Lift pin actuators, actuator arrangements, and semiconductor processing systems having lift pin actuators, and methods of making lift pin actuators and actuator arrangements

Abstract

To provide improved lift pin actuators, actuator arrangements semiconductor processing systems including the lift pin actuators, and methods of making lift pin actuators and actuator arrangements.SOLUTION: A lift pin actuator 200 includes an actuator body 204 having a hub portion 208, a first arm portion 210 and second arm portion 212, and a pad portion 214. The actuator body is arranged along a rotation axis 174, the hub portion extends about the rotation axis, and the arm portions extend outward from the hub portion in a direction opposite the rotation axis and parallelly to one another. The pad portion is radially separated from the hub portion by the arm portions, couples the first arm portion to the second arm portion, and has an engagement surface 230 orthogonal to the rotation axis and coplanar with the arm portions to drive a lift pin above the engagement surface along the rotation axis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 641,312, filed May 1, 2024, entitled LIFT PIN ACTUATORS, ACTUATOR ARRANGEMENTS AND SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING SYSTEMS HAVING LIFT PIN ACTUATORS, AND METHDOS OF MAKING LIFT PIN ACTUATORS AND ACTUATOR ARRANGEMENTS, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to material handling, and more particularly to handling of substrates such as semiconductor processing systems employed to deposit layers of material onto and / or remove material from substrates. [Background technology]

[0003] Mechanical systems commonly employ actuators, such as mechanical actuators, to displace and / or move actuated components of the mechanical system. Mechanical actuators generally perform movement by converting one type of motion, such as rotational motion, into another type of motion, such as linear motion. The operation of such mechanical actuators is typically based on the characteristics of the components incorporated within the mechanical system to achieve the actuation. The characteristics of the components included within the mechanical system may be selected based on various requirements of the actuated components, such as the materials forming the various components of the mechanical system, as well as the mechanical tolerances and tolerance stackup of the components within the mechanical system. In some mechanical systems, the mechanical tolerances and / or tolerance stackup may require that the actuator components be larger than would otherwise be desirable within the actuator assembly.

[0004] Such systems and methods have generally been accepted for their intended purposes. However, there remains a need for improved lift pin actuators, actuator arrangements semiconductor processing systems including lift pin actuators, and methods of making lift pin actuators and actuator arrangements. The present disclosure provides a solution to this need. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A lift-pin actuator is provided that includes an actuator body disposed along a rotational axis and having a hub portion extending about the rotational axis, first and second arm portions extending outward from the hub portion and in a direction opposite to the rotational axis, the second arm portion being parallel to the first arm portion, and a pad portion radially separated from the hub portion by the first and second arm portions, the pad portion connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion, the pad portion having an engagement surface that is perpendicular to the rotational axis and coplanar with the first and second arm portions of the actuator body, and that drives a lift pin along the rotational axis above the engagement surface of the pad portion of the actuator body.

[0006] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift pin actuator may include that the pad portion is one of three pad portions distributed circumferentially about a hub portion of the actuator body.

[0007] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift pin actuator may include the first arm portion and the second arm portion forming a first arm pair of an actuator body, and the actuator body having three arm pairs distributed circumferentially about a hub portion of the actuator body.

[0008] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift pin actuator may include that the actuator body is formed from a ceramic material, and that the actuator body is monolithically formed from a single ceramic workpiece using subtractive manufacturing techniques.

[0009] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include a hub portion of the actuator having an upper surface defining an upper opening therein, a lower surface defining a mounting opening therein, and an inner surface connecting the upper opening to the mounting opening.

[0010] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include an inner surface of the hub portion defining a plurality of planes distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation.

[0011] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include the plurality of planar surfaces being angled relative to at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface at a planar surface angle of between about 5 degrees and about 45 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 30 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees, or even between about 5 degrees and about 10 degrees.

[0012] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include an inner surface of the hub portion defining a plurality of arcuate surfaces distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation, the plurality of arcuate surfaces being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0013] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include one or more of the plurality of planar surfaces bounded by an arcuate periphery having a base proximate the lower surface of the hub portion and an open end proximate the upper opening of the hub portion, wherein one or more of the plurality of planar surfaces defining a relief channel therein extends from the open end to a location intermediate the open end and the base of the arcuate periphery.

[0014] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the above-mentioned features, further embodiments of the lift-pin actuator may include a hub portion of the actuator body having an annular segment and a plurality of merlon segments. The plurality of merlon segments may extend axially from the annular segment of the actuator body. The plurality of merlon segments may axially separate the first arm portion and the second arm portion from the annular segment of the hub portion of the actuator body.

[0015] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the features described above, the actuator body may be formed from (e.g., consist of, or consist essentially of) a ceramic material, which may be fused silica, quartz, or sapphire.

[0016] An actuator arrangement is provided that includes an actuator tube member disposed along a rotational axis and a lift pin actuator as described above mounted on the actuator tube member. The actuator tube member has an outer surface defining a plurality of planar facets distributed circumferentially about the rotational axis. The lift pin actuator has an inner surface having a plurality of flat surfaces distributed circumferentially about the rotational axis. Each of the plurality of flat surfaces defined by the inner surface of the actuator member abuts one of the plurality of planar facets defined by the outer surface of the actuator tube member, thereby constraining the pin actuator on the actuator tube member.

[0017] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the above-mentioned features, further examples of actuator arrangements may include an outer surface of the actuator tube member defining three planar facets. An inner surface of the lift-pin actuator may define three planes. Each of the planes defined by the inner surface of the hub portion of the actuator body may radially overlap one of the plurality of planar facets defined by the outer surface of the actuator tube member.

[0018] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further embodiments of the actuator arrangement may include the plurality of planar facets being angled relative to the axis of rotation at a planar facet angle. The planar facet angle may be between about 5 degrees and about 45 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 30 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees, or even between about 5 degrees and about 10 degrees. The plurality of planar surfaces may be angled relative to the axis of rotation at a planar angle substantially equivalent to the planar facet angle.

[0019] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further examples of actuator arrangements may include an outer surface of the actuator tube member defining a plurality of arcuate facets, an inner surface of the lift pin actuator defining a plurality of arcuate surfaces, and each of the plurality of arcuate surfaces radially overlapping a respective one of the plurality of arcuate facets.

[0020] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further examples of actuator arrangements may include a plurality of arcuate surfaces defined by an inner surface of the lift pin actuator being radially offset from one of a plurality of arcuate facets defined by an outer surface of the actuator tube member.

[0021] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, further examples of actuator arrangements may include an outer surface of the actuator tube member defining three arcuate facets circumferentially distributed about the axis of rotation, and an inner surface of the lift pin actuator defining three arcuate surfaces circumferentially distributed about the axis of rotation.

[0022] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the features described above, further examples of actuator arrangements may include a shaft member disposed within the actuator tube member and supported for rotation about the rotation axis, and the plurality of planar facets and the plurality of flat surfaces may radially overlap the shaft member.

[0023] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the features described above, the actuator tube member may be formed from (e.g., consist of, or consist essentially of) a ceramic material, which may be fused silica, quartz, or sapphire.

[0024] In addition to or in the alternative to one or more of the above features, the lift pin actuator may be positioned on the actuator tube members according to a 3-2-1 positioning method and may be gravity clamped to one of the actuator tube members.

[0025] A semiconductor processing system is provided. The semiconductor processing system includes a chamber body and a lift pin actuator as described above disposed within the chamber body. An actuator tube member extends through a lower wall of the chamber body, the lift pin actuator is mounted on the actuator tube member, and a shaft member is disposed within the actuator tube member and supported for rotation about a rotation axis. A substrate support is mounted on the shaft member, and a plurality of lift pins are slidably received within the substrate support. The lift pin actuator is disposed axially between the lower wall of the chamber body and the plurality of lift pins, and translation of the lift pin actuator along the rotation axis loads and unloads a substrate from the substrate support.

[0026] A method of making a lift-pin actuator is provided that includes forming the lift-pin actuator body from a single workpiece body formed of a ceramic material using punching or drilling and milling operations by: defining a hub portion extending about an axis of rotation; defining first and second arm portions extending outward from the hub portion and in a direction opposite the axis of rotation, the second arm portion being parallel to the first arm portion; defining pad portions radially separated from the hub portion by the first and second arm portions, the pad portions connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion; and defining engagement surfaces on the pad portions that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation and coplanar with the first and second arm portions of the actuator body, whereby the engagement surfaces are configured to drive a lift pin above the engagement surfaces of the pad portions of the actuator body along the axis of rotation.

[0027] A method of making an actuator arrangement is provided for a lift-pin actuator as described above, comprising: positioning an actuator body relative to an actuator tube at three contact points located on the actuator tube and in a first plane orthogonal to an axis of rotation, the three contact points being distributed about the axis of rotation; positioning the actuator body relative to the actuator tube at fourth and fifth contact points located on the actuator tube and in a second plane parallel to the axis of rotation, and parallel to the axis of rotation and orthogonal to the first plane; positioning the actuator body relative to the actuator tube at a sixth contact point located on the actuator tube and in a third plane parallel to the axis of rotation and orthogonal to both the first and second planes; and clamping the actuator body to the actuator tube using gravity, whereby the lift-pin actuator is constrained to the actuator tube during translation and rotation in the first, second, and third planes.

[0028] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are described in more detail below in the Detailed Description of the Invention. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the inventions disclosed herein are described below with reference to drawings of certain specific embodiments, which are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the invention.

[0030] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a lift pin actuator according to the present disclosure, showing the lift pin actuator and the actuator tube disposed within a chamber arrangement of a semiconductor processing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the semiconductor processing system of FIG. 1, showing a process fluid source connected to the chamber arrangement for providing process fluid to the chamber arrangement, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the semiconductor processing system of FIG. 1 showing a chamber arrangement including a lift pin actuator and an actuator tube member on which the lift pin actuator is mounted, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 sequentially illustrating a lift pin actuator loading a substrate into the chamber arrangement prior to processing and unloading the substrate after processing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 sequentially illustrating a lift pin actuator loading a substrate into the chamber arrangement prior to processing and unloading the substrate after processing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 sequentially illustrating a lift pin actuator loading a substrate into the chamber arrangement prior to processing and unloading the substrate after processing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 sequentially illustrating a lift pin actuator loading a substrate into the chamber arrangement prior to processing and unloading the substrate after processing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a portion of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 including a lift pin actuator in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the lift pin actuator mounted on an actuator tube member and a shaft member mounting the lift pin actuator and a support member extending through the actuator tube member. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a portion of the chamber arrangement of FIG. 1 including a lift pin actuator according to the present disclosure, showing not only the lift pin actuator and shaft member, but also the support member shown exploded away from the actuator tube member. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 1 showing a pad portion connected to a hub portion by a first arm portion and a second arm portion of the lift pin actuator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 1 showing a pad portion connected to a hub portion by a first arm portion and a second arm portion of the lift pin actuator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 1 showing a pad portion connected to a hub portion by a first arm portion and a second arm portion of the lift pin actuator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 13A and 13B are transverse and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 1, respectively, showing a planar surface with a relief channel and a planar arcuate periphery, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] 14A and 14B are transverse and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 1, respectively, showing a planar surface with a relief channel and a planar arcuate periphery, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a side elevational view and a top view of the actuator tube member of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the mounting end of the actuator member having a planar facet for mounting a lift pin actuator thereon. [Figure 16]FIG. 16 is a side elevational view and a top view of the actuator tube member of FIG. 1, showing a mounting end of the actuator member having a planar facet for mounting a lift pin actuator thereon, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] 17A and 17B are side elevation and top views, respectively, of the mounting end of the actuator tube member of FIG. 1 showing the relief channel and the planar surface abutting the planar facet of the actuator tube member, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] 18A and 18B are side elevation and top views, respectively, of the mounting end of the actuator tube member of FIG. 1 showing the relief channel and the planar surface abutting the planar facet of the actuator tube member, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a method for making a lift pin actuator arrangement according to the present disclosure, illustrating operation of the method according to an exemplary and non-limiting example of the method. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a method for fabricating an actuator arrangement according to the present disclosure, illustrating the operation of the method according to one exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the method.

[0031] It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the relative size of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Reference will now be made to the drawings in which like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the present disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a lift pin actuator according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is generally designated by the reference character 100. Other embodiments of lift pin actuators, actuator arrangements, and semiconductor processing systems including lift pin arrangements according to the present disclosure, as well as methods of making lift pin actuators and actuator arrangements, or aspects thereof, as described, are provided in FIGS. 2-20. While the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be used to actuate lift pins in semiconductor processing systems, such as single-wafer cold-wall chamber arrangements having a cross-flow architecture employed to deposit silicon-containing material layers onto substrates, the present disclosure is not generally limited to any particular chamber arrangement or semiconductor processing system employed to deposit material layers onto substrates.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1 , a semiconductor processing system 100 is shown. The semiconductor processing system 100 generally includes a process fluid supply 102, a chamber arrangement 104, an exhaust source 106, and a controller 108. The process fluid supply 102 is configured to communicate a process fluid 10 to the chamber arrangement 104. The chamber arrangement 104, in turn, couples the process fluid supply 102 to the exhaust source 106 and may include a lift pin actuator 200 and an actuator tubing 300 and be configured to communicate the process fluid 10 to a substrate mounted within the chamber arrangement 104, e.g., substrate 2 (shown in FIG. 3 ). The exhaust source 106 is configured to connect the chamber arrangement 104 to an external environment 12 outside the semiconductor processing system 100, for example, through an abatement device such as a vacuum pump and / or a scrubber, and is configured to communicate a flow of residual process fluid and / or reaction products to the external environment 12. It is contemplated that the controller 108 is operably coupled to one or more of the process fluid supply source 102, the chamber arrangement 104, and the exhaust source 106 by a wired or wireless link 112, for example, to operate the lift pin actuator 200 and / or to control the processing of the substrate in the chamber arrangement 104.

[0034] As used herein, the term "substrate" may refer to any underlying material, including any substrate material, that may be modified or upon which a device, circuit, or film may be formed. Substrates may be continuous or discontinuous, rigid or flexible, solid or porous, or a combination thereof. Substrates may be in any form, such as (but not limited to), a powder, a plate, or a workpiece. Substrates in plate form may include wafers of various shapes and sizes, including, for example, 300-millimeter wafers. Substrates may be formed from semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon oxide (SiO), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC). Substrates may contain patterns or may be unpatterned, such as so-called blanket-type substrates. For example, substrates in powder form may have applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

[0035] The porous substrate may comprise one or more polymers. Examples of workpieces may include medical devices (e.g., stents and syringes), jewelry, tooling devices, components for battery manufacturing (e.g., anodes, cathodes, or separators), or components of photovoltaic cells. A continuous substrate may extend beyond the boundaries of the process chamber in which the deposition process occurs. In some processes, the continuous substrate may move through the process chamber, whereby the process continues until the end of the substrate is reached. A continuous substrate may be fed from a continuous substrate feeding system to enable the production and output of a continuous substrate in any suitable form. Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, nonwoven membranes, rolls, foils, webs, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (e.g., ceramic or polymer fibers). A continuous substrate may also include a carrier or sheet onto which one or more discontinuous substrates are mounted.

[0036] 2, a semiconductor processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the semiconductor processing system 100 is configured to deposit a silicon-containing material layer 4 onto a substrate 2 using an epitaxial technique using a process fluid supply source 102 and includes a silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114, a dopant-containing material layer precursor source 116, an etchant source 118, and a carrier / diluent fluid source 120. The silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114 includes a silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 and is coupled to the chamber arrangement 104 by a process fluid supply conduit 122. The silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114 is further configured to communicate a flow of the silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 to the chamber arrangement 104, and in this regard may be coupled to the chamber arrangement 104 through one or more mass flow control devices, for example, a mass flow controller (MFC) device operably associated with a controller 108.

[0037] In certain embodiments, silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 may include a non-halogenated silicon-containing material layer precursor. Non-limiting examples of suitable non-halogenated silicon-containing material layer precursors include silane (SiH), disilane (SiH), trisilane (HSi), and tetrasilane (SiH). 10). According to certain embodiments, the silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 may include a halogenated silicon-containing material layer precursor. Non-limiting examples of suitable halogenated silicon-containing material layer precursors include chlorosilane (SiH3Cl), dichlorosilane (HSiCl2), and trichlorosilane (HCl3Si). It is contemplated that the silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114 may include two or more of the aforementioned silicon-containing material layer precursors and may be configured to communicate two or more silicon-containing material layer precursors to the chamber arrangement 104. It is also contemplated that the silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114 may cooperate with a metal-containing material layer precursor source 124 that includes a metal-containing material layer precursor 18 and is configured to provide a flow of the metal-containing material layer precursor 18 to the chamber arrangement 104. Examples of suitable metal-containing material layer precursors include germanium (Ge) and gallium (Ga), such as provided to the chamber arrangement 104 via a flow of germane (GeH4) and / or gallium trichloride (GaCl3) from the metal-containing material layer precursor source 124.

[0038] The dopant-containing material layer precursor source 116 is similar to the silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114, but additionally includes a dopant-containing material layer precursor 20 and is configured to communicate a flow of the dopant-containing material layer precursor 20 to the chamber arrangement 104. In certain embodiments, the dopant-containing material layer precursor 20 may include a p-type dopant. Examples of suitable p-type dopants include boron (B) and indium (In). In certain embodiments, the dopant-containing material layer precursor 20 may include an n-type dopant. Examples of suitable n-type dopants include phosphorus (P) and arsenic (As). It is also contemplated and still within the scope of the present disclosure that the dopant-containing material layer precursor source may include carbon (C). As will be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure, other dopants may be employed and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] The etchant source 118 is similar to the silicon-containing material layer precursor source 114, additionally including an etchant 22 and further configured to communicate the etchant 22 to the chamber arrangement 104. In certain embodiments, the etchant 22 may include a chlorine-containing etchant. For example, the etchant 22 may include hydrochloric acid (HCl) and / or chlorine (Cl) gas. According to certain embodiments, the etchant 22 may include a fluorine-containing etchant. Examples of suitable fluorine-containing etchants include hydrofluoric (HF) acid and fluorine (F) gas. It is contemplated that the etchant source 118 may be configured to provide the etchant 22 to the chamber arrangement 104 mixed with the silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 and / or independently of the silicon-containing material layer precursor 16, e.g., as a cleaning or purging fluid. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, other etchants may be included in etchant source 118 and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] The carrier / diluent fluid supply 120 is similar to the silicon-containing material layer precursor supply 114, but additionally includes a carrier / diluent fluid 24 and is further configured to provide a flow of the carrier / diluent fluid 24 to the chamber arrangement 104. In certain embodiments, the carrier / diluent fluid supply 120 may be configured to provide the carrier / diluent fluid 24 to the chamber arrangement 104 mixed with one or more of the silicon-containing material layer precursor 16, the metal-containing material layer precursor 18, the dopant-containing material layer precursor 20, and the etchant 22. In certain embodiments, the carrier / diluent fluid supply 120 may be configured to provide the carrier / diluent fluid 24 to the chamber arrangement 104 independently of one or more of the aforementioned fluids. Examples of suitable carrier / diluent fluids include mixtures containing hydrogen (H) gas, an inert gas such as nitrogen (N) gas or argon (Ar) gas, and one or more of the aforementioned fluids.

[0041] The exhaust source 106 is coupled to the chamber arrangement 104 by a process fluid exhaust conduit 126 and is configured to maintain the process fluid 10 at a predetermined pressure within the chamber arrangement 104. In certain embodiments, the exhaust source 106 may be configured to maintain the pressure within the chamber arrangement 104 within a pressure range suitable for atmospheric pressure processing, such as from about 760 Torr to about 710 Torr. According to certain embodiments, the exhaust source 106 may be configured to maintain the pressure within the chamber arrangement 104 within a pressure range suitable for reduced pressure processing, such as from about 710 Torr to about 0.1 Torr. As used herein, the term processing may refer to a processing operation during which a layer of material is deposited onto a substrate, a processing operation during which material is removed from a substrate, and a processing operation during which a layer of material is deposited and material is removed from a substrate mounted in the chamber arrangement 104.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3 , a chamber arrangement 104 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber arrangement 104 has a single-wafer cross-flow architecture 128 and includes a chamber body 130, an inlet flange 132, and an exhaust flange 134. The chamber arrangement 104 also includes an upper heater element array 136, a lower heater element array 138, and a partition 140. As shown and described herein, the chamber arrangement 104 also includes a substrate support 142 having a plurality of lift pins 144 slidably received therein, a support member 146, a shaft member 148, and a lift and rotate module 150. While shown and described herein as having a particular arrangement and including certain elements, it should be understood and appreciated that the chamber arrangement 104 may not only have a different arrangement, but may also include additional elements or exclude elements shown and described herein and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] The chamber body 130 is formed from a ceramic material 152, e.g., a ceramic material transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength range, and has an inlet end 154 and a longitudinally opposed outlet end 156. Examples of suitable ceramic materials include quartz, fused silica, and sapphire. In certain embodiments, the chamber body 130 may have a substantially planar upper wall and / or a substantially planar lower wall. In such embodiments, the chamber body 130 may further include a plurality of external ribs 158 extending laterally about the exterior of the chamber body 130 and spaced longitudinally from one another between the inlet end 154 and the outlet end 156 of the chamber body 130. According to certain embodiments, either (or both) of the upper and lower walls of the chamber body 130 may be arcuate or dome-like in shape and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] An inlet flange 132 abuts the inlet end 154 of the chamber body 130 and fluidly couples the process fluid source 102 (shown in FIG. 1 ) to the interior 160 of the chamber body 130. In this regard, a process fluid supply conduit 122 may connect the process fluid source 102 to the inlet flange 132 to communicate the process fluid 10 to the interior 160 of the chamber body 130. An exhaust flange 134 abuts the exhaust end 156 of the chamber body 130 and fluidly couples the interior 160 of the chamber body 130 to an exhaust source 106 (shown in FIG. 1 ). In this regard, a process fluid exhaust conduit 126 may connect the exhaust flange 134 to the exhaust source 106 to communicate residual process fluid and / or reaction products to the exhaust source 106. According to certain embodiments, the inlet flange 132 may be as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,053,591 to Ma et al., issued July 6, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. According to certain embodiments, the exhaust flange 134 may be as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,612,136 to Sreeram et al., issued April 7, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0045] The upper heater element array 136 is supported above the chamber body 130 and includes a plurality of upper heater elements 162. The upper heater elements 162 are operatively associated with the controller 108 (shown in FIG. 1 ) and are contemplated to be configured to communicate heat H to the interior 160 of the chamber body 130. In a particular embodiment, each of the plurality of upper heater elements 162 may include a linear filament and extend laterally across the top wall of the chamber body 130 and be longitudinally spaced apart from one another between the inlet end 154 and the exhaust end 156 of the chamber body 130. According to a particular embodiment, the plurality of upper heater elements 162 may extend longitudinally between the inlet end 154 and the exhaust end 156 of the chamber body 130, with the plurality of upper heater elements 162 being laterally spaced apart from one another between laterally opposed sidewalls of the chamber body 130. The lower heater element array 138 may be similar to the upper heater element array 136 and additionally includes a plurality of lower heater elements 164, each supported below the lower wall of the chamber body 130. In certain embodiments, the plurality of lower heater elements may be substantially orthogonal to the plurality of upper heater elements 162. Although shown and described herein as including linear filament-type heater elements, it should be understood and appreciated that either (or both) of the upper heater element array 136 and the lower heater element array 138 may have bulk-type heater elements and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] The divider 140 is formed from an opaque material 166 (e.g., a material opaque to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength band) and is supported within the interior 160 of the chamber body 130. It is contemplated that the divider 140 divides the interior 160 of the chamber body 130 into an upper chamber 168 and a lower chamber 170. The divider 140 defines a partition opening 172 therethrough, which also fluidly connects the upper chamber 168 to the lower chamber 170. It is further contemplated that the substrate support 142 is disposed within the interior 160 of the chamber body 130, at least partially within the partition opening 172, and is supported therein for rotation R about a rotation axis 174. In certain embodiments, the opaque material 166 may include a bulk carbonaceous material, such as pyrolytic carbon or graphite, having a ceramic coating. According to certain embodiments, the impermeable material 166 may include, by way of example and not limitation, a bulk ceramic material such as silicon carbide. It is contemplated that the substrate support 142 may also be formed (at least in part) from the impermeable material 166.

[0047] The support member 146 is disposed within the lower chamber 170 of the chamber body 130 along an axis of rotation 174 and is fixed relative to the substrate support 142. It is contemplated that the support member 146 is formed from a material that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength band, such as a ceramic material 152. The shaft member 148 is also disposed along the axis of rotation 174 and is additionally rotationally fixed relative to the support member 146 for rotation about the axis of rotation 174. The shaft member 148 extends through a passage 176 defined in the lower wall of the chamber body 130 and further into the external environment outside the chamber body 130, and operably couples the lift and rotation module 150 to the substrate support 142 to rotate the substrate support 142 about the axis of rotation 174 via the shaft member 148 and the support member 146. In certain embodiments, the shaft member 148 may be formed from a material that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength range, such as a ceramic material 152 .

[0048] The plurality of lift pins 144 are slidably received within respective lift pin openings 178 defined in the substrate support 142. The plurality of lift pins 144 are configured to attach and detach a substrate, e.g., substrate 2, from the substrate support 142, and in this regard, are contemplated to be supported within the interior 160 of the chamber body 130 at a location above the lift pin actuator 200 and actuator tube member 300 relative to gravity. The lift pin actuator 200 is disposed (at least partially) within the lower chamber 170 of the chamber body 130 along a rotational axis 174, mounted on the actuator tube member 300, and is translatable along the rotational axis 174 between a retracted position 180 and an extended position 182. The actuator tube member 300 mounts the lift pin actuator 200 thereon and extends through a pass-through 176 into the external environment outside the chamber body 130.

[0049] The actuator tube member 300 is supported for translational movement relative to the shaft member 148 along the rotation axis 174 to drive the lift pin actuator 200 between a retracted position 180 (in which the lift pin actuator 200 is adjacent to the lower wall of the chamber body 130, whereby the lift pins hang below the substrate support 142 in the lower chamber 170 of the chamber body 130) and an extended position 182 (in which the lift pin actuator 200 is adjacent to the substrate support 142 and in abutment with the plurality of lift pins 144, whereby each of the plurality of lift pins 144 protrudes above the substrate support 142 and into the upper chamber 168 of the chamber body 130). Translation of the actuator tube member 300, and thereby the lift pin actuator 200, may be through operative association with the lift and rotation module 150. In certain embodiments, either (or both) of the lift pin actuator 200 and the actuator tube member 300 may be formed from (e.g., consist of, or consist essentially of) a ceramic material, such as ceramic material 152. According to certain embodiments, the outer surface of the shaft member 148 and the inner surface of the actuator tube member 300 may be radially spaced from one another to define an annular flow area therebetween. It is also contemplated that the tube mounting member 184 may be secured to the lower wall of the chamber body 130, and around the pass-through 176, the actuator tube member 300, and the shaft member 148 disposed at least partially within the tube mounting member 184.

[0050] 4-8 , the loading and mounting of a substrate 2 in the chamber arrangement 104 prior to processing of the substrate 2, the processing of the substrate 2 (e.g., deposition of a material layer 4), and the removal and unloading of the substrate 2 from the chamber arrangement 104 following processing are sequentially shown. As shown in FIG. 4 , loading of the substrate 2 into the chamber arrangement 104 is accomplished by opening a gate valve 186 connected to the inlet flange 132 of the chamber arrangement 104 and using a substrate transfer robot 188 coupled to the chamber body 130 to advance an end effector 190 that carries the substrate 2 into the upper chamber 168 of the chamber body 130. The substrate transfer robot 188 is configured to longitudinally advance A the end effector 190 into the upper chamber 168 and toward the exhaust end 156 of the chamber body 130 until the substrate 2 is centered about the rotation axis 174 at a location above the substrate support 142 and the plurality of lift pins 144. So positioned, the substrate may be mounted on substrate support 142 .

[0051] 5 , mounting of the substrate 2 on the substrate support 142 is achieved by driving the lift pin actuator 200 from a retracted position 180 to an extended position 182 B. In this regard, it is contemplated that the lift and rotate module 150 drives the actuator tube member 300 (and thereby the lift pin actuator 200 mounted thereon) axially upward along the rotation axis 174 within the lower chamber 170 of the chamber body 130, in a direction toward the substrate support 142. As the lift pin actuator 200 translates upward within the lower chamber 170, it contacts the ends of the lift pins 144 that depend from the substrate support 142 into the lower chamber 170. Subsequent further translation drives the lift pins 144 through the substrate support 142, causing the lift pins 144 to protrude above the substrate support 142 and contact the underside of the substrate 2. As the lift pins 144 contact the underside 6 of the substrate 2, further translation of the lift pin actuator 200 transfers the substrate 2 from the end effector 190 to the lift pins 144 as the lift pins 144 approach the extended position 182. The substrate transfer robot 188 then withdraws the end effector 190 from the upper chamber 168 of the chamber body 130 (C), closes the gate valve 186, and translates the lift pin actuator 200 downwardly within the lower chamber 170, axially opposite the substrate support 142, toward the retracted position 180 (D) (shown in FIG. 6 ). As the lift pin actuator 200 translates downwardly, the lift pins 144 translate downwardly through the substrate support 142 under the action of gravity, thereby transferring the substrate 2 to the substrate support 142 as the lift pins 144 approach the retracted position 180. The substrate 2 may be processed in the chamber arrangement 104 (eg, in the chamber body 130 ) to deposit a layer of material 4 onto the substrate 2 .

[0052] 6, processing of the substrate 2 may be achieved by heating the substrate 2 to a predetermined material layer deposition temperature, for example, to a temperature of about 200 degrees Celsius to about 1200 degrees Celsius, using either (or both) of the upper heater element array 136 and the lower heater element array 138. Processing of the substrate 2 may further be achieved by establishing and subsequently maintaining a predetermined material layer deposition pressure within the interior 160 of the chamber body 130, for example, using a vacuum pump (shown in FIG. 1) included within the exhaust source 106. In this regard, it is contemplated that the pressure within the interior 160 of the chamber body 130 may be maintained within a range of about 0.1 Torr to 760 Torr, e.g., about 760 Torr to about 720 Torr (for deposition of the material layer 4 using atmospheric pressure techniques) or about 720 Torr to about 0.1 Torr (for deposition of the material layer 4 using reduced pressure techniques). The substrate support 142 with the substrate 2 mounted thereon may be further rotated about the rotation axis 174 by the lift and rotate module 150, for example at a predetermined material layer deposition rotation speed, using a rotation R transmitted to the substrate support 142 through the shaft member 148 and the support member 146.

[0053] It is contemplated that the upper surface 8 of the substrate 2 is exposed to a process fluid 10 while the substrate is maintained at a predetermined deposition temperature and the interior 160 of the chamber body 130 is maintained at a predetermined deposition pressure. The process fluid 10 then includes one or more of a silicon-containing material layer precursor 16 (shown in FIG. 2 ), a metal-containing material layer precursor 18 (shown in FIG. 2 ), a dopant-containing material layer precursor 20 (shown in FIG. 2 ), an etchant 22 (shown in FIG. 2 ), and a carrier / diluent fluid 24 (shown in FIG. 2 ), whereby the material layer 4 is a silicon-containing material layer, and in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it is also contemplated that the material layer 4 is epitaxial with the substrate 2. It is further contemplated that the flow of process fluid 10 may be stopped when material layer 4 develops one or more predetermined properties (e.g., thickness and / or resistivity), rotation of substrate support 142 about rotation axis 174 may be stopped, and substrate heating and pressure within interior 160 of chamber body 130 may be adjusted, thereby removing substrate 2 with material layer 4 deposited thereon from substrate support 142 and unloading it from chamber body 130.

[0054] 7 , removal of the substrate 2 from the substrate support 142 may be achieved by once again translating the lift pin actuator 200 from the retracted position 180 to the extended position 182. In this regard, it is contemplated that the lift and rotate module 150 again drives the actuator tube member 300 (and thereby the lift pin actuator 200 mounted thereon) axially toward the substrate support 142 along the rotation axis 174 within the lower chamber 170. As the lift pin actuator 200 translates upward within the lower chamber 170, it contacts the ends of the plurality of lift pins 144 that depend from the substrate support 142 into the lower chamber 170. Further translation of the lift pin actuator 200 then drives the plurality of lift pins 144 through the substrate support 142, causing the plurality of lift pins 144 to contact the underside 6 of the substrate 2. Continued translation of the lift pin actuator 200 along the rotational axis 174 causes the plurality of lift pins 144 to extend from the substrate support 142 into the upper chamber 168 of the chamber body 130, removing the substrate 2 from the substrate support 142 so that the substrate 2 is eventually supported above the substrate support 142 in a position where the end effector 190 may again advance F axially into the upper chamber 168 to a position axially between the substrate 2 and the substrate support 142 when the lift pin actuator 200 reaches the extended position 182. So positioned, the substrate may be unloaded from the chamber arrangement 104.

[0055] Unloading of the substrate 2 with the material layer 4 deposited thereon may be accomplished by reopening the gate valve 186. Once the gate valve 186 is opened, the substrate transfer robot 188 may again longitudinally advance the end effector 190 into the chamber body 130 toward the exhaust flange 134. In this regard, it is contemplated that the end effector 190 is positioned below the substrate 2 such that the end effector 190 is axially spaced from both the underside 6 of the substrate 2 and the substrate support 142, and aligned with the substrate 2, such that movement of the lift pin actuator from the extended position 182 toward the retracted position 180 transfers the substrate 2 to the end effector 190. Once the end effector 190 is positioned, a lift within the rotation module 150 may translate the actuator tube member 300 (and the lift pin actuator 200 mounted thereon) downward along the rotation axis 174. Downward translation of the actuator tube member 300 translates the lift pin actuator 200 from the extended position 182, and the plurality of lift pins 144 slide downwardly through the substrate support 142 by the action of gravity, transferring the substrate 2 from the plurality of lift pins 144 to the end effector 190 as the plurality of lift pins 144 are mounted within the substrate support 142 and hang therefrom into the lower chamber 170 of the chamber body 130. The substrate transfer robot 188 then withdraws the end effector 190 carrying the substrate 2 with the material layer 4 deposited thereon from the upper chamber 168, the gate valve 186 is closed, and the chamber arrangement 104 may be prepared for processing a subsequent substrate.

[0056] One challenge to operating a chamber arrangement using a lift-pin actuator is that the lift-pin actuator may need to be oversized relative to an otherwise preferred size due to its tendency to shadow the underside of the substrate support. For example, the lift-pin actuator may have a greater circumferential extent than otherwise desirable due to errors in the alignment of the lift pins with the lift-pin actuator at the end of deposition. The lift-pin actuator may also have a greater radial extent than otherwise desirable due to the tendency of the lift-pin actuator to pitch and / or roll about the end of the actuating actuator tube as the lift pins engage. The tendency of the lift-pin actuator to pitch and / or roll may be exacerbated in deposition processes in which the substrate support is precoated, which tends to adhere to the lift pins themselves during deposition, and this precoating and adhesion increases the force required to drive the lift pins during movement in an asymmetrical manner. In processes that may employ a precoat and / or involve the formation of deposits on components such as multiple lift pins 144 within the chamber body 130, a lift pin actuator 200 and an actuator tube member 300 are provided to limit shading of the underside of the substrate support 142 and / or to limit the displacement of the lift pin actuator.

[0057] 8 and 9, a portion of chamber arrangement 104 is shown including lift pin actuator 200 and actuator tube member 300. As shown in FIG. 9, lift pin actuator 200 is disposed along rotation axis 174, extends about rotation axis 174, and is axially offset along rotation axis 174 from support member 146. Actuator tube member 300 is also disposed along rotation axis 174, extends about shaft member 148, and mounts lift pin actuator 200 thereon. Shaft member 148 projects axially from lift pin actuator 200 in an axially opposite direction from actuator tube member 300, mounts support member 146 thereon, and is radially spaced from inner surface 202 of actuator tube member 300, such that outer surface 192 and inner surface 202 of actuator tube member 300 define a radial gap 194 therebetween. It is contemplated that a fluid source, such as carrier / diluent fluid source 120 (shown in FIG. 2), may be connected to actuator tube member 300, which fluidly connects the fluid source to lower chamber 170 (shown in FIG. 3) of chamber body 130 (shown in FIG. 3).

[0058] 10-14, a lift pin actuator 200 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 10, lift pin actuator 200 generally includes an actuator body 204. Actuator body 204 is configured for translation along rotation axis 174 within lower chamber 78 (shown in FIG. 3) of chamber body 130 (shown in FIG. 3). Actuator body 204 may be further formed from, consist of, or consist essentially of a ceramic material 206 (shown in FIG. 3), such as a ceramic material that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength range. As will be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure, forming actuator body 204 from a ceramic material may limit variations in material layer 4 (shown in FIG. 3) deposited onto substrate 2 (shown in FIG. 3) by limiting temperature non-uniformities between substrates during deposition of material layer 4 onto substrate 2 due, for example, to shading of the underside of substrate support 142 (shown in FIG. 3) by lift pin actuator 200 from electromagnetic radiation transmitted by lower heater element array 138 (shown in FIG. 3) into interior 160 (shown in FIG. 3) of chamber body 130 (shown in FIG. 3). In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, ceramic material 206 may be quartz. It is also contemplated and still within the scope of the present disclosure that ceramic material 206 may be fused silica or sapphire. According to certain embodiments, lift pin actuator 200 may be formed from a single workpiece 26 (shown in FIG. 12) (e.g., a single ceramic workpiece body) using subtractive manufacturing techniques. For example, lift pin actuator 200 may be formed using two or more of a cutting or sawing operation 28, a punching or drilling operation 30, and a milling operation 32, as non-limiting examples.As will be understood by those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure, using more than one subtractive manufacturing technique may reduce the time required to manufacture lift pin actuator 200 due to the relatively high material removal rates of drilling or cutting or sawing as well as milling, limiting the cost of semiconductor processing system 100 (shown in FIG. 1 ) that includes lift pin actuator 200.

[0059] The lift pin actuator 200 is configured to drive a plurality of lift pins 144 (shown in FIG. 3 ), and in this regard, it is contemplated that an actuator body 204 has a hub portion 208, first and second arm portions 210 and 212, and a pad portion 214. The hub portion 208 extends about the rotational axis 174 and has an upper surface 216 (shown in FIG. 11 ), a radially outer surface 218, and a lower surface 220 (shown in FIG. 11 ). The upper surface 216 is angled with respect to the rotational axis 174, and in this regard, it is contemplated that the upper surface 216 may be orthogonal to the rotational axis 174. The radially outer surface 218 extends axially from the upper surface 216 to the lower surface 220 along and about the rotational axis 174, axially separating the lower surface 220 from the upper surface 216 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. Lower surface 220 may be angled relative to rotation axis 174 and may be substantially perpendicular to rotation axis 174. In certain embodiments, lower surface 220 may be wider than upper surface 216, and hub portion 208 has a generally frusto-conical shape in such embodiments. It is also contemplated and still within the scope of the present disclosure that hub portion 208 may be cylindrical in shape.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 11 , it is contemplated that the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 may be castellated. In this regard, the hub portion 208 has an annular segment 222 and a plurality of merlon segments 224. The annular segment 222 extends axially along and about the axis of rotation 174. The annular segment 222 further extends axially from the lower surface 220 to the upper surface 216 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. The plurality of merlon segments 224 extend axially from the annular segment 222 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 and are distributed about the axis of rotation 174 to connect the first arm portion 210 (shown in FIG. 10 ) and the second arm portion 212 (shown in FIG. 10 ) to the annular segment 222 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. It is further contemplated that a plurality of merlon segments 224 axially separate the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 212 from the annular segment 222 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204, defining a plurality of crevices 226 therebetween. The plurality of crevices 226 extend axially between the annular segment 222 and the arm portions (e.g., the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 212) of the hub portion 208, each separating circumferentially adjacent merlon segments 224 from one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the hub portion 208 has three merlon segments 224 circumferentially separated by three crevices 226. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, in other embodiments, the hub portion 208 may have fewer or additional merlon segments and crevices and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0061] 12 , the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 212 extend outward (e.g., chordal) from the hub portion 208 and in a direction opposite to the rotation axis 174. The second arm portion 212 may also be substantially parallel to the first arm portion 210 and may be perpendicular to the rotation axis 174. In certain embodiments, the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 212 may be substantially perpendicular to the radial outer surface 218 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. According to one particular embodiment, the first arm portion 210 may axially overlap a first of the plurality of merlon segments 224 (shown in FIG. 11 ), the second arm portion 212 may axially overlap a second of the plurality of merlon segments 224, and then a single one of the plurality of gaps 226 (shown in FIG. 11 ) circumferentially separates the second arm portion 212 of the actuator body 204 from the first arm portion 210.

[0062] The first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 212 are intended to form a first pair of arms 228. The first pair of arms 228 may be one of multiple pairs of arms extending outward from the hub portion and distributed circumferentially about the rotational axis 174. The multiple arm pairs may then be distributed circumferentially about the rotational axis 174, for example, symmetrically, whereby each pair of arms is separated from an adjacent pair of arms by a common angular offset about the rotational axis 174. In the illustrated embodiment, the first pair of arms 228 is one of three pairs of arms distributed circumferentially about the rotational axis 174 and hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, the actuator body 204 may have fewer or additional pairs of arms than those shown and described herein and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] The pad portion 214 of the actuator body 204 is radially separated from the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. The pad portion 214 further connects the second arm portion 212 to the first arm portion 210 of the actuator body 204 and has an engagement surface 230. The engagement surface 230 is configured to engage the bottom ends of the plurality of lift pins 144 (shown in FIG. 3 ) and may be substantially planar in this regard. In a further respect, it is contemplated that the engagement surface 230 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 174. In certain embodiments, the engagement surface 230 may be coplanar with the first arm portion upper surface 232 (shown in FIG. 11 ) and the second arm portion upper surface 234 (shown in FIG. 11 ). According to certain embodiments, the pad portion 214 may define (e.g., trace) an arcuate segment 236 extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation 174. It is contemplated that pad portion 214 may be bounded by a radially inner pad surface 238 and a radially outer pad surface 240, with radially inner pad surface 238 extending between first arm portion 210 and second arm portion 212 and radially outer pad surface 240 extending parallel to radially inner pad surface 238 and circumferentially spanning both first arm portion 210 and second arm portion 212 of actuator body 204. In the illustrated embodiment, pad portion 214 is one of three pad portions distributed circumferentially about rotation axis 174. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present disclosure, actuator body 204 may have fewer or additional pad portions than shown and described herein and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 13 , it is contemplated that the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 is configured to be mounted onto the actuator tube member 300 (shown in FIG. 3 ). In this regard, the hub portion 208 defines a mounting socket 242 within the interior of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. The mounting socket 242 is bounded by an inner surface 244 of the hub portion 208, corresponds geometrically to the mounting end 304 (shown in FIG. 9 ) of the actuator tube member 300, and is coupled to the external environment outside the hub portion 208 by a mounting opening 246 (shown in FIG. 11 ) defined in the lower surface 220 (shown in FIG. 11 ) of the hub portion 208, and to a top opening 248 (shown in FIG. 11 ) defined in the upper surface 216 (shown in FIG. 11 ) of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. It is contemplated that the inner surface 244 of the hub portion 208 that bounds the mounting socket 242 defines a plurality of flat surfaces 250. It is also contemplated that the inner surface 244 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 may define a plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 within the mounting socket 242, and that the inner surface 244 connects the upper surface opening 248 defined in the upper surface 216 to the mounting opening 246 defined in the lower surface 220.

[0065] The plurality of flat surfaces 250 are distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation 174. The plurality of flat surfaces 250 are further angled relative to the axis of rotation 174, with each of the plurality of flat surfaces 250 being separated by a greater distance from the axis of rotation 174 proximate the lower surface 220 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 than proximate the upper surface 216 of the hub portion 208. In this regard, it is contemplated that each of the plurality of flat surfaces 250 is angled relative to the axis of rotation 174 (and / or relative to at least one of the upper surface 216 (shown in FIG. 11 ) and the lower surface 220 (shown in FIG. 11 ) of the hub portion 208) at a common plane angle 254. The common plane angle 254 may be an oblique angle. In certain embodiments, the common plane angle 254 may be between about 5 degrees and 45 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 30 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees, or even between about 5 degrees and about 10 degrees. Advantageously, common planar angles within these angular ranges may limit (or entirely prevent) the tendency of lift pin actuator 200 to fuse with actuator tube member 300 (shown in FIG. 1 ), simplifying maintenance of semiconductor processing system 100 in embodiments where lift pin actuator 200 may require periodic removal from actuator tube member 300 during service events, for example, due to cyclic heating and cooling of actuator arrangement 110 (shown in FIG. 3 ) resulting from sequential processing of substrates within semiconductor processing system 100. In the illustrated embodiment, inner surface 244 of hub portion 208 has three planar surfaces. As will be understood by those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure, in other embodiments, lift pin actuator 200 may have fewer or additional planar surfaces and still be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0066] In certain embodiments, one or more of the plurality of flat surfaces 250 may be bounded by an arcuate perimeter 256. The arcuate perimeter 256 may have a base 258 proximate the lower surface 220 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204 and an open end 260 proximate the top opening 248 (shown in FIG. 11 ) defined in the top surface 216 of the hub portion 208 of the actuator body 204. According to certain embodiments, one or more of the plurality of flat surfaces 250 may have a relief channel 262 defined in the respective flat surface 250. The relief channel 262 may extend from the open end 260 of the arcuate perimeter 256 toward a location intermediate the open end 260 and the base 258 of the arcuate perimeter 256. Advantageously, the definition of a relief channel 262 in one or more of the plurality of planar surfaces 250 can promote stability of the lift pin actuator 200 of the actuator tube member 300 (shown in FIG. 3 ), for example, by distributing contact points between the planar surface 250 having the relief channel 262 and one of the abutting planar facets 336 (shown in FIG. 16 ) defined on the mounting end 304 (shown in FIG. 9 ) of the actuator tube member 300. As shown and described herein, each of the plurality of planar surfaces 250 defines a single relief channel 262 therein. As will be understood by those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure, the plurality of planar surfaces 250 may have fewer or additional relief channels defined therein than those shown and described herein and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] 13 , the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 defined by the inner surface 244 of the hub portion 208 are distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation 174. It is contemplated that an individual arcuate surface of the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 separates circumferentially adjacent ones of the plurality of planar surfaces 250, and that circumferentially adjacent ones of the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 are separated by an intermediate surface of the plurality of planar surfaces 250. In certain embodiments, the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 may be substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 174. According to certain embodiments, each of the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 may be overcut relative to a corresponding arcuate facet 306 defined on the mounting end 304 (shown in FIG. 9 ) of the actuator tube member 300 (shown in FIG. 3 ), with each arcuate surface 252 and arcuate facet 306 defining a radial gap therebetween. Advantageously, overcutting the arcuate surfaces 252 relative to the arcuate facets 306 ensures that the flat surfaces 250 position the lift pin actuator 200 on the mounting end 304 of the actuator tube member 300, promoting stability of the lift pin actuator 200 on the actuator tube member 300. As shown and described herein, the inner surface 244 of the hub portion 208 has three arcuate surfaces. As will be understood by those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure, in other embodiments, the lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 3 ) may have fewer or additional arcuate surfaces and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] 15-18, an actuator tube member 300 is illustrated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 15, the actuator tube member 300 is configured and adapted to mount the lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1) thereon, and in this regard, includes a tube member body 308. It is contemplated that the tube member body 308 is disposed along and extends about the rotational axis 174. It is also contemplated that the tube member body 308 has an actuation end 310 connected to the mounting end 304 by an intermediate segment 312, and that the tube member body 308 is formed from a ceramic material 314 (shown in FIG. 18). In certain embodiments, the ceramic material 314 may be transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared wavelength range. Examples of suitable ceramic materials include fused silica, quartz, and sapphire. According to certain embodiments, the ceramic material 314 may consist of, or consist essentially of, the ceramic material 314.

[0069] The actuation end 310 of the tubular member body 308 is configured to engage an actuation device, for example, the lift and rotate module 150 (shown in FIG. 3 ), and in this regard may define a through-hole or longitudinal slot 316 therein. The intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308 extends axially from the actuation end 310 of the tubular member body 308 and connects the attachment end 304 of the tubular member body 308 to the actuation end 310 of the tubular member body 308. The attachment end 304 of the tubular member body 308 extends from the intermediate segment 312 to an end face 318 and is separated from the actuation end 310 of the tubular member body 308 by the intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308, and is contemplated to be configured for attachment to a lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ).

[0070] The tubular member body 308 is contemplated to define a throughbore 320 (shown in FIG. 18 ) therethrough. The throughbore 320 connects an actuation end opening 324 defined in an actuation end face 322 on the actuation end 310 to an end face opening 326 (shown in FIG. 18 ) defined in an end face 318 on the mounting end 304 of the tubular member body 308. The throughbore 320 extends continuously and without interruption through the tubular member body 308 along the rotational axis 174 and is sized and dimensioned to receive the shaft member 148 (shown in FIG. 3 ) therethrough. In this regard, it is contemplated that the shaft member 148, when received within the throughbore 320, is separated from the inner surface 302 of the tubular member body 308 by a radial gap 328. The radial gap 328 extends circumferentially about the shaft member 148 and axially between the actuation end opening 324 and the end face opening 326. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure, the shaft member 148 is thereby free to rotate about the rotation axis 174 relative to the actuator tube member 300 and the chamber body 130 to rotate the substrate support 142 (shown in FIG. 3 ) during processing of the substrate 2 (shown in FIG. 3 ). As will also be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure, the actuator tube member 300 is thereby also free to translate axially along the rotation axis 174 relative to the shaft member 148 and the chamber body 130 to drive the lift pin actuator 200 between a retracted position 180 (shown in FIG. 5 ) and an extended position 182 (shown in FIG. 5 ) to load and unload the substrate 2 from the substrate support 142, respectively, before and after processing.

[0071] The intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308 extends between the actuation end 310 and the attachment end 304 of the tubular member body 308. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the intermediate segment 312 may define a mid-section diameter 330. The mid-section diameter 330 may extend continuously and without interruption through the intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308. It is contemplated that the actuation end 310 of the tubular member body 308 may have an actuator end diameter 332. The actuator end diameter 332 may be larger than the mid-section diameter 330. It is also contemplated that the attachment end 304 of the tubular member body 308 may define an attachment end diameter 334 that is larger than the mid-section diameter 330. Advantageously, thickening either (or both) the mounting end 304 and the actuation end 310 can strengthen the actuator tube member 300 and can facilitate installation and removal of the actuator tube member 300 from the semiconductor processing system 100 (shown in FIG. 1).

[0072] 16 , mounting end 304 of tubular body 308 is configured to mount lift pin actuator 200 thereon and, in this regard, has a plurality of planar facets 336 defined on an outer surface 338 of tubular body 308. Plurality of planar facets 336 are intended to correspond to a plurality of planes 250 (shown in FIG. 13 ) defined by inner surface 244 (shown in FIG. 13 ) of hub portion 208 (shown in FIG. 13 ) of lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ). In this regard, plurality of planar facets 336 are circumferentially distributed about rotation axis 174, are equal in number to plurality of planes 250, and are spaced circumferentially about rotation axis 174 at an angular pitch that matches the angular pitch of plurality of planes 250. In further regard, the plurality of planar facets 336 are further angled relative to the axis of rotation 174, and each of the plurality of planar facets 336 is separated by a greater distance from the axis of rotation 174 at the end adjacent the intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308 than at the end adjacent the working end surface 322.

[0073] It is contemplated that the plurality of planar facets 336 are each angled at a common planar facet angle 340 (shown in FIG. 9 ) relative to the rotation axis 174 (and / or relative to at least one of the actuation end 310 and the outer surface 338 of the tube body 308). In certain embodiments, the common planar facet angle 340 may be an oblique angle. According to certain embodiments, the common planar facet angle 340 may be between about 5 degrees and about 45 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 30 degrees, or between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees, or even between about 5 degrees and about 10 degrees. It is contemplated that the common planar facet angle 340 matches (e.g., is substantially equal to) the common planar angle 254 (shown in FIG. 9 ). Advantageously, matching the common planar facet angle 340 with the common planar angle 254 allows for positioning the lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ) on the actuator tube 300 using a 3-2-1 positioning method. Positioning the lift-pin actuator 200 on the actuator tube 300 results in six degrees of freedom for the lift-pin actuator 200 to be constrained relative to the actuator tube 300 using gravity as a clamping force. In this regard, the lift-pin actuator 200 is constrained relative to the actuator tube 300 during translation and rotation within a first plane 342 (shown in FIG. 16 ), a second plane 344 (shown in FIG. 17 ), and a third plane 346 (shown in FIG. 18 ), which is contemplated to limit (or eliminate) the tendency of the lift-pin actuator 200 to pitch or roll due to unequal loads applied by the multiple lift pins 144 (shown in FIG. 3 ) during movement from the retracted position 180 (shown in FIG. 5 ) to the extended position 182 (shown in FIG. 5 ).

[0074] 17 , it is contemplated that one or more of the plurality of planar facets 336 may be bounded by an arcuate edge 348. The arcuate edge 348 may extend from a base 350 proximate the intermediate segment 312 of the tubular member body 308 and from an open end 352 proximate the end surface 318. In certain embodiments, the arcuate edge 348 of one or more of the plurality of planar facets 336 may correspond to (e.g., match) the arcuate perimeter 256 (shown in FIG. 14 ) of the lift-pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ). According to certain embodiments, the plurality of planar facets 336 may each have a planar area greater than the planar area of ​​each of the plurality of planes 250 defined by the inner surface 244 (shown in FIG. 13 ) of the hub portion 208 (shown in FIG. 10 ) of the lift-pin actuator 200. Advantageously, this allows the lift pin actuator 200 to be positioned on the actuator tube member 300 using a 3-2-1 positioning method at contact points that are circumferentially spaced about the axis of rotation 174, for example, contact points that are circumferentially separated from one another by relief channels 262 (shown in FIG. 14 ). As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, while shown and described herein as being defined in a plane 250 (shown in FIG. 14 ), it should be understood and appreciated that the relief channels may alternatively (or additionally) be defined in one or more of the planar facets 336 and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0075] 13 and 16 , as well as with reference to FIG. 18 , it is contemplated that the outer surface 338 of the tubular member body 308 defines a plurality of arcuate facets 306. The plurality of arcuate facets 306 are distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation 174, separate circumferentially adjacent planar facets 336, and are circumferentially separated from one another by respective ones of the plurality of planar facets 336. It is contemplated that the plurality of arcuate facets 306 are substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 174 and are overcut relative to one of a corresponding, radially overlapping plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 defined by the inner surface 244 (shown in FIG. 14 ) of the hub portion 208 (shown in FIG. 10 ) of the actuator body 204. 13 , it is further contemplated that (a) each of the planar surfaces 250 within the lift pin actuator 200 radially overlaps a respective one of the plurality of planar facets defined by the mounting end 304 of the actuator tube member 300, (b) each of the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 defined within the lift pin actuator 200 radially overlaps a respective one of the plurality of arcuate facets 354 defined by the mounting end 304 of the actuator tube member 300, and (c) each of the plurality of planar surfaces 250 defined within the lift pin actuator 200 abuts a respective one of the plurality of planar facets 336 defined by the mounting end 304 of the actuator tube member 300. In particular, the overcut provides a gap 356 between the radially overlapping ones of the plurality of arcuate surfaces 252 defined in the hub portion 208 and the facets of the plurality of arcuate facets 306 defined by the actuator tube member 300. The gaps 356 then position the lift pin actuator 200 on the planar facets 336 at the planes 250, promoting stability of the lift pin actuator 200 on the actuator tube member 300 (e.g., resisting pitching and rolling).

[0076] Referring to FIG. 19, a method 400 of fabricating a lift pin actuator, e.g., lift pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1), is shown. Method 400 includes forming a lift pin actuator body, e.g., actuator body 204 (shown in FIG. 10), from a single workpiece body, e.g., single workpiece 26 (shown in FIG. 12), formed from a ceramic material, e.g., ceramic material 206 (shown in FIG. 5), as indicated by curly bracket 402. Forming 402 the lift pin actuator body includes defining a hub portion of the lift pin actuator body from a single workpiece, e.g., hub portion 208 (shown in FIG. 10), as indicated by box 404. Forming 402 the lift pin actuator body also includes defining first and second arm portions of the lift pin actuator body from a single workpiece, e.g., first and second arm portions 210 (shown in FIG. 10) and 212 (shown in FIG. 10), as indicated by box 406. Forming 402 the lift pin actuator body further includes defining a pad portion of the lift pin actuator body from a single workpiece, e.g., pad portion 214 (shown in FIG. 10 ), as indicated by box 408. It is contemplated that forming 402 the lift pin actuator body may additionally include defining an engagement surface on the pad portion of the lift pin actuator body from a single workpiece, e.g., engagement surface 230 (shown in FIG. 12 ), as indicated by box 410.

[0077] It is contemplated that one or more of defining operations 504-410 may include forming a portion of the lift pin actuator body and / or the engagement surface using two or more subtractive manufacturing techniques. In this regard, the hub portion may be formed using a punching or drilling operation and a milling operation, as indicated by boxes 412 and 414. Further in this regard, the first arm portion and the second arm portion of the actuator body may be formed using a punching or drilling operation and a milling operation, as indicated by boxes 416 and 418. It is also contemplated that the pad portion of the actuator body may be formed using a drilling or drilling and milling operation, as indicated by boxes 420 and 422, and the engagement surface may be additionally formed on the pad portion using a punching or drilling and milling operation, as indicated by boxes 424 and 426. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure, forming the actuator body using subtractive manufacturing techniques limits (or entirely eliminates) the need to weld the actuator body, limits associated distortion, and may improve the yield of the process used to fabricate the lift-pin actuator. As will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure, forming the actuator body using punching or drilling and milling operations can reduce the time required to fabricate the actuator body and limit the cost of the lift-pin actuator due to the relatively high material removal rates associated with punching or drilling operations as opposed to milling ceramic materials.

[0078] 20 , a method 500 of fabricating an actuator arrangement, such as actuator arrangement 110 (shown in FIG. 3 ), is shown. Method 500 includes positioning a lift-pin actuator on an actuator tube according to a 3-2-1 positioning method to position the lift-pin actuator on the actuator tube, e.g., positioning lift-pin actuator 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ) on actuator tube 300 (shown in FIG. 1 ), as indicated with curly brackets 502. In this regard, it is contemplated that positioning 502 the lift-pin actuator may include positioning the lift-pin actuator relative to the actuator tube, as indicated by boxes 504 and 512, including positioning the lift-pin actuator at three contact points located on one of the actuator tubes in a first plane orthogonal to rotation axis 174, e.g., three of the contact points identified using the 3-2-1 positioning method (shown in FIG. 16 ) in first plane 342 (shown in FIG. 16 ). In further regard, it is contemplated that positioning 502 the lift pin actuator relative to the actuator tube member may also include positioning the lift pin actuator relative to the tube member body at a fourth contact point and a fifth contact point located in a second plane parallel to the axis of rotation and perpendicular to the first plane, as shown in box 506, e.g., two of the six contact points in the 3-2-1 position (shown in FIG. 16 ) in second plane 344 (shown in FIG. 17 ).

[0079] It is further contemplated that positioning 502 the lift-pin actuator relative to the actuator tube may include positioning the lift-pin actuator at six contact points located in a third plane parallel to the axis of rotation and orthogonal to the first and second planes, e.g., the sixth of six contact points (shown in FIG. 16 ) identified using a 3-2-1 positioning method within third plane 346 (shown in FIG. 18 ), as indicated by box 508. Once positioned according to the 3-2-1 positioning method, the lift-pin actuator is clamped to the actuator tube using gravity, thereby constraining the lift-pin actuator in translation and rotation relative to the actuator tube within the first, second, and third planes, as indicated by box 510. Advantageously, movement (e.g., rolling and pitching) of the lift-pin actuator constrained relative to the actuator tube during operation is limited (or completely absent), allowing the pad portion of the lift-pin actuator to be relatively small. As a result, the small pad area limits shading of the substrate support by the lift pin actuators, improves temperature control of a substrate mounted on the substrate support, and limits substrate-to-substrate variations induced in a material layer deposited onto the substrate due to temperature variations between the substrates.

[0080] While the present disclosure has been provided in the context of certain embodiments and examples, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure extends beyond the specifically described embodiments to other alternative embodiments and / or uses of the present embodiments and obvious modifications and their equivalents. In addition, while several variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described in detail, other modifications that are within the scope of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another to form varying modes of embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the present disclosure should be limited by the specific embodiments described above.

[0081] Any headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the devices and methods disclosed herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 2 Base material 4 material layers 6 Lower side 8 Top side 10 Process Fluid 12 External environment 16 Silicon-containing material layer precursor 18 Metal-containing material layer precursor 20 Dopant-containing material layer precursor 22 Etchant 24 Dilution Fluid 26 workpieces 28 saw cutting motion 30 Drilling 32 Milling Operations 33 Flat Facets 78 Lower Chamber 100 Semiconductor Processing Systems 102 Process fluid supply source 106 Exhaust Source 108 Controller 110 Actuator Arrangement 112 Wireless Link 114 Silicon-containing material layer precursor source 116 Dopant-containing material layer precursor supply source 118 Etchant Source 120 Dilution fluid supply source 122 process fluid supply conduit 124 Metal-containing material layer precursor source 126 Process fluid exhaust duct 128 Single-Wafer Cross-Flow Architecture 130 Chamber body 132 Injection flange 134 Exhaust flange 136 Upper Heater Element Array 138 Lower Heater Element Array 142 Substrate Support 144 Lift Pin 146 Support member 148 Shaft member 150 Rotation Module 152 Ceramic Materials 154 Injection end 156 Exhaust end 158 External Rib 160 Internal 162 Upper Heater Element 164 Lower Heating Element 166 Opaque materials 168 Upper Chamber 170 Lower Chamber 172 Aperture 174 Rotational Axis 176 Passage section 178 Lift pin opening 180 positions 182 positions 184 parts 186 Gate valve 188 Substrate Transfer Robot 190 End Effector 192 Exterior 194 Gap 200 Lift Pin Actuator 202 Inside 204 Actuator body 206 Ceramic Materials 208 Hub part 210 First arm part 212 Second arm part 214 Pad part 216 Top 218 Exterior 220 Bottom 222 Annular Segment 224 Marlon Segment 226 Narrow Space 228 First Arm Pair 230 Engagement surface 232 First arm portion upper surface 234 Second arm part upper surface 236 Arcuate Segment 238 Radial Inner Pad Surface 240 Radial Outer Pad Surface 242 sockets 244 Interior 246 Aperture 248 Top opening 250 planes 252 Arcuate Surface 254 plane angle Around 256 258 Base 260 open end 262 Relief Channel 300 Actuator tube member 302 Interior 304 edge 306 Arcuate Facet 308 Pipe member body 310 Operating End 312 Middle Segment 314 Ceramic Materials 316 Longitudinal Slot 318 End face 320 through hole 322 Working end face 324 Working End Opening 326 End opening 328 Gap 330 mid-section diameter 332 Actuator end diameter 334 End diameter 336 Flat Facets 338 Exterior 340 Planar Facet Angle 342 First Plane 344 Second Plane 346 The Third Plane 348 Arcuate Edge 350 base 352 open end 354 Arcuate Facets 356 Gap

Claims

1. 1. A lift pin actuator, comprising: An actuator body disposed along a rotation axis, a hub portion extending about the rotation axis; a first arm portion and a second arm portion extending outward from the hub portion and in a direction opposite to the axis of rotation, the second arm portion being parallel to the first arm portion; a pad portion radially separated from the hub portion by the first arm portion and the second arm portion, the pad portion connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion; the pad portion has an engagement surface that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation and coplanar with the first arm portion and the second arm portion of the actuator body, and the lift-pin actuator is configured to drive a lift pin above the engagement surface of the pad portion of the actuator body along the axis of rotation.

2. 2. The lift-pin actuator of claim 1, wherein the pad portion is one of three pad portions distributed circumferentially about the hub portion of the actuator body.

3. 2. The lift-pin actuator of claim 1, wherein the first arm portion and the second arm portion form a first pair of arms of the actuator body, and the actuator body has three pairs of arms distributed circumferentially about the hub portion of the actuator body.

4. 10. The lift pin actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator body is formed from a ceramic material, and wherein the actuator body is monolithically formed from a single ceramic workpiece using subtractive manufacturing techniques.

5. 10. The lift-pin actuator of claim 1, wherein the hub portion has an upper surface defining a top opening therein, a lower surface defining a mounting opening therein, and an inner surface connecting the top opening to the mounting opening.

6. The lift-pin actuator of claim 5 , wherein said inner surface of said hub portion defines a plurality of flats distributed circumferentially about said axis of rotation.

7. 7. The lift-pin actuator of claim 6, wherein the plurality of planar surfaces are angled with respect to at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface at a planar surface angle that is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees.

8. 7. The lift pin actuator of claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the hub portion defines a plurality of arcuate surfaces distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation, the plurality of arcuate surfaces being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

9. 7. The lift-pin actuator of claim 6, wherein one or more of the plurality of flat surfaces is bounded by an arcuate periphery having a base adjacent the lower surface of the hub portion and an open end adjacent the upper surface of the hub portion, and wherein the one or more of the plurality of flat surfaces defines a relief channel therein extending from the open end to a location intermediate the open end and the base of the arcuate periphery.

10. 2. The lift pin actuator of claim 1, wherein the hub portion of the actuator body has an annular segment and a plurality of merlon segments, the plurality of merlon segments extending axially from the annular segment and the plurality of merlon segments axially separating the first arm portion and the second arm portion from the annular segment of the hub portion.

11. 1. An actuator arrangement comprising:

10. The lift pin actuator of claim 1; an actuator tube member disposed along the axis of rotation, the lift pin actuator being mounted on the actuator tube member; the actuator tube member having an outer surface defining a plurality of planar facets distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation; the lift pin actuator has an inner surface having a plurality of flat surfaces circumferentially distributed about the axis of rotation; an actuator arrangement in which each of the plurality of flat surfaces defined by the inner surface of the lift-pin actuator abuts a respective one of the plurality of planar facets defined by the outer surface of the actuator tube to position the lift-pin actuator on the actuator tube.

12. 12. The actuator arrangement of claim 11, wherein the outer surface of the actuator tube member defines three planar facets and the inner surface of the lift pin actuator defines three planes, each of which radially overlaps one of the plurality of planar facets.

13. 12. The actuator arrangement of claim 11, wherein the plurality of planar facets are angled relative to the axis of rotation at a planar facet angle that is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees, and the plurality of planes are angled relative to the axis of rotation at a plane angle that is substantially equal to the planar facet angle.

14. 12. The actuator arrangement of claim 11, wherein the outer surface of the actuator tube member defines a plurality of arcuate facets and the inner surface of the lift pin actuator defines a plurality of arcuate surfaces, each of the plurality of arcuate surfaces radially overlapping one of the plurality of arcuate facets.

15. 15. The actuator arrangement of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of arcuate surfaces defined by the inner surface of the lift pin actuator is radially offset from a respective one of the plurality of arcuate facets defined by the outer surface of the actuator tube member.

16. 15. The actuator arrangement of claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the actuator tube member defines three arcuate facets distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation, and the inner surface of the lift pin actuator defines three arcuate surfaces distributed circumferentially about the axis of rotation.

17. 12. The actuator arrangement of claim 11, further comprising a shaft member disposed within the actuator tube member and supported for rotation about the axis of rotation, the plurality of planar facets and the plurality of planes radially overlapping the shaft member.

18. 1. A semiconductor processing system comprising: a chamber body; a lift pin actuator according to claim 1 disposed within the chamber body; an actuator tube member extending through a lower wall of the chamber body, the lift pin actuator being mounted on the actuator tube member; a shaft member disposed within the actuator tube member and supported for rotation about the axis of rotation; a substrate support mounted on the shaft member having a plurality of lift pins slidably received therein; the lift pin actuator is axially disposed between the bottom wall of the chamber body and the plurality of lift pins and is configured to load and unload a substrate from the substrate support.

19. 1. A method of making a lift pin actuator, comprising: forming a lift pin actuator body from a single workpiece body formed from a ceramic material using punching or drilling operations and milling operations; defining a hub portion extending about an axis of rotation; defining first and second arm portions extending outward from the hub portion and in a direction opposite the axis of rotation, the second arm portion being parallel to the first arm portion; connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion, the first arm portion and the second arm portion defining a pad portion radially separated from the hub portion; defining an engagement surface of the pad portion perpendicular to the axis of rotation and coplanar with the first arm portion and the second arm portion of the lift pin actuator body; and defining an engagement surface whereby the engagement surface of the pad portion of the lift-pin actuator body is configured to drive a lift pin above the engagement surface of the pad portion along the rotational axis.

20. 1. A method of making an actuator arrangement, comprising: a lift-pin actuator including: an actuator body having a hub portion disposed along and extending about a rotational axis, first and second arm portions extending outward from the hub portion and in a direction opposite to the rotational axis, the second arm portion being parallel to the first arm portion; and a pad portion radially separated from the hub portion by the first and second arm portions, the pad portion connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion, the pad portion having an engagement surface perpendicular to the rotational axis and coplanar with the first and second arm portions of the actuator body, the pad portion configured to drive a lift pin above the engagement surface of the pad portion of the actuator body along the rotational axis; positioning the actuator body relative to an actuator tube member at three contact points located on the actuator tube member and in a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the three contact points being distributed about the axis of rotation; positioning the actuator body relative to the actuator tube at fourth and fifth contact points located on the actuator tube and in a second plane parallel to the axis of rotation and perpendicular to the first plane; positioning the actuator body relative to the actuator tube member at a sixth contact point located on the actuator tube member and in a third plane parallel to the axis of rotation and orthogonal to both the first and second planes; and clamping the actuator body to the actuator tube member using gravity, whereby the lift pin actuator is constrained to the actuator tube member during translation and rotation in a first plane, a second plane, and a third plane.

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