High temperature vacuum seal

Abstract

To provide a method for sealing a processing chamber for manufacturing a semiconductor.SOLUTION: A method for sealing a processing chamber comprises: measuring pressure in a purge gas line 190 positioned downstream of a purge gas line exhaust port aligned with a purge channel 140 in a gas distribution assembly including a gas distribution plate 112 and a lid 180 separated by a primary O ring 150; and providing the flow of inactive gas to the purge channel without substantially having a pressure difference between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel. The purge gas line fluid-couples the purge channel with a purge gas line intake port; each of the purge gas line intake port and the purge gas line exhaust port aligns with the purge channel; and the gas distribution plate has a sealing area in an outer edge.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus and method for hermetically sealing a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus and method that reduce oxygen permeation to enable high-temperature hermetic sealing.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] During semiconductor manufacturing, processing chambers often require high-temperature hermetic sealing, an ultra-high purity environment, and a low molecular oxygen content during processing. Processing chamber components are connected to O-rings to prevent metal-to-metal contact and form a seal. The formed seal is mostly fluid-tight but may allow some permeation of atmospheric gases. Gas permeation is temperature-sensitive, increasing with increasing temperature. Since processing chambers often operate in a heated state, the gas permeability of the O-rings is significantly improved.

[0003]

[0003] In conventional processing chambers, double seals using differential pumping are often used with high-temperature vacuum assemblies. The application of double seals is limited where space constraints exist. Further, incorporating double seals usually also has a longer lead time and increases the cost for specially ordered O-rings. Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for sealing a processing chamber environment from the movement of ambient gas species.

Summary of the Invention

[0004]

[0004] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gas distribution assembly comprising a gas distribution plate, a lid, and a primary O-ring. The gas distribution plate has a front surface and a back surface that define a thickness. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate has a sealing region at its outer edge. The sealing region has a first contact surface and a second contact surface, and the first contact surface is provided with a purge channel formed therein. The lid has a front surface and a back surface that define a thickness. The front surface of the lid is positioned adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate. The lid includes a purge gas line inlet having an opening in the front surface and a purge gas line outlet having an opening in the front surface. The openings of the inlet and the outlet are aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface. The primary O-ring is positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0005]

[0005] Further embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a processing chamber having a chamber body with sidewalls and a bottom that define a processing space. A substrate support is within the processing space and has a support surface. A gas distribution assembly comprising a gas distribution plate, a lid, and a primary O-ring defines the processing space. The gas distribution plate has a front surface facing the support surface of the substrate support and a back surface, and the front and back surfaces define a thickness. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate has a sealing region at its outer edge, and the sealing region has a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The first contact surface is provided with a purge channel formed therein. The lid has a front surface and a back surface that define a thickness. The front surface of the lid is positioned adjacent to the back surface of the gas distribution plate. The lid includes a purge gas line inlet having an opening in the front surface and a purge gas line outlet having an opening in the front surface. The openings of the inlet and the outlet are aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface, and the primary O-ring is positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0006]

[0006] A further embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method of sealing a processing chamber. The pressure of the purge gas line is measured downstream of the purge gas line exhaust aligned with the purge channel within a gas distribution assembly comprising a gas distribution plate and a lid separated by a primary O-ring. The purge gas line is in fluid connection with the purge channel and the purge gas line intake. Each of the purge gas line intake and the purge gas line exhaust is aligned with the purge channel. A flow of inert gas to the purge channel is provided such that there is substantially no pressure difference between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel.

[0007]

[0007] To better understand the above-described features of the present disclosure, a more detailed description of the present disclosure briefly summarized above can be obtained by referring to the embodiments. Some embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings show only typical embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which may admit other equally effective embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

[0008] An isometric cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 2

[0009] A cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 3

[0010] An exploded cross-sectional view of a processing station according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 4

[0011] A schematic view of a processing platform according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 5

[0012] A schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 6

[0013] A partial schematic cross-sectional view of a region similar to region VI in FIG. 5.

Figure 7

[0014] It is a schematic exploded partial cross-sectional view of a gas distribution assembly within a region similar to the region of FIG. 6.

Figure 8

[0015] It is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a region similar to region VIII of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009]

[0016] Before describing some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details of the configurations or processing steps presented in the following description. The present disclosure can have other embodiments and can be implemented or executed in various ways.

[0010]

[0017] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "substrate" refers to the surface or a portion of the surface on which processing acts. Also, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a reference to a substrate may, in the context, refer to only a portion of the substrate, unless otherwise explicitly stated. Additionally, a reference to depositing on a substrate can mean both the exposed substrate and the substrate having one or more films or features deposited or formed thereon.

[0011]

[0018] As used herein, the term "substrate" refers to any substrate or any material surface formed on a substrate on which film processing is performed on the surface during a manufacturing process. For example, the substrate surface on which processing can be performed may include materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, strained silicon, silicon on insulator (SOI), silicon oxide doped with carbon, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, glass, sapphire, etc., depending on the application, and any other materials such as metals, metal nitrides, metal alloys, and other conductive materials. The substrate includes, but is not limited to, semiconductor wafers. The substrate can be exposed to a pretreatment process to polish, etch, reduce, oxidize, hydroxylate, anneal, UV cure, electron beam cure, and / or bake the substrate surface. In addition to directly performing film processing on the surface of the substrate itself, in the present disclosure, any of the disclosed film processing steps may be performed on a lower layer formed on the substrate, as will be disclosed in more detail below, and the term "substrate surface" is intended to include such a lower layer as the context indicates. Thus, for example, when a film / layer or a partial film / layer is deposited on the substrate surface, the exposed surface of the newly deposited film / layer becomes the substrate surface.

[0012]

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

[0013]

[0020] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide techniques that enable high-temperature vacuum sealing. Some embodiments provide apparatuses and methods for efficiently removing gas species released from O-rings and minimizing or eliminating the adverse effects of molecular oxygen (O 2 ) in the atmosphere in the processing environment.

[0014]

[0021] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gas distribution assembly having a pump - purge channel with a single seal (O - ring). In some embodiments, the channel is continuously purged by an inert gas (e.g., Ar, N 2 ) to maintain equal pressure between the chamber and within the channel. In other words, the pressure difference (ΔP) between the channel and the processing chamber is minimized. In some embodiments, the pressure difference is substantially zero (ΔP = 0). A zero pressure difference prevents an inert gas or purge gas (e.g., Ar, N 2 ) from flowing into the reaction space of the chamber.

[0015]

[0022] In some embodiments, a pressure transducer is used to control the pressure in the purge channel relative to the pressure in the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the gas distribution assembly includes two or more purge gas channels, or the processing chamber includes two or more gas distribution assemblies having purge gas channels. In some embodiments, each purge channel pressure is controlled individually with respect to the ambient gas pressure. In some embodiments, the diffusion of purge gas (e.g., Ar, N 2 ) into the gas channels within the chamber or within the showerhead is substantially zero since the purge channels are continuously purged and evacuated. In some embodiments, a pulse purge mechanism is used to remove or eliminate contamination due to O - ring defects or trapped gas.

[0016]

[0023] Some embodiments of the present disclosure use less space to incorporate a purge channel mechanism than conventional double-sealed processing chambers. In some embodiments, the processing chamber is isolated from the atmosphere without a double-sealed configuration, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, gas emissions from the O-rings induced at high temperatures are purged from the system without flowing into the process cavity. In some embodiments, the O-ring material is not directly exposed to process chemicals. Some embodiments prevent the movement of O-ring defects and / or the influx of chemical by-products into the chamber. Some embodiments provide a gas distribution assembly with improved manufacturing lead times over conventional double-sealed systems. In some embodiments, the oxygen (O 2 ) content within the chamber is reduced.

[0017]

[0024] The present disclosure provides a gas distribution assembly for use with a single-wafer or multi-wafer (also referred to as a batch) processing chamber. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a processing chamber 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 shows a processing chamber 100 shown as a cross-sectional isometric view according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a processing chamber 100 in cross-section according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a processing chamber 100 that includes a substrate support 200 and an upper plate 300.

[0018]

[0025] The processing chamber 100 has a housing 102 having a wall 104 and a bottom 106. The housing 102, together with the upper plate 300, defines a processing space 109, also referred to as an internal space.

[0019]

[0026] The illustrated processing chamber 100 includes a plurality of processing stations 110. The processing stations 110 are located within the internal space 109 of the housing 102 and are positioned in a circular arrangement around the rotation axis 211 of the substrate support 200. Each processing station 110 includes a gas distribution plate 112 (also referred to as a gas injector) having a front face 114. In some embodiments, the respective front faces 114 of the gas injectors 112 are substantially in the same plane. The processing station 110 is defined as a region where processing can occur. For example, in some embodiments, the processing station 110 is defined as a region defined by the support surface 231 of the heater 230 as described below and the front face 114 of the gas injector 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the heater 230 acts as a substrate support surface and forms part of the substrate support 200.

[0020]

[0027] The processing station 110 can be configured to perform any suitable process and provide any suitable process conditions. The type of gas distribution plate 112 used will depend, for example, on the type of process being performed and the type of showerhead or gas injector. For example, a processing station 110 configured to operate as an atomic layer deposition apparatus can have a showerhead or vortex type gas injector. In contrast, a processing station 110 configured to operate as a plasma station can have a ground plate configuration that generates plasma while allowing one or more electrodes and / or plasma gas to flow towards the wafer. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has a different type of processing station 110 (processing station 110a) on the left side of the figure than on the right side (processing station 110b). Suitable processing stations 110 include, but are not limited to, heat treatment stations, microwave plasmas, three-electrode CCPs, ICPS, parallel plate CCPs, UV exposure, laser processing, pump chambers, annealing stations, and metrology stations.

[0021]

[0028] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a gas distribution assembly 105 for use in a processing station 110 or a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 are general schematic diagrams and that details (e.g., gas channels) are omitted. The gas distribution assembly 105 shown includes three main components: a gas distribution plate 112, a lid 180, and an optional spacer 330. The spacer 330 is also referred to as a pump / purge spacer, an insert, or a pump / purge insert. In some embodiments, the spacer 330 is connected to or in fluid communication with a vacuum (exhaust). In some embodiments, the spacer 330 is connected to or in fluid communication with a purge gas source.

[0022]

[0029] The sizes of the openings 310 in the upper plate 300 may be uniform or different. Gas injectors 112 of different sizes / shapes can be used with a pump / purge spacer 330 that is appropriately shaped for the transfer of gas from the openings 310 to the gas distribution plate 112. For example, as shown, the pump / purge spacer 330 includes an upper 331 and a bottom 333 along with side walls 335. When inserted into the openings 310 in the upper plate 300, the ledge 334 is configured to be positioned within the openings 310.

[0023]

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

[0024]

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a processing platform 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 merely represents one possible configuration and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the processing platform 400 may have a different number of one or more of the processing chambers 100, buffer stations 420, and / or robots 430 than the embodiment shown.

[0025]

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

[0026]

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

[0027]

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

[0028]

[0035] The processing platform 400 may also include one or more buffer stations 420 connected to the first side 411 of the central transfer station 410. The buffer stations 420 can perform the same or different functions. For example, a buffer station can hold a cassette of wafers. This cassette of wafers is processed and returned to the original cassette. Or, one of the buffer stations can hold unprocessed wafers. These wafers are moved to other buffer stations after being processed. In some embodiments, one or more of the buffer stations are configured to pre-treat, pre-heat, or wash the wafers before and / or after processing.

[0029]

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

[0030]

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

[0031]

[0038] The controller 495 can be provided to and coupled with various components of the processing platform 400 to control these operations. The controller 495 can be a single controller that controls the entire processing platform 400, or a plurality of controllers that control individual parts of the processing platform 400. For example, the processing platform 400 of some embodiments includes separate controllers for one or more of the individual processing chambers 100, the central transfer station 410, the factory interface 450, and / or the robot 430.

[0032]

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

[0033]

[0040] In some embodiments, the controller 495 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 496, a memory 497, and a support circuit 498. The controller 495 can control the processing platform 400 directly or via a computer (or controller) associated with components of a particular processing chamber and / or support system.

[0034]

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

[0035]

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

[0036]

[0043] Some or all of the processes and methods of the present disclosure can also be executed in hardware. Thus, the process can be implemented in software and executed using a computer system in hardware (e.g., application specific integrated circuits or other types of hardware implementation forms) or a combination of software and hardware. When executed by a processor, the software routines convert a general-purpose computer into a special-purpose computer (controller) that controls the operation of the chambers such that the processing is executed.

[0037]

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

[0038]

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

[0039]

[0046] FIGS. 5-8 illustrate one or more embodiments of the gas distribution assembly 105. FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 100 having a gas distribution assembly 105. FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a gas distribution assembly 105 similar to that of region VI in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the gas distribution assembly 105 of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a gas distribution assembly 105 similar to that of region VIII in FIG. 5.

[0040]

[0047] In some embodiments, the gas distribution assembly 105 includes a gas distribution plate 112 having a lid 180. The gas distribution plate 105 has a front surface 114 and a back surface 115 that define the thickness of the gas distribution plate 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer peripheral region of the gas distribution plate 112 has surface features and contact surfaces described below and is not considered part of a portion of the back surface 115. The back surface 115 is a surface of the gas distribution plate 112, and another component can contact and provide a flow path through which gas passes through the thickness of the gas distribution plate 112 through a plurality of apertures 133 extending through its thickness.

[0041]

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the gas distribution plate 112 includes a plurality of channels 130 formed on the back surface 115. Each of the plurality of channels 130 extends a distance toward the front surface 114 to the channel bottom 131, and an aperture 133 is positioned within the channel 130 such that it extends from the channel bottom 131 to the front surface 114 of the gas distribution plate 112.

[0042]

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

[0043]

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

[0044]

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

[0045]

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

[0046]

[0053] The lid 180 in some embodiments includes a purge gas line 190 having one or more openings 191 in the front surface 182 of the lid 180. In some embodiments, the openings 191 of the purge gas line 190 extend around the front surface 182 and separate the front surface 182 from the outer contact surface around the perimeter of the openings 191 of the purge gas line. The purge gas line 190 has a purge gas line intake port 192 (shown in FIG. 8) and a purge gas line exhaust port 193 (shown in FIGS. 6 and 7). Each of the purge gas line intake port 192 and exhaust port 193 has an opening 191 in the front surface 182. In some embodiments, the openings 191 of the intake port 192 and the exhaust port 193 are aligned with the purge channel 140 formed in the first contact surface 136 of the gas distribution plate 112.

[0047]

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

[0048]

[0055] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a secondary O-ring 155 is positioned between the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112 and the front surface 182 of the lid 180. In some embodiments, as shown, the secondary O-ring 155 is positioned on the opposite side of the purge channel 190 from the primary O-ring 150. In other words, in some embodiments, the secondary O-ring 155 is positioned within the perimeter of the primary O-ring 150 or within the perimeter of the purge channel 190. The secondary O-ring 155 in some embodiments isolates the channels of the isolation O-ring between the channels of the gas distribution plate.

[0049]

[0056] The secondary O-ring 155 in some embodiments isolates adjacent channels 130 formed in the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the secondary O-ring 155 is positioned in a recess 184 formed in one or both of the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112 or the front surface 182 of the lid 180. The illustrated embodiment shows the secondary O-ring 155 positioned in the recess 184 of the front surface 182 of the lid 180. The secondary O-ring 155 in some embodiments is aligned with the outer edge 138 of the outermost channel 130a. The secondary O-ring 155 in some embodiments separates the gas flow path from the lid 180 through the gas distribution plate 112 to the processing chamber from the purge channel 190.

[0050]

[0057] In some embodiments, there is a secondary O-ring 155 positioned between each of the channels 130 in the back surface 115 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the secondary O-ring 155 is aligned with a partition wall separating adjacent channels. In some embodiments, the channels 130 form one or more intertwined spiral paths, the recesses 184 have complementary shapes, and the secondary O-ring 155 extends along the recesses 184.

[0051]

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

[0052]

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, the gas distribution plate 112 of some embodiments further includes a spacer ring purge gas line 330 that extends from the back surface of the sealed region 135 through the gas distribution plate 112 to the third contact surface 143. In some embodiments, the spacer ring purge gas line 336 includes a spacer ring purge gas line intake port 336a having an opening 341 on the back surface of the sealed region 135 of the gas distribution plate 112 and a spacer ring purge gas line exhaust port 336b having an opening 341 on the back surface of the sealed region 135 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, the opening 341 of the intake port and the opening 341 of the exhaust port are aligned with the spacer ring purge channel 371. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8, the spacer ring purge channel 371 is formed on the third contact surface 143 of the gas distribution plate 112. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the spacer ring purge channel 371 is formed on the back surface 332 of the spacer ring 330. In some embodiments, the spacer ring purge channel O-ring 372 is within the spacer ring purge channel 371.

[0053]

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

[0054]

[0061] Some embodiments of the gas distribution assembly 105 include a controller 495, as shown in FIG. 4. The controller 495 in some embodiments is configured to control the pressure transducer 390 based on measurements from the pressure gauge 393 to provide a flow of inert gas to the purge gas line inlet 192 sufficient to maintain a substantially zero pressure differential between the gas distribution plate 112 and the purge channel 140. In some embodiments, the controller 495 is configured to control the pressure transducer 390 based on measurements from the pressure gauge 393 to provide a flow of inert gas to one or both of the purge gas line inlet 192 or the spacer gas line inlet 336a sufficient to maintain a substantially zero pressure differential between the gas distribution plate 112 and the purge channel 140 or between the gas distribution plate 112 and the spacer purge channel 371.

[0055]

[0062] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of sealing a processing chamber. The pressure in the purge gas line is measured at any suitable location along the flow path of the purge gas. In some embodiments, the pressure is measured upstream of the purge gas line inlet, within the purge gas line channel, or downstream of the purge gas line outlet. A flow of inert gas is provided to the purge channel such that the pressure differential between the gas distribution plate (or processing pressure) and the purge channel is substantially zero.

[0056]

[0063] The process may generally be stored in memory as a software routine, which, when executed by a processor, causes the process of the present disclosure to be executed in the processing chamber. The software routine may be stored and / or executed by a second processor (not shown) located remotely from the hardware controlled by the processor. Part or all of the method of the present disclosure may also be executed in hardware. Thus, the process may be implemented in software and executed using a computer system in hardware (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit or other type of hardware implementation) or a combination of software and hardware. When executed by a processor, the software routine converts a general-purpose computer into a special-purpose computer (controller) that controls the operation of the chamber so that the processing is executed.

[0057]

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

[0058]

[0065] The controller 495 of some embodiments has one or more configurations selected from a configuration for measuring pressure in one or both of the gas distribution plate 112 channels 130 or the spacer purge gas channels 371, a configuration for operating the pressure transducer 390 to flow the purge gas into the purge gas line 190 or the spacer purge gas line 336, and a configuration for controlling the flow of the purge gas in response to a reading from a pressure gauge in one or both of a purge gas exhaust port line or a channel in the gas distribution plate.

[0059]

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

[0060]

[0067] Although the disclosure of this specification has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the described embodiments are merely exemplary of the principles and applications of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure without departing from the essence and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is capable of including modifications and variations that are included within the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A gas distribution assembly comprising: a gas distribution plate having a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness, the gas distribution plate including a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate and having a sealing area at an outer periphery, the sealing area having a first contact surface with a purge channel formed therein, and a second contact surface; a lid having a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness, the front surface of the lid being positioned adjacent the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the lid including a purge gas line inlet having an opening on the front surface and a purge gas line exhaust having an opening on the front surface, the inlet opening and the exhaust opening being aligned with the purge channel of the first contact surface; a primary O-ring positioned between the purge channel of the first contact surface and the second contact surface; A gas distribution assembly comprising:

2. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary O-ring is positioned in a primary O-ring recess in the first contact surface.

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

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

5. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1 , wherein the secondary O-ring is in a recess formed in one or both of the back surface of the gas distribution plate or the front surface of the lid.

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

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

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

9. 2. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spacer ring having an inner surface and a back surface, the inner surface adjacent an outer surface of the gas distribution plate and the back surface adjacent a third contact surface in the sealing region of the gas distribution plate.

10. 10. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the gas distribution plate further comprises a spacer ring purge gas line extending through the gas distribution plate from the back surface to the third contact surface, the spacer ring purge gas line including a spacer ring purge gas line inlet having an opening on the back surface of the gas distribution plate and a spacer ring purge gas line outlet having an opening on the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the inlet opening and the outlet opening being aligned with a spacer ring purge channel.

11. The gas distribution assembly of claim 10 , wherein the spacer ring purge channel is formed in one or both of the third contact surface or the back surface of the spacer ring.

12. The gas distribution assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a pressure transducer in communication with one or both of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet.

13. The gas distribution assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a pressure gauge positioned at one or both of the purge gas line outlet or the spacer ring gas line outlet.

14. 14. The gas distribution assembly of claim 13, further comprising a controller configured to control the pressure transducer based on measurements from the pressure gauge to provide a flow of inert gas to one or both of the purge gas line inlets or the spacer ring gas line inlets sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel or between the gas distribution plate and the spacer ring purge channel.

15. 2. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the gas distribution plate comprises a plurality of channels formed in the back surface, each of the plurality of channels extending a distance toward the front surface to a channel bottom, and the apertures are positioned within the channels so as to extend from the channel bottom to the front surface of the gas distribution plate.

16. A processing chamber comprising: a chamber body having a sidewall and a bottom defining a processing space; a substrate support in the processing space having a support surface; a gas distribution assembly comprising: a gas distribution plate, a lid, and a primary O-ring, the gas distribution plate having a front surface facing the support surface of the substrate support, the front surface and the back surface defining a thickness, the gas distribution plate including a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of the gas distribution plate and having a sealing area at an outer periphery, the sealing area having a first contact surface with a purge channel formed therein, and a second contact surface, the lid having a front surface and a back surface defining a thickness, the front surface of the lid being positioned adjacent the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the lid including a purge gas line inlet having an opening on the front surface and a purge gas line exhaust having an opening on the front surface, the inlet opening and the exhaust opening align with the purge channels of the first contact surface, and the primary O-ring being positioned between the purge channels of the first contact surface and the second contact surface. A processing chamber comprising:

17. 17. The processing chamber of claim 16, wherein the gas distribution assembly further comprises a spacer ring having an inner surface and a back surface, the inner surface adjacent an outer surface of the gas distribution plate and the back surface adjacent a third contact surface of the sealing region of the gas distribution plate.

18. 18. The gas distribution assembly of claim 17, wherein the gas distribution plate further comprises a spacer ring purge gas line extending through the gas distribution plate from the back surface to the third contact surface, the spacer ring purge gas line including a spacer ring purge gas line inlet having an opening on the back surface of the gas distribution plate and a spacer ring purge gas line outlet having an opening on the back surface of the gas distribution plate, the inlet opening and the outlet opening being aligned with a spacer ring purge channel.

19. 20. The gas distribution assembly of claim 18, further comprising a pressure transducer in communication with one or both of a purge gas line inlet or a spacer ring gas line inlet, a pressure gauge positioned at one or both of the purge gas line exhaust or the spacer ring gas line exhaust, and a controller, the controller configured to control the pressure transducer based on measurements from the pressure gauge to provide a flow of inert gas to one or both of the purge gas line inlet or the spacer ring gas line inlet sufficient to maintain substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channel or between the gas distribution plate and the spacer ring purge channel.

20. 1. A method of sealing a processing chamber, comprising: measuring a pressure in a purge gas line downstream of a purge gas line outlet aligned with a purge channel in a gas distribution assembly including a gas distribution plate and a lid separated by a primary O-ring, the purge gas line being in fluid communication with the purge channel and a purge gas line inlet, the purge gas line inlet and the purge gas line outlet each aligned with the purge channel; Providing a flow of inert gas to the purge channels such that there is substantially no pressure differential between the gas distribution plate and the purge channels. and

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