A flat susceptor having a grid pattern and ventilation grooves on its surface

Abstract

The susceptor used in a processing chamber for supporting a wafer is a susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the susceptor substrate, and pockets in the susceptor ledge are configured to hold the wafer to be processed in the processing chamber. The susceptor substrate includes a susceptor substrate and a coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate. The surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, the surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, and the surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments described herein generally relate to susceptors used in semiconductor wafer processing, and more particularly to susceptors having a grid pattern and ventilation grooves on their surfaces and used in an epitaxial deposition process.

Background Art

[0002] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes are used in semiconductor wafer processing along with other processes to epitaxially deposit thin layers (generally less than 10 microns) on wafers. The CVD process requires heating the wafers held in pockets within the susceptor to a high temperature, such as about 1200 °C. The wafers are typically heated from room temperature to the high temperature within about 30 minutes. During such wafer processing, in a susceptor having flat pockets, air is trapped between the wafer and the surface of the flat pocket, and the wafer slides within the pocket. This wafer sliding damages the pockets of the susceptor and affects the quality of the epitaxial deposition on the wafer.

[0003] Accordingly, there is a need for a susceptor that can reduce the sliding of the wafer on the susceptor.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a susceptor used in a processing chamber for supporting a wafer. The susceptor includes a susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the susceptor substrate, and pockets within the susceptor ledge configured to hold a wafer to be processed within the processing chamber, and a coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate, wherein the surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of ventilation groove lines, the surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, and the surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern.

[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a chamber body in fluid communication with one or more gas sources, and a substrate support assembly including a susceptor. The susceptor is a susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the susceptor substrate. The pockets in the susceptor ledge are configured to hold wafers to be processed in the processing chamber. The susceptor substrate, and a coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate. The surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, the surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, and the surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern. The substrate support assembly includes a coating layer.

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure further include a processing system. The processing system includes a processing chamber, a chamber body in fluid communication with one or more gas sources, and a substrate support assembly including a susceptor. The susceptor is a susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the susceptor substrate. The pockets in the susceptor ledge are configured to hold wafers to be processed in the processing chamber. The susceptor substrate, and a coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate. The surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, the surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, and the surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern. The substrate support assembly includes a coating layer. The processing chamber includes a controller configured to cause an epitaxial deposition process to be performed in the processing chamber.

[0007] A more specific description, briefly summarized above, can be obtained by reference to the examples in such a form that the features listed above in the present disclosure can be understood in detail, and some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings show only some examples and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. This is because the present disclosure may admit other equally effective examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 4C

Figure 4D

Figure 4E

Figure 4F

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used whenever possible to indicate the same elements common to the figures.

[0010] Generally, the embodiments described herein relate to a susceptor for holding a wafer thereon for semiconductor wafer processing, and more particularly, to a susceptor having a grid pattern on a pocket, a vent groove on a front ledge, and a mirror image grid pattern on a back side, which is used in an epitaxial deposition process. Due to the vent groove in fluid communication with the front grid pattern, wafer sliding within the pocket is reduced, damage to the susceptor is reduced, and the quality of epitaxial deposition on the wafer is improved. Due to the mirror image grid pattern on the back side of the susceptor, the interfacial stress between the susceptor substrate and the coating layer during the epitaxial deposition process is reduced, warping and bending of the susceptor are reduced, and the flatness of the susceptor is improved.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an example of a multi-chamber processing system 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The processing system 100 generally includes a factory interface 102, load lock chambers 104, 106, transfer chambers 108, 110 each having transfer robots 112, 114, holding chambers 116, 118, and processing chambers 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130. As detailed herein, wafers within the processing system 100 can be processed in various chambers and transferred between various chambers without exposing the wafers to the ambient environment outside the processing system 100 (e.g., an atmospheric ambient environment such as may exist within a manufacturing factory). For example, wafers can be processed in various chambers of a low pressure (e.g., about 300 Torr or less) or vacuum environment and transferred between various chambers without interrupting the low pressure or vacuum environment during various processes performed on the wafers within the processing system 100. Thus, the processing system 100 can provide an integrated solution for certain wafer processing.

[0012] Examples of processing systems that may be suitably modified in accordance with the teachings provided herein include the Endura®, Producer®, or Centura® integrated processing systems commercially available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, California, or other suitable processing systems. It is contemplated that other processing systems, including those of other manufacturers, may be adapted to benefit from the aspects described herein.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the factory interface 102 includes a docking station 140 and a factory interface robot 142 to facilitate the transfer of wafers. The docking station 140 is configured to receive one or more front-opening unified pods (FOUPs) 144. In some embodiments, each factory interface robot 142 generally includes a blade 148 disposed at one end of each factory interface robot 142 configured to transfer wafers from the factory interface 102 to the load lock chambers 104, 106.

[0014] Load lock chambers 104, 106 have respective ports 150, 152 coupled to the factory interface 102 and respective ports 154, 156 coupled to the transfer chamber 108. The transfer chamber 108 further has respective ports 158, 160 coupled to the holding chambers 116, 118 and respective ports 162, 164 coupled to the processing chambers 120, 122. Similarly, the transfer chamber 110 has respective ports 166, 168 coupled to the holding chambers 116, 118 and respective ports 170, 172, 174, 176 coupled to the processing chambers 124, 126, 128, 130. The ports 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176 can be slit valve openings having slit valves, for example, to provide a seal between respective chambers through which wafers are passed by transfer robots 112, 114 and to prevent gas from passing between the respective chambers. Generally, any port is opened to transfer a wafer therethrough and is closed otherwise.

[0015] Load lock chambers 104, 106, transfer chambers 108, 110, holding chambers 116, 118, and processing chambers 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 may be fluidly coupled to a gas and pressure control system (not specifically shown). The gas and pressure control system may include one or more gas pumps (e.g., turbo pumps, cryo pumps, roughing pumps), a gas source, various valves, and conduits fluidly coupled to the various chambers. During operation, the factory interface robot 142 transfers wafers from the FOUP 144 through port 150 or 152 to load lock chamber 104 or 106. The gas and pressure control system then pumps down load lock chamber 104 or 106. The gas and pressure control system further maintains transfer chambers 108, 110 and holding chambers 116, 118 in an internal low pressure or vacuum environment (which may include an inert gas). Thus, pumping down load lock chamber 104 or 106 facilitates passing wafers between, for example, the ambient environment of the factory interface 102 and the low pressure or vacuum environment of transfer chamber 108.

[0016] Using the wafers within the pumped-down load lock chambers 104 or 106, transfer robot 112 transfers the wafers from the load lock chambers 104 or 106 into the transfer chamber 108 through ports 154 or 156. Next, transfer robot 112 transfers the wafers to either of the processing chambers 120, 122 through respective ports 162, 164 for processing, transfers the wafers to either of the holding chambers 116, 118 through respective ports 158, 160 for holding while waiting for further transfer, and / or transfers the wafers between them. Similarly, transfer robot 114 can access the wafers within the holding chambers 116 or 118 through ports 166 or 168, transfer the wafers to either of the processing chambers 124, 126, 128, 130 through respective ports 170, 172, 174, 176 for processing, transfer the wafers to either of the holding chambers 116, 118 through respective ports 166, 168 for holding while waiting for further transfer, and / or transfer the wafers between them. Transfer and holding of wafers within the various chambers and between the various chambers can be within a low pressure or vacuum environment provided by a gas and pressure control system.

[0017] Processing chambers 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 can be any suitable chambers for processing wafers. In some embodiments, processing chamber 122 can perform a cleaning process, processing chamber 120 can perform an etching process, and processing chambers 124, 126, 128, 130 can each perform an epitaxial growth process. Processing chamber 122 can be a SiCoNi (trademark) Preclean chamber available from Applied Materials of Santa Clara, California. Processing chamber 120 can be a Selectra (trademark) Etch chamber available from Applied Materials of Santa Clara, California.

[0018] The system controller 190 is coupled to the processing system 100 to control the processing system 100 or its components. For example, the system controller 190 can process the operation of the processing system 100 by using direct control of chambers 104, 106, 108, 116, 118, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 of the processing system 100 or by controlling controllers associated with chambers 104, 106, 108, 116, 118, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130. During operation, the system controller 190 enables data collection and feedback from each chamber to adjust the performance of the processing system 100.

[0019] The system controller 190 generally includes a central processing unit (CPU) 192, a memory 194, and support circuitry 196. The CPU 192 can be one of any form of general-purpose processor that can be used in an industrial environment. The memory 194, i.e., the non-transitory computer-readable medium, is accessible by the CPU 192 and can be one or more of memories such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), floppy disks, hard disks, or any other form of local or remote digital storage. The support circuitry 196 is coupled to the CPU 192 and can include a cache, a clock circuit, an input / output subsystem, a power supply, and the like. The various methods disclosed herein can generally be implemented by the CPU 192 executing computer instruction code stored in the memory 194 (or in the memory of a particular processing chamber), for example, as software routines, under the control of the CPU 192. When the computer instruction code is executed by the CPU 192, the CPU 192 controls the chambers to perform processes according to various methods.

[0020] Another processing system can have a different configuration. For example, more or fewer processing chambers can be coupled to the transfer apparatus. In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer apparatus includes transfer chambers 108, 110 and holding chambers 116, 118. In another embodiment, more or fewer transfer chambers (e.g., one transfer chamber) and / or more or fewer holding chambers (e.g., no holding chambers) can be implemented as the transfer apparatus within the processing system.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a heat treatment chamber 200 that can be used to perform epitaxial growth. The processing chamber 200 can be any one of the processing chambers 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 of FIG. 1. Non-limiting examples of suitable processing chambers that can be modified in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein can include RP EPI reactors, Elvis chambers, and Lennon chambers, all commercially available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. The processing chamber 200 can be added to a CENTURA® integrated processing system available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. Although the processing chamber 200 is described below as being utilized to implement the various embodiments described herein, other semiconductor processing chambers from different manufacturers can also be used to implement the embodiments disclosed in this disclosure.

[0022] The processing chamber 200 includes a chamber body 202, a support system 204, and a controller 206. The chamber body 202 includes an upper portion 208 and a lower portion 210. The upper portion 208 includes the area between the upper dome 212 and the wafer W within the chamber body 202. The lower portion 210 includes the area between the lower dome 214 and the bottom of the wafer W within the chamber body 202. The deposition process is generally performed on the upper surface of the wafer W within the upper portion 208.

[0023] The support system 204 includes components used to execute and monitor a predetermined process such as the growth of an epitaxial film within the processing chamber 200. The controller 206 is coupled to the support system 204 and is adapted to control the processing chamber 200 and the support system 204. The controller 206 can be the system controller 190 or a controller controlled by the system controller 190 for controlling the process within the processing chamber 200.

[0024] The processing chamber 200 includes a plurality of heat sources such as a lamp 216 that is adapted to supply thermal energy to components disposed within the processing chamber 200. For example, the lamp 216 can be adapted to supply thermal energy to the wafer W, the susceptor 218, and / or the preheat ring 220. The lower dome 214 can be formed from a light transmissive material such as quartz to facilitate the passage of thermal radiation therethrough. It is contemplated that the lamp 216 can be disposed to supply thermal energy not only through the lower dome 214 but also through the upper dome 212.

[0025] The chamber body 202 includes a plurality of plenums formed therein. The plenums are in fluid communication with one or more gas sources 222 such as a carrier gas and one or more precursor sources 224 such as a deposition gas and a dopant gas. For example, the first plenum 226 can be adapted to supply the deposition gas 228 into the upper portion 208 of the chamber body 202 therethrough, and the second plenum 230 can be adapted to exhaust the deposition gas 228 from the upper portion 208. In such a manner, the deposition gas 228 can flow parallel to the upper surface of the wafer W.

[0026] In cases where a liquid precursor is used, the processing chamber 200 may include a liquid vaporizer 232 that is in fluid communication with a liquid precursor source 234. The liquid vaporizer 232 is used to vaporize the liquid precursor delivered to the processing chamber 200. Although not shown, it is contemplated that the liquid precursor source 234 may include, for example, one or more ampoules of precursor liquid and solvent liquid, shut-off valves, and a liquid flow meter (LFM).

[0027] A substrate support assembly 236 is disposed in the lower portion 210 of the chamber body 202. The substrate support assembly 236 is shown supporting the wafer W at the processing position. The substrate support assembly 236 includes a susceptor support shaft 238 formed of a light transmissive material and a susceptor 218 supported by the susceptor support shaft 238. The shaft 240 of the susceptor support shaft 238 is disposed within a shroud 242, and lift pin contacts 244 are coupled to the shroud 242. The susceptor support shaft 238 is rotatable to facilitate rotation of the wafer W during processing. Rotation of the susceptor support shaft 238 is facilitated by an actuator 246 coupled to the susceptor support shaft 238. The shroud 242 is generally fixed in place and thus does not rotate during processing. Support pins 248 couple the susceptor support shaft 238 to the susceptor 218.

[0028] A lift pin 250 is disposed through an opening (not numbered) formed within the susceptor support shaft 238. The lift pin 250 is vertically operable and is adapted to contact the lower surface of the substrate W and lift the substrate W from the (illustrated) processing position to a substrate removal position.

[0029] The preheat ring 220 is removably disposed on a lower liner 252 coupled to the chamber body 202. The preheat ring 220 is disposed around the internal volume of the chamber body 202 and circumscribes the substrate W while the substrate W is in the processing position. The preheat ring 220 facilitates preheating of the process gas when the process gas enters the chamber body 202 through a first plenum 226 adjacent to the preheat ring 220.

[0030] The central window portion 254 of the upper dome 212 and the bottom portion 256 of the lower dome 214 can be formed from a light-transmissive material such as quartz. A peripheral flange 258 of the central upper dome 212 that engages with the central window portion 254 at the outer periphery of the central window portion 254, and a peripheral flange 260 of the lower dome 214 that engages with the bottom portion 256 at the outer periphery of the bottom portion 256 can all be formed from opaque quartz to protect the O-ring 262 that is directly exposed to thermal radiation in the vicinity of the peripheral flange. The peripheral flange 258 can be formed from a light-transmissive material such as quartz.

[0031] Figures 3A and 3B are cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and top surface SEM images of a susceptor 300 according to one embodiment. The susceptor 300 can be the susceptor 218 disposed within the processing chamber 200 of FIG. 2. The susceptor 300 includes a susceptor substrate 302 and a coating layer 304. The susceptor substrate 302 is formed of graphite. The coating layer 304 is formed of silicon carbide (SiC). The graphite susceptor substrate 302 can be porous and have pores 306, and silicon carbide (SiC) tendrils are formed within the pores 306. This formation of silicon carbide (SiC) realizes an improvement in the mechanical properties of the susceptor 300.

[0032] Figure 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a susceptor 400 according to an embodiment described herein. Figures 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, and 4F are a front view, an enlarged front view, an enlarged cross-sectional view, an enlarged front view, and an enlarged cross-sectional view of the susceptor 400. The susceptor 400 can be the susceptor 218 disposed within the processing chamber 200 of FIG. 2.

[0033] The susceptor 400 includes a susceptor substrate 402 coated with a coating layer 404. The susceptor substrate 402 is formed of graphite having a purity of at least 99%, and can be prepared by socatting any suitable graphite billet into a disc-shaped plate and grinding the surface of the disc-shaped plate. The susceptor substrate 402 can have a diameter between about 150 mm and about 400 mm, for example, a diameter of about 370 nm, and a thickness between about 1 mm and about 15 mm, for example, a thickness of about 3.70 mm. The coating layer 404 is formed of silicon carbide (SiC) and can be formed on the susceptor substrate 402 by conformally depositing silicon carbide (SiC) on the susceptor substrate 402 by a CVD process using an organosilicon precursor. The coating layer 404 can have a thickness between 40 μm and about 300 μm, for example, about 80 μm.

[0034] The susceptor 400 includes a pocket 406 for holding a wafer (not shown) within a susceptor ledge 408 at the outer peripheral edge of the front side 410 of the susceptor 400. The pocket 406 can be formed by a surface treatment such as precision machining for adding a specific surface structure to the surface of the susceptor substrate 402 using conventional methods well known in the art. The pocket 406 can be a cylindrical recess having a depth between about 0.30 mm and about 1.00 mm, for example, about 0.40 mm. The pocket 406 can have a diameter that is about 2 mm to 5 mm larger than the diameter of the wafer, and for example, for holding a 300 mm wafer, can have a diameter between about 302 mm and about 305 mm. This margin around the wafer can avoid damage to the wafer when the wafer is loaded into the pocket 406. The pocket 406 can be designed to hold wafers having a diameter of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 12 inches. The susceptor ledge 408 can have a width between about 15 mm and about 70 mm, for example, about 35 mm.

[0035] The surface 414 of the pocket 406 on the front side 410 is textured by precision machining with a grid pattern 416 of intersecting grid groove lines as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4E. Each of the grid groove lines of the grid pattern 416 may have a depth ranging from about 0.10 mm to about 1.30 mm, for example, between about 0.15 mm and 0.45 mm, a width ranging from about 0.20 mm to about 3.00 mm, for example, about 0.43 mm, and a pitch ranging from about 0.80 mm to about 3.00 mm, for example, about 1.14 mm, from the surface 414 of the pocket 406.

[0036] The surface 418 of the susceptor ledge 408 on the front side 410 is textured with vent groove lines 420 extending radially from the inner peripheral edge 422 to the outer peripheral edge 424 of the susceptor ledge 408, and the angles between adjacent vent groove lines 420 are equal. Each vent groove line 420 is aligned with one grid groove line of the grid pattern 416 at the inner peripheral edge 422 of the susceptor ledge 408 and is in fluid communication with one grid groove line. Each vent groove line 420 has a cross-section identical or similar to that of the grid groove lines of the grid pattern 416, having, for example, depths of about 0.30 mm and about 1.30 mm, for example, about 0.65 mm and 0.75 mm, and a width ranging from about 0.20 mm to about 3.00 mm, for example, about 0.43 mm. The number of vent groove lines 420 can be between 3 and 360 (i.e., the angle between adjacent vent groove lines 420 can be between 1° and 120°). When the wafer is held on the susceptor 400 having the vent groove lines 420 thereon during the epitaxial deposition process, the air between the wafer and the pocket 406 is vented through the vent groove lines 420 and the grid groove lines of the grid pattern 416, so that the wafer can be placed at the center of the pocket 406. Thus, the epitaxial uniformity on the wafer can be improved, and the damage to the susceptor 400 due to the sliding of the wafer on the susceptor 400 can be reduced.

[0037] In some embodiments, the vent groove line 420 extends across the entire radial distance between the inner peripheral edge 422 and the outer peripheral edge 424, as shown in FIG. 4C. In some other embodiments, the vent groove line 420 extends from the inner peripheral edge 422 over a partial radial distance towards the outer peripheral edge 424, as shown in FIG. 4E. The cross-sectional shape of each vent groove line 420 can be V-shaped, as shown in FIG. 4C, or can be a combination of a rectangular shape near the surface 418 and a V-shape below the rectangle, as shown in FIG. 4F. Each vent groove line 420 can have a U-shaped cross-section, a square cross-section, or a cylindrical cross-section (not shown).

[0038] The surface 426 of the rear side 412 is machined to a flat plane and textured with a pattern. An example of the pattern is a grid pattern that matches the grid pattern 416 applied to the surface 414 of the pocket 406 on the front side 410. The grid pattern 416 can have intersecting grid groove lines having a depth between about 0.10 mm and about 2.60 mm, for example between about 0.85 mm and about 1.15 mm, a width between about 0.20 mm and about 3.00 mm, for example about 0.43 mm, and a pitch between about 0.80 mm and about 3.00 mm, for example about 1.14 mm, from the surface 426 of the rear side 412. The grid pattern 416 applied to the surface 426 of the rear side 412 that is the same as the surface 414 of the pocket 406 can reduce the warping and bending of the susceptor.

[0039] The embodiments described herein provide a susceptor for holding a wafer thereon in an epitaxial deposition process, having a ledge with a textured front pocket and vent grooves, and a textured rear side. The vent grooves in fluid communication with the grid groove lines reduce air entrapment under the wafer and help to place the center of the wafer at the center of the susceptor. As a result, wafer sliding within the pocket of the susceptor, and thus damage to the susceptor, can be reduced. A mirrored grid pattern is applied to the rear side of the susceptor, reducing the interfacial stress between the susceptor substrate and the coating layer during the epitaxial deposition process, reducing the warping and bending of the susceptor, and improving the flatness of the susceptor.

[0040] The foregoing is directed to specific embodiments, but other embodiments and further embodiments may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the disclosure, and the scope of the disclosure is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A susceptor used in a processing chamber for supporting a wafer, comprising a susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on an outer peripheral edge of a front side of the susceptor substrate, wherein pockets in the susceptor ledge are configured to hold a wafer to be processed in a processing chamber; a coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate, wherein a surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, a surface of the pockets is textured with a first pattern, and a surface of a rear side of the susceptor substrate opposite to the front side is textured with a second pattern; a susceptor comprising the above.

2. The susceptor according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern is a first grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines.

3. The susceptor according to claim 2, wherein each grid groove line of the first grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 1.30 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface of the pockets.

4. The susceptor according to claim 2, wherein each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines extends radially from an inner peripheral edge to an outer peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge and is in fluid communication with one grid groove line of the first grid pattern at the inner peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge.

5. The susceptor according to claim 4, wherein each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines has a depth of 0.30 mm and 1.30 mm and a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm.

6. The susceptor according to claim 2, wherein the second pattern is a second grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines.

7. The susceptor according to claim 6, wherein each grid groove line of the second grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 2.60 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface of the rear side.

8. The susceptor according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor substrate is a disc-shaped plate having a thickness between 1 mm and 15 mm.

9. The susceptor according to claim 1, wherein the pockets are cylindrical recesses having a diameter between 302 mm and 305 mm and a depth between 0.30 mm and 1.00 mm.

10. The susceptor substrate includes graphite, The coating layer includes silicon carbide (SiC), The susceptor according to claim 1.

11. A processing chamber, A chamber body in fluid communication with one or more gas sources, and A substrate support assembly including a susceptor, wherein the susceptor is A susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on the outer peripheral edge of the front side of the susceptor substrate, and pockets in the susceptor ledge configured to hold wafers to be processed in the processing chamber, the susceptor substrate, and A coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate, The surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, The surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, The surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern, the coating layer Comprising a substrate support assembly and Comprising a processing chamber.

12. The first pattern is a first grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines, Each grid groove line of the first grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 1.30 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface of the pocket, The processing chamber according to claim 11.

13. Each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines extends radially from the inner peripheral edge to the outer peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge and is in fluid communication with one grid groove line of the first grid pattern at the inner peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge, The processing chamber according to claim 12, wherein each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines has a depth of 0.30 mm and 1.30 mm and a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm.

14. The second pattern is a second grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines, Each grid groove line of the second grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 2.60 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface of the rear side, The processing chamber according to claim 12.

15. The susceptor substrate is a disk-shaped plate having a thickness between 1 mm and 15 mm, The pocket is a cylindrical recess having a diameter between 302 mm and 305 mm and a depth between 0.30 mm and 1.00 mm. The processing chamber according to claim 11.

16. The susceptor substrate includes graphite. The coating layer includes silicon carbide (SiC). The processing chamber according to claim 11.

17. A processing system, A processing chamber, A chamber body in fluid communication with one or more gas sources, A substrate support assembly including a susceptor, wherein the susceptor, A susceptor substrate having a susceptor ledge on an outer peripheral edge of a front side of the susceptor substrate, and a pocket in the susceptor ledge configured to hold a wafer to be processed in the processing chamber. A coating layer deposited on the susceptor substrate, The surface of the susceptor ledge is textured with a plurality of vent groove lines, The surface of the pocket is textured with a first pattern, The surface of the rear side of the susceptor substrate on the opposite side of the front side is textured with a second pattern. A substrate support assembly A processing chamber including A controller configured to cause the processing system to perform an epitaxial deposition process in the processing chamber A processing system including.

18. The first pattern is a first grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines, Each grid groove line of the first grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 1.30 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface of the pocket, Each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines extends radially from an inner peripheral edge to an outer peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge and is in fluid communication with one grid groove line of the first grid pattern at the inner peripheral edge of the susceptor ledge, Each vent groove line of the plurality of vent groove lines has a depth of 0.30 mm and 1.30 mm and a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, The second pattern is a second grid pattern of intersecting grid groove lines, The processing system according to claim 17, wherein each grid groove line of the second grid pattern has a depth between 0.10 mm and 2.60 mm, a width between 0.20 mm and 3.00 mm, and a pitch between 0.80 mm and 3.00 mm from the surface on the rear side.

19. The susceptor substrate is a disc-shaped plate having a thickness between 1 mm and 15 mm, The pocket is a cylindrical recess having a diameter between 302 mm and 305 mm and a depth between 0.30 mm and 1.00 mm. The processing system according to claim 17.

20. The susceptor substrate contains graphite, The coating layer contains silicon carbide (SiC). The processing system according to claim 17.

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