Bottom and middle edge rings

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing system that implements a movable (adjustable) edge ring and / or a replaceable edge ring.SOLUTION: In a substrate support 300 including a movable edge ring 324, a bottom ring 320 supports the movable edge ring. The movable edge ring rises and lowers relative to the substrate support. The bottom ring includes a stepped upper surface, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, and a plurality of vertical guide channels 328 extending through the bottom ring from the lower surface to the upper surface. Each of the guide channels includes a first region having a smaller diameter than the remainder of the guide channel, and the guide channels receive respective lift pins 332 for raising and lowering the edge ring.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This disclosure relates to the subject matter of International Application PCT / US2017 / 043527, filed on Jul. 24, 2017. The entire disclosure of the application referenced above is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a movable edge ring in a substrate processing system.

Background Art

[0003] The description of the background provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. The work of the present inventors, to the extent it is not otherwise recognized as prior art at the time of filing, whether explicitly or implicitly recognized as prior art to the present disclosure, is not admitted as prior art by virtue of its inclusion in this background section.

[0004] A substrate processing system may be used to process a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. Examples of processes that may be performed on the substrate include, but are not limited to, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), conductor etching, and / or other etching, deposition, or cleaning processes. The substrate may be disposed on a substrate support such as a pedestal, an electrostatic chuck (ESC), etc. within the processing chamber of the substrate processing system. During etching, a gas mixture containing one or more precursors may be introduced into the processing chamber, and plasma may be used to initiate a chemical reaction.

[0005] The substrate support may include a ceramic layer disposed to support the wafer. For example, the wafer may be fixed to the ceramic layer during processing. The substrate support may include an edge ring disposed around an outer portion of the substrate support (e.g., outer of the periphery and / or adjacent to the periphery). The edge ring may be provided to confine plasma to a volume above the substrate and protect the substrate support from erosion caused by the plasma.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The bottom ring is configured to support the movable edge ring. The edge ring is configured to move up and down relative to the substrate support. The bottom ring includes a stepped upper surface, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, and a plurality of vertical guide channels provided from the lower surface to the upper surface of the bottom ring through the bottom ring. Each of the guide channels includes a first region having a diameter smaller than that of the guide channel, and the guide channels are configured to receive respective lift pins for raising and lowering the edge ring.

[0007] In other features, the diameter of the guide channel is between 0.063 inches (1.60 mm) and 0.067 inches (1.70 mm). Each of the guide channels includes a cavity in the lower surface of the bottom ring, and the cavity has a diameter larger than that of the guide channel. The transition between the guide channel and the cavity is chamfered. The chamfered transition has a height and width between 0.020 inches (0.508 mm) and 0.035 inches (0.889 mm) and an angle between 40° and 50°. The inner diameter of the step on the upper surface is at least 13.0 inches (33.02 cm).

[0008] In other features, the bottom ring includes a guide structure extending upward from the upper surface of the bottom ring. The guide channels pass through the guide structure. The guide structure includes the first region of the guide channel. The upper surface includes an inner annular rim, and the guide structure and the inner annular rim define a groove. The height of the guide structure is greater than the height of the inner annular rim. At least one of the first upper corner and the second upper corner of the guide structure is chamfered. The upper surface includes an inner annular rim and an outer annular rim, the guide structure and the inner annular rim define a first groove, and the guide structure and the outer annular rim define a second groove.

[0009] In other features, the upper surface includes at least two changes in direction. The upper surface includes at least five changes in direction. The upper surface includes at least five alternating vertical and horizontal paths. The bottom ring has a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter that is larger than the first outer diameter. The bottom ring includes an annular lip that extends radially outward from the outer diameter of the bottom ring. The lower surface includes a plurality of cavities configured to align with bolt holes in the base plate of the substrate support.

[0010] The middle ring is disposed on the bottom ring and is configured to support a movable edge ring. The edge ring is configured to be raised and lowered relative to the substrate support. The middle ring includes a stepped upper surface, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, a guide structure that defines the annular outer diameter, an inner annular rim that defines the annular inner diameter, and a groove defined between the guide structure and the inner annular rim.

[0011] In other features, at least one of a first upper corner and a second upper corner of the guide structure is chamfered. The middle ring is "U"-shaped. The upper surface includes at least four changes in direction. The upper surface includes at least five alternating vertical and horizontal planes.

[0012] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims, and the drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

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Figure 2A

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Figure 2B

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Figure 3A

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Figure 3B

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Figure 4A

[0020]

Figure 4B

[0021]

Figure 4C

[0022]

Figure 5A

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Figure 5B

[0024]

Figure 6A

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Figure 6B

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Figure 7A

[0027]

Figure 7B

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Figure 7C

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Figure 8A

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Figure 8B

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Figure 8C

[0032]

Figure 9

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Figure 10A

Figure 10B

[0034] In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and / or identical elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The substrate support in the substrate processing system may include an edge ring. The upper surface of the edge ring extends above the upper surface of the substrate support, recessing the upper surface of the substrate support (and, in some examples, the upper surface of the substrate disposed on the substrate support) with respect to the edge ring. This recess may be referred to as a pocket. The distance between the upper surface of the edge ring and the upper surface of the substrate may be referred to as the "pocket depth". Generally, the pocket depth is fixed according to the height of the edge ring with respect to the upper surface of the substrate.

[0036] Some aspects of the etching process may vary depending on the characteristics of the substrate processing system, the substrate, the gas mixture, etc. For example, the flow pattern, and thus the etching rate and etching uniformity, may vary according to other variables including, but not limited to, the pocket depth of the edge ring, the geometric shape (i.e., shape) of the edge ring, and the gas flow rate, gas species, injection angle, injection position, etc. Thus, changing the configuration of the edge ring (including, for example, the height and / or geometric shape of the edge ring) may modify the gas velocity profile across the surface of the substrate.

[0037] Some substrate processing systems may implement a movable (e.g., adjustable) edge ring and / or a replaceable edge ring. In one example, to control the uniformity of etching, the height of the movable edge may be adjusted during processing. The edge ring may be coupled to an actuator configured to raise and lower the edge ring in response to a controller, user interface, etc. In one example, the controller of the substrate processing system controls the height of the edge ring during processing, between processing steps, etc., according to a particular recipe being executed and associated gas injection parameters. Further, the edge ring and other components may comprise consumable materials that wear / corrode over time. Thus, the height of the edge ring may be adjusted to compensate for erosion. In other examples, the edge ring may be removable and replaceable (e.g., to replace an eroded or damaged edge ring, to replace the edge ring with an edge ring having a different shape, etc.). Examples of substrate processing systems implementing movable and replaceable edge rings can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 705,430, filed May 6, 2015, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0038] A substrate processing system and method according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a middle edge ring and a bottom edge ring configured to support a movable top edge ring.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary substrate processing system 100 is shown. By way of example only, substrate processing system 100 may be used to perform etching using RF plasma and / or other suitable substrate processing. Substrate processing system 100 surrounds other components of substrate processing system 100 and includes a processing chamber 102 that includes RF plasma. Substrate processing chamber 102 includes an upper electrode 104 and a substrate support 106 such as an electrostatic chuck (ESC). During operation, substrate 108 is placed on substrate support 106. Although a particular substrate processing system 100 and chamber 102 are shown by way of example, the principles of the present disclosure may be applied to other types of substrate processing systems and chambers that generate plasma in situ, such as those that perform remote plasma generation and distribution (e.g., using a plasma tube, a microwave tube).

[0040] By way of example only, upper electrode 104 may include a gas distribution device such as a showerhead 109 that introduces and distributes a processing gas (e.g., an etching process gas). Showerhead 109 may include a stem portion that includes one end connected to the top surface of the processing chamber. The base is generally cylindrical and extends radially outward from the opposite end of the stem portion at a position spaced from the top surface of the processing chamber. The surface or faceplate of the base of the showerhead facing the substrate includes a plurality of holes through which the processing gas or purge gas flows. Alternatively, upper electrode 104 may include a conductive plate and the processing gas may be introduced in another manner.

[0041] Substrate support 106 includes a conductive baseplate 110 that acts as a lower electrode. Baseplate 110 supports a ceramic layer 112. In some examples, ceramic layer 112 may include a heating layer such as a ceramic multi-zone heating plate. A thermal resistance layer 114 (e.g., a bonding layer) may be disposed between ceramic layer 112 and baseplate 110. Baseplate 110 may include one or more coolant channels 116 for flowing a coolant through baseplate 110.

[0042] The RF generation system 120 generates an RF voltage and outputs it to one of the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode (e.g., the base plate 110 of the substrate support 106). The other of the upper electrode 104 and the base plate 110 may be DC grounded, AC grounded, or floating. By way of example only, the RF generation system 120 may include an RF voltage generator 122 that generates an RF voltage supplied to the upper electrode 104 or the base plate 110 by the matching and distribution network 124. In other examples, the plasma may be generated inductively or remotely. As shown for purposes of illustration, the RF generation system 120 corresponds to a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) system, but the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in other suitable systems such as, by way of example only, a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) system, a CCP cathode system, a remote microwave plasma generation and delivery system, etc.

[0043] The gas distribution system 130 includes one or more gas sources 132-1, 132-2, ···, 132-N (collectively, gas sources 132), where N is an integer greater than zero. The gas sources supply one or more gases (e.g., etching gas, carrier gas, purge gas, etc.) and mixtures thereof. The gas sources may also supply a purge gas. The gas sources 132 are connected to the manifold 140 by valves 134-1, 134-2, ···, 134-N (collectively valves 134) and mass flow controllers 136-1, 136-2, ···, 136-N (collectively mass flow controllers 136). The output of the manifold 140 is supplied to the processing chamber 102. By way of example only, the output of the manifold 140 is supplied to the showerhead 109.

[0044] The temperature controller 142 may be connected to a plurality of heating elements, such as the thermal control element (TCE) 144 disposed in the ceramic layer 112. For example, the heating element 144 may include, but is not limited to, macro heating elements corresponding to each zone in a multi-zone heating plate and / or an array of micro heating elements disposed across a plurality of zones of the multi-zone heating plate. The temperature controller 142 may be used to control the plurality of heating elements 144 and to control the temperature of the substrate support 106 and the substrate 108.

[0045] The temperature controller 142 may communicate with the coolant assembly 146 to control the flow of coolant through the channel 116. For example, the coolant assembly 146 may include a coolant pump and a reservoir. The temperature controller 142 may operate the coolant assembly 146 to selectively flow coolant into the channel 116 to cool the substrate support 106.

[0046] Valves 150 and pumps 152 may be used to discharge reactants from the processing chamber 102. A system controller 160 may be used to control the components of the substrate processing system 100. A robot 170 may be used to transport substrates onto and off of the substrate support 106. For example, the robot 170 may transfer substrates between the substrate support 106 and the load lock 172. Although shown as a separate controller, the temperature controller 142 may be implemented within the system controller 160. In some examples, a protective seal 176 may be provided around the bonding layer 114 between the ceramic layer 112 and the base plate 110.

[0047] The substrate support 106 includes an edge ring 180. The edge ring 180 may correspond to a top ring and may be supported by a bottom ring 184. In some examples, the edge ring 180 may be further supported by one or more of a middle ring (not shown in FIG. 1), a stepped portion of the ceramic layer 112, etc., as described in more detail below. The edge ring 180 is movable relative to the substrate 108 (e.g., movable vertically upward and downward). For example, the edge ring 180 may be controlled via an actuator that responds to the controller 160. In some examples, the edge ring 180 may be adjusted during substrate processing (i.e., the edge ring 180 may be an adjustable edge ring). In other examples, the edge ring 180 may be removable (e.g., using the robot 170 via an airlock while the processing chamber 102 is under vacuum). In still other examples, the edge ring 180 may be both adjustable and removable.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an exemplary substrate support 200 having a substrate 204 disposed thereon is shown. The substrate support 200 may include a base or pedestal having an inner portion 208 and an outer portion 212 (e.g., corresponding to an ESC). In an example, the outer portion 212 may be independent of and movable relative to the inner portion 208. For example, the outer portion 212 may include a bottom ring 216 and a top edge ring 220. The substrate 204 is disposed on the inner portion 208 (e.g., on the ceramic layer 224) for processing. The controller 228 may communicate with one or more actuators 232 to selectively raise and lower the edge ring 220. For example, the edge ring 220 may be raised and / or lowered to adjust the pocket depth of the support 200 during processing. In another example, the edge ring 220 may be raised to facilitate removal and replacement of the edge ring 220.

[0049] As a mere example, edge ring 220 is shown in a fully lowered position in FIG. 2A and in a fully raised position in FIG. 2B. As shown, actuator 232 corresponds to a pin actuator configured to selectively extend and contract pin 236 in a vertical direction. In other examples, other suitable types of actuators may be used. As a mere example, edge ring 220 corresponds to a ceramic or quartz edge ring, although other suitable materials (e.g., silicon carbide, yttria, etc.) may be used. In FIG. 2A, controller 228 communicates with actuator 232 to directly raise and lower edge ring 220 via pin 236. In some examples, inner portion 208 is movable relative to outer portion 212.

[0050] Features of exemplary substrate support 300 are shown in more detail by FIGS. 3A and 3B. Substrate support 300 includes insulator ring or plate 304 and base plate 308 (e.g., of an ESC) disposed on insulator plate 304. Base plate 308 supports ceramic layer 312 configured to support substrate 316 disposed thereon for processing. In FIG. 3A, ceramic layer 312 has a non-stepped configuration. In FIG. 3B, ceramic layer 312 has a stepped configuration. Substrate support 300 includes bottom ring 320 that supports upper (“top”) edge ring 324. One or more vias or guide channels 328 may be formed by insulator plate 304, bottom ring 320, and / or base plate 308 to accommodate respective lift pins 332 disposed to selectively raise or lower edge ring 324. For example, guide channel 328 functions as a pin alignment hole for each of lift pins 332. As shown in FIG. 3B, substrate support 300 may further include middle ring 336 disposed between bottom ring 320 and edge ring 324. In the stepped configuration, middle ring 336 overlaps ceramic layer 312 and is disposed to support the outer edge of substrate 316.

[0051] The lift pin 332 may comprise an erosion-resistant material (e.g., sapphire). The outer surface of the lift pin 332 may be smoothly polished to reduce friction between the lift pin 332 and the structural function of the bottom ring 320 and facilitate movement. In some examples, one or more ceramic sleeves 340 may be disposed in the channel 328 around the lift pin 332. Each of the lift pins 332 may include a rounded upper end 344 to minimize the contact area between the upper end 344 and the edge ring 324. The smooth outer surface, rounded upper end 344, guide channel 328, and / or ceramic sleeve 340 facilitate the raising and lowering of the edge ring 324 and prevent restraint of the lift pin 332 during movement.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3A, the bottom ring 320 includes a guide structure 348. In FIG. 3B, the middle ring 336 includes a guide structure 348. For example, the guide structure 348 corresponds to a raised annular rim 352 that extends upward from the bottom ring 320 / middle ring 336. In FIG. 3A, the guide channel 328 and the lift pin 332 extend through the guide structure 348 for engagement with the edge ring 324. Conversely, in FIG. 3B, the guide channel 328 and the lift pin 332 extend through the bottom ring 320 and engage the edge ring 324 without passing through the middle ring 336.

[0053] The edge ring 324 includes an annular bottom groove 356 arranged to receive the guide structure 348. For example, the profile (i.e., cross-section) shape of the edge ring 324 may generally correspond to a "U" shape configured to receive the guide structure 348, although other suitable shapes may be used. Further, the upper surface of the edge ring 324 is generally shown as horizontal (i.e., parallel to the upper surface of the substrate support 300), although in other examples the upper surface of the edge ring 324 may have a different profile. For example, the upper surface of the edge ring 324 may be inclined, deflected, or rounded. In some examples, the upper surface of the edge ring 324 is inclined such that the inner diameter thickness of the edge ring 324 is greater than the outer diameter thickness of the edge ring 324 to compensate for inner diameter erosion.

[0054] Accordingly, the bottom surface of the edge ring 324 is configured to complement the upper surface of the bottom ring 320 of FIG. 3A, or the respective surfaces of the bottom ring 320 and the middle ring 336 of FIG. 3B. Further, the interface 360 between the edge ring 324 and the bottom ring 320 / middle ring 336 is labyrinthine. In other words, the lower surface of the edge ring 324 and, correspondingly, the interface 360 do not provide a direct (e.g., line-of-sight) path between the edge ring 324 and the bottom ring 320 / middle ring 336 to the internal structure of the substrate support 300, but rather include a number of direction changes (e.g., 90-degree direction changes, steps up and down, alternating orthogonal paths of horizontal and vertical, etc.). Typically, the likelihood of plasma and process material leakage may be increased in a substrate support including a number of interface rings (e.g., both the top edge ring 324 and one or more of the middle ring 336 and the bottom ring 320). This likelihood may be further increased if the movable edge ring 324 is raised during processing. Accordingly, the interface 360 (and, in particular, the profile of the edge ring 324) is configured to prevent process materials, plasma, etc. from reaching the internal structure of the substrate support 300.

[0055] For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the interface 360 includes five directional changes for restricting access to the guide channel 328 and the pins 332, the ceramic layer 312, the back side and the edge of the substrate 316, etc. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 3B, the interface 360 includes seven directional changes in the first path 364 and five directional changes in the second path 368 for restricting access to the guide channel 328 and the pins 332, the ceramic layer 312, the back side and the edge of the substrate 316, the adhesive layer 372, the seal 376, etc. Accordingly, the interface 360 reduces the possibility of plasma leakage, lighting, erosion, etc. that affect the internal structure of the substrate support 300.

[0056] The profile (i.e., cross-section) shape of the edge ring 324 (as well as the interfaces of the bottom ring 320, the middle ring 336, etc.) is designed to facilitate manufacturing and reduce manufacturing costs. For example, the walls 380, 384 of the groove 356 and the guide structure 340 may be substantially vertical (as opposed to, for example, parabolic, trapezoidal, triangular, etc.) to facilitate manufacturing while preventing leakage of plasma and processing materials. By way of example only, substantially vertical may be defined as within 1° of the normal of the upper and / or lower surfaces of the edge ring 324, perpendicular to the upper and / or lower surfaces of the edge ring 324, parallel to the direction of movement of the edge ring 324, etc. Further, the vertical walls 380, 384 maintain the alignment of the edge ring 324 with respect to the guide structure 340 during movement of the edge ring 324. In contrast, if the profiles of the groove 356 and the guide structure 340 are parabolic, trapezoidal, triangular, etc., upward movement of the edge ring 324 causes a significant separation between the wall 380 and the wall 384.

[0057] The surfaces of the edge ring 324, bottom ring 320, and middle ring 336 within the interface 360 (and in particular within the groove 356) are relatively smooth and continuous, minimizing the friction between the edge ring 324 and the guide structure 340 during movement of the edge ring 324. To achieve the desired surface smoothness, for example, the respective surfaces of the edge ring 324, bottom ring 320, and middle ring 336 within the interface 360 may be additionally polished. In other examples, the surfaces of the edge ring 324, bottom ring 320, and middle ring 336 within the interface 360 may be coated with a material that further reduces friction. In yet other examples, the surfaces of the edge ring 324, bottom ring 320, and middle ring 336 (and in particular, the edge ring 324) within the interface 360 may be free of screw holes and / or similar assembly features. In this way, the generation of particles due to contact between the surfaces (such as during movement of the edge ring 324) may be minimized.

[0058] As described above, when the edge ring 324 is raised for tuning during processing, as explained in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the controller 228 is configured to limit the adjustable range of the edge ring 324 according to the height H of the guide structure 348. For example, the adjustable range may be limited to less than the height H of the guide structure 348. For example, if the guide structure 348 has a height H of about 0.24 inches (e.g., from 0.22 inches (6.10 mm) to 0.26 inches (6.60 mm)), the adjustable range of the edge ring 324 may be 0.25 inches (6.35 mm). In other words, from the groove 356 in the edge ring 324, without completely removing the guide structure 348, the edge ring 324 may be raised from a fully lowered position (e.g., 0.0 inches (0.0 mm)) to a fully raised position (e.g., 0.25 inches (6.35 mm)). Thus, even in the fully raised position, the edge ring 324 still overlaps at least a portion of the guide structure 348. Such a limitation of the range of the edge ring 324 maintains the labyrinthine interface 360 as described above and prevents lateral displacement of the edge ring 324. The depth of the groove 356 may be approximately equal to (e.g., within 5%) the height H of the guide structure 348. The depth of the groove 356 may be at least 50% of the thickness of the edge ring. By way of example only, the adjustable range of the edge ring 324 in FIG. 3A is from 0.15 inches (3.81 mm) to 0.25 inches (6.35 mm), and the adjustable range of the edge ring 324 in FIG. 3B is from 0.05 inches (1.3 mm) to 0.15 inches (3.81 mm). For example, the thickness (i.e., height) of the edge ring 324 may be between about 0.50 inches (12.7 mm) (e.g., from 0.45 inches (11.4 mm) to 0.55 inches (14.0 mm)) and about 0.6 inches (15.2 mm) (e.g., from 0.58 inches (14.7 mm) to 0.620 inches (15.75 mm)), and the depth of the groove 356 may be about 0.30 inches (7.62 mm) (e.g., from 0.29 inches (7.37 mm) to 0.31 inches (7.87 mm)).

[0059] For example, the "thickness" of the edge ring 324 as used herein may refer to the thickness of the edge ring 324 at the inner diameter of the edge ring 324 (e.g., the thickness / height of the edge ring 324 at the inner wall 388). In some examples, the thickness of the edge ring 324 may not be uniform across the top surface of the edge ring 324 (e.g., the top surface of the edge ring 324 may be inclined as described above such that the thickness at the inner wall 388 is greater than the thickness at the outer diameter of the edge ring 324). However, erosion due to plasma exposure may be increased at the inner wall 388 relative to the outer diameter of the edge ring 324, so the edge ring 324 may be formed such that the inner wall 388 has at least a predetermined thickness to compensate for the increased erosion at the inner wall 388. As a mere example, the inner wall 388 is substantially perpendicular to avoid contact with the substrate 316 during movement of the edge ring 324.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, another exemplary substrate support 400 is shown in more detail. The substrate support 400 includes an insulator ring or plate 404 and a base plate 408 disposed on the insulator plate 404. The base plate 408 supports a ceramic layer 412 configured to support a substrate 416 disposed thereon for processing. In FIG. 4A, the ceramic layer 412 has a non-step configuration. In FIGS. 4B and 4C, the ceramic layer 412 has a stepped configuration. The substrate support 400 includes a bottom ring 420 that supports an upper edge ring 424. In the stepped configuration, the edge ring 424 overlaps the ceramic layer 412. One or more vias or guide channels 428 may be formed through the insulator plate 404, the bottom ring 420, and / or the base plate 408 to accommodate respective lift pins 432 arranged to selectively raise and lower the edge ring 424. For example, the guide channel 428 functions as a respective pin alignment hole for the lift pins 432.

[0061] In the examples of FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the edge ring 424 is configured to support the outer edge of the substrate 416 disposed on the ceramic layer 412. For example, the inner diameter of the edge ring 424 includes a step 434 disposed to support the outer edge of the substrate 416. Thus, the edge ring 424 may be raised and lowered to facilitate removal and replacement of the edge ring 424, but cannot be raised and lowered during processing (i.e., the edge ring 424 is not adjustable). For example, the edge ring 424 may be raised using lift pins 432 (e.g., using the robot 170) for removal and replacement.

[0062] In an example, the inner corners 436 on the lower side of the edge ring 424 may be chamfered to facilitate alignment (i.e., centering) of the edge ring 424 on the substrate support 400. Conversely, the outer corners 444 at the top and / or the inner corners 448 at the bottom of the ceramic layer 412 may be chamfered complementarily to the corner 436. Thus, when the edge ring 424 is lowered onto the substrate support 400, the chamfered corner 436 interacts with the chamfered corner 444 / 448 to self-align the edge ring 424 on the substrate support 400.

[0063] The outer corner 456 at the top of the edge ring 424 may be chamfered to facilitate removal of the edge ring 424 from the processing chamber 102. For example, since the substrate support 400 is configured for in-situ removal of the edge ring 424 (i.e., without fully opening and venting the processing chamber 102), the edge ring 424 is configured to be removed via an airlock. Typically, the airlock is sized to accommodate a substrate of a given size (e.g., 300 mm). However, the edge ring 424 has a diameter significantly larger than that of the substrate 416, and a typical edge ring 424 may not fit through the airlock. Accordingly, the diameter of the edge ring 424 is reduced (e.g., as compared to the edge ring 324 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B). For example, the outer diameter of the edge ring 324 is equal to the outer diameter of the bottom ring 320. Conversely, the outer diameter of the edge ring 424 is significantly smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom ring 420. By way of mere example, the outer diameter of the edge ring 424 is about 13 inches (33.0 cm) or less (e.g., from 12.5 inches (31.8 cm) to 13 inches (33.0 cm)). Chamfering the outer corner 456 further facilitates movement of the edge ring 424 through the airlock.

[0064] As a mere example, the chamfer of the outer corner may have a height from 0.050 inches (1.27 mm) to 0.070 inches (1.78 mm), a width from 0.030 inches (0.76 mm) to 0.050 inches (1.27 mm), and an angle from 25 to 35 degrees. In some examples, the chamfer of the lower corner 436 may have a height of about 0.025 inches (6.35 mm) (e.g., from 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) to 0.040 inches (1.02 mm)), a width of about 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) (e.g., from 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.030 inches (0.76 mm)), and an angle of about 60 degrees (50 - 70 degrees). As a mere example, the thickness (i.e., height) of the edge ring 424 is about 0.275 inches (6.985 mm) (e.g., from 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) to 0.30 inches (7.62 mm)), but does not exceed it. For example, the thickness of the edge ring 424 will not exceed the height of the airlock of the processing chamber 102 in order to enable removal of the edge ring 424. As a mere example, the "thickness" of the edge ring 424 used herein may refer to the thickness (e.g., the thickness / height of the edge ring 424 at the inner wall 458) of the edge ring 424 at the inner diameter of the edge ring 424, as described above with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 4C, the bottom ring 420 includes a guide structure 460. For example, the guide structure 460 corresponds to a raised annular rim 464 that extends upward from the bottom ring 420. The guide channel 428 and the lift pins 432 extend through the bottom ring 420 and engage the edge ring 424. The edge ring 424 includes an annular bottom groove 468 that is arranged to receive the guide structure 460. For example, the profile of the edge ring 424 may generally correspond to a "U" shape configured to receive the guide structure 460.

[0066] Thus, similar to the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the bottom surface of the edge ring 424 in FIG. 4C is configured to be complementary to the respective upper surfaces of the bottom ring 420 and the ceramic layer 412 to form a labyrinthine interface 472. In other words, the interface 472 does not provide a direct path between the edge ring 424 and the bottom ring 420 to the internal structure of the substrate support 400, but rather includes a number of direction changes (e.g., 90-degree direction changes). In some examples, a portion of the guide structure 460, the edge ring 424, the bottom ring 420, and / or the ceramic layer 412 within the interface 360 may be chamfered to facilitate alignment (i.e., centering) of the edge ring 424 on the substrate support 400. For example, the inner corner 476 at the lower portion of the inner diameter of the edge ring 424, the corresponding lower inner corner 480 and / or the upper outer corner 484 of the ceramic layer 412 are chamfered. In other examples, the mechanical alignment of the guide structure 460 within the groove 468 is centered on the edge ring 324. In some examples, the chamfer of the lower corner 476 may have a height of about 0.025 inches (6.35 mm) (e.g., from 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) to 0.040 inches (1.02 mm)), a width of about 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) (e.g., from 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.030 inches (0.76 mm)), and an angle of about 60° (e.g., 50 - 60°).

[0067] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, another exemplary substrate support 500 is shown in more detail. The substrate support 500 includes an insulator ring or plate 504 and a base plate 508 disposed on the insulator plate 504. The base plate 508 supports a ceramic layer 512 configured to support a substrate 516 disposed thereon for processing. In FIG. 5A, the ceramic layer 512 has a non-step configuration. In FIG. 5B, the ceramic layer 512 has a stepped configuration. The substrate support 500 includes a bottom ring 520 that supports an upper edge ring 524 (as shown in FIG. 5A) or an upper edge ring 526 (as shown in FIG. 5B). One or more vias or guide channels 528 may be formed through the insulator plate 504, the bottom ring 520, and / or the base plate 508 to accommodate respective lift pins 532 arranged to selectively raise and lower the edge rings 524 / 526. For example, the guide channels 528 function as respective pin alignment holes for the lift pins 532. As shown in FIG. 5B, the substrate support 500 may further include a middle ring 536 disposed between the bottom ring 520 and the edge ring 526. In the stepped configuration, the middle ring 536 overlaps the ceramic layer 512 and is arranged to support the outer edge of the substrate 516.

[0068] The examples of FIGS. 5A and 5B combine the functions of both the adjustable edge ring 324 of FIGS. 3A and 3B and the removable / replaceable edge ring of FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C. For example, even in the stepped configuration of FIG. 5B, the edge ring 526 does not extend under and does not support the substrate 516. Thus, the edge rings 524 / 526 may be raised and lowered during processing. By way of mere example, the adjustable range of the edge ring 524 in FIG. 5A is from 0.05 inches (1.3 mm) to 0.15 inches (3.81 mm), and the adjustable range of the edge ring 526 in FIG. 5B is from 0.02 inches (0.51 mm) to 0.05 inches (1.3 mm). Further, the outer diameter of the edge rings 524 / 526 is reduced as described with respect to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C to facilitate movement of the edge rings 524 / 526 through the airlock. Thus, the edge rings 524 / 526 may be removed and replaced in place as described above.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5A, the bottom ring 520 includes a guide structure 540. In FIG. 5B, the middle ring 536 includes a guide structure 540. For example, the guide structure 540 corresponds to a raised annular rim 544 that extends upwardly from the bottom ring 520 / middle ring 536. In each of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the guide channels 528 and lift pins 532 extend through the bottom ring 520 and engage the edge rings 524 / 526. For example, the edge rings 524 / 526 include an annular bottom groove 548 that is arranged to receive the guide structure 540. For example, the profile of the edge rings 524 / 526 may generally correspond to a "U" shape configured to receive the guide structure 540.

[0070] Thus, similar to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4C, the bottom surface of the edge rings 524 / 526 is configured to be complementary to the respective upper surfaces of the bottom ring 520 and the middle ring 536, forming a labyrinthine interface 552. In other words, the interface 552 does not provide a direct path between the edge rings 524 / 526 and the bottom ring 520 to the internal structure of the substrate support 500, but rather includes a number of direction changes (e.g., 90-degree direction changes). In some examples, a portion of the guide structure 540, edge rings 524 / 526, bottom ring 520, and / or middle ring 536 within the interface 552 may be chamfered to facilitate alignment (i.e., centering) of the edge rings 524 / 526 on the substrate support 500. For example, in FIG. 5A, the corners 556, 558 of the edge ring 524 and the complementary corners 560 of the guide structures 540, 562 of the bottom ring 520 are chamfered. Conversely, in FIG. 5B, only the corner 556 of the edge ring 526 and the corner 560 of the bottom ring 520 are chamfered. The outer upper corner 564 of the edge ring 524 may be chamfered to facilitate removal of the edge ring 524 from the processing chamber 102, as described above with respect to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C.

[0071] As a mere example, the chamfers of the lower corners 556, 558 may have a height and width from about 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.030 inches (0.76 mm), and an angle of about 25 to 35 degrees. For example, the thickness (i.e., height) of the edge rings 524 / 526 is about 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) or less (e.g., from 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) to 0.26 inches (6.60 mm)), and the depth of the groove 548 may be from 0.200 inches (5.08 mm) to 0.220 inches (6.096 mm). The difference between the thickness of the edge rings 524 / 526 and the depth of the groove 548 may be 0.075 inches (1.91 mm) or more. For example, the thickness of the edge rings 524 / 526 does not exceed the height of the airlock of the processing chamber 102 to enable removal of the edge rings 524 / 526. However, to optimize the adjustability of the edge rings 524 / 526, the thickness of the edge rings 524 / 526 may be maximized without exceeding the height of the airlock. In other words, as the edge rings 524 / 526 are eroded over time, the amount by which the edge rings 524 / 526 may be raised without the need for replacement increases proportionally to the thickness of the edge rings 524 / 526. As a mere example, the "thickness" of the edge rings 524 / 526 as used herein may refer to the thickness of the edge rings 524 / 526 at the inner diameter of the edge rings 524 / 526 (e.g., the thickness / height of the edge rings 524 / 526 at the inner wall 568), as described above with respect to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, and 4C.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, an exemplary bottom ring 600 (corresponding to, for example, any of bottom rings 320, 420, or 520) may implement a clocking function to facilitate alignment with the insulator ring 604 of the bottom ring 600. The bottom ring 600 includes a plurality of guide channels 608 arranged to receive respective lift pins 612 that extend through the insulator ring 604. The bottom ring 600 further includes one or more clocking features such as a notch 616. The notch 616 is configured to receive a complementary structure such as a protrusion 620 that extends upward from the insulator ring 604. Thus, the bottom ring 600 may be positioned such that the notch 616 aligns with and receives the protrusion 620 so that the guide channels 608 are securely aligned with respective ones of the lift pins 612.

[0073] Referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, a substrate support 700 includes exemplary bottom rings 704, 708, 712 configured to support a top movable edge ring in a non-stepped configuration in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the bottom ring 704 is configured to support the edge ring 324 of FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 7B, the bottom ring 708 is configured to support the edge ring 424 of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 7C, the bottom ring 712 is configured to support the edge ring 524 of FIG. 5A. The respective upper surfaces of the bottom rings 704, 708, 712 are stepped. In other words, each of the respective upper surfaces has at least two different heights.

[0074] The substrate support 700 includes an insulator ring or plate 716 and a base plate 720 (such as an ESC) disposed on the insulator plate 716. The base plate 720 supports a ceramic layer 724 configured to support the upper substrate for processing. One or more vias or guide channels 728 may be formed through the insulator plate 716 and the bottom rings 704, 708, 712 to accommodate lift pins 732 arranged to selectively raise and lower each edge ring. For example, the guide channel 728 functions as a pin alignment hole for each of the lift pins 732. The gap between the lift pin 732 and the inner surface of the guide channel 728 is minimized to reduce plasma leakage. In other words, the diameter of the guide channel 728 is only slightly larger (e.g., 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) larger) than the diameter of the lift pin 732. For example, the lift pin 732 may have a diameter of 0.057 inches (1.45 mm) to 0.061 inches (1.55 mm), and the guide channel 728 may have a diameter of 0.063 inches (1.60 mm) to 0.067 inches (1.70 mm). In some examples, the guide channel 728 includes a narrow region 734 having a diameter smaller than other portions of the guide channel 728 to further limit plasma leakage. For example, the narrow region 734 may have a diameter 0.002 to 0.004 inches (0.051 to 0.102 mm) smaller than the diameter of the guide channel 728. Similarly, in some examples, the lift pin 732 may include a narrow region located within the narrow region 734 of the guide channel 728.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 7A, the bottom ring 704 includes a guide structure 736. For example, the guide structure 736 corresponds to a raised annular rim 740 that extends upward from the bottom ring 704. The rim 740 and the inner annular rim 742 define a groove 744. The guide channel 728 and the lift pin 732 extend through the guide structure 736. The upper surface of the bottom ring 704 is configured to be complementary to the bottom surface of the edge ring 324 and forms a labyrinthine interface that includes a plurality of changes in direction as described above. The width of each of the groove 744 and the rim 740 is selected to minimize the gap between the respective vertical surfaces of the groove 744 and the rim 740 and the complementary vertical surfaces at the bottom of the edge ring 324. For example, the gap may be less than 0.02 inches (0.51 mm).

[0076] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 7C, the bottom ring 712 includes a guide structure 746. For example, the guide structure 746 corresponds to a raised annular rim 748 that extends upward from the bottom ring 712. The rim 748 and the inner annular rim 750 define a first groove 752, and the rim 748 and the outer annular rim 754 define a second groove 756. The guide channel 728 and the lift pin 732 extend through the bottom ring 712. The upper surface of the bottom ring 712 is configured to be complementary to the bottom surface of the edge ring 524 to form a labyrinthine interface that includes a plurality of changes in direction as described above. The height of the rim 748 is greater than the height of the inner annular rim 750 to facilitate engagement of the rim 748 with the edge ring 524 prior to contact between the inner annular rim 750 and the edge ring 524.

[0077] In some examples, a portion of the guide structure 746 and / or the bottom ring 712 may be chamfered to facilitate alignment (i.e., centering) of the edge ring 524 on the substrate support 700. For example, the corners 760, 764 of the guide structure 746 and the corner 768 of the bottom ring 712 are chamfered. In some examples, the chamfer of the corner 760 may have a height and width of at least about 0.008 inches (0.20 mm) (e.g., from 0.007 inches (0.18 mm) to 0.011 inches (0.279 mm)) and an angle of 15 - 25°. The chamfer of the corner 764 may have a height and width of at least about 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) (e.g., from 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) to 0.02 inches (0.51 mm)) and an angle of 20 - 35°. The chamfer of the corner 768 may have a height and width of at least about 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) (e.g., from 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) to 0.030 inches (0.76 mm)) and an angle of 20 - 35°.

[0078] The inner diameter of the bottom rings 704, 708, 712 may be at least 11.5 inches (29.21 cm) (e.g., between 11.5 inches (29.21 cm) and 11.7 inches (29.72 cm)). The outer diameter of the bottom rings 704, 708, 712 may be 14 inches (35.6 cm) or less (e.g., between 13.8 inches (35.05 cm) and 14.1 inches (35.81 cm)). The stepped inner diameter of the bottom rings 708, 712 at 772 is selected to accommodate the outer diameter of the edge ring 424 or 524. For example, the outer diameter of the edge ring 424 or 524 may be about 12.8 inches (32.51 cm) (e.g., + / - 0.10 inches (2.54 mm)). Thus, the inner diameter of the bottom rings 708, 712 at 772 may be at least 13.0 inches (33.02 cm).

[0079] Referring to FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the substrate support 800 includes exemplary bottom rings 804, 808, 812 configured to support a stepped top movable edge ring according to the principles of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, bottom ring 804 is configured to support edge ring 324 of FIG. 3B. As shown in FIG. 8B, bottom ring 808 is configured to support edge ring 424 of FIG. 4C. As shown in FIG. 8C, bottom ring 812 is configured to support edge ring 526 of FIG. 5B. Bottom rings 804, 812 may further be configured to support middle ring 336 of FIG. 3B and middle ring 536 of FIG. 5B, respectively. The respective upper surfaces of bottom rings 804, 808, 812 are stepped. In other words, each of the respective upper surfaces has at least two different heights.

[0080] The substrate support 800 includes an insulator ring or plate 816 and a base plate 820 (e.g., of an ESC) disposed on the insulator plate 816. The base plate 820 supports a ceramic layer 824 configured to support the upper substrate for processing. An adhesive layer 828 may be disposed between the base plate 820 and the ceramic layer 824, and a seal 832 surrounds the adhesive layer 828. One or more vias or guide channels 836 may be formed through the insulator plate 816 and bottom rings 804, 808, 812 to accommodate lift pins 840 arranged to selectively raise and lower each edge ring. For example, the guide channel 836 functions as a respective pin alignment hole for the lift pin 840. The gap between the lift pin 840 and the inner surface of the guide channel 836 is minimized to reduce plasma leakage. In other words, the diameter of the guide channel 836 is only slightly larger (e.g., 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) larger) than the diameter of the lift pin 840. For example, the lift pin 840 may have a diameter of 0.1 inches (2.5 mm), while the guide channel 836 has a diameter of 0.105 inches (2.667 mm). In some examples, the guide channel 836 includes a narrow region 842 having a diameter smaller than the other portions of the guide channel 836 to further limit plasma leakage. For example, the narrow region 842 may have a diameter 0.002 to 0.004 inches (0.051 to 0.10 mm) smaller than the diameter of the guide channel 836. In some examples, one or more ceramic sleeves 844 may be disposed in the channel 836 around the lift pin 840.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 8B, the bottom ring 808 includes a guide structure 846. For example, the guide structure 846 corresponds to a raised annular rim 848 that extends upward from the bottom ring 808. The rim 848 and the outer annular rim 850 define a groove 852. The upper surface of the bottom ring 808 is configured to be complementary to the bottom surface of the edge ring 424 in order to form a labyrinthine interface that includes a plurality of directional changes as described above. The respective widths of the groove 852 and the rim 848 are selected to minimize the gap between the respective vertical surfaces of the groove 852 and the rim 848 and the complementary vertical surfaces at the bottom of the edge ring 424. For example, the gap may be less than 0.010 inches (0.254 mm). Conversely, in FIGS. 8A and 8C, the bottom rings 804, 812 are configured to support the middle rings 336, 536 having their respective guide structures 348, 540. Accordingly, the upper surfaces of the bottom rings 804, 812 are combined with the upper surfaces of the middle rings 336, 536 to be complementary to the bottom surfaces of the edge rings 324, 526 in order to form a labyrinthine interface that includes a plurality of directional changes as described above.

[0082] In an example where the guide channel 836 includes the ceramic sleeve 844 (for example, an example where the guide channel 836 is routed through the base plate 820), the bottom rings 804, 808, 812 may be configured to accommodate the ceramic sleeve 844. For example, the bottom rings 804, 808, 812 may include a clearance feature such as a cavity or notch 856 having a diameter larger than the guide channel 836 to accommodate the upper end of the ceramic sleeve 844. In some examples, the bottom rings 804, 808, 812 may be installed following the lift pins 840. Accordingly, each opening in the bottom rings 804, 808, 812 may include a chamfered edge 860 to facilitate the installation of the bottom rings 804, 808, 812 above the lift pins 840. For example, the chamfer of the edge 860 may have a height and width from 0.020 inches (0.508 mm) to 0.035 inches (0.889 mm) and an angle of 40 - 50°.

[0083] As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, the stepped inner diameters of the bottom rings 808, 812 at 862 are selected to accommodate the outer diameters of the edge rings 424 in FIG. 4C and the edge ring 526 in FIG. 5B. For example, the outer diameters of the edge rings 424, 526 may be about 12.8 inches (32.51 cm) (e.g., + / - 0.10 inches (2.54 mm)). Thus, the inner diameters of the bottom rings 808, 812 at 862 may be at least 13.0 inches (33.02 cm). Thus, a gap between the bottom rings 808, 812 and the outer diameters of the edge rings 424, 526 can be minimized while still preventing contact between the vertical planes of the bottom rings 808, 812 and the edge rings 424, 526.

[0084] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 8B, the bottom ring 808 may include a first outer diameter at 864 and a second outer diameter at 868. The second outer diameter 868 is larger than the first outer diameter at 864. For example, the substrate support 800 may include a liner 872 that protects the outer portions such as the insulator plate 816, the base plate 820, and the bottom ring 808. However, the liner 872 may not protect the upper portion of the bottom ring 808 that is exposed to the plasma, and increased erosion of the bottom ring 808 may occur in the region adjacent to the upper edge 876 of the base plate 820 (as indicated by the dashed arrow 880). Thus, the bottom ring 808 includes additional material at the second outer diameter 868 to compensate for the increased erosion.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary middle ring 900 is shown. The middle ring 900 may be provided in a configuration where the top edge ring is supported by the upper surfaces of two different components of the substrate support in another way. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 5B (corresponding to FIGS. 8A and 8C respectively), the top edge ring overlaps both the respective ceramic layer and the respective bottom ring. Thus, the middle ring 900 is arranged to support a part of the top edge ring that would otherwise be supported by the ceramic layer. As shown, the middle ring 900 is "U"-shaped.

[0086] The middle ring 900 includes an inner annular rim 904 and an outer annular rim 908 that define a groove 912. The groove 912 is configured to receive the respective top edge ring (e.g., edge ring 324 or 526). Conversely, the outer annular rim 908 functions as a guide structure for centering the top edge ring 324 or 526 during replacement, as described above with respect to FIGS. 3B and 5B. In some examples, the corners 916, 920 are chamfered to facilitate engagement with the top edge ring. For example, the chamfer of corner 916 may have a height and width of at least about 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) (e.g., from 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.015 inches (0.381 mm)) and an angle of about 20° (e.g., 15 - 25°). The chamfer of corner 920 may have a height and width of at least about 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) (e.g., from 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) to 0.020 inches (0.508 mm)) and an angle of about 30° (e.g., 25 - 35°). The width of the outer annular rim 908 is selected to minimize the gap between the respective vertical surfaces of the rim 908 and the complementary vertical surfaces at the bottom of the edge ring 324 or 526. For example, the gap may be less than 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) to limit plasma leakage.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, two cross-sectional views of the substrate support 1000 show a bottom ring 1004 configured to support a top movable edge ring in a stepped configuration in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. For example, the bottom ring 1004 is configured to support an edge ring (e.g., 526) in a configuration similar to that shown in FIGS. 5B and 8C. The bottom ring 1004 may further be configured to support a middle ring in a configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 5B.

[0088] The substrate support 1000 includes an insulator ring or plate 1008 and a base plate 1012 (e.g., of an ESC) disposed on the insulator plate 1008. The base plate 1012 supports a ceramic layer 1016 configured to support an upper substrate for processing. An adhesive layer 1020 may be disposed between the base plate 1012 and the ceramic layer 1016, and a seal 1024 surrounds the adhesive layer 1020. As shown in FIG. 10A, one or more vias or guide channels 1028 may be formed through the insulator plate 1008, the base plate 1012, and the bottom ring 1004 to accommodate lift pins 1032 disposed to selectively raise and lower an edge ring. For example, the guide channels 1028 function as respective pin alignment holes for the lift pins 1032. The gap between the lift pins 1032 and the inner surface of the guide channels 1028 is minimized to reduce plasma leakage. In other words, the diameter of the guide channels 1028 is only slightly larger (e.g., 0.005 inches (0.13 mm) to 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) larger) than the diameter of the lift pins 1032. For example, the lift pins 1032 may have a diameter of 0.1 inches (2.5 mm), and the guide channels 1028 may have a diameter of 0.105 inches (2.667 mm). In some examples, the guide channels 1028 include a narrow region 1036 having a diameter smaller than other portions of the guide channels 1028 to further limit plasma leakage. For example, the narrow region 1036 may have a diameter 0.002 to 0.004 inches (0.051 to 0.102 mm) smaller than the diameter of the guide channels 1028. In some examples, one or more ceramic sleeves 1040 may be disposed in the channels 1028 around the lift pins 1032.

[0089] The substrate support 1000 may include a liner 1044 disposed to surround and protect components of the substrate support 1000, such as an insulator plate 1008, a base plate 1012, and a bottom ring 1004. The bottom ring 1004, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, includes an annular lip 1048 that extends radially outward from the bottom ring 1004 on the liner 1044. The lip 1048 facilitates the attachment and removal of the bottom ring 1004 when the liner 1044 is present.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 10B, the base plate 1012 may be coupled to the insulator plate 1008 using bolts 1052 inserted through respective bolt attachment holes 1056. A ceramic plug 1060 is disposed above the bolt 1052 to prevent plasma leakage within the bolt attachment holes 1056 and between the bottom ring 1004 and the base plate 1012. The bottom ring 1004 shown in FIG. 10B includes a clearance feature, such as a cavity or notch 1064, to accommodate the ceramic plug 1060.

[0091] The foregoing description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or its use. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented in a variety of forms. Accordingly, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited because other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be executed in a different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the disclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments has been described above as having particular features, one or more of these features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented and / or combined with any of the features of the other embodiments, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more of the embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure.

[0092] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms including "connected", "engaged", "coupled", "adjacent", "next", "at the beginning of", "upper", "lower", and "disposed". Unless explicitly stated to be "direct", when the above disclosure describes the relationship between a first element and a second element, this relationship may be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements exist between the first element and the second element, but may also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements exist (spatially or functionally) between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted to mean a logical (A OR B OR C) using non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

[0093] In some implementations, the controller is part of a system, which may be part of the above examples. Such a system may comprise semiconductor processing equipment including one or more processing tools, one or more chambers, one or more platforms for processing, and / or specific processing components (wafer pedestals, gas flow systems, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling operations before, during, and after the processing of a semiconductor wafer or substrate. The electronics may be referred to as a "controller" and may control various components or sub-parts of one or more systems. The controller may be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, depending on the processing requirements and / or the type of system, including the supply of processing gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and / or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid supply settings, position and motion settings, transfer of wafers to and from tools and other transfer tools, and / or load locks connected or in contact with a particular system.

[0094] Generally, a controller may be defined as an electronic device having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and / or software, such as receiving instructions, issuing instructions, controlling operations, enabling cleaning operations, enabling endpoint measurements, etc. The integrated circuit may be defined as a chip in the form of firmware storing program instructions, a digital signal processor (DSP), a chip defined as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and / or one or more microprocessors, or a microprocessor that executes program instructions (e.g., software). The program instructions may be instructions communicated to the controller in the form of various individual settings (or program files) that define operating parameters for a semiconductor wafer or for a semiconductor wafer and / or for performing specific processing on a system. In some embodiments, the operating parameters may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to achieve one or more processing steps during the manufacture of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and / or dies of a wafer.

[0095] In some implementations, the controller may be part of a computer that is integrated with, coupled to, or otherwise networked to the system, or may be coupled to such a computer. For example, the controller may be all or part of a "cloud" or factory host computer system, thereby enabling remote access to wafer processing. The computer may change current processing parameters, set processing steps to follow current processing, or enable remote access to the system to start new processing, monitor the current progress of manufacturing operations, examine the history of past manufacturing operations, and examine trends or performance metrics from multiple manufacturing operations. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g., a server) may provide a processing recipe to the system via a network that may include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer may then include a user interface that enables input or programming of parameters and / or settings that are communicated from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data. The instructions specify the parameters of each of the processing steps to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of processing to be performed and the type of tool that the controller is configured to interface with or control. Thus, as described above, the controller may be distributed, such as by being networked together and including one or more separate controllers that operate towards a common purpose, such as the processing and control described herein. An example of a distributed controller for such a purpose may be one or more integrated circuits on a chamber that communicate with one or more integrated circuits arranged remotely (such as at the platform level or as part of a remote computer) and that are combined to control processing in the chamber.

[0096] Without limitation, exemplary systems may include a plasma etching chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a clean chamber or module, a bevel edge etching chamber or module, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber or module, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or module, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an atomic layer etching (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing system that may be associated with or used in the manufacture and / or fabrication of semiconductor wafers.

[0097] As described above, depending on the processing steps to be performed by the tool, the controller may communicate with one or more of other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools located throughout the factory, the main computer, another controller, or the tools used in the material transport for exchanging wafer containers between tool locations and / or load ports within a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

[0098] The foregoing description is essentially exemplary only and is never intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or its use. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented in a variety of forms. Accordingly, while this disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited because other modifications will become apparent upon review of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be performed in a different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the disclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments has been described above as having particular features, any one or more of these features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented and / or combined with any of the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more of the embodiments remain within the scope of the disclosure.

[0099] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "next," "leading," "upper," "lower," and "disposed." Unless explicitly stated to be "direct," when the relationship between a first element and a second element is described in the above disclosure, this relationship may be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements exist between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements exist (spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C) using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0100] In some implementations, the controller is part of the system, which may be part of the above example. Such a system may comprise semiconductor processing equipment including one or more processing tools, one or more chambers, one or more platforms for processing, and / or specific processing components (such as wafer pedestals, gas flow systems, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling the operation of the semiconductor wafer or substrate before, during, and after processing. The electronics may be referred to as a “controller” and may control various components or sub-parts of one or more systems. The controller may, depending on the processing requirements and / or the type of system, supply process gases, set temperatures (e.g., heating and / or cooling), set pressures, set vacuums, set power, set radio frequency (RF) generator settings, set RF matching circuit settings, set frequencies, set flow rates, set fluid supply settings, set position and motion settings, transfer wafers to and from tools and other transfer tools, and / or control any of the processes disclosed herein, including load locks that connect to or interface with a particular system, by being programmed accordingly.

[0101] Generally, a controller may be defined as an electronic device having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and / or software that receives instructions, issues instructions, controls operations, enables cleaning operations, enables endpoint measurements, etc. The integrated circuits may include a chip in the form of firmware storing program instructions, a digital signal processor (DSP), a chip defined as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and / or one or more microprocessors, or a microcontroller that executes program instructions (e.g., software). The program instructions may be instructions communicated to the controller in the form of various individual settings (or program files) that define operating parameters for a semiconductor wafer or for a semiconductor wafer and for performing specific processing on the system. In some embodiments, the operating parameters may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to achieve one or more processing steps during the manufacture of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and / or dies of a wafer.

[0102] In some implementations, the controller may be part of a computer that is integrated with, coupled to, or otherwise networked to the system, or may be coupled to such a computer. For example, the controller may be all or part of a “cloud” or factory host computer system, thereby enabling remote access to wafer processing. The computer may change current processing parameters, set processing steps to follow current processing, or enable remote access to the system to start new processing, monitor the current progress of manufacturing operations, examine the history of past manufacturing operations, and examine trends or performance metrics from multiple manufacturing operations. In some examples, a remote computer (e.g., a server) may provide a processing recipe to the system via a network that may include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer may then include a user interface that enables input or programming of parameters and / or settings that are communicated from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data. The instructions specify the parameters of each of the processing steps to be executed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of processing to be executed and the type of tool that the controller is configured to interface with or control. Thus, as described above, the controller may be distributed, such as by being networked together and including one or more separate controllers that operate towards a common purpose such as the processing and control described herein. An example of a distributed controller for such a purpose may be one or more integrated circuits on a chamber that communicate with one or more integrated circuits disposed remotely (such as at the platform level or as part of a remote computer) that are combined to control processing in the chamber.

[0103] Without limitation, exemplary systems may include a plasma etching chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a clean chamber or module, a bevel edge etching chamber or module, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber or module, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or module, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an atomic layer etching (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing system that may be associated with or used in the manufacture and / or fabrication of semiconductor wafers.

[0104] As described above, depending on the processing steps to be performed by the tool, the controller may communicate with one or more of other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools located throughout the factory, the main computer, another controller, or the tools used in the material transport for exchanging the wafer container between the location of the tool and / or the load port within the semiconductor manufacturing factory.

Claims

1. A bottom ring configured to support a movable edge ring, wherein the edge ring is configured to move up and down with respect to a substrate support, and the bottom ring has an upper surface, which is stepped, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, and a plurality of vertical guide channels provided from the lower surface to the upper surface of the bottom ring through the bottom ring, each of the guide channels including a first region having a diameter smaller than that of the guide channel, and the guide channels being configured to receive respective lift pins for raising and lowering the edge ring.

2. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the guide channel is between 1.60 mm (0.063 inch) and 1.70 mm (0.067 inch).

3. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein each of the guide channels includes a cavity in the lower surface of the bottom ring, and the cavity has a diameter larger than that of the guide channel.

4. The bottom ring according to claim 3, wherein a transition portion between the guide channel and the cavity is chamfered.

5. The bottom ring according to claim 4, wherein the chamfered transition portion has a height and width between 0.508 mm (0.020 inch) and 0.889 mm (0.035 inch) and an angle between 40° and 50°.

6. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the step on the upper surface is at least 33.02 cm (13.0 inches).

7. The bottom ring according to claim 1, further comprising a guide structure extending upward from the upper surface of the bottom ring.

8. The bottom ring according to claim 7, wherein the guide channel passes through the guide structure.

9. The bottom ring according to claim 8, wherein the guide structure includes the first region of the guide channel.

10. The bottom ring according to claim 7, wherein the upper surface includes an inner annular rim, and the guide structure and the inner annular rim define a groove, the bottom ring.

11. The bottom ring according to claim 10, wherein the height of the guide structure is greater than the height of the inner annular rim, the bottom ring.

12. The bottom ring according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first upper corner and the second upper corner of the guide structure is chamfered, the bottom ring.

13. The bottom ring according to claim 7, wherein the upper surface includes an inner annular rim and an outer annular rim, the guide structure and the inner annular rim define a first groove, and the guide structure and the outer annular rim define a second groove, the bottom ring.

14. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface includes at least two changes in direction, the bottom ring.

15. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface includes at least five changes in direction, the bottom ring.

16. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface includes at least five alternating vertical and horizontal paths, the bottom ring.

17. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the bottom ring has a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, the bottom ring.

18. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the bottom ring includes an annular lip extending radially outward from the outer diameter of the bottom ring, the bottom ring.

19. The bottom ring according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface includes a plurality of cavities configured to align with the bolt holes of the base plate of the substrate support, the bottom ring.

20. A middle ring disposed on the bottom ring and configured to support a movable edge ring, wherein the edge ring is configured to be raised and lowered relative to a substrate support, and the middle ring includes an upper surface, wherein the upper surface is stepped, the upper surface and an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, a guide structure defining the annular outer diameter, an inner annular rim defining the annular inner diameter, and a groove defined between the guide structure and the inner annular rim, the middle ring.

21. The middle ring according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first upper corner and the second upper corner of the guide structure is chamfered.

22. The middle ring according to claim 20, wherein the middle ring is in a "U" shape.

23. The middle ring according to claim 20, wherein the upper surface includes changes in at least four directions.

24. The middle ring according to claim 20, wherein the upper surface includes at least five alternating vertical and horizontal planes.

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