Cooled edge ring with integral seal

Abstract

To provide a system including a substrate support having an edge ring configuration capable of controlling a temperature of an edge ring and a heat transfer gas source in order to achieve a reproducible etching rate and process uniformity by controlling the temperature of the edge ring, wherein the temperature of the edge ring varies during processing.SOLUTION: A substrate support pedestal 200 for a substrate processing chamber includes a base plate 208, an edge ring 220 disposed on the base plate 208, a seal 260 that is a seal structure located between the edge ring 220 and the base plate 208 and defining an interface 232 between the edge ring 220 and the base plate 208, and at least one channel 224 in fluid communication with the interface 232 to provide a heat transfer gas to the interface 232.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 004,055, filed April 2, 2020. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to controlling edge ring temperature in a substrate processing system. [Background technology]

[0003] The background art provided herein is intended to provide a general background to the present disclosure. The inventors' work within the scope of this background art, and aspects of the description that may not otherwise be admitted as prior art at the time of filing, are not admitted, explicitly or implicitly, as prior art to the present disclosure.

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

[0005] The substrate support may include a ceramic layer disposed to support the substrate, for example, the substrate may be secured to the ceramic layer during processing, and may include an edge ring disposed to surround the ceramic layer and the periphery of the substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0006] A substrate support for a substrate processing chamber includes a base plate, an edge ring disposed on the base plate, a seal structure positioned between the edge ring and the base plate and configured to define an interface between the edge ring and the base plate, and at least one flow path in fluid communication with the interface and configured to supply a heat transfer gas to the interface.

[0007] In other features, the interface includes a gap between the lower surface of the edge ring and the upper surface of the base plate. The gap has a depth of less than 25 microns. The seal structure includes a first annular seal and a second annular seal, and the interface is defined between the first annular seal and the second annular seal. The seal structure includes a third annular seal disposed between the first annular seal and the second annular seal, and the third annular seal divides the interface into a first region and a second region. The at least one flow passage includes a first flow passage in fluid communication with the first region and a second flow passage in fluid communication with the second region, and the first flow passage and the second flow passage are configured to separately receive the heat transfer gas. The seal structure includes two or more azimuthal seals extending radially between the first annular seal and the second annular seal, and the two or more azimuthal seals divide the interface into two or more azimuthal zones configured to separately receive the heat transfer gas.

[0008] In other features, the substrate support pedestal further includes a support ring configured to bias the edge ring downward toward the interface. The at least one passage is disposed through the base plate. The system further includes a heat transfer gas source including the substrate support pedestal and configured to supply the heat transfer gas to the interface through the at least one passage. A controller is configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the interface to regulate the temperature of the edge ring.

[0009] A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber includes a base plate and an edge ring disposed on the base plate. The lower surface of the edge ring includes a first annular groove and a second annular groove. A first seal is disposed in the first annular groove, and a second seal is disposed in the second annular groove. The first seal and the second seal define an interface between the edge ring and the base plate, and the interface is in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source.

[0010] In other features, the substrate support pedestal further includes at least one flow channel in fluid communication with the interface and configured to supply a heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the interface. The first seal and the second seal are configured as O-rings. The first seal and the second seal are configured as an elastomeric material distributed within the groove. A system includes the substrate support pedestal and further includes the heat transfer gas source. A controller is configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the interface to regulate a temperature of the edge ring.

[0011] A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber includes a base plate, an edge ring disposed on the base plate, and a gasket disposed on a lower surface of the edge ring between the edge ring and the base plate, the gasket including first and second annular rims extending downwardly toward the base plate, a plenum defined between the first and second annular rims, the plenum being in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source.

[0012] In other features, the substrate support pedestal further includes at least one channel in fluid communication with the plenum and configured to supply heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the plenum. The gasket is bonded to the underside of the edge ring with a thermal adhesive. A system includes the substrate support pedestal and further includes the heat transfer gas source. A controller is configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the plenum to regulate the temperature of the edge ring.

[0013] A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber includes a base plate and an edge ring disposed above the base plate, a plenum formed between the edge ring and the base plate and on a lower surface of the edge ring, the lower surface of the edge ring including first and second annular rims extending downwardly toward the base plate, the plenum being defined between the first and second annular rims, and the plenum being in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source.

[0014] In other features, the substrate support pedestal further includes at least one passage in fluid communication with the plenum and configured to supply a heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the plenum. A system includes the substrate support pedestal and further includes the heat transfer gas source. A controller is configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the plenum to regulate a temperature of the edge ring.

[0015] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. It is to be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0017] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary substrate processing system according to the present disclosure.

[0018] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary substrate support pedestal in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0019] [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a bottom view of an edge ring with exemplary seals defining azimuthal zones in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary edge ring and seal according to the principles of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating an exemplary edge ring and seal according to the principles of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3C illustrates an exemplary edge ring and seal according to the principles of the present disclosure.

[0021] In the drawings, the same reference numbers may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] In a substrate processing chamber, the temperature of the edge ring affects process parameters such as etch rate and uniformity at the outer edge of the substrate. The edge ring is exposed to the processing environment (including the plasma) and absorbs heat. Therefore, the temperature of the edge ring changes during processing, and controlling the edge ring temperature can help achieve repeatable etch rates and process uniformity.

[0023] In some examples, the edge ring is positioned in thermal contact with a base plate or lower ring of the substrate support pedestal. For example, the base plate may act as a heat sink for the edge ring, and heat is transferred through the interface between the edge ring and the base plate. In some examples, a thermal interface material (e.g., a silicone-based material such as a gel, paste, or pad) is provided between the edge ring and the base plate to facilitate heat transfer from the edge ring to the base plate. The base plate may include coolant channels configured to pass a coolant through the channels to transfer heat to an exterior of the base plate.

[0024] Controlling the temperature of the edge ring using direct heat transfer contact between the edge ring and the substrate support pedestal or in combination with a thermal interface material only provides passive temperature control. For example, the temperature of the edge ring varies depending on the radio frequency (RF) power supplied to the processing chamber, the thermal conductivity of the interface and / or interface material, and the contact area. Therefore, the heat transfer characteristics (e.g., heat transfer rate) corresponding to the heat transfer from the edge ring to the outside cannot be changed without changing the hardware or materials, such as the thermal interface material.

[0025] Furthermore, thermal interface materials (e.g., silicone gels or pastes) can be difficult to apply, may not have consistent properties across all process chambers, and / or the properties of the thermal interface material may change over time, which can cause temperature drift in the edge ring. For example, the thermal interface material may be exposed to process materials (e.g., plasma), further degrading its heat transfer properties. Replacing the edge ring requires a thorough cleaning of the substrate support pedestal to remove the thermal interface material.

[0026] Systems and methods according to the present disclosure provide a heat transfer gas (e.g., helium and / or other suitable inert heat transfer gas) to the interface between the edge ring and the base plate to facilitate temperature control. The pressure of the heat transfer gas may be controlled to adjust heat transfer characteristics during processing. For example, the bottom surface of the edge ring may include a seal structure including an integral or bonded (i.e., attached) seal configured to confine the heat transfer gas to the interface between the edge ring and the base plate. The pressure of the heat transfer gas may be adjusted to compensate for differences between processing chambers and / or may be adjusted during processing.

[0027] Referring now to FIG. 1 , an exemplary substrate processing system 100 is shown. By way of example only, the substrate processing system 100 may be used to perform etching with RF plasma and / or other suitable substrate processes. The substrate processing system 100 includes a processing chamber 102 that surrounds other components of the substrate processing system 100 and contains the RF plasma. The substrate processing chamber 102 includes an upper electrode 104 and a substrate support pedestal 106, such as an ESC. During operation, a substrate 108 is positioned on the substrate support pedestal 106. While a particular substrate processing system 100 and processing chamber 102 are shown by way of example, the principles of the present disclosure may be applied to other types of substrate processing systems and processing chambers, such as substrate processing systems that generate plasma in situ or that implement remote plasma generation and delivery (e.g., using a plasma tube or microwave tube).

[0028] By way of example only, the upper electrode 104 may include a gas distribution device, such as a showerhead 110, for introducing and distributing process gases. The showerhead 110 may include a stem portion connected at one end to the top surface of the processing chamber 102. A base portion may be generally cylindrical and extend radially outward from the opposite end of the stem portion, away from the top surface of the processing chamber. A substrate-facing surface or faceplate of the base of the showerhead 110 includes a plurality of holes through which process or purge gases pass. Alternatively, the upper electrode 104 may include a conductive plate, and process gases may be introduced in another manner.

[0029] The substrate support pedestal 106 includes a conductive base plate 112 that functions as a lower electrode. The base plate 112 supports a ceramic layer 114. A bonding layer (e.g., an adhesive and / or a thermal bonding layer) 116 may be disposed between the ceramic layer 114 and the base plate 112. The base plate 112 may include one or more coolant channels 118 for circulating a coolant through the base plate 112. The substrate support pedestal 106 may include an edge ring 120 disposed around the outer periphery of the substrate 108.

[0030] The RF generation system 122 generates and outputs an RF voltage to one of the upper electrode 104 and the lower electrode (e.g., the base plate 112 of the substrate support pedestal 106). The other of the upper electrode 104 and the base plate 112 may be DC grounded, AC grounded, or floating. In this example, the RF voltage is supplied to the lower electrode. By way of example only, the RF generation system 122 may include an RF voltage generator 124 that generates an RF voltage that is supplied to the upper electrode 104 or the base plate 112 by a matched distribution network 126. As another example, the plasma may be inductively or remotely generated. Note that although the RF generation system 122 is illustrated herein as corresponding to a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) system, the principles of the present disclosure may also be implemented in other suitable systems, such as, by way of example only, a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) system, a CCP cathode system, or a remote microwave plasma generation and supply system.

[0031] The gas delivery system 130 includes one or more gas sources 132-1, 132-2, . . . 132-N (collectively referred to as gas sources 132), where N is an integer greater than zero. The gas sources supply one or more etching gases and mixtures thereof. Additionally, the gas sources may supply carrier gases and / or purge gases. The gas sources 132 are connected to a manifold 140 by valves 134-1, 134-2, . . . 134-N (collectively referred to as valves 134) and mass flow controllers 136-1, 136-2, . . . 136-N (collectively referred to as mass flow controllers 136). The output of the manifold 140 is provided to the process chamber 102. By way of example only, the output of the manifold 140 is provided to the showerhead 110.

[0032] The temperature controller 142 may be in communication with the coolant assembly 146 to control the flow of coolant through the flow passages 118. For example, the coolant assembly 146 may include a coolant pump and a reservoir. The temperature controller 142 operates the coolant assembly 146 to selectively flow coolant through the flow passages 118 to cool the substrate support pedestal 106.

[0033] Valves 150 and pumps 152 may be used to evacuate reactants from the processing chamber 102. A system controller 160 may be used to control the components of the substrate processing system 100. A robot 170 may be used to place and remove substrates from the substrate support pedestal 106. For example, the robot 170 may transfer substrates between the substrate support pedestal 106 and a load lock 172. Note that although the temperature controller 142 and the system controller 160 are shown as separate controllers, the temperature controller 142 may be implemented within the system controller 160.

[0034] In the substrate support pedestal 106 according to the present disclosure, an interface 180 is defined between the edge ring 120 and the upper surface of the base plate 112. For example, the edge ring 120 may contact and be supported by the upper surface of the base plate 112. A heat transfer gas, such as helium, is supplied to the interface 180 from a heat transfer gas source 182. The heat transfer gas facilitates cooling of the edge ring 120 (i.e., heat transfer from the edge ring 120 to the base plate 112). Although the heat transfer gas source 182 is shown separately, the heat transfer gas source 182 may be implemented within the gas supply system 130. The temperature controller 142 (and / or the system controller 160) may be configured to adjust the pressure of the heat transfer gas supplied to the interface 180 to adjust the temperature of the edge ring 120.

[0035] 2A illustrates a portion of an exemplary substrate support pedestal 200 in accordance with the present disclosure. The substrate support pedestal 200 is configured to support a substrate 204. The substrate support pedestal 200 includes a base plate (e.g., a conductive base plate) 208 and a ceramic layer 212, and in some examples, further includes a bonding layer 214 disposed between the ceramic layer 212 and the base plate 208. The base plate 208 may include one or more coolant channels 216 for circulating a coolant through the base plate 208. The substrate support pedestal 200 includes an edge ring 220 disposed to surround the outer periphery of the substrate 204.

[0036] The substrate support pedestal 200 includes one or more channels 224 (e.g., 1 to 10 channels 224 spaced apart in an annular pattern around the base plate 208) arranged to supply a heat transfer gas, such as helium, from a heat transfer gas source 228 to an interface 232 between the edge ring 220 and the base plate 208 (e.g., behind the edge ring 220). For example, the channels 224 extend through the base plate 208 and are in fluid communication with the interface 232. Although the interface 232 is illustrated with a small gap for illustrative purposes, the edge ring 220 may be supported directly on the upper surface of the base plate 208. The heat transfer gas facilitates temperature control of the edge ring 220.

[0037] The temperature controller 236 is in communication with the coolant assembly 240 to control the flow of coolant through the flow passages 216. The temperature controller 236 is in communication with the heat transfer gas source 228 to control the flow of heat transfer gas (e.g., via a valve in a gas supply system, such as the gas supply system 130 described above in FIG. 1 ). The temperature controller 236 may also cool the substrate support pedestal 200 by operating the coolant assembly 240 to selectively flow coolant through the flow passages 216. The temperature controller 236 may be a separate controller, may be implemented within the system controller 244, or the like.

[0038] The temperature controller 236 may be configured to measure and / or calculate the temperature of the edge ring 220 based in part on sensed and / or modeled temperatures of the substrate support pedestal 200 and the edge ring 220, process parameters, etc. For example, the temperature controller 236 determines the temperature of the edge ring 220 according to the temperatures of the substrate support pedestal 200 and the edge ring 220 measured using one or more temperature sensors (not shown). In other examples, the temperature controller 236 may be configured to calculate the temperature of the edge ring 220 using other measurements and / or estimates, such as the output of a model. For example, the temperature controller 236 may receive one or more signals 252 corresponding to directly sensed temperatures and / or other process parameters used to calculate the temperature of the edge ring 220.

[0039] The temperature controller 236 may determine the flow rate and / or pressure of the heat transfer gas from one or more sensors 256 disposed between the heat transfer gas source 228 and the substrate support pedestal 200. For example, the sensor 256 may correspond to a sensor measuring the flow rate (and / or pressure) of the heat transfer gas supplied to the interface 232. The temperature controller 236 is configured to adjust the pressure of the heat transfer gas based on the determined temperature of the edge ring 220 and the desired temperature of the edge ring 220. In other words, the temperature controller 236 may increase or decrease the pressure of the heat transfer gas to raise or lower the temperature of the edge ring 220 to achieve the desired temperature (e.g., to adjust the plasma edge sheath).

[0040] In this example, the bottom surface of the edge ring 220 includes a seal structure, such as an integral or bonded (i.e., attached) seal 260, configured to contain the heat transfer gas within the interface 232. For example, the seal 260 may be an O-ring or other seal structure constructed of an elastomeric or silicone material. In some examples, the bottom surface of the edge ring 220 and / or the top surface of the base plate 208 may include one or more recesses or grooves configured to accommodate the seals 260. The distance between the seals 260 may be varied to vary the width of the interface 232. The seals 260 prevent the heat transfer gas from leaking into the processing environment (e.g., plasma / vacuum environment). Conversely, the seals 260 prevent loss of vacuum within the processing environment.

[0041] The edge ring 220 may be biased downward toward the base plate 208 to compress the seal 260. For example, the edge ring 220 may be biased downward so that the lower surface of the edge ring 220 contacts the upper surface of the base plate 208 and maintains a consistent gap (e.g., a gap depth of 1-25 microns) in both the annular and radial directions. Because smaller gaps improve heat transfer, minimizing the gap maximizes heat transfer from the edge ring 220 to the base plate 208 via the heat transfer gas.

[0042] As shown, the edge ring 220 is biased downward by a fastener, such as a screw 264, configured to pull the edge ring 220 toward a support ring 268. In some examples, a linear actuator 270 is configured to pull the support ring 268 downward, thereby pulling the edge ring 220 downward. For example, the support ring 268 may be disposed on an outer ring 272 (e.g., a ring constructed of quartz or other insulating material). The outer surface of the linear actuator 270 and the inner surface of the flow passage extending through the outer ring 272 and into the support ring 268 may be complementarily threaded.

[0043] Although the edge ring 220 and the support ring 268 are shown as separate components, in other examples, the edge ring 220 and the support ring 268 may comprise a single, integral component. A downward force acting on the edge ring 220 holds the edge ring 220 against the upper surface of the base plate 208 against the upward bias of the seal 260 and the pressure of the heat transfer gas within the interface 232. In other examples, other fastening mechanisms may be used. One or more seals (e.g., O-rings (not shown)) may be provided as vacuum breakers between the support ring 268 and the outer ring 272, between the base plate 208 and the outer ring 272, etc.

[0044] In some examples, an optional additional seal 280 may be disposed between the seals 260 to divide the interface 232 into two separate regions and respective gaps (i.e., inner and outer annular regions). In this example, heat transfer gas may be supplied separately to the different regions to separately control the heat transfer (and respective temperatures) in different radial regions of the edge ring 220 to compensate for radial non-uniformities. In other examples, additional seals (not shown) may be provided to further divide the interface 232 into multiple separate regions. In other examples, multiple heat transfer gas sources may be provided, each in fluid communication with a corresponding region.

[0045] In one example, a single heat transfer gas source 228 supplies heat transfer gas to all of the flow passages 224. In other examples, multiple heat transfer gas sources 228 may be provided to supply heat transfer gas separately to each of the flow passages 224. For example, FIG. 2B illustrates a bottom view of the edge ring 220 in which the seal 260 further includes multiple azimuthal seals 284 extending radially from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the edge ring 220. The seals 284 separate the interface 232 into multiple azimuthal zones 288. Heat transfer gas may be supplied separately to each zone 288 via each of the flow passages 224. In this manner, the heat transfer from each zone 288 (and therefore the temperature of each zone 288) may be controlled separately to compensate for azimuthal non-uniformities.

[0046] 3A and 3B illustrate other exemplary edge rings 300 and 304, respectively, including an implementation of a seal structure 308 according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 3A, the seal structure 308 is integrated directly into or on a bottom surface 312 of the edge ring 300. For example, the bottom surface 312 includes a lower portion 316 that defines an inner groove 320 and an outer groove 324 configured to retain the inner and outer portions 308-1 and 308-2 (e.g., O-rings) of the seal structure 308, respectively. The bottom surface 312 of the outer portion (e.g., shoulder) of the edge ring 300 is generally flat.

[0047] As one example, inner portion 308-1 and outer portion 308-2 of seal structure 308 are bonded (e.g., with an adhesive) within grooves 320 and 324. As another example, one or both of inner portion 308-1 and outer portion 308-2 may be held within grooves 320 and 324, respectively, without adhesive. For example, outer portion 308-2 of seal structure 308 may have a slightly smaller diameter than groove 324 and be stretched and inserted into groove 324. Conversely, inner portion 308-1 of seal structure 308 may have a slightly larger diameter than groove 320 and be compressed and inserted into the groove. As yet another example, seal structure 308 is comprised of an elastomer, silicone, epoxy, etc., dispensed directly into grooves 320 and 324.

[0048] 3A, the seal structure 308 can be installed and / or removed when the edge ring 300 is installed or removed without being separately installed or removed. Furthermore, in examples where the edge ring 300 is movable (e.g., for adjustment), the seal structure 308 is automatically raised and lowered along with the edge ring 300. In these examples, the supply of heat transfer gas may be stopped when the edge ring 300 is raised.

[0049] In the example shown in FIG. 3B , lower portion 316 is generally flat and does not include grooves 320 and 324. Instead, seal structure 308 corresponds to gasket 328 constructed of a thermal interface material bonded directly to lower portion 316. For example, gasket 328 is bonded to lower portion 316 by thermal adhesive 332. Gasket 328 includes downwardly extending inner and outer rims 336 and 340 that define a plenum 344, into which heat transfer gas is supplied. Rims 336 and 340 are compressed against the upper surface of the base plate, trapping the heat transfer gas within plenum 344. By way of example only, plenum 344 may be etched into the underside of gasket 328 by a laser to achieve a consistent desired depth (e.g., 1-25 microns).

[0050] FIG. 3C illustrates another exemplary edge ring 348 according to the present disclosure. In this example, the seal structure 308 includes a plenum 352 formed in the bottom surface 312 of the edge ring 300, with downwardly extending inner and outer rims 356 and 360 defining the plenum 352. A heat transfer gas is supplied to the plenum 352. The rims 356 and 360 compress against the upper surface of the base plate to trap the heat transfer gas within the plenum 352 in a manner similar to the example illustrated in FIG. 3B. For example, the lower surfaces of the rims 356 and 360 are smooth (i.e., flat) and, in some examples, may be polished to enhance the seal between the edge ring 348 and the upper surface of the base plate.

[0051] By way of example only, the plenum 352 may be etched directly into the bottom surface 312 of the edge ring 348. For example, the plenum 352 may be etched by a laser (e.g., laser ablation) to achieve a consistent desired depth (e.g., 1-25 microns). Alternatively, the edge ring 348 may be machined to form the plenum 352.

[0052] The foregoing description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses in any way. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be embodied in a variety of forms. Accordingly, while the present disclosure includes specific examples, other variations will become apparent from a closer examination of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims, and the true scope of the present disclosure should not be limited thereto. It should also be understood that one or more steps in a method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although each embodiment has been described as having specific features, any one or more of these features described in connection with any embodiment of the present disclosure may be included with any feature of any other embodiment and / or may be combined (even if not explicitly stated) with any feature of any other embodiment. In other words, the above-described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the substitution of one or more embodiments for one another is within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "next to," "on top of," "above," "below," "disposed," etc. Unless expressly stated as "directly," when a relationship between a first element and a second element is described in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship where there are no intervening elements between the first element and the second element, or an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements (spatial or functional) exist between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted to mean a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical OR, and not to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0054] In some implementations, the controller is part of a system, which may be part of the examples described above. Such systems may include semiconductor processing equipment, including one or more processing tools, one or more chambers, one or more processing platforms, and / or specific processing components (such as a wafer pedestal or gas flow system). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling the operation of the system before, during, and after processing of semiconductor wafers or substrates. The electronics may also be referred to as a "controller" and may control various components or subparts of one or more systems. The controller may be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein depending on the processing requirements and / or type of system. These processes may include supplying process gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and / or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid supply settings, position and motion settings, wafer loading and unloading from the tool, and wafer loading and unloading from other transfer tools and / or load locks connected or associated with the particular system.

[0055] Broadly, a controller may be defined as an electronic device having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and / or software to receive instructions, issue instructions, control operations, enable cleaning operations, enable endpoint measurements, etc. Integrated circuits may include chips defined as firmware that store program instructions, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and / or one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers that execute program instructions (e.g., software). The program instructions may be instructions communicated to the controller as various individual settings (or program files) that define operational parameters for performing a particular process on or for a semiconductor wafer or for a system. In some embodiments, the operational parameters may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to accomplish one or more processing steps in the fabrication of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and / or wafer dies.

[0056] In some implementations, the controller may be part of or coupled to a computer, where the computer may be integrated with the system, coupled to the system, or otherwise networked with the system, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller may reside in the “cloud” or in all or part of a fab host computer system. This enables remote access to wafer processing. The computer may enable remote access to the system to monitor the progress of a manufacturing process, examine past manufacturing process history, or examine trends or performance indicators from multiple manufacturing processes, modify parameters for a current process, configure subsequent processing steps, or initiate a new process. In some examples, a process recipe may be provided to the system from a remote computer (e.g., a server) over a network, where the network may include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer may include a user interface that allows input or programming of parameters and / or settings. These parameters and / or settings are then communicated from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions as data, which specifies parameters for each processing step to be performed in one or more operations. It should be understood that these parameters may be specific to the type of process being performed and the type of tool the controller is configured to interface with or control. Thus, as described above, the controller may be distributed, such as by having one or more individual controllers that are networked and operate toward a common purpose, such as the process and control described herein. An example of a distributed controller for such a purpose is one or more integrated circuits mounted in the chamber that communicate with one or more integrated circuits located remotely (e.g., at the platform level or as part of a remote computer).These integrated circuits work together to control the process in the chamber.

[0057] Non-limiting examples of systems include a plasma etch chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a cleaning chamber or module, a bevel edge etch chamber or module, a PVD chamber or module, a CVD chamber or module, an ALD chamber or module, an Atomic Layer Etch (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing system related to or usable in the manufacturing and / or production of semiconductor wafers.

[0058] As described above, depending on one or more process steps being performed by the tool, the controller may communicate with one or more of other tool circuits or tool modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, nearby tools, tools located throughout the factory, a main computer, another controller, or tools used in material transport to and from tool locations and / or load ports within a semiconductor fabrication factory.

Claims

1. 1. A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber, comprising: A base plate and an edge ring disposed on the base plate; a seal structure positioned between the edge ring and the base plate and configured to define an interface between the edge ring and the base plate; at least one flow path in fluid communication with the interface and configured to supply a heat transfer gas to the interface; Substrate support stand.

2. 2. The substrate support according to claim 1, the interface comprises a gap between a lower surface of the edge ring and an upper surface of the base plate. Substrate support stand.

3. 3. The substrate support table according to claim 2, the gap has a depth of less than 25 microns; Substrate support stand.

4. 2. The substrate support according to claim 1, the seal structure includes a first annular seal and a second annular seal, and the interface is defined between the first annular seal and the second annular seal; Substrate support stand.

5. 5. The substrate support according to claim 4, the seal structure includes a third annular seal disposed between the first annular seal and the second annular seal, the third annular seal dividing the interface into a first region and a second region. Substrate support stand.

6. 6. The substrate support table according to claim 5, the at least one flow path includes a first flow path in fluid communication with the first region and a second flow path in fluid communication with the second region, the first flow path and the second flow path being configured to separately receive the heat transfer gas. Substrate support stand.

7. 5. The substrate support according to claim 4, the seal structure includes two or more azimuthal seals extending radially between the first annular seal and the second annular seal, the two or more azimuthal seals dividing the interface into two or more azimuthal zones configured to separately receive the heat transfer gas. Substrate support stand.

8. 2. The substrate support according to claim 1, a support ring configured to bias the edge ring downward toward the interface. Substrate support stand.

9. 2. The substrate support according to claim 1, The at least one flow path is provided through the base plate. Substrate support stand.

10. The substrate support according to claim 1, further comprising: a heat transfer gas source configured to supply the heat transfer gas to the interface via the at least one flow path. system.

11. 11. The system of claim 10, a controller configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the interface to regulate a temperature of the edge ring. system.

12. 1. A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber, comprising: A base plate and an edge ring disposed on the base plate, the edge ring including a first annular groove and a second annular groove in a lower surface thereof; a first seal disposed within the first annular groove; a second seal disposed in the second annular groove; the first seal and the second seal define an interface between the edge ring and the base plate, the interface being in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source; Substrate support stand.

13. 13. The substrate support according to claim 12, further comprising at least one flow path in fluid communication with the interface and configured to supply a heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the interface. Substrate support stand.

14. 13. The substrate support according to claim 12, The first seal and the second seal are composed of O-rings. Substrate support stand.

15. 13. The substrate support according to claim 12, the first seal and the second seal are comprised of an elastomeric material distributed within the groove; Substrate support stand.

16. a substrate support table according to claim 12; further comprising the heat transfer gas source. system.

17. 17. The system of claim 16, a controller configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the interface to regulate a temperature of the edge ring. system.

18. 1. A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber, comprising: A base plate and an edge ring disposed on the base plate; a gasket disposed between the edge ring and the base plate and on a lower surface of the edge ring, the gasket includes first and second annular rims extending downwardly toward the base plate, a plenum defined between the first and second annular rims, the plenum being in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source; Substrate support stand.

19. 20. The substrate support pedestal of claim 18, further comprising at least one flow path in fluid communication with the plenum and configured to supply heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the plenum. Substrate support stand.

20. 20. The substrate support pedestal of claim 18, the gasket is bonded to the underside of the edge ring by a thermal adhesive; Substrate support stand.

21. 19. A substrate support according to claim 18, further comprising: The heat transfer gas source is provided. system.

22. 22. The system of claim 21, a controller configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the plenum to regulate a temperature of the edge ring. system.

23. 1. A substrate support pedestal for a substrate processing chamber, comprising: A base plate and an edge ring disposed on the base plate, a plenum formed between the edge ring and the base plate on a lower surface of the edge ring, the lower surface of the edge ring including first and second annular rims extending downwardly toward the base plate, the plenum being defined between the first and second annular rims, the plenum being in fluid communication with a heat transfer gas source; Substrate support stand.

24. 24. The substrate support pedestal of claim 23, further comprising at least one flow path in fluid communication with the plenum and configured to supply heat transfer gas from the heat transfer gas source to the plenum. Substrate support stand.

25. 24. A substrate support according to claim 23, further comprising: The heat transfer gas source is provided. system.

26. 26. The system of claim 25, a controller configured to control the supply of the heat transfer gas to the plenum to regulate a temperature of the edge ring. system.

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