Spark Plasma Sintering Parts for Cryo-Plasma Processing Chambers

By employing SPS-processed doped silicon carbide and carbide components, the challenges of accelerated corrosion and shortened lifespans in cryogenic plasma treatments are addressed, resulting in improved durability and reduced maintenance needs for plasma processing chambers.

JP2025509719APending Publication Date: 2025-04-11LAM RES CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024555088
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-03-23
Filing Date
2023-03-21
Publication Date
2025-04-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Cryogenic plasma treatments significantly shorten the lifespan of dielectric components in plasma processing chambers, leading to increased downtime, higher ownership costs, and reduced throughput due to accelerated corrosion.

Method used

The use of a discharge plasma sintered body made from doped silicon carbide powder and doped carbides, with specific dopants such as aluminum, tungsten, and boron carbide, which are processed using the SPS method to create high-density, corrosion-resistant components for plasma processing chambers.

Benefits of technology

The SPS-processed components exhibit enhanced etching resistance and extended lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements, minimizing downtime, and maintaining system performance and throughput.

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Abstract

An apparatus is provided for cryogenically plasma processing a wafer. The wafer support is configured to support a wafer in a plasma processing chamber. A gas source provides gas to the plasma processing chamber. A cooling system provides cooling for the wafer support. The component includes a spark plasma sintered body including a sintering powder, the sintering powder including a doped silicon carbide powder having a dopant of at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), a doped carbide having a dopant of at least one of boron carbide (BC), WC, and TaC, and at least one of pure BC, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 322,982, filed March 23, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. [Background technology]

[0002] The background art described in this specification is intended to generally present the contents of the present disclosure. Any aspects of the description that are not prior art at the time of filing, as well as any information described in this background art section, are not expressly or implicitly admitted as prior art to the present disclosure.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to components for use in plasma processing chambers. In particular, the present disclosure relates to dielectric plasma-exposed components in plasma processing chambers.

[0004] In the formation of semiconductor devices, plasma processing chambers are used to process substrates. Some plasma processing chambers have dielectric components (liners, gas distribution plates, edge rings, etc.).

[0005] Silicon carbide (SiC) has been widely used in dielectric components for some plasma processing chambers due to its high etch resistance. The technology to manufacture SiC edge rings is mainly by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) where a thick SiC coating is grown on a graphite mandrel. After removal of the graphite mandrel, the CVD-produced SiC object is processed into an edge ring. Pure CVD-produced SiC cannot meet the lifetime requirements due to more aggressive plasma chemistries and stringent demands on component lifetime.

[0006] In cryogenic plasma processes such as cryogenic etching, the lifespan of components such as edge rings has been found to be four to five times shorter than the lifespan of components in non-cryogenic plasma processes. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To achieve the above according to the objectives of the present disclosure, an apparatus for plasma processing a wafer at cryogenic temperatures is provided. A wafer support is configured to support a wafer in a plasma processing chamber. A gas source provides gas to the plasma processing chamber. A cooling system provides cooling for the wafer support. The component includes a spark plasma sintered body including a sintering powder, the sintering powder including at least one of doped silicon carbide powder (dopant is at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC)), doped carbide (carbide is at least one of boron carbide (BC), WC, and TaC, and dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta), and pure BC, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

[0008] In another embodiment, a component for use in a cryogenic plasma processing system is provided. The component includes a spark plasma sintered body including a sintering powder, the sintering powder including at least one of doped silicon carbide powder (dopant is at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC)), doped carbide (carbide is at least one of boron carbide (BC), WC, and TaC, and dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta), and pure BC, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

[0009] These and other features of the present disclosure are described in more detail in the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers represent similar elements and in which:

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a high level flow chart of an embodiment.

[0012] [Figure 2A] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a sintering powder placed in a mold in accordance with an embodiment of a method for fabricating an edge ring component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 2B] 1A-1C are cross-sectional views of an embodiment of a method for fabricating an edge ring component for use in a plasma processing chamber, the cross-sectional view showing an edge ring formed after spark plasma sintering (SPS) of a sintering powder. [Figure 2C] 1A-1C are side views of an edge ring removed from a mold, according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating an edge ring component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 2D] 1A-1C are side views of an edge ring after it has been further processed to form an edge ring component for use in a plasma processing chamber, according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating an edge ring component for use in a plasma processing chamber.

[0013] [Figure 3A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sintering powder placed in a mold according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 3B] 1A-1C are cross-sectional views of a gas distribution plate formed after spark plasma sintering (SPS) of a sintering powder according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 3C] 1A-1C are top views of a gas distribution plate removed from a mold, according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 3D] 3D is a side view of the gas distribution plate of FIG. 3C, showing an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. FIG. [Figure 3E]1A-1C are top views of a gas distribution plate after it has been further processed to form a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber, according to an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 3F] 3E is a side view of the gas distribution plate component of FIG. 3E, showing an embodiment of a method for fabricating a gas distribution plate component for use in a plasma processing chamber. FIG.

[0014] [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a plasma processing chamber according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to several preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, several specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.

[0016] In plasma processing, various components in the plasma processing chamber will corrode. The corroded components will cause changes in the process and affect wafer-to-wafer uniformity. In addition, the corroded components will need to be replaced, increasing plasma process downtime, reducing throughput, and increasing cost of ownership. Cryogenic plasma processing is plasma processing at temperatures below -20°C. Cryogenic plasma processing, such as cryogenic etching, has been found to corrode components four to five times faster than components in non-cryogenic plasma processing. In some applications, plasma processing at cryogenic temperatures has been found to provide process enhancements. The increased corrosion from using such cryogenic plasma processing will increase downtime, increase cost of ownership, degrade system performance, and reduce throughput.

[0017] For ease of understanding, FIG. 1 is a high level flow chart of an embodiment of a method for fabricating a component for a plasma processing chamber. The sintering powder is placed in a mold (step 104). In this embodiment, the sintering powder includes at least one of doped silicon carbide powder (dopant is at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC)), doped carbide (carbide is at least one of boron carbide (B4C), WC, and TaC, and dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta), and pure MoC, pure B4C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo. In one embodiment, the atomic fraction of the dopant relative to the total powder is 0.01-30%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is between 0.05 and 20%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is between 0.1 and 10%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is between 0.1 and 1%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is between 1 and 5%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is between 1 and 10%. In other embodiments, the atomic fraction of the dopant to the total powder is greater than 10%. FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view of sintering powder 204a disposed in an annular recess or cavity of a mold 208 for fabricating a component of a plasma processing chamber. The mold 208 includes an outer mold ring 208a and an inner mold 208b. In this example, the component is an edge ring for use in a plasma processing chamber. The mold 208 is configured to process the sintering powder 204a by a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process and, in one embodiment, includes a pair of conductive pads 212 that surround the upper and lower ends of the cavity of the mold 208 and act as pistons or punches to apply a compressive force P to the sintering powder 204a within the mold 208.

[0018] Returning to Figure 1, the sintering powder 204a is then subjected to spark plasma sintering (SPS) to form the sintering powder into a spark plasma sintered part or component (step 108). In the exemplary embodiment shown in cross-section in Figure 2B, the sintering powder 204a is then subjected to SPS to form the sintering powder into a spark plasma sintered formed edge ring 204b.

[0019] Compared to conventional sintering processes, the SPS process (also known as Pulsed Electric Current Sintering (PECS), Field Assisted Sintering (FAST), or Plasma Compaction (P2C)) involves the simultaneous use of pressure and high intensity, low voltage (e.g., 5-10 minutes instead of hours) pulsed current to dramatically reduce processing / heating times and result in dense components. In one embodiment, pressure (e.g., 10 megapascals (MPa) to 500 MPa or more) is applied axially to the sintering powder 204a by reciprocating the conductive pad 212 under uniaxial mechanical force while simultaneously transmitting a pulsed DC current to the deposited sintering powder 204a using the conductive pad 212 as an electrode. "Uniaxial force" is defined herein to mean a force applied along a direction that creates a single axis or uniaxial compaction. The mold 208 and sintering powder 204a are typically placed under vacuum during at least a portion of the process. The pulsed current pattern (on:off) (typically milliseconds) allows for high heating rates (up to 1000°C / min or more) and rapid cooling / quenching rates (up to 200°C / min or more) to heat the sintering powder 204a to temperatures below 1000°C to 2500°C. In one embodiment, the on-off DC pulsing of the SPS process produces one or more of the following effects in the sintering powder: 1) discharge plasma, 2) discharge shock pressure, 3) Joule heating, and 4) electric field diffusion effects.

[0020] The scale and geometry of the mold 208, the conductive pads 212, the sintering powder 204a, and the SPS forming edge ring 204b (and the elements detailed in FIGS. 3A and 3B), provided in the schematic diagrams of FIGS. 2A and 2B, are for illustrative purposes only, and it is recognized that such components may differ from each other in size, scale, shape, and form. Further, it is recognized that the mold 208 and the conductive pads 212 may be provided as part of an SPS apparatus (not shown) that includes, among other things, one or more of a vertical uniaxial pressing mechanism, a cooling vacuum chamber, an atmosphere management, a vacuum evacuation unit, a sintering DC pulse generator, and an SPS controller.

[0021] In one embodiment of the SPS process provided for illustrative purposes only, the sintering of the sintering powder is carried out under vacuum (6 < P(Pa) < 14) while being exposed to a pulsed current. The SPS heat treatment is carried out by 1) performing a degassing treatment for 3 to 10 minutes (the sintering powder 204a is preferably exposed for 3 minutes under a limited load (e.g., 10 to 20 megapascals (MPa)) and for 2 minutes under an increasing load of up to 40 to 100 MPa), 2) heating at a maximum of 1850 to 1950 °C at -1 100 °C increments under a load of 40 to 100 MPa, soaking at the maximum temperature for 5 minutes, and then cooling to room temperature. It is recognized that one or more of the SPS process parameters (such as the mixing ratio, particle size, pressure, temperature, treatment duration, and current pulse sequence of the sintering powder) may be appropriately changed to optimize the SPS process.

[0022] Referring to the side view of FIG. 2C, the SPS-formed edge ring 204b (in this embodiment, the SPS-formed edge ring 204b having the central channel 216) is removed from the mold 208 as an SPS-formed part. The SPS-formed edge ring 204b forms a ring-shaped discharge plasma sintered body having a plasma-facing surface. The SPS-formed part is characterized by a high density approaching nearly 100% (for example, a relative density of 99% or more, preferably a relative density of 99.5 to 100%) and isotropy that reduces diffusion between grains and minimizes or prevents grain growth. The ring-shaped spark plasma sintered body mainly comprises a sintering powder consisting of doped silicon carbide powder (the dopant is at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC)), or doped carbide (the carbide is at least one of boron carbide (BC), WC, and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta), or may be pure BC, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

[0023] Following the SPS process, the component may be further processed (step 112, e.g., processes such as polishing, machining, etc.) to make the component particularly suitable for use in a plasma processing chamber. It is recognized that the mold and / or SPS process may be configured such that no further processing is required in step 112. The SPS formed edge ring 204b may be formed as a near net shape (NNS) part. An NNS part then requires machining to remove less than 20% of its volume.

[0024] 2D, the spark plasma sintered formed edge ring 204b is further processed to form a processed edge ring 204c. For example, one or more surfaces 220 of the SPS formed edge ring 204b (e.g., the inner surface of the central channel 216 and the diameter D i , outer diameter D oand / or the top or bottom surface) may be polished, ground, or machined to form an edge ring 204c that is particularly suitable for use in a plasma processing chamber.

[0025] The treated SPS body is then attached or loaded into a cryogenic plasma processing chamber, step 116. The SPS component is used in the cryogenic plasma processing chamber to perform cryogenic plasma processing of one or more wafers or substrates, step 120. During cryogenic plasma processing, one or more surfaces of the SPS component are exposed to plasma and / or dielectric etch processes.

[0026] The cryogenic plasma processing performed by the cryogenic plasma processing chamber may include one or more of the following processes: etching, deposition, passivation, and another plasma process. The cryogenic plasma processing may also be performed with a combination of non-plasma and non-cryogenic processes. Such processes may expose various components of the plasma processing chamber to plasmas containing halogens and / or oxygen, which may result in corrosion or degradation of the components. In an embodiment, the SPS components are exposed to a cryogenic etching process.

[0027] The SPS process illustrated in Figure 1 is particularly useful for fabricating dielectric plasma processing chamber consumable parts. In particular, the process illustrated in Figures 1 and 2A-2D is particularly suited for forming and / or conditioning one or more components of a plasma processing chamber to inhibit or minimize wear of the components due to the plasma and etching processes inherent in the plasma processing chamber. Such components include high flow liners, gas distribution plates, edge rings, in addition to Pinnacles® and electrostatic chucks (ESCs), among other parts of the plasma processing chamber that may be exposed to plasma or fast ions.

[0028] Accordingly, Figures 3A-3F show another embodiment of a method for fabricating a plasma processing component, particularly a chamber gas distribution plate, using the SPS process according to the present description. Figure 3A shows a cross-sectional view of sintering powder 304a disposed in a recess or cavity of a mold 308 for fabricating a gas distribution plate of a plasma processing chamber, as described in the previous embodiment. The mold 308 is configured to process the sintering powder 304a according to the SPS process. One embodiment includes a pair of dielectric pads 312 that surround the upper and lower ends of the cavity of the mold 308 and act as pistons or punches to apply a compressive force to the sintering powder 304a inside the mold 308.

[0029] Referring to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3B, the sintering powder 304a is then subjected to SPS to form the sintering powder into a spark plasma sintered forming disk 304b (step 108) by simultaneously applying a compressive force P and a pulsed current to the conductive pad 312 in accordance with the SPS process described above with respect to FIG. 2B.

[0030] 3C and 3D, top and side views, respectively, the SPS formed disk 304b is removed from the mold 308 and is characterized by a high density approaching 100% with isotropy that reduces interparticle diffusion and minimizes or prevents grain growth. In various embodiments, the high density provides a relative density of 99% or greater, preferably 99.5-100%. The formed disk 304b is the disk-shaped part body.

[0031] 3E and 3F, respectively, the top and side views, the SPS formed disk 304b is further processed to form a process gas distribution plate 304c. For example, a plurality of gas inlet holes 316 are drilled into the formed disk 304b to form the gas distribution plate 304c. In the example shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F, the holes 316 are not drawn to scale to better illustrate the embodiment. In alternative embodiments, the holes 316 may have various spacing and / or geometric patterns (e.g., circular, lattice, etc.). Additionally, one or more surfaces of the SPS formed disk 304b (e.g., diameter Do The outer peripheral surface and / or top or bottom surface having a groove 316 may be polished, ground, and machined to form a gas distribution plate 304c that is specifically configured for use in a plasma processing chamber. The gas distribution plate 304 is configured to receive gas from a gas source and provide gas to a plasma processing chamber. In this embodiment, one of the polished surfaces is the plasma-facing surface 320. The holes 316 are drilled into the plasma-facing surface 320. The plasma-facing surface 320 is the surface that faces or is exposed to the plasma when used in a plasma processing chamber. When the plasma-facing surface 320 is exposed to a plasma or a remote plasma, the plasma-facing surface may be referred to as a plasma-exposed surface.

[0032] Plasma processing components (e.g., edge ring 204c, gas distribution plate 304c) produced by the SPS process are resistant to erosion from exposure to plasma such that the components are not consumable or have substantially reduced wear, limiting or eliminating the need to change or replace components due to erosion. By being more etch resistant, components fabricated and mounted by the process illustrated in FIG. 1 also minimize / prevent the generation of impurities during plasma processing. The SPS process detailed in FIG. 1 is particularly suited to fabricating large parts (e.g., parts with outer diameters (D) of 14 inches (35.56 centimeters) or greater). o ) and the gas distribution plate 304c.

[0033] SPS formed parts offer the advantages of higher manufacturability and lower cost than traditional edge ring manufacturing processes where material is built up layer by layer in a CVC process.

[0034] 4, one or more processed SPS forming components may be attached or loaded for use in a cryogenic plasma processing system 400 to process a wafer or substrate 407. The plasma processing chamber in this embodiment is a CCP (capacitively coupled plasma) reactor. In other embodiments, the plasma processing chamber may be inductively coupled or may use other RF power systems.

[0035] In one example configuration, the one or more processed SPS forming parts include plasma processing chamber consumable parts such as edge rings, gas distribution plates, high flow liners, etc. In some embodiments, the cryogenic plasma processing system 400 includes a gas distribution plate 406, also called a "showerhead," to provide a gas inlet to the plasma processing chamber 404. The gas distribution plate 406 may be attached to the plasma processing chamber 404 along with an electrostatic chuck (ESC) 416, all surrounded by a chamber wall 450. In the plasma processing chamber 404, a substrate or wafer 407 is placed on the ESC 416, which functions as a wafer support to support the substrate 407. The ESC 416 may provide a bias from an ESC power supply 448. A gas source 410 is connected to the plasma processing chamber 404 through the gas distribution plate 406. An ESC temperature controller 451 is connected to the ESC 416 and provides temperature control of the ESC 416. In this embodiment, the ESC temperature controller may be part of a cooling system capable of cooling the ESC 416 to cryogenic temperatures below -20°C or -60°C. A radio frequency (RF) power source 430 provides RF power to the ESC 416 and the upper electrode. In this embodiment, the upper electrode is the gas distribution plate 406. In a preferred embodiment, 13.56 megahertz (MHz), 2 MHz, 60 MHz, and / or 27 MHz power sources, as appropriate, comprise the RF power source 430 and the ESC power source 448. A controller 435 is controllably connected to the RF power source 430, the ESC power source 448, the exhaust pump 420, and the gas source 410.

[0036] High flow liner 460 is a liner in plasma processing chamber 404 that may be formed, installed, and used according to the process illustrated in Figure 1. High flow liner 460 confines gas from a gas source and has slots 462. Slots 462 maintain a controlled flow of gas passing from gas source 410 to exhaust pump 420.

[0037] The edge ring 464 surrounds the substrate 407. The plasma processing chamber 404 uses the edge ring 464 to plasma process the substrate 407. The top surface of the edge ring 464 is preferably flush with the top surface of the substrate 407. Therefore, by using the SPS-formed edge ring 204c as the edge ring 464, various mechanisms that are typically provided to move the edge ring as it wears to keep the top surface of the edge ring flush with the top surface of the substrate are not required. In addition, the edge ring must be replaced once it is sufficiently worn, causing downtime of the plasma processing chamber. In other embodiments, such components may be located in a position shielded from the plasma. The ceramic edge ring has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Also, the component is a dielectric component having an etch resistivity greater than 25 ohm-centimeters (ohm·cm).

[0038] In other embodiments, the components may be part of other types of plasma processing chambers, such as a TCP (transformer coupled plasma) reactor, a bevel plasma processing chamber, or similar devices. Examples of plasma processing chamber components that may be provided in various embodiments are confinement rings, plasma exclusion rings, edge rings, electrostatic chucks, ground rings, chamber liners, door liners, pinnacles, showerheads, dielectric power windows, gas injectors, edge rings, ceramic transfer arms, or other components. In some embodiments, the cryogenic temperature is a temperature below −60° C. In some embodiments, the cryogenic etch may be used to etch alternating layers of silicon oxide and polysilicon (OPOP) stacks or alternating layers of silicon oxide and silicon nitride (ONON) stacks. Because some hard masks are made of plasma resistant dielectric materials that provide volatile etch products, the components may be made of sintered powders of materials used as hard masks in such processes.

[0039] In various embodiments, the sintering powder is mainly composed of Al-doped SiC. SiC and Al are not novel materials. High purity SiC and Al can be obtained at low cost. Also, the Al dopant may be uniformly distributed in the SiC particles. In various embodiments, the sintering powder forms volatile etching products when the component body corrodes.

[0040] In various embodiments, the sintering powder is comprised primarily of B4C. A sintering powder comprised primarily of B4C can be readily sintered to high density.

[0041] In various embodiments, the sintering powder consists primarily of W or Mo. In other embodiments, the sintering powder consists primarily of WC doped with at least one of B, W, Mo, Al, Ta, and B4C.

[0042] In various embodiments, the sintering powder consists primarily of SiC doped with Y. SiC and Y are not exotic materials. High purity SiC and Y can be obtained at low cost. In embodiments where the components are made of sintered pure WC, dense parts may be readily formed by sintering.

[0043] While the present disclosure has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and various substitute equivalents that fall within the scope of the present disclosure. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted to include all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and various substitute equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus for plasma processing of a wafer at cryogenic temperatures, comprising: a plasma processing chamber; a wafer support for supporting a wafer within the plasma processing chamber; a gas source for providing gas to the plasma processing chamber; a cooling system for cooling the wafer support; and a component including a spark plasma sintered body containing a sintering powder, the sintering powder being a doped silicon carbide powder, the dopant being at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), and a carbide being at least one of boron carbide (B 4 C), doped carbides, which are at least one of WC and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta; and pure B 4 1. A device comprising at least one of: pure C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 0.10% to 10%.

3. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The apparatus, wherein the component is at least one of a gas distribution plate, an edge ring, and a liner of the plasma processing chamber.

4. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The sintering powder mainly comprises doped silicon carbide powder, the dopant being at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), and the carbide being at least one of boron carbide (B 4 C), WC, and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta; and pure B 4 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of: pure C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

5. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 0.10% to 1%.

6. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder is in the range of 1% to 5%.

7. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 1% to 10%.

8. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, The cooling system is capable of cooling the wafer support to a temperature below -20°C.

9. 1. A component for use in a cryogenic plasma processing system, comprising: The spark plasma sintered body includes a powder for sintering, the powder for sintering being a doped silicon carbide powder, the dopant of which is at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), and a carbide of which is at least one of boron carbide (B 4 C), doped carbides, which are at least one of WC and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta; and pure B 4 C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

10. 1. A method for making a component for use in a plasma processing chamber, comprising: A sintering powder is placed in the mold, the sintering powder being a doped silicon carbide powder, the dopant being at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), and a carbide being at least one of boron carbide (B 4 C), doped carbides, which are at least one of WC and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta; and pure B 4 C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo; subjecting the sintering powder to spark plasma sintering (SPS) to form a spark plasma sintered part; machining the spark plasma sintered component into a plasma processing chamber component; A method comprising:

11. 11. The method of claim 10, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 0.10% to 10%.

12. 11. The method of claim 10, The method, wherein the component is at least one of a gas distribution plate, an edge ring, and a liner of the plasma processing chamber.

13. 11. The method of claim 10, The sintering powder mainly comprises doped silicon carbide powder, the dopant being at least one of aluminum (Al), yttrium (Y), tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), tungsten carbide (WC), tantalum carbide (TaC), and aluminum silicon carbide (AlSiC), and the carbide being at least one of boron carbide (B 4 C), WC, and TaC, and the dopant is at least one of B, W, molybdenum (Mo), Al, and Ta; and pure B 4 C, pure WC, pure TaC, pure W, or pure Mo.

14. 11. The method of claim 10, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 0.10% to 1%.

15. 11. The method of claim 10, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 1% to 5%.

16. 11. The method of claim 10, The atomic fraction of said dopant relative to the sintering powder ranges from 1% to 10%.

17. 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: The method, wherein the mounting of the component comprises a plasma processing chamber.

18. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: processing a wafer in the plasma processing chamber while the component is mounted in the plasma processing chamber.

19. 20. The method of claim 18, The method, wherein the processing of the wafer is a cryogenic etching process.

20. A component for use in a plasma processing chamber, said component being made by the method of claim 10.