High-temperature substrate support assembly with fault protection function

Abstract

The substrate support assembly includes a plate structure and an insulator structure. The plate structure includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The lower plate includes a lower plate structure surface. The insulator structure is disposed under the plate structure. The insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface. The first portion of the upper insulator structure surface, together with the lower plate structure surface, forms an internal volume.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to a substrate support apparatus for substrate processing operations. Specifically, this specification relates to a high-temperature substrate support apparatus for high-temperature processing operations including protection against failure conditions. Background

[0002] Chambers are used in many types of processing systems. Examples of chambers include etching chambers, deposition chambers, annealing chambers, etc. Generally, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is placed on a substrate support within the chamber, and the conditions within the chamber are set and maintained to process the substrate. The characteristics of the substrate support affect the characteristics of the completed substrate. Summary

[0003] The following is a simplified summary of the disclosure, providing a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure, nor to delineate the scope of particular implementations or the scope of the claims of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description presented below.

[0004] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the substrate support assembly includes a plate structure and an insulator structure. The plate structure includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The lower plate includes a lower plate structure surface. The insulator structure is disposed under the plate structure. The insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed relative to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface. The first portion of the upper insulator structure surface, together with the lower plate structure surface, forms an internal volume.

[0005] In another aspect of the invention, the insulator structure of the substrate support assembly includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed relative to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface.

[0006] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the processing chamber includes a substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly includes a pack for supporting a substrate. The pack includes a heating element. The substrate support assembly includes a radio frequency (RF) insulator structure. The RF insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed relative to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface.

[0007] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the substrate support assembly includes a pack, a power distribution assembly, and an alumina insulator. The pack includes a heating element. The alumina insulator is disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly. The electrical connection between the heating element and the power distribution assembly includes a terminal and a conical washer.

[0008] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the processing chamber includes a pack for supporting a substrate, a power distribution assembly, and a ceramic insulator. The pack includes a heating element. The ceramic insulator is disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly.

[0009] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the method includes recessing a first portion of a radio frequency (RF) insulating plate to form a space between the RF insulating plate and an adjacent component of the processing chamber. Further, the method includes installing an insulator between a heating pack of the processing chamber and a power distribution assembly of the processing chamber. The insulator reduces heat transfer to components of the processing chamber in an emergency machine stop (EMO) state.

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.

Figure 1

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Figure 3B

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[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate support assembly including an electrostatic chuck assembly and a high frequency (RF) insulating plate. In a substrate processing system, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) assembly can be utilized to support and / or secure a substrate for processing. The ESC can include high frequency (RF) elements, heating elements, chucking elements, etc. The ESC can perform several functions to facilitate substrate processing (including substrate temperature control, substrate position control, etc.) related to the included elements.

[0012] In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly includes an ESC pack. The pack can include an upper pack plate joined to a lower pack plate. The pack can include electrodes configured for heating, providing RF radiation, chucking, etc. The pack can be coupled to a cooling plate by a number of fasteners. The cooling plate can be disposed on a base plate that can be disposed on an insulating plate (e.g., can be supported by the base plate). In some embodiments, one or more fasteners couple the base plate to the pack. The cooling plate can be supported by the base plate (e.g., facilitated by fasteners that couple the base plate to the pack, etc.). In some embodiments, a portion of the base plate contacts the pack and can be in thermal communication with the pack. For example, the cooling plate may be nested within the base plate. The insulating plate can be configured to block high frequency (RF) radiation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly can be configured for high-temperature substrate processing, such as at 200 °C or higher, 250 °C or higher, 300 °C or higher, 350 °C or higher, etc. In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly can be included in a processing system (e.g., installed in a processing chamber) targeted at substrate processing conditions of about 350 °C.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cooling plate can be made of a high thermal conductivity material such as aluminum. The cooling plate can include one or more channels that can form one or more flow paths for a refrigerant fluid. The cooling plate can be configured such that the refrigerant circulates through one or more channels of the cooling plate. In some embodiments, the base plate can apply a force to the cooling plate to improve the thermal contact between the cooling plate and the pack. For example, the base plate can be fixed to the pack at one or more locations, and one or more portions of the cooling plate can be pressed against at least a portion of the underside of the pack (e.g., by a spring or other elastic medium disposed between the cooling plate and the base plate). In another example, fasteners (e.g., threaded fasteners such as bolts fixed to threaded inserts that can be embedded in the pack) can fix the cooling plate and / or the base plate to the pack.

[0015] In some embodiments, an insulating plate designed to insulate a part of the system from the RF field can be disposed under the base plate. For example, the insulating plate can be composed of a material having a target dielectric constant. In some embodiments, the insulating plate can be composed of a plastic material. In some embodiments, the insulating plate can be composed of a styrene-containing polymer material. In some embodiments, the insulating plate can be composed of one or more thermosetting, rigid, optionally translucent thermoplastic plastics. The thermoplastic plastic of the insulating plate can have a target dielectric constant (e.g., up to 2.53 to 500 GHz) and may have a low dissipation factor. In some embodiments, the insulating plate is formed of a thermosetting crosslinked polystyrene copolymer. In some embodiments, the insulating plate can be composed of polyamide-imide plastic. In some embodiments, the insulating plate can be composed of a combination of materials such as one or more plastic parts and one or more ceramic (e.g., alumina) parts. In some embodiments, at least one of the materials included in the composition of the insulating plate may not be suitable for high temperatures (e.g., plastic / polymer materials may reach the melting point, combustion point, glass transition point, etc. under high temperature treatment conditions).

[0016] In some embodiments, the physical contact between the base plate and the adjacent surface of the insulating plate can be restricted. For example, a part of the insulating plate can be recessed (e.g., machined to be separated from the base plate surface by a target distance). In some embodiments, the contact between the base plate and the insulating plate can be maintained around the outer edge of the insulating plate and not maintained at the central portion of the substantially planar surface adjacent to the base plate. In some embodiments, the contact between the base plate and the insulating plate is maintained at one or more positions of the interface between the base plate and the insulating plate. For example, some portions of the upper surface of the insulating plate may be recessed, and some portions may not be recessed. The non-recessed portions of the upper surface of the insulating plate can assist in supporting the base plate. Also, the base plate can be supported by other components, such as one or more O-rings or other sealing devices, one or more inserts coupled between the base plate and the insulating plate, etc.

[0017] In some embodiments, various components, fluids, etc. can flow through the insulating plate to other components of the substrate support assembly. For example, a refrigerant fluid can be supplied to the cooling plate through the insulating plate. In some embodiments, a seal is formed between a part of the insulating plate surface and the base plate surface, for example, to form one or more fluid flow paths. In some embodiments, a part of the insulating plate may not be recessed to generate one or more seals with the base plate. In some embodiments, inserts can be utilized. The inserts can form seals between the base plate and the insulating plate. The inserts can be formed of a material different from the insulating plate and / or the base plate, such as a heat insulating material like alumina. In some embodiments, a plurality of channels passing through the insulating plate can be formed by the inserts and can include insets, etc.

[0018] In some embodiments, two regions of the surface of the insulating plate close to the base plate may be recessed by different amounts. For example, one or more regions close to the seal (e.g., the fluid passage portion of the insulating plate) may be less recessed than the regions far from the seal (e.g., the distance between these regions and the adjacent surface of the base plate may be smaller than the distance between the region of the surface of the insulating plate far from the seal and the base plate). In some embodiments, additional materials such as one or more shims, polyimide films, etc. can be added to one or more locations between the insulating plate and the base plate (e.g., the volume between the insulating plate and the base plate created by one or more recesses of the insulating plate). The additional material may be thermally insulating. In some embodiments, a layer of thermal insulation material can be deposited on one region of the recessed region, two or more regions of the recessed region, the entire recessed region, etc.

[0019] In some embodiments, various electrical connections can be formed to supply power to the components of the pack (e.g., heating electrodes, chucking electrodes, etc.). In some systems, the electrical connections and / or components may be damaged when exposed to high temperatures. For example, the temperature obtained in a high-temperature process (e.g., the temperature of the pack of the substrate support assembly) may damage the electrical components. One or more thermal insulation materials can be utilized to protect delicate electrical components (e.g., electrical components that may be damaged when exposed to high temperatures). In some embodiments, a power distribution assembly (e.g., an alternating current (AC) power distribution assembly) may supply power to various components of the pack (e.g., heating electrodes, chucking electrodes, etc.) disposed in one or more zones. A thermal insulation material and one or more electrical pass-throughs (e.g., a thermal insulation material including one or more electrical pass-throughs) can be disposed between the AC power distribution assembly and the pack. In some embodiments, the thermal insulation material can be formed of alumina (Al2O3).

[0020] In some embodiments, temperature cycling (e.g., heating and cooling of the pack during processing, heating and cooling between processing cycles, heating and cooling for maintenance events, etc.) may stress the electrical components of the substrate support assembly (e.g., the electrical path through from the AC power distribution assembly to the pack). In some embodiments, heat-resistant materials can be used for the electrical system within the thermal insulation material disposed between the pack and the AC power distribution assembly. In some embodiments, components that can withstand failures due to thermal cycling may be used. For example, the electrical connection can be formed by a screw disposed within a threaded terminal. Temperature cycling can cause these connections to loosen (e.g., due to thermal expansion and contraction, mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion between the screw and the terminal, etc.). In some embodiments, components that provide a corrective force, such as a conical safety washer, can be used to maintain the electrical connections associated with the substrate support system.

[0021] Aspects of the present disclosure provide technical advantages over conventional solutions. In conventional systems, components of a processing assembly (e.g., a substrate support assembly) may be in substantial contact with each other. Some parts of the substrate support assembly can withstand high temperatures (e.g., the pack, the base plate, the cooling plate, etc.). Some parts of the substrate support assembly are sensitive to high temperatures (e.g., the insulating plate, the AC distribution assembly, etc.). In some embodiments, the components of the substrate support assembly can prevent sensitive components from being exposed to a high-temperature environment. For example, a refrigerant can flow through the cooling plate, removing heat from the system and protecting components (e.g., components disposed on the opposite side of the cooling plate from the pack) from high temperatures.

[0022] In some cases, the cooling operation may be interrupted. Due to equipment / sensor failures, refrigerant blockages, power outages, initiation of emergency protocols, etc., the operation aimed at alleviating heat transfer to sensitive components may be interrupted. For example, an emergency stop may be triggered during the operation of the processing chamber during high-temperature operation. In such an emergency stop, for example, the flow of refrigerant through the cooling plate may stop. In conventional systems, heat flows (e.g., via conduction) within and between the components of the system until it reaches equilibrium with the environment. When the cooling operation is interrupted but there is still high temperature within the system (e.g., in an emergency machine stop (EMO) protocol, there is residual heat in the pack even after the circulation of refrigerant in the cooling plate has stopped), components that are protected from high temperatures during the normal operation of the processing system may be exposed to high temperatures. In one example, the pack may be operated at a high temperature (e.g., above 300 °C). During normal operation, a temperature alleviation component (e.g., a cooling plate) can operate sensitive components at a much lower temperature (e.g., the insulation plate operates at about 60 °C and the AC distribution system is protected from high temperatures, etc.). In an EMO operation, the residual heat in the pack may be transferred to the cooling plate, the base plate, the AC distribution assembly, and the insulation plate. In some cases, a significant temperature increase may occur in the components of the insulation plate and / or the AC distribution assembly. In some embodiments, the high temperature received by temperature-sensitive components may cause physical or material damage to the components. In some embodiments, the temperature received by the components of the substrate support assembly may cause phase changes, shape changes, partial phase changes, glass transitions, etc. in the components. Furthermore, different components may expand differently due to heat due to differences in their coefficients of thermal expansion. Due to one or more of phase changes, shape changes, softening, expansion, etc. of the components, the seal between the components may be damaged, and one or more gas leaks, failures of one or more vacuum seals, etc. may occur.

[0023] In one example, the insulating plate may include a styrene / divinylbenzene copolymer having a glass transition temperature Tg of ~114°C. The material of the insulating plate may soften at the temperatures that occur during an EMO event. In some embodiments, the effective operation of the components of the substrate support assembly may be reduced by the temperatures that these components are subjected to. For example, the AC distribution assembly may include one or more springs to maintain pressure and contact for electrical connections. At high temperatures, components such as springs may be damaged (e.g., due to atomic rearrangement that causes loss of spring elasticity).

[0024] The high temperatures that conventionally temperature-shielded components are subjected to can cause thermal expansion of the components. Electrical connections are created by tightening screws onto terminals, and the connections can loosen due to thermal expansion. The insulating plate may expand due to a temperature increase, which can inhibit one or more functions of the insulating plate. For example, the expansion of the insulating plate can affect one or more seals created by the plate, such as a gas / vacuum seal (supplying helium through a pack, providing vacuum chuck force to a substrate, providing a vacuum seal, operating lift pins, etc.), a liquid seal (such as a refrigerant supplied to a cooling plate), etc. In some embodiments, the insulating plate may include one or more components having a composition different from the bulk of the plate, for example, installing passage channels for passing various fluids through the insulating plate. The thermal expansion of these other components may behave differently from the insulating plate and further impair the function of the insulating plate.

[0025] Aspects of the present disclosure can address one or more of these drawbacks of conventional systems. In some embodiments, temperature-sensitive components of the AC power distribution assembly can be protected, for example, in an EMO state. Electrical connections proximate to the high-temperature pack can withstand high temperatures. For example, one or more terminals can be coupled to components of the pack (such as heater electrodes, chucking electrodes, etc.). The terminals can be formed of a heat-resistant material. The terminals can be threaded and can be coupled to threaded fasteners (such as screws, bolts). The threaded fasteners can be coupled to electrical components (such as wires) to provide a connection between one or more power sources and the components of the pack. Securing the threaded fasteners can include securing one or more additional components including conical washers, disc springs, curved disc springs, etc. The additional securing components can protect the electrical connection. For example, the conical washer can provide additional force to protect the system from failure due to temperature cycling. In some embodiments, sensitive electrical components can be protected by controlling the heat flow path by further insulation (for example, the substrate support assembly between the pack and various electronic components can include one or more insulating materials), such as by configuring the electrical path to dissipate heat from the sensitive component, for example, by extending the distance or increasing the surface area.

[0026] In some embodiments, heat transfer between components of the substrate support assembly can be controlled. For example, recesses in a portion of the surface of the insulating plate (such as the surface close to the base plate) can limit heat transfer between the base plate and the insulating plate. In some situations such as an EMO state, the temperature of the base plate may rise above a temperature suitable for the insulating plate (such as the glass transition temperature of the material constituting the insulating plate) due to heat transfer from the residual heat of the pack. The increase in the temperature of the insulating plate can be reduced by limiting the contact between the insulating plate and the base plate.

[0027] By reducing the temperature change of the insulating plate, the operation of the substrate support assembly can be improved. When the temperature of the insulating plate rises (for example, when it exceeds the glass transition temperature), the insulating plate may become soft and flexible. As a result, the shape of the component may change, the performance of the component may change, and the component may be irreversibly damaged. When the temperature of the insulating plate rises, the plate may thermally expand. In some embodiments, one or more seals (e.g., vacuum seals, fluid seals, etc.) may be created between the insulating plate and one or more other components. The thermal expansion of the insulating plate may break one or more seals of the insulating plate, and there is a possibility that fluids may mix unintentionally or that fluids may be sent to unintended parts of the processing system.

[0028] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the substrate support assembly includes a plate structure and an insulator structure. The plate structure includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The lower plate includes a lower plate structure surface. The insulator structure is disposed below the plate structure. The insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface. The first portion of the upper insulator structure surface forms an internal volume together with the lower plate structure surface.

[0029] In another aspect of the present invention, the insulator structure of the substrate support assembly includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface.

[0030] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the processing chamber includes a substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly includes a pack for supporting a substrate. The pack includes a heating element. The substrate support assembly includes a radio frequency (RF) insulator structure. The RF insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface.

[0031] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the substrate support assembly includes a pack, a power distribution assembly, and an alumina insulator. The pack includes a heating element. The alumina insulator is disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly. The electrical connection between the heating element and the power distribution assembly includes a terminal and a conical washer.

[0032] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the processing chamber includes a pack that supports a substrate, a power distribution assembly, and a ceramic insulator. The pack includes a heating element. The ceramic insulator is disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly.

[0033] In other aspects of the present disclosure, the method includes indenting a first portion of a radio frequency (RF) insulating plate to form a space between the RF insulating plate and an adjacent component of the processing chamber. Further, the method includes installing an insulator between a heating pack of the processing chamber and a power distribution assembly of the processing chamber. The insulator reduces heat transfer to components of the processing chamber in an emergency machine stop (EMO) state.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate processing chamber 100 including a substrate support assembly 150 according to some embodiments. The substrate support assembly 150 includes a pack 166 (which can include, for example, an electrostatic chuck (ESC)). The pack 166 can perform chuck operations such as, for example, a vacuum chuck, an electrostatic chuck, etc. The pack 166 can include an upper pack plate joined to a lower pack plate (not shown). The pack 166 can be coupled to (e.g., in thermal communication with) a cooling plate 164.

[0035] Furthermore, the substrate support assembly 150 can include a base plate 162 and an insulating plate 101. The base plate 162 can be coupled to the pack 166 and can be attached to the pack 166, for example, by fasteners. The base plate 162 can support the cooling plate 164. The insulating plate 101 can include a material that insulates RF radiation, such as a plastic material, a polymeric material such as a thermoplastic (e.g., a cross-linked polymer of polystyrene and divinylbenzene or polyamideimide). The insulating plate 101 can include a recess 103. The recess 103 can form a gap between at least a portion of the upper surface of the insulating plate 101 and the lower surface of another component (e.g., the base plate 162). In some embodiments, the gap can be formed by a recess in the upper component (e.g., the base plate 162).

[0036] The processing chamber 100 includes a chamber body 102 and a lid 104 that enclose an internal volume 106. The chamber body 102 can be made of aluminum, stainless steel, or other suitable materials. The chamber body 102 typically includes side walls 108 and a bottom 110. An outer liner 116 can be disposed adjacent to the side walls 108, for example, to protect the chamber body 102. The outer liner 116 can be made and / or coated with a plasma- or halogen-containing gas-resistant material. The outer liner 116 can be made or coated with aluminum oxide. The outer liner 116 can be made or coated with yttria, yttrium alloys, oxides thereof, etc.

[0037] An exhaust port 126 can be defined within the chamber body 102 and the internal volume 106 can be coupled to a pump system 128. The pump system 128 can include one or more pumps, valves, lines, manifolds, tanks, etc. used to evacuate the internal volume 106 and adjust the pressure.

[0038] The lid 104 can be supported by the side wall 108 of the chamber body 102. The lid 104 can be opened to allow access to the internal volume 106. The lid 104 can function as a seal for the processing chamber 100 when closed. A gas panel 158 can be coupled to the processing chamber 100 to supply gases such as process, cleaning, backing, flushing, etc. to the internal volume 106 via the gas distribution assembly 130. The gas distribution assembly 130 can be integrated with the lid 104.

[0039] Examples of process gases that can be used in the processing chamber 100 include halogen-containing gases such as C2F6, SF6, SiCl4, HBr, NF3, CF4, CHF3, CH2F3, Cl2, SiF4, etc. Other reactive gases can include O2 or N2O. Non-reactive gases such as N2, He, Ar, etc. can be used for flushing or as carrier gases. The gas distribution assembly 130 (e.g., a showerhead, etc.) can include a plurality of openings 132 on the downstream surface of the gas distribution assembly 130. The openings 132 can direct the gas flow towards the surface of the substrate 144. In some embodiments, the gas distribution assembly can include a nozzle (not shown) extending from a hole in the lid 104. A seal can be formed between the nozzle and the lid 104. The gas distribution assembly 130 can be manufactured and / or coated with a ceramic material such as silicon carbide, yttrium oxide, etc. to provide resistance to the processing conditions of the processing chamber 100.

[0040] The substrate support assembly 150 is disposed within the internal volume 106 of the processing chamber 100 below the gas distribution assembly 130. The substrate support assembly 150 holds the substrate 144 during processing. An inner liner (not shown) may be coated around the substrate support assembly 148. The inner liner 118 can share features (manufacturing material, function, etc.) with the outer liner 116.

[0041] The substrate support assembly 148 can include a support pedestal 152, an insulating plate 101, a base plate 162, a cooling plate 164, and a pack 166. The pack 166 can include electrodes 176 for providing one or more functions. The electrodes 176 can include chucking electrodes (e.g., for fixing the substrate 144 to the upper surface of the pack 166), heating electrodes, and the like.

[0042] The protective ring 146 can be disposed on a part of the outer periphery of the pack 166. The pack 166 may be coated with a protective layer (not shown). The protective layer 136 can be a ceramic such as Y2O3 (yttria or yttrium oxide), Y4Al2O9 (YAM), Al2O3 (alumina), Y3Al5O 12 (YAG), YAlO3 (YAP), quartz, SiC (silicon carbide), Si3N4 (silicon nitride), sialon, AlN (aluminum nitride), AlON (aluminum oxynitride), TiO2 (titania), ZrO2 (zirconia), TiC (titanium carbide), ZrC (zirconium carbide), TiN (titanium nitride), TiCN (titanium carbonitride), Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ), and the like. The protective layer may be a ceramic composite such as YAG dispersed in an alumina matrix, a yttria-zirconia solid solution, a silicon carbide-silicon nitride solid solution, and the like. The protective layer may be sapphire or MgAlON.

[0043] The pack 166 can include an upper pack plate (not shown) and a lower pack plate (not shown) bonded by a metal bond. The upper pack plate can be made of a dielectric or electrically insulating material (e.g., 10 13(It can be formed with an electrical resistivity exceeding ohm - centimeter. In some embodiments, the upper pack plate can be formed of a material suitable for use from about 20°C to about 500°C. The upper pack plate may be composed of AlN. The AlN upper pack plate may or may not be doped. For example, the upper pack plate may be doped with samarium oxide (Sm2O3), cerium oxide (CeO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), or transition metal oxides. The upper pack plate may be composed of Al2O3. The Al2O3 upper pack plate may or may not be doped. For example, the upper pack plate may be doped with titanium dioxide (TiO2) or transition metal oxides.)

[0044] The lower pack plate can have a coefficient of thermal expansion that matches that of the upper pack plate. The lower pack plate may be a porous SiC body infiltrated with an AlSi alloy (referred to as AlSiSiC). The lower pack plate may be AlN or Al2O3. The lower pack plate may be undoped AlN or undoped Al2O3. The lower pack plate may be composed of the same material as the upper pack plate. The lower pack plate may be composed of molybdenum. The lower pack plate may be coated with a resistant coating, such as a plasma - resistant coating, a halogen - resistant coating, etc. Coating the lower pack plate can include coating the exposed surface of the lower pack plate after bonding the lower pack plate to the upper pack plate. The coating of the lower pack plate (e.g., plasma - resistant coating, halogen - resistant coating, etc.) can cover the side walls and the exposed horizontal steps of the lower pack plate. The plasma - resistant coating can include any of the materials described with respect to Al2O3, Y2O3, and / or the protective layer 136.)

[0045] Furthermore, the processing chamber 100 can include a mounting plate (not shown), which is coupled to the bottom 110 of the chamber body 102 and includes passages for routing utilities (such as fluids, power lines, sensor leads, etc.) to components of the substrate support assembly 150. For example, a refrigerant fluid can be provided to the cooling plate 164 through the passages, and power can be supplied to the electrodes 176 of the pack 166 through the passages, etc. The cooling plate 164 can include, for example, one or more conduits 170 to facilitate the flow of the refrigerant.

[0046] The conduit 170 can be fluidly coupled to a fluid source 172, and a temperature control fluid can be circulated through the conduit 170. The conduit 170 and heating elements (such as the electrodes 176 within the pack 166, one or more heating elements (not shown) disposed within the cooling plate 164, etc.) can be used to control the temperatures of the pack 166, the substrate 144, etc. The pack 166 can include individually controlled heating zones that can maintain different temperatures. The pack 166 can include a radial heating zone, a segment heating zone, etc. The temperatures of the pack 166, the substrate 144, the cooling plate 164, the base plate 162, etc. can be monitored by one or more temperature sensors.

[0047] Furthermore, the pack 166 can include a plurality of gas passages such as grooves, mesas, and other features that can be formed on the upper surface of the pack 166. The gas passages can be fluidly coupled to a gas source 105. The gas from the gas source 105 can be utilized as a heat transfer or back gas and can be used for controlling one or more lift pins of the pack 166. A plurality of gas sources can be utilized (not shown). The gas passages can provide a gas flow path for a back gas such as He through the holes perforated in the pack 166. The back gas is supplied to the gas passages at a controlled pressure, and the heat transfer between the pack 166 and the substrate 144 can be improved.

[0048] The insulating plate 101 can include one or more inserts 107 and / or one or more plugs 109. In some embodiments, the recess 103 may interfere with the formation of a fluid seal (e.g., a refrigerant seal, a vacuum seal, a gas seal, etc.) between the insulating plate 101 and the base plate 162. The plugs 109 and the inserts 107 can facilitate the generation of a seal between components by at least partially penetrating the gap formed by the recess 103 to create a seal. Examples of seal components proximate to the recess 103 will be described in more detail in connection with FIG. 2.

[0049] The chuck 166 can include one or more clamping electrodes. The clamping electrodes can be controlled by a chucking power supply 182. Further, the clamping electrodes can be coupled to one or more RF power supplies via a matching circuit to maintain a plasma formed from a process gas and / or other gases within the processing chamber 100. The RF power supplies can generate an RF signal having a frequency from about 50 kilohertz (kHz) to about 3 gigahertz (GHz) and a power of up to about 10,000 watts. The heating electrodes of the chuck 166 can be coupled to a heater power supply 178.

[0050] Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a substrate support assembly 200 according to some embodiments. The substrate support assembly includes a pack 266 consisting of an upper pack plate 230 and a lower pack plate 232 coupled to each other by a joint (bond) 250. In some embodiments, the joint 250 may be a metal joint and may include, for example, aluminum. In some embodiments, the joint 250 may be a diffusion joint and may be formed, for example, by exposing the upper pack plate 230 and the lower pack plate 232 to heat and compressive pressure for a certain period of time to generate the joint. In some embodiments, the joint 250 may be a ceramic joint or a glass joint. An O-ring 245 can be disposed near the joint 250. The O-ring 245 may be a plasma-resistant O-ring, a high-temperature O-ring, etc. The O-ring 245 can be formed of a perfluoropolymer (PFP). The O-ring 245 may deteriorate (e.g., due to the processing conditions in the processing chamber) and can then be replaced, for example, by stretching the old O-ring over the upper pack plate 230 and stretching a new O-ring over the upper pack plate 230. The O-ring 245 can protect the joint 250 from plasma erosion.

[0051] The upper pack plate 230 includes the mesa 210, the channel 212, and the outer ring 216. The upper plate 230 can include one or more electrodes, such as the clamp electrode 280 (e.g., within an electrostatic chuck), the heating element 276, etc. The electrodes can be coupled to the terminals 202 (e.g., threaded terminals). Further, the terminals 202 can be coupled to a threaded fastener and fixed with an assembly including the conical washer 204. Further, the terminals 202 can be coupled to the power distribution assembly 206. The power distribution assembly 206 (e.g., an AC power distribution assembly, a power supply system, etc.) can supply power to various components of the pack 266. The power distribution assembly 206 can electrically connect the power source to the components of the substrate support assembly 200. In some embodiments, the power distribution assembly 206 can include spring pins (e.g., pogo pins) for electrical connection. In some embodiments, the electrical path is configured to protect the power distribution assembly 206 from high temperatures. For example, the wire connecting the terminals 202 to the power distribution assembly 206 can be configured to release some of the heat that may be supplied to the power distribution assembly 206 to the environment.

[0052] Further, the power distribution assembly 206 can be coupled to one or more power sources. For example, the clamp electrode 280 can be coupled to the chucking power source 282 via the power distribution assembly 206, and the heating element 276 can be coupled to the heater power source 278 via the power distribution assembly 206.

[0053] The upper pack plate 230 can have a thickness of about 1 to 100 mm. The upper pack plate 230 can have a thickness of about 3 to 25 mm. In some embodiments, the upper pack plate 230 can have a thickness of about 3 mm. The clamp electrode 280 can be disposed at a position about 1 mm from the upper surface of the upper pack plate 230. The heating element 276 can be disposed at a position about 1 mm below the clamp electrode 280. The heating element 276 can be a screen-printed heating element having a thickness of about 10 to 200 micrometers (μm). Alternatively, the heating element can be a resistance coil that occupies about 1 to 3 mm of the thickness of the upper pack plate 230. In some embodiments, the lower pack plate 232 can have a thickness of about 1 to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the lower pack plate 232 can have a thickness of about 8 to 25 mm.

[0054] The upper pack plate 230 can include an electrically insulating material such as aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), etc. The lower pack plate 232 and the upper pack plate 230 can be manufactured from the same material. The lower pack plate 232 and the upper pack plate 230 can be manufactured from different materials.

[0055] The lower pack plate 232 is in thermal communication with the cooling plate 264. The cooling plate 264 can include one or more conduits 270 (e.g., cooling channels, refrigerant flow paths, etc.) that are in fluid communication with a fluid source 272. The conduits 270 can extend along any path of the cooling plate 264, but only two conduits are shown in FIG. 2. The cooling plate 264 can be composed of a material (e.g., aluminum) that facilitates the transfer of heat from the pack 266 to the refrigerant fluid.

[0056] In some embodiments (not shown), a backing pack plate is joined to the back surface of the lower pack plate 232. The backing pack plate can be joined to the back surface of the lower pack plate 232, for example, by metal bonding, ceramic bonding, or diffusion bonding. In an embodiment, the backing pack plate can be formed of the same material as the upper pack plate 230. The lower pack plate can include features for accommodating fasteners (e.g., embedded threaded inserts, including embedded inserts such as helicoils). The backing pack plate can include holes that provide access to the features of the lower pack plate 232 (e.g., so that the shaft of a threaded fastener can access the threaded insert of the lower pack plate 232).

[0057] The cooling plate 264 can be supported by a base plate 268. The base plate 268 can facilitate heat transfer between the cooling plate 264 and the pack 266. For example, the base plate 268 can be coupled to the pack 266 by a plurality of fasteners 205. The fasteners 205 can be screw fasteners such as a pair of nuts and bolts. The lower pack plate 232 can include features for accommodating the fasteners 205. The base plate 268 can include features for accommodating the fasteners 205. The features can include through holes, slots, etc. The fasteners can include washers, foils, or other load-distributing materials known in the art. In some embodiments, the fasteners 205 can couple the cooling plate 264 to the pack 266.

[0058] One or more portions of the base plate 268 can extend upward along, around, or through the cooling plate 264. For example, the cooling plate 264 may be nested within the base plate 268. The extension of the base plate 268 is in thermal communication with the pack 266 and may, for example, contact the pack 266, be close to the pack 266, or be separated from the pack 266 by a thermally conductive medium or the like. A portion of the base plate 268 may be separated from the pack 232 by a seal component (such as an O-ring 252 or the like). With various structures, a fluid seal can be formed through a fluid seal component such as an O-ring.

[0059] In some embodiments, a gap 215 is maintained between the cooling plate 264 and the pack 266. In some embodiments, the gap can be formed by an O-ring 214. The O-ring 214 may be, for example, a polyimide or PFPO ring. The O-ring 214 may be vulcanized or otherwise disposed on the cooling plate 264. The fastener 205 can tighten and compress the O-ring 214. By the tension of the fastener (for example, by carefully applying torque) and the resistance by the O-ring 214, a substantially constant separation can be produced between the pack 266 and the cooling plate 264. Thereby, it can be ensured that the heat transfer between the components is substantially uniform across the entire interface between the two components. In some embodiments, the gap 215 may be from about 0.05 mm (two thousandths of an inch) to 0.25 mm (ten thousandths of an inch). In some embodiments, a thermally conductive gas can be present in the gap 215 (for example, a flow of the thermally conductive gas can be maintained). In some embodiments, a vacuum state can be maintained in the gap 215, for example, to reduce the heat transfer between the cooling plate 264 and the pack 266. Due to the presence of the gap 215, the temperatures of the cooling plate 264 and the pack 266 may differ significantly, and each component may expand and contract separately (for example, due to a thermal cycle), etc.

[0060] In some embodiments, the cooling plate 264 can be in contact with the pack 266. In some embodiments, a gap is not maintained between the cooling plate 264 and the pack 266. For example, the cooling plate 264 and / or the base plate 268 can be joined to the pack 266 by an organic bond, a metal bond, or a ceramic bond. When the cooling plate is coupled to the pack 266, in some embodiments, no fasteners may be used.

[0061] In some embodiments, a force can be applied to the cooling plate 264 from an elastic medium. For example, one or more springs (not shown) can be disposed between the bottom of the cooling plate 264 and the base plate 268. In some embodiments, a material can be disposed between the plates (e.g., a thermal insulation material, a heat conducting material, etc.). The material can be selected to match the target heat transfer characteristics. In some embodiments, the interface between the cooling plate 264 and the base plate 268 can include features similar to the interface between the pack 266 and the cooling plate 264.

[0062] In some embodiments, the base plate 268 is disposed in the vicinity of the insulating plate 275. The insulating plate 275 can be formed of a material that insulates RF radiation. The insulating plate 275 can include a recess 277. In some embodiments, the recess 277 can be recessed compared to a ring-shaped region outside the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, the recess 277 can be recessed by an amount of about 0.1 - 1.0 mm, for example, about 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm (20 thousandths of an inch), 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, etc. In some embodiments, the recess can limit the contact and heat transfer between the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275. By limiting the heat transfer between the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275, the insulating plate 275 can be protected from high temperatures that could potentially damage the insulating plate 275, for example, under EMO conditions.

[0063] In some embodiments, one or more channels (e.g., holes, flow paths, features, etc.) passing through the insulating plate 275 can be present. In some embodiments, the one or more channels can provide a flow path for delivering fluid from a source (e.g., fluid source 272, gas supply source 240, etc.) to a target delivery region (e.g., cooling plate 264, pack 266, etc.). The channel can provide a flow path from a fluid reservoir to a fluid delivery region. The gas supply source 240 can be used to supply backside gas for the substrate, operation gas for the lift pin assembly, etc. In some embodiments, the channel can be configured to seal, for example, to prevent leakage of fluid into the recess 277. In some embodiments, one or more regions on the upper surface of the insulating plate 275 can be free of recesses, have small recesses, or have a similar shape (e.g., recess - free portion 279). The recess - free portion can be configured to create a seal with the base plate 268, for example, by including one or more O - rings (depicted near the recess - free portion 279). In some embodiments, the channel passing through the insulating plate 275 or the recess of the insulating plate 275 can include an insert, for example, insert 281. In some embodiments, the insert can be disk - shaped or ring - shaped, for example, cylindrical with a cylindrical hole sharing an outer surface and a symmetry axis. In some embodiments, the insert can create a seal with the insulating plate 275 by one or more O - rings disposed, for example, between the insert 281 and the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, the insert can create a seal with the base plate 268 by one or more O - rings disposed, for example, between the insert 281 and the base plate 268. The insert can be made of a material capable of withstanding high temperatures, for example, alumina. The insert can be made of a heat - insulating material, for example, alumina, that can block heat transfer from the base plate 268 to the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, an insert facilitating flow (e.g., fluid flow, electrical flow, etc.) through the insulating plate 275 can extend throughout the insulating plate 275, for example, up to insert 283.The insert can fluidly couple one or more fluid reservoirs to one or more fluid supply zones of a refrigerant, a refrigerant fluid, an operating gas, etc. In some embodiments, the insert passing through the insulating plate 275 can form a seal with another component (not shown), for example, by one or more O-rings disposed under the insert 283.

[0064] In some embodiments, different portions of the insulating plate 275 may be made of different materials. For example, the outer ring (e.g., the non-recessed outer portion of the insulating plate 275, etc.) may be made of alumina, and the inner disk (e.g., the recess 277, etc.) may be made of an insulating material (e.g., plastic, polymer, etc.). In some embodiments, the portions of the recess 277 of the insulating plate 275 may be recessed by different distances or amounts. For example, the region close to the seal (e.g., the disk-shaped region around the insert) may be recessed less than the surrounding region. By varying the recessed distance in this way, the integrity of one or more seals (e.g., the seal made between the insert and the base plate 268) can be improved. In some embodiments, one or more regions of the recess 277 may be reinforced with additional material. For example, a material can be placed or deposited on the recess 277. In some embodiments, a polyimide film can be deposited on one or more regions of the recess 277 (e.g., the region close to the seal, the region close to the insert, etc.). In some embodiments, one or more shims can be placed between the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, the regions where the distance between the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275 is short (e.g., the region where the insulating plate 275 is recessed less, the region where the polyimide film is deposited, the region where the shim is placed, etc.) may be spaced apart across the surface of the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, due to the recessed region on the upper surface of the insulating plate 275, the base plate 268, the insulating plate 275, etc. may be somewhat deformed. By shortening the distance between specific portions of the adjacent surfaces of the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275 (e.g., via different levels of recesses, deposited films, shims, etc.), the influence of deformation can be reduced while restricting heat transfer between the base plate 268 and the insulating plate 275. In some embodiments, at least a part of the gap formed by the recess 277 can be filled with a heat insulating material.

[0065] Figure 3A shows a simplified cross-sectional side view of components of an exemplary substrate support assembly 300A according to some embodiments. The substrate support assembly 300A shares some features with the substrate support assembly 200 of FIG. 2. The substrate support assembly 300A includes a pack 306 that includes an upper pack plate 330 and a lower pack plate 332. The pack may be an electrostatic pack, a vacuum pack, or the like. The pack can be used to support a substrate during processing. Components of the pack (such as the upper pack plate 330 and the lower pack plate 332, etc.) may be joined by a joint 350. The joint 350 may be a metal joint. The joint 350 may be a diffusion joint. The joint 350 may be a glass joint or a ceramic joint. The upper pack plate 330 can include features (such as heating electrodes, chucking electrodes, etc.) similar to those of the upper pack plate 230 of FIG. 2. The upper pack plate 330 and the lower pack plate 332 can be made of materials having substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion. The upper pack plate 330 can have a thickness of about 3 to 10 mm. The upper pack plate 330 can have a thickness of about 3 to 5 mm. The lower pack plate 332 can have a thickness of about 8 to 25 mm. The lower pack plate 332 can have a thickness of about 8 to 20 mm. The lower pack plate 332 can have a thickness of about 12 mm.

[0066] The upper pack plate 330 can have a larger surface (such as the upper surface) than the lower pack plate 332. The upper pack plate 330 can have a diameter larger than the diameter of the lower pack plate 332.

[0067] In some embodiments (not shown), a backing pack plate is joined to the back surface of the lower pack plate 332. The backing pack plate can be joined to the back surface of the lower pack plate 332, for example, by metal bonding, ceramic bonding, or diffusion bonding. The backing pack plate may be formed of the same material as the upper pack plate 330 and / or the lower pack plate 332. The lower pack plate can include features for accommodating fasteners (e.g., can include embedded threaded inserts, such as helicoils). The backing pack plate can include holes that provide access to the features of the lower pack plate 332 (e.g., so that the shaft of a threaded fastener can access the threaded insert of the lower pack plate 332).

[0068] The outer dimensions of the base plate 318 may be of the same order as the outer dimensions of the upper pack plate 330. The outer diameter of the base plate 318 may be of the same order as the outer diameter of the upper pack plate 330. One or more O-rings 345 can be disposed between the upper pack plate 330 and the base plate 318. The O-ring 345 can provide a vacuum seal between the internal space of the substrate support assembly 300A and the processing chamber environment. The O-ring 345 can be formed of a material suitable for the processing chamber environment. The O-ring 345 can be resistant to high temperatures, corrosion, degradation, etc. The O-ring 345 can protect the joint 350 from erosion, interaction with plasma, corrosion, etc.

[0069] Furthermore, the substrate support assembly 300A includes a cooling plate 320. The cooling plate 320 may be a heat sink, an internal heat sink, a heat exchanger, or the like. The cooling plate 320 can be coupled to the base plate 318 by one or more springs 322. The springs 322 can operate to press the cooling plate 320 against the lower pack plate 332. The springs 322 may be coil springs. The springs 322 can apply a force to press the cooling plate 320 against the pack 306. The cooling plate 320 can have one or more conduits 308. The conduits 308 can be in fluid communication with a fluid source (not shown). The cooling plate 320 may be in contact with the pack 306. In some embodiments, the cooling plate 320 and / or the base plate 318 can be joined to the pack 306 by an organic bond, a metal bond, a ceramic bond, or the like. When the cooling plate 320 and / or the base plate 318 are joined to the pack 306, in some embodiments, no fasteners may be used. A gap can be maintained between the cooling plate 320 and the pack 306.

[0070] The cooling plate 320 can absorb heat from the pack 306. Components can be arranged between the lower pack plate 332 and the cooling plate 320. For example, a gasket can be arranged between the lower pack plate 332 and the cooling plate 320. The components may have a low thermal conductivity. The components may function as a heat choke. The components may be compressible. The components may function to enhance the uniformity of heat transfer between different regions of the lower pack plate 332 and the cooling plate 320. By providing a heat insulating material between the cooling plate 320 and the lower pack plate 332, the pack 306 can be maintained at a temperature higher than that of the cooling plate 320, a temperature higher than that of the cooling fluid supplied through the conduit 308, etc. In some embodiments, the pack 306 can be heated to a temperature of 200 to 400 °C. The cooling plate 320 can maintain a temperature of less than about 120 °C. In some embodiments, the pack 306 is heated to about 250 °C and the cooling plate 320 can maintain a temperature of about 60 °C. In some embodiments, the pack 306 can freely undergo thermal expansion and / or contraction independently of the cooling plate 320, the base plate 318, etc.

[0071] The substrate support assembly 300A includes an insulating plate 325. The insulating plate 325 can share features with the insulating plate 275 of FIG. 2. The insulating plate 325 can include a recess 326. The recess 326 can be recessed compared to the non-recessed portion of the insulating plate 325. The non-recessed portion can support the base plate 318. The non-recessed portion can include an edge around the diameter of the insulating plate 325. The recess 326 can limit the contact between the base plate 318 and the insulating plate 325. The recess 326 can limit the heat transfer between the base plate 318 and the insulating plate 325. The recess 326 can share features (such as dimensions) with the recess 277 of FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the insulating plate 325 may be composed of a plurality of components, a plurality of materials, etc. For example, the recess 326 can be composed of an insulating material such as plastic or polymer, and the non-recessed portion can be composed of a ceramic such as alumina.

[0072] Figure 3B shows a simplified cross-sectional side view of the components of an exemplary substrate support assembly 300B, according to some embodiments. The substrate support assembly 300B shares some features with the substrate support assembly 200 of FIG. 2. The substrate support assembly 300B also shares some features with the substrate support assembly 300A of FIG. 3A. The substrate support assembly 300B includes a pack assembly 356 that includes an upper pack plate 380, a lower pack plate 382, and a backing plate 384. Note that the backing plate 384 may be thicker than shown relative to the thicknesses of the upper pack plate 380 and the lower pack plate 382. In some embodiments, the backing plate 384 is omitted. One or more thermal interface layers and / or materials separate the lower pack plate 382 from the cooling plate 370. In some embodiments, the backing plate 384 is included and one or more thermal interface layers and / or materials separate the backing plate 384 from the cooling plate 370. The thermal interface material and / or layer can include one or more electrical and / or thermal conduction layers and / or one or more electrical and / or thermal insulation layers. For example, the electrical and / or thermal conduction layer can include flexible graphite, and the electrical and / or thermal insulation layer can include polyimide, perfluoropolymer, etc. The thermal interface layer can have various thicknesses from fractions of a millimeter (e.g., 0.1 mm) to centimeters (e.g., 4 mm). In some embodiments, the thermal interface layer has various shapes. In some embodiments, multiple thermal interface layers are used, which can include 2 to 10 layers. In such embodiments, different thermal interface layers can be formed of different materials.

[0073] The components of the pack assembly 356 can be joined by a metal bond, such as metal bond 398. The joint 398 can be a ceramic bond, a diffusion bond, a glass bond, etc. in some embodiments. Also, the lower pack plate 382 and the backing plate 384 can also be joined (the joint is not shown).

[0074] In some embodiments, fasteners are used to couple the pack assembly 356 to the cooling plate 370. For example, the heads of threaded inserts and / or threaded fasteners can be disposed on the lower pack plate 322. When a threaded insert is used with the lower pack plate 382, the threaded shaft of the threaded fastener (e.g., a bolt) can be inserted into features (e.g., holes) of the cooling plate 370, backing plate 384, lower pack plate 382, and / or base plate 368. When the head of the threaded fastener (e.g., the head of a bolt) is disposed (e.g., encapsulated) within the lower pack plate 382, the shaft of the fastener extends from the bottom of the lower pack plate through holes in the lower pack plate 382, backing plate 384, base plate 368, and / or cooling plate 370, and a nut can be threaded onto the threaded fastener to secure the stacked plates.

[0075] In some embodiments, the upper pack plate 380 can be formed of an electrically insulating material. The upper pack plate 380 can be formed of a ceramic such as aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The lower pack plate 382 and / or the backing plate 384 (if used) can be formed of the same material as the upper pack plate 380. The lower pack plate 382 and / or the backing plate 384 (if used) can be formed of a material having thermal expansion characteristics similar to those of the material of the upper pack plate 380. Due to the similar thermal expansion of the upper pack plate 380 and the lower pack plate 382 (and / or the backing plate 384), opposing forces that match can be applied to the upper pack plate 380 during thermal expansion and / or contraction events. When the forces on both sides of the lower pack plate 380 are substantially the same, deformation, bending, buckling, etc. of the components of the substrate support assembly 300B can be minimized. When the forces on both sides of the lower pack plate 382 are substantially the same, damage due to thermal expansion to the upper pack plate 380, the lower pack plate 382, etc. can be reduced or eliminated.

[0076] In some embodiments, the backing plate 384 can be designed to substantially match the thermal expansion characteristics of the upper pack plate 380. The backing plate 384 can be formed of a material having thermal expansion characteristics substantially matching those of the upper pack plate 380. The thermal expansion characteristics of the backing plate 384 can be within a range such as 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, etc. of the thermal expansion characteristics of the upper pack plate 380.

[0077] In some embodiments, a radio frequency (RF) signal can be supplied via the pack assembly 356. To facilitate the transmission of the RF signal, an RF gasket 396 can be disposed between the base plate 368 and the lower pack plate 382. The RF gasket 396 can electrically connect the base plate 368 to the lower pack plate 382. The RF gasket 396 can provide a conductive path that bypasses the backing plate 384. In some embodiments, a thermal spacer can be disposed adjacent to the RF gasket 396. The thermal spacer (hard stop) can be used to prevent the base plate 368 from contacting the lower pack plate 382.

[0078] In some embodiments, one or more O-rings 395 are disposed between the base plate 368 and the lower pack plate 382. The one or more O-rings 395 can include, for example, a single O-ring or a pair of concentric O-rings that can provide a vacuum seal. Further, in some embodiments, an O-ring 399 is provided between the upper pack plate 380 and the base plate 368. In an embodiment, the O-ring 399 can be provided to protect the joint 398. In an embodiment, the O-ring 399 can be, for example, other materials such as polyimide, perfluoropolymer, or plasma-resistant material.

[0079] Furthermore, the substrate support assembly 300B includes a cooling plate 370 and a conduit 358. The cooling plate 370 can function as a heat sink, a heat conduction device, a heat exchanger, etc. The conduit 358 can be fluidly connected to a fluid source (not shown). The conduit 358 can act to conduct heat from the pack assembly 356. The cooling plate 370, the base plate 368, etc. can share one or more features with the similar assemblies of FIGS. 2 and 3A.

[0080] The substrate support assembly 300B includes an insulating plate 375. The insulating plate 375 can share one or more features with the insulating plate 275 of FIG. 2 and / or the insulating plate 325 of FIG. 3A. The insulating plate 375 can include a recess 376. The recess 376 can limit the contact between the base plate 368 and the insulating plate 375. The recess 376 can limit the heat conduction between the base plate 368 and the insulating plate 375.

[0081] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insulating plate 400 including a recess 402 according to some embodiments. The insulating plate 400 may be an insulating material such as plastic, polymer, etc. The insulating plate 400 may be a material that insulates the transmission of an RF field. The insulating plate 400 may be an RF insulating plate. In some embodiments, the insulating plate 400 can be formed of a plurality of materials. For example, the recess 402 may be a polymer material, and the portion 404 without a recess may be a ceramic material.

[0082] The insulating plate 400 includes a recess 402 and a non-recessed portion 404. The non-recessed portion can be configured to support additional components such as a base plate of a substrate support assembly. In some embodiments, restricted heat transfer to the insulating plate can be caused near the outer rim of the substrate support assembly. The recess 402 may be proximate to portions of other components of the substrate support assembly that can reach high temperatures under some conditions such as EMO conditions. The insulating plate 400 can be disposed in the vicinity of components that can become hot under some conditions such as EMO conditions. The recess 402 can be protected from the high temperature of adjacent components by being separated from the components, for example, by being recessed. The non-recessed portion 404 can be disposed on the outer portion of the insulating plate 400, for example, around the outer edge. The recess 402 can be disposed in the central portion of the insulating plate 400, for example, the portion surrounded by the non-recessed portion 404 without a recess. The recess 402 and the adjacent components bound an internal volume, for example, the recess 402 can be separated from another component. The recess 402 can form an internal volume together with a neighboring plate structure such as a cooling plate, a base plate, etc. The recess 402 can form an internal volume together with the lower plate structure surface of the neighboring component. The recess 402 can form a heat-insulating volume between the insulating plate 400 and the neighboring component.

[0083] The insulating plate 400 can include additional features. The insulating plate 400 can include features (not shown) such as bolt holes for fixing the insulating plate 400 to other components of the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the non-recessed portion includes a series of holes or other features for fixing the insulating plate 400 to one or more other components of the processing chamber.

[0084] The insulating plate 400 can include one or more features that provide access to components disposed on the opposite side of the insulating plate 400. The insulating plate 400 can include a number of inserts. The inserts may be ceramic materials such as alumina. The inserts can extend through the insulating plate 400, for example, from the upper surface of the recess 402 to the bottom surface of the insulating plate 400. The inserts can extend from the surface through a portion of the body of the insulating plate 400. For example, the inserts may not extend throughout the thickness of the insulating plate 400.

[0085] The inserts enable the formation of a fluid seal between a portion of the insulating plate 400 and a portion of an adjacent component. For example, the recess 402 may not be in physical contact with an adjacent component, and the insert can extend beyond the surface of the recess 402 and form a seal with another component, for example, via an O-ring or gasket. The inserts can provide access channels for fluidly coupling a fluid reservoir to an active fluid zone, for example, a region where fluid is used in a processing operation. The inserts can couple the fluid reservoir to a fluid supply zone. The inserts can couple a cooling fluid reservoir to a cooling plate. The inserts can couple a fluid reservoir to a gas outlet to perform operations such as lift pin operation, backing gas provision, etc.

[0086] The insulating plate 400 includes an insert 406. The insert 406 can provide channels for fluid communication, for example, between a cooling plate and a fluid reservoir. The insert 406 facilitates the supply and return of refrigerant. The insert 406 forms a fluid seal (e.g., via a gasket) with a base plate or other processing chamber component.

[0087] The insulating plate 400 includes inserts 408. The insert 408 can provide access to the lift pin assembly and, for example, supply gas to the lift pin assembly. The insert 410 can provide access for supplying helium to the substrate support surface. The insert 412 enables electrical access to the components of the substrate assembly. All of these inserts can facilitate a fluid seal with components adjacent to the insulating plate 400. The insulating plate can include any number of inserts, depending, for example, on the use of the insulating plate. The inserts can be made of various materials, in various sizes, and can interface with adjacent components, etc. in various ways.

[0088] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of components of an exemplary substrate support assembly 500 that includes protection from high temperatures. The substrate support assembly 500 can include an upper pack plate 502, a lower pack plate 504, and / or a base plate 506. In some embodiments, special considerations can be taken to protect the components of the substrate support assembly from damage due to high temperatures. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, an insulator 508, an insulator 507, and / or an insulator 510 can be disposed between the substrate support pack and an AC power distribution assembly (not shown). The insulator 510 can include a base 510A and a separator 510B attached to the base 510A. The separator 510B can have a radial fin structure in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the insulator 507 is omitted and the insulator 508 extends to the lower pack plate 504. The insulator 508 can be a ceramic material. The insulator 508 can be a ceramic insulator. The insulator 508 can be alumina. The insulator 508 can be thermoplastic. The insulator 508 can be in one or more pieces and can be a mixture of materials to achieve a targeted thermal insulation. The insulator 510 can be thermoplastic. In some embodiments, an additional insulator (e.g., a thermoplastic layer) 507 is disposed between the insulator 508 and the lower pack plate 504. The substrate support assembly 500 can be configured to maintain the power distribution assembly and / or the insulator 510, the insulator 508, and / or the insulator 507 below a threshold temperature. In some embodiments, the insulator 508, the insulator 507, and / or the insulator 510 are part of a single insulator (e.g., the insulator 508, the insulator 510, and / or the thermoplastic 507 are connected to form a single component and can be made of thermoplastic). In one embodiment, a single component including the insulator 508, the insulator 507, and the insulator 510 includes a ceramic insulator 508, a thermoplastic insulator 510, and a thermoplastic insulator 507. In one embodiment, a single component including the thermoplastic insulator 510 and the ceramic insulator 508 is used.Insulator 508, insulator 507, and / or insulator 510 can maintain the power distribution assembly below the threshold temperature.

[0089] In some embodiments, the lower pack plate 504 can be disposed between the insulator 508 and the upper pack plate 502. For example, the insulator 508 may be disposed adjacent to the upper pack plate 502. The insulator 508 may be disposed to protect sensitive components such as electrical components from the high temperature of the lower pack plate 504.

[0090] In some embodiments, one or more terminals 512 (e.g., terminals for supplying power to the upper pack plate 502) can extend from the upper pack plate 502. The lower pack plate 504 can be formed such that the terminals 512 extend from the upper pack plate 502 through at least a portion of the lower pack plate 504. For example, one or more holes for accommodating terminals, connections, screws, washers, wires, etc. can extend through the lower pack plate 504. In some embodiments, the insulator 508 includes corresponding holes for accommodating the same components.

[0091] The terminal 512 can be electrically connected to the AC power distribution assembly 510 via a screw. The electrical connection associated with the terminal 512 can be protected from loosening (e.g., by thermal cycling) by one or more mechanical devices. The electrical connection can be protected by including one or more tension devices such as a conical washer 514.

[0092] Furthermore, the electrical connection to the upper pack plate 502 can include features for restricting the transfer of heat to the electrical components. The substrate support assembly 500 can include features for protecting components such as the AC power distribution assembly 510 from high temperatures. Some portions of the electrical path between the upper pack plate 502 and the AC power distribution assembly 510 can include wires, which can reduce the flow of heat through the electrical components. The wire paths can be extended and / or made complex, which can further restrict the flow of heat to the AC power distribution assembly 510. The length of the wire paths can be extended to achieve a target heat transfer rate (e.g., beyond the length required to achieve an electrical connection).

[0093] Unless otherwise specified, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc. used in this specification are intended as labels to distinguish different elements and may not have the meaning of ordinal numbers corresponding to numerical designations.

[0094] Also, the examples described in this specification relate to an apparatus for performing the methods described in this specification. This apparatus may be specially constructed to perform the methods described in this specification or may include a general-purpose system selectively configured to perform the methods described in this specification.

[0095] As used in this specification, the terms "above," "below," "between," "disposed," "supported," "on top" refer to the relative position of one material layer or component with respect to another layer or component. For example, one layer disposed above or below another layer may or may not be in direct contact with the other layer, and there may or may not be one or more intervening layers. Further, one layer disposed between two layers may or may not be in direct contact with the two layers, and there may or may not be one or more intervening layers. Similarly, unless explicitly stated otherwise, one feature disposed between two features may or may not be in direct contact with the adjacent features, and there may or may not be one or more intervening layers.

[0096] The foregoing description is for illustrative purposes only and not limiting. Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplary examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples and embodiments described. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the following claims and the full scope of equivalents to which the claims are entitled.

Claims

1. A substrate support assembly, comprising a plate structure including an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein the lower plate is a plate structure including a lower plate structure surface, and an insulator structure disposed below the plate structure, a lower insulator structure surface, and an upper insulator structure surface, wherein a first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface, and the first portion of the upper insulator structure surface includes an insulator structure including an upper insulator structure surface that forms an internal volume together with the lower plate structure surface.

2. The upper plate includes a cooling plate, and the cooling plate is configured to circulate a refrigerant through one or more channels of the cooling plate. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1.

3. The second portion of the upper insulator structure surface forms a seal with the lower plate structure surface. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1.

4. Comprising an insert, the insert extending from a first portion of the upper insulator structure surface. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1.

5. The upper surface of the insert forms a seal with the lower plate structure surface. The substrate support assembly according to claim 4.

6. The insert provides a channel for fluidly coupling a fluid reservoir to a fluid supply zone, the fluid reservoir being coupled to a first side of the insert, and the fluid supply zone being fluidly coupled to a second side of the insert. The substrate support assembly according to claim 4.

7. The insulator structure is a high-frequency (RF) insulator. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1.

8. The insulator structure comprises a) a cross-linked polymer containing polystyrene, or b) containing polyamideimide. The substrate support assembly according to claim 7.

9. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1, wherein a first surface region of a first part of the upper insulator structure surface is larger than a second surface region of a second part of the upper insulator structure surface, and a contact area is smaller than a non-contact area.

10. The substrate support assembly according to claim 1, comprising a pack for supporting a substrate, a power supply system for electrically coupling one or more components of the pack to a power source, and an insulator including at least one of alumina or a thermoplastic plastic disposed between the pack and the power supply system.

11. An insulator structure of a substrate support assembly, a lower insulator structure surface, and an upper insulator structure surface, the upper insulator structure surface having a first part of the upper insulator structure surface recessed with respect to a second part of the upper insulator structure surface.

12. The insulator structure according to claim 11, wherein the second part of the upper insulator structure surface is disposed along an outer part of the upper insulator structure surface, and the first part of the upper insulator structure surface is disposed near a central part of the upper insulator structure surface.

13. The insulator structure according to claim 11, including a fluid seal component disposed on the second part of the upper insulator structure surface.

14. The insulator structure according to claim 11, comprising a first insert, the first insert extending from a lower insulator structure surface to an upper insulator structure surface, and the first insert extending through a first part of the upper insulator structure surface.

15. The insulator structure according to claim 14, wherein the first insert fluidly couples a fluid reservoir to a fluid supply zone.

16. The insulator structure according to claim 14, comprising a second insert, the first insert fluidly coupling a reservoir of a cooling fluid to a part of the substrate support assembly, and the second insert fluidly coupling a reservoir of a gas to a gas outlet for performing an operation related to substrate processing.

17. A processing chamber comprising a substrate support assembly, the substrate support assembly comprising: a pack comprising a heating element for supporting a substrate; and a high frequency (RF) insulator structure comprising: a lower insulator structure surface; and an upper insulator structure surface, the upper insulator structure surface having a first portion that is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface, the processing chamber comprising a high frequency insulator structure.

18. The processing chamber according to claim 17, wherein the insulator structure comprises polyamideimide or a crosslinked polymer comprising polystyrene.

19. The processing chamber according to claim 17, comprising a plate structure including a lower plate structure surface disposed above the insulator structure, the first portion of the upper insulator structure surface forming a boundary of an internal volume together with the lower plate structure surface.

20. The processing chamber according to claim 19, wherein the second portion of the upper insulator structure surface forms a seal with the lower plate structure surface.

21. A substrate support assembly comprising: a pack having a heating element; a power distribution assembly; and an insulator including at least one of alumina or a thermoplastic resin disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly, the electrical connection between the heating element and the power distribution assembly including a terminal and a conical washer.

22. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, wherein the substrate support assembly includes an electrostatic chuck.

23. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, comprising a cooling plate, the cooling plate including one or more channels forming a flow path for a refrigerant fluid.

24. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, wherein the pack includes an upper pack plate and a lower pack plate, and the upper pack plate includes a heating element.

25. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, wherein the insulator includes a plurality of side walls, and the plurality of side walls form boundaries of a plurality of channels extending from a first side surface of the insulator close to the power distribution assembly to a second side surface of the insulator close to the pack.

26. The substrate support assembly according to claim 25, wherein the power distribution assembly is electrically coupled to the heating element via a plurality of channels.

27. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, wherein the electrical connection between the heating element and the power distribution assembly includes a wire, and the length of the wire is extended to achieve a target heat transfer rate from the heating element to the power distribution assembly.

28. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, comprising a high-frequency (RF) insulating plate, the RF insulating plate being disposed near a component of the substrate support assembly that may become hot, and a part of the RF insulating plate being recessed to create a space between the RF insulating plate and the adjacent component.

29. The substrate support assembly according to claim 21, comprising a backing plate, the backing plate being disposed between the pack and the power distribution assembly, and the backing plate being made of a material having a thermal expansion characteristic within 10% of the thermal expansion characteristic of the material at the upper part of the pack.

30. Comprising a high-frequency (RF) gasket, the RF gasket The substrate support assembly according to claim 29, wherein the RF gasket provides a conductive path between two components of the substrate support assembly by bypassing the backing plate.

31. A processing chamber, a pack for supporting a substrate including a heating element, a power distribution assembly, A processing chamber having a ceramic insulator disposed between a pack and a power distribution assembly.

32. The processing chamber according to claim 31, wherein the pack has an electrostatic chucking electrode.

33. The processing chamber according to claim 31, having a high-frequency (RF) insulating plate, the RF insulating plate having a recess, the recess generating a heat-insulating volume between the recess of the RF insulating plate and an adjacent component of the processing chamber together with the adjacent component of the processing chamber.

34. The processing chamber according to claim 33, wherein the RF insulating plate comprises an insert, and the insert fluidly couples a fluid reservoir to a fluid supply region via the RF insulating plate.

35. The processing chamber according to claim 34, wherein the fluid contains a refrigerant, and the refrigerant maintains the power distribution assembly below a threshold temperature.

36. The processing chamber according to claim 31, wherein the ceramic insulator contains alumina.

37. The processing chamber according to claim 31, wherein the ceramic insulator comprises a plurality of side walls, and the plurality of side walls form boundaries of a plurality of channels extending from a first side surface of the ceramic insulator close to the power distribution assembly to a second side surface of the ceramic insulator close to the pack.

38. The processing chamber according to claim 37, wherein the power distribution assembly is electrically coupled to a heating element via a plurality of channels.

39. A method including a step of recessing a first portion of a high-frequency (RF) insulating plate to create a space between the RF insulating plate and an adjacent component of the processing chamber, and a step of installing an insulator between a heating pack of the processing chamber and a power distribution assembly of the processing chamber, the insulator reducing heat transfer to components of the processing chamber in an emergency machine stop (EMO) state.

40. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of installing a backing plate between the heating pack and the cooling plate, the backing plate having a thermal expansion characteristic within 10% of the thermal expansion characteristic of the heating pack.

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