may include one or more conductive plates and / or coils for heating the panel 400. For example, in some embodiments, the heater 460 may include one or more coils and / or other heating components that may extend through a portion of the central space 470. For example, in some embodiments, the coil may have a spiral shape that extends radially outward from the center of the panel 400, while in other embodiments, the coil may have other recursive shapes. In other embodiments, the heater 460 may include one or more generally disk-shaped plates that at least substantially (e.g., greater than 90%, greater than 95%, greater than 97%, greater than 99%, etc.) fill, extend across, and / or otherwise span the cross-sectional area of the panel 400. The heater 460 may be coupled to a power source such as an AC power source that may supply current to the heater 460 to increase the temperature of the panel 400 and any gas flowing through the panel 400. The heater 460 may have a circumferential area and / or diameter that is substantially similar to the interior of the body 410 such that the heater 460 applies a substantially uniform heat distribution to the components within the body 410. However, in other embodiments, the heater may have a circumferential area and / or diameter that is smaller than the interior of the body 410 (e.g., in the case where there is more than one heater).

[0052] As described above, the body 410 may include and / or define one or more conduits 450. In some embodiments, the conduits 450 may include one or more recursive shapes that extend from the center of the panel 400 to the outer periphery of the central space 470. For example, the conduits 450 may include a spiral shape, multiple concentric rings, and / or other shapes that may be used to distribute one or more gases around regions of the panel 400. Each conduit 450 may include a plurality of channels 451 and / or be fluidly coupled to a plurality of channels 451, each channel 451 extending between the conduit 450 and a corresponding one of the holes 403. In this way, one or more gases flow through the conduits 450, channels 451, and may exit the panel 400 through the holes 403. In some applications, RF power may be supplied to the panel 400 and the pedestal to excite a plasma of one or more gases within the processing region of the processing chamber. Although the conduits 450 are depicted as having a rectangular cross-section, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the cross-section of the conduits 450 may have other shapes (e.g., circular).

[0053] The first RF grid 420 and the second RF grid 430 can be positioned on opposite sides of the heater 460. In a particular embodiment, each RF grid 420, 430 can be positioned between about 1 mm and 10 mm, between 2 mm and 9 mm, between 3 mm and 8 mm, between 4 mm and 7 mm, or between 5 mm and 6 mm from the nearest corresponding surface (e.g., the first surface 401 or the second surface 402), and in some embodiments the spacing is determined by the thickness of the body 410. The outer perimeter of the RF grids 420, 430 can extend radially outward to the same or a greater distance as the heater 460, which can enable the RF grids 420, 430 to be coupled together to completely surround the body of the heater 460. For example, a plurality of through-holes 442 can be used to couple the RF grids 420, 430 together. The through-holes or struts 442 can extend directly between the RF grids 420, 430, or can extend between one and one or more intermediate components of the RF grids 420, 430. For example, as Figure 5 shown, the first through-hole 442a can extend between and couple the second RF grid 430 and the reinforcement pad or flange 443. The second through-hole 442D can extend between and couple the reinforcement pad or flange 443 and the reinforcement pad or flange 441. The third through-hole 442B can extend between and couple the reinforcement pad or flange 441 and the heater 460. The fourth through-hole 442A can extend between and couple the heater 460 and the first RF grid 420. In this way, the two RF grids 420, 430 can be coupled together. It should be understood that more, fewer, and / or different intermediate connections can be made to couple the two RF grids 420, 430.

[0054] The first and second RF grids 420, 430, the vias 442, the heater 460, and the flanges 441, 443 can be made of a conductive material such that the grids 420, 430 form a Faraday cage around the conductive heater 460. The Faraday cage can help confine the electric field generated during the processing operation (e.g., from the heater 460 and / or from the RF field between the panel 400 and the pedestal for exciting plasma in the processing region) to the area below the panel 400. The reduction of the electric field above the panel 400 can help reduce or eliminate the generation of parasitic plasma above the panel 400. The RF grids 420, 430 can define openings 421, 431, and the sizes of the openings 421, 431 are respectively set to form a grid structure for forming the Faraday cage. The sizes of the openings 421, 431 can also be set to allow components to pass through the grids 420, 430. For example, the size and / or position of the opening 431 can be designed to allow at least a portion of some of the channels 451 to pass through the grid 430. In this way, one or more gases can pass through the RF grids 420, 430 to be delivered to the processing region.

[0055] In addition, the RF grids 420, 430 can have a circumferential region that is substantially similar to the interior of the body 410, such that the grids 420, 430 form a Faraday cage having a circumferential area that is substantially similar to the interior of the body 410 and thus has an almost similar circumferential area to the interior of the body 410 (and thus similar to the circumferential area of the panel 400). The size of this Faraday cage can help prevent charge transfer from one side of the panel 400 to the other. For example, when the panel 400 is assembled in a substrate processing system, the Faraday cage generated by the grids 420, 430 can help prevent the charge generated below the panel 400 (e.g., between the panel 400 and the pedestal (acting as an electrode) in a capacitively coupled plasma process) from leaking to the components of the substrate processing system above the panel 400. Preventing this charge helps reduce or minimize the formation of parasitic plasma above the panel 400.

[0056] The position of the components of the panel 400 within the body 410 can be strengthened through the support 440. The support 440 can include a top (or first) flange or pad 441, a bottom (or second) flange or pad 443, and a via or post 442 extending between the flanges 441, 443. The support 440 can be formed as a single unit such that the flanges 441, 443 and the post 442 are integral with each other. Alternatively, the flanges 441, 443 and the post 442 can be separately constructed and then joined to each other (e.g., by welding, etc.).

[0057] The flanges 441, 443 can be joined to the body 410 (e.g., by welding, etc.), such that any other components joined to the flanges 441, 443 can likewise be supported by the body 410. For example, the flanges 441, 443 can be joined to the conduit 450 to support the position of the conduit 450. Specifically, the top flange 441 can be joined to the top surface of the conduit 450, and the bottom flange 443 can be joined to the bottom surface of the conduit 450. In this way, the position of the conduit 450 can be supported by the flanges 441, 443 and their connection to the body 410.

[0058] Specifically referring Figure 5 As shown, the struts 442 are depicted as extending from the flanges 441, 443 towards other components within the body 410 to support the positions of those components. For example, the strut 442A extends from the bottom flange 443 to engage with the bottom grid 430. Additionally, the strut 442B extends from the top flange 441 to engage with the heater 460. A separate strut 442C can extend from the heater 460 to the top grid 420. The struts 442A, 442B, 442C, 442D can be joined to the corresponding components by welding, etc. Thus, the positions of the grids 420, 430 and the heater 460 can be supported by their respective connections to the struts 442A, 442B, 442C, 442D, the connections of the struts 442A, 442B, 442C, 442D to the flanges 441, 443, and the connections of the flanges 441, 443 to the body 410.

[0059] In other specific embodiments, there can be additional flanges that connect at least one of the heater and the grid to the body. For example, each heater and grid can include their own pair of flanges to connect each component to the body. Alternatively, instead of the conduit being joined to the flanges, one of the grid or the heater is joined to the flanges, and the flanges are in turn joined to the body. In another alternative, the struts extending from the top flange are an integral structure such that the ends of these struts engage with the top grid and the top flange. In this example, the struts can pass through the heater and the heater can be fixed to the middle of the struts.

[0060] The support 440 can be made of a conductive material such as tungsten. In this way, the support 440 can form part of a Faraday cage together with the grids 420, 430.

[0061] The body 410 can be made of an insulating material such as ceramic, which can have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than a conductor such as aluminum. Suitable ceramics can include, for example, aluminum nitride and / or alumina. The higher coefficient of thermal expansion can enable the panel 400 to be used for high-temperature processing and cleaning operations, such as operations including operating temperatures above 250 °C, 300 °C, 350 °C, 400 °C, 450 °C, 500 °C, 550 °C, 600 °C or higher.

[0062] Although panel 400 can significantly reduce the charge in the area above the processing system, further charge protection may be required. Figure 6 An exemplary panel 400’ is depicted, which may be similar to panel 400, with the differences noted below. In this specific embodiment, features with the same reference numerals as the above-described features are similar, unless differences are noted below. Each post 442C’ may include a conductive material portion 444’ that extends through the top grid 420’ and the top surface 401’.

[0063] Each portion 444’ includes an end 445’ that is coupled to a ground member 500’ (such as a strap), and the ground member 500’ may be coupled to the chamber body and / or the lid laminate member. The ground member 500’ can help dissipate the charge within the panel 400. Since the post 442C’ can form part of a Faraday cage, grounding the portion 444’ can help eliminate the charge in the Faraday cage. This grounding can further minimize the risk of charge leakage from above the panel 400’.

[0064] The sleeve 475’ can circumferentially surround the portion 444’ to prevent the portion 444’ from being exposed to any process gas and being damaged. The sleeve 475’ can be made of an insulating material, such as ceramic.

[0065] In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details have been set forth in order to understand the various specific embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention that some of these specific details may not be required for the practice of a particular specific embodiment (or additional details may be required).

[0066] After several specific embodiments have been disclosed, those of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention will understand that various modifications, alternative structures, and the same scope may be used without departing from the spirit of the disclosed specific embodiments. In addition, some well-known processes and elements have not been described to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Additionally, a method or process may be described as sequential or step-by-step, but it should be understood that the operations may be performed simultaneously or in a different order than that listed.

[0067] In the case of providing a series of values, it should be understood that, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of this range is also specifically disclosed, down to the smallest fraction of the unit of the lower limit. Any stated value or unstated intermediate value within the range, and any narrower range between any other stated or intermediate value within the range, are included. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included within or excluded from the range, and each range within the smaller ranges that includes one, both, or neither of the upper and lower limits is also included within the present technology, subject to any specifically excluded limitations within the stated range. When the stated range includes one or both of the upper and lower limits, ranges excluding either or both of these upper and lower limits are also included.

[0068] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a plate" includes a plurality of such plates, and reference to "the hole" includes reference to one or more such holes and equivalent ranges known to those of ordinary skill in the art of the present invention, and so forth.

[0069] Furthermore, the words "comprise(s)", "comprising", "contain(s)", "containing", "include(s)", and "including" as used in this specification and the following claims are meant to specify the presence of the stated feature, integer, component, or operation, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, steps, or groups.

[0070] Directional references such as "upper", "above", "lower", "below", "top", "left", "right", "bottom", etc. are not intended to be limiting, but rather are intended to illustrate the directions shown and described in the figures with reference to which the components and directions are referred.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing chamber panel, comprising: A body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the body defining a plurality of holes extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface; A heater disposed inside the body; A first RF grid disposed between the heater and the first surface; And A second RF grid disposed between the heater and the second surface, wherein the first RF grid and the second RF grid are coupled together and form a Faraday cage surrounding the heater.

2. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 1, the panel further comprising: One or more conduits disposed inside the body, the one or more conduits being fluidly coupled to the plurality of holes.

3. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 2, wherein the one or more conduits form a recursive pattern for radially distributing gas outwardly in a region around the panel.

4. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a first support pillar for fixing the heater to the first conductive grid.

5. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 4, wherein the body includes a second support pillar for fixing the heater to the second conductive grid.

6. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the first support pillar extends through the first surface of the body.

7. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 6, wherein an insulating sleeve circumferentially surrounds the portion of the first support pillar.

8. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 7, wherein the insulating sleeve includes a ceramic material.

9. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 6, wherein the portion of the first support pillar is coupled to a grounded RF strap.

10. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 1, wherein the body is made of a ceramic material.

11. A semiconductor processing chamber panel, comprising: A ceramic body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the body defining a plurality of holes extending through one or both of the first surface and the second surface; A heater disposed inside the body; And A Faraday cage disposed inside the body and formed around the heater.

12. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 11, wherein: The Faraday cage includes a first RF grid; and The panel further includes a first support pillar for fixing the heater to the first RF grid.

13. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 12, wherein: The Faraday cage includes a second RF grid; and The panel further includes a second support pillar for fixing the heater to the second RF grid.

14. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of holes extend only through the second surface of the body.

15. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 14, the panel further comprising: a shaft, the shaft being coupled to the body, the shaft including a ground rod.

16. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 14, wherein an edge of the body includes an RF ground strap.

17. A semiconductor processing chamber, comprising: a chamber body that defines a processing chamber; a substrate support disposed within the processing chamber; and a panel located on top of the chamber body, wherein the panel is characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface facing the substrate support, wherein: the panel defines a plurality of holes that extend through one or both of the first surface and the second surface; a heater disposed inside the panel; a first RF grid disposed between the heater and the first surface; a second RF grid disposed between the heater and the second surface; and the first RF grid and the second RF grid are coupled together and form a Faraday cage around the heater.

18. The semiconductor processing chamber according to claim 17, wherein an edge of the panel includes a grounding component coupled to at least one lid laminate component.

19. The semiconductor processing chamber panel according to claim 18, wherein the grounding component is coupled to the Faraday cage.

20. The semiconductor processing chamber according to claim 17, wherein: the grounding component is coupled to the Faraday cage by a support pillar that extends through the first surface; and a portion of the support pillar that extends outward from the panel includes a ceramic sleeve.

Images