Deposition or etching chamber with perfect symmetry and hot surfaces

Abstract

An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include a chamber having a body with a sidewall and a base. The chamber may include a pumping liner overlying the body and a faceplate overlying the pumping liner. The chamber may include a substrate support. The substrate support may include a plate and a shaft. The chamber may include a seal plate connected to the shaft below the plate. The seal plate may have a larger diameter than the plate. The seal plate may include an RF gasket on an outer side of the plate. The substrate support and the seal plate may be translatable between a transfer position in which the RF gasket is vertically spaced from the pumping liner and a process position in which the RF gasket contacts the pumping liner. When in the process position, the processing region may be isolated from the environment below the seal plate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 174,534, filed Feb. 24, 2023, entitled "DEPOSITION OR ETCH CHAMBER WITH COMPLETE SYMMETRY AND HIGH TEMPERATURE SURFACES," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002]

[0002] The present technology relates to components and apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing. More particularly, the present technology relates to processing chamber components and other semiconductor processing equipment. [Background technology]

[0003]

[0003] Integrated circuits are realized through processes that form intricately patterned layers of material on substrate surfaces. Forming patterned materials on substrates requires methods for controlling the formation and removal of materials. Often, precursors are delivered and distributed to a processing region to uniformly deposit or etch material on the substrate. Many aspects of a processing chamber can affect process uniformity, including uniformity of process conditions within the chamber, uniformity of flow through components, and other process and component parameters. Even slight inconsistencies across the substrate can affect the formation or removal process.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to manufacture high quality devices and structures. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include a processing chamber. The chamber may include a chamber body having a sidewall and a base. The chamber may include a pumping liner mounted on the chamber body. The chamber may include a faceplate mounted on the pumping liner. The chamber may include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support may include a support plate and a shaft coupled to the support plate. The chamber may include a seal plate coupled to the shaft and extending below the support plate. The seal plate may have a larger diameter than the support plate. The seal plate may include an RF gasket disposed radially outward from the support plate. The substrate support and seal plate may be vertically translatable within the chamber body between a transfer position in which the RF gasket is vertically spaced from a bottom surface of the pumping liner and a process position in which the RF gasket contacts the bottom surface of the pumping liner. When the substrate support and seal plate are in the process position, a processing region formed between the faceplate and the support plate may be isolated from an environment below the seal plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system may include a dielectric spacer disposed between the pumping liner and the faceplate. The pumping liner may be symmetrical about a central axis. The processing region may be symmetrical with respect to each of gas flow, thermal distribution, and RF distribution. The processing region may be structurally symmetrical. The system may include a bellows extending along at least a portion of the length of the shaft and sealingly isolating an interior of the bellows from a high-pressure environment. The bellows may extend between a bottom surface of a base of the chamber body and a support to which the shaft of the substrate support is attached. The system may include a plurality of lift pins retractable through the support plate. Each of the plurality of lift pins may include a spring-loaded plunger coupled to the base of the chamber body. Each of the plurality of lift pins may include a pin member biased in an upward direction by the spring-loaded plunger. Each of the plurality of lift pins may include a pin guide coupled to one or both of the seal plate and / or the head of the pin member. Each of the plurality of lift pins may include a pin bellows extending between the seal plate and the base of the chamber body. When the substrate support is raised to the process position, the spring-loaded plunger and the pin member may separate, and when in the process position, the pin member may hang from the substrate support. The spring-loaded plunger may include a base coupled to the base and defining a central recess. The spring-loaded plunger may include a plunger body slidably received within the central recess. The spring-loaded plunger may include a spring coupled between the base of the central recess and a bottom end of the plunger body. The system may include a transfer chamber coupled to the processing chamber. The system may include at least one additional processing chamber sharing the base of the chamber body with the chamber and the transfer chamber. When the substrate support is in the process position, a processing region of the processing chamber and a processing region of the at least one additional processing chamber may be isolated from each other.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a semiconductor processing system including a transfer chamber including at least one transfer device. The system may include multiple processing chambers horizontally aligned with one another. Each of the multiple processing chambers may be coupled to the transfer chamber. Each of the multiple processing chambers may include a chamber body having a sidewall and a base. The interior of the chamber body may be accessible to the at least one transfer device. Each chamber may include a pumping liner disposed on the chamber body. Each chamber may include a faceplate disposed on the pumping liner. Each chamber may include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support may include a support plate and a shaft coupled to the support plate. Each chamber may include a seal plate coupled to the shaft and extending below the support plate. The seal plate may have a larger diameter than the support plate. The seal plate may include an RF gasket disposed radially outward of the support plate. The substrate support and seal plate may be vertically translatable within the chamber body between a transfer position in which the RF gasket is vertically spaced from a bottom surface of the pumping liner and a process position in which the RF gasket is in contact with the bottom surface of the pumping liner. When the substrate support and seal plate are in the process position, a processing region formed between the faceplate and the support plate may be isolated from an environment below the seal plate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the base of each of the plurality of processing chambers may form a bottom surface of the transfer chamber. The plurality of processing chambers may be arranged in a single row on one side of the at least one transfer device. The plurality of processing chambers may be arranged in multiple rows on multiple sides of the at least one transfer device. The system may include a lid plate disposed on a chamber body of each of the plurality of processing chambers.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a lift pin assembly. The assembly may include a spring-biased plunger. The assembly may include a pin guide disposed above the spring-biased plunger. The assembly may include a pin member disposed within the pin guide and biased in an upward direction by the spring-biased plunger. The assembly may include a pin bellows positioned around the pin guide and coupled to a head of the pin member. In some embodiments, the pin member may include a split pin.

[0010] The above technology may provide many advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of the present technology may provide a chamber including a symmetrical processing region. Such a symmetrical processing region may improve temperature, flow, and RF uniformity within the processing region, thereby improving film uniformity across the substrate during processing. Furthermore, the present embodiments may provide a chamber in which the processing chamber is completely or substantially isolated from the transfer region and cold components, thereby reducing the required bottom purge gas, contributing to improved gas utilization and reducing dilution of process gases by such purge gas. Furthermore, because the cold components are not exposed to the process environment, reduced chamber cleaning times are required. The present embodiments may also provide non-motorized lift pins, eliminating the need for vertical movement of a transfer robot. These and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0011] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique. [Figure 2]1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary plasma system according to some embodiments of the present technique; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present technique; [Figure 4A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary processing chamber in a transfer position, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique; [Figure 4B] 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the processing chamber of FIG. 4A in a process position, according to some embodiments of the present technique. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are isometric views illustrating an exemplary processing system according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 6A-B] 1A-1C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating actuation of lift pins in an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique. [Figure 6C-D] 1A-1C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating actuation of lift pins in an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique. [Figure 7A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a lift pin assembly according to some embodiments of the present technology; [Figure 7B] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a lift pin assembly according to some embodiments of the present technology; [Figure 7C] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a lift pin assembly according to some embodiments of the present technology; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013]

[0020] Some of the figures are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered to scale unless scale is specifically stated. Furthermore, as schematic diagrams, the figures are provided to aid in understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to realistic representations and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes.

[0014]

[0021] In the accompanying figures, similar components and / or features may be labeled with the same reference label. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a letter that distinguishes between the similar components. When only a first reference label is used herein, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of the letter.

[0015]

[0022] In plasma deposition processes, a voltage may be applied to one or more constituent precursors to promote film formation on a substrate. Any number of material films, including conductive and dielectric films, as well as films that facilitate material transfer and removal, may be formed to create semiconductor structures. For example, a hard mask film may be formed to facilitate substrate patterning while protecting underlying materials that must be preserved. In many processing chambers, multiple precursors may be mixed in a gas panel and delivered to the processing region of the chamber where the substrate may be placed. While components of the lid stack affect flow distribution into the processing chamber, many other process variables may similarly affect deposition uniformity.

[0016]

[0023] As device feature sizes shrink, tolerances across the substrate surface can decrease, and differences in material properties across the film can affect device realization and uniformity. Many chambers contain characteristic process signatures that can cause residue non-uniformity across the substrate. Temperature differences, flow pattern uniformity, and other aspects of processing can affect the film on the substrate, resulting in differences in film uniformity across the substrate for created or removed material. For example, turbulence in deposition gas flow and / or misalignment of the gas box blocker plate and faceplate apertures can cause non-uniform deposition gas flow. In some cases, the blocker plate may not distribute precursor flow uniformly to the edge region of the substrate. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the substrate support or heater on which the substrate is positioned may include one or more heating mechanisms for heating the substrate. Differential heat delivery or loss between regions of the substrate can affect film deposition, for example, hotter portions of the substrate may be characterized by increased deposition thickness or different film properties compared to cooler portions. This temperature non-uniformity may be due to, for example, temperature variations around the shaft of the pedestal, which may particularly affect the edge region of the substrate.

[0017]

[0024] The present technique overcomes these challenges by using a processing chamber design that provides symmetry within the processing environment. For example, the chambers described herein can provide symmetric gas flow, thermal distribution, and RF distribution, which can improve deposition characteristics. Furthermore, the chamber design can include a processing region that is isolated from the transfer region and cold components, which can reduce the need for purge gas during processing steps and potentially improve the material efficiency of the chamber due to reduced dilution of the process gas. Additionally, isolating the processing region from the transfer region can enable multiple processing chambers in a single system to operate independently of each other. This embodiment can use non-motorized lift pins, which can enable a simplified design that eliminates the need for vertical movement of a transfer robot to transfer substrates to and from the substrate support. Therefore, the present technique can produce improved film deposition with improved uniformity of thickness and material properties across the substrate surface.

[0018]

[0025] While the remainder of the disclosure will always present specific deposition processes using the disclosed technology, it will be readily understood that the present systems and methods are equally applicable to other deposition and cleaning chambers and processes that may be performed in the described chambers. Accordingly, the present technology should not be considered limited to use with only these specific deposition processes or chambers. This disclosure will describe one possible system and chamber that may include lid stack components according to embodiments of the present technology, followed by a discussion of additional modifications and adaptations to this system according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0019]

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of a processing system 100 with deposition, etch, bake, and cure chambers according to embodiments. A pair of front-opening unified pods 102 deliver substrates of various sizes, which are received by a robot arm 104 and placed in a low-pressure holding area 106, and then placed in one of the substrate processing chambers 108a-f positioned in tandem sections 109a-c. A second robot arm 110 can be used to transport substrate wafers from the holding area 106 to the substrate processing chambers 108a-f and vice versa. Each substrate processing chamber 108a-f can be equipped to perform multiple substrate processing steps, including the semiconductor material stack formation described herein, as well as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, etching, pre-cleaning, degassing, alignment, and other substrate processes including annealing, ashing, and the like.

[0020]

[0027] The substrate processing chambers 108a-f can include one or more system components for depositing, annealing, curing, and / or etching a dielectric or other film on a substrate. In one configuration, two pairs of processing chambers, e.g., 108c-d and 108e-f, can be used to deposit a dielectric material on a substrate, and a third pair of processing chambers, e.g., 108a-b, can be used to etch the deposited dielectric. In another configuration, all three pairs of chambers, e.g., 108a-f, can be configured to deposit a stack of alternating dielectric films on a substrate. Any one or more of the described processes can be performed in separate chambers from the fabrication system shown in different embodiments. It will be understood that additional configurations of deposition, etching, annealing, and curing chambers for dielectric films are contemplated in system 100.

[0021]

[0028] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary plasma system 200 according to some embodiments of the present technique. The plasma system 200 may be installed in one or more of the tandem sections 109 described above and may illustrate a pair of processing chambers 108 that may include faceplates or other components or assemblies according to embodiments of the present technique. The plasma system 200 may generally include a chamber body 202 having a sidewall 212, a bottom wall or base 216, and an inner sidewall 201 that defines a pair of processing regions 220A and 220B. Each of the processing regions 220A-220B may be similarly configured and may include identical components.

[0022]

[0029] For example, components of processing region 220B may also be included in processing region 220A, and processing region 220B may include a pedestal 228 disposed within the processing region through a passageway 222 formed in the base 216 of plasma system 200. Pedestal 228 may provide a heater adapted to support a substrate 229 on an exposed surface, e.g., a body portion, of the pedestal. Pedestal 228 may include a heating element 232, e.g., a resistive heating element, capable of heating the substrate and controlling the substrate temperature to a desired processing temperature. Pedestal 228 may also be heated by a remote heating element, such as a lamp assembly, or any other heating device.

[0023]

[0030] The body of the pedestal 228 may be coupled to the stem 226 by a flange 233. The stem 226 electrically couples the pedestal 228 to a power outlet or power box 203. The power box 203 may include a drive system that controls the elevation and movement of the pedestal 228 within the processing region 220B. The stem 226 may also include a power interface for supplying power to the pedestal 228. The power box 203 may also include interfaces for power and temperature indicators (e.g., a thermocouple interface). The stem 226 may include a base assembly 238 adapted to be removably coupled to the power box 203. A circumferential ring 235 is shown above the power box 203. In some embodiments, the circumferential ring 235 may be a shoulder adapted as a mechanical stop or land configured to provide a mechanical interface between the base assembly 238 and the top surface of the power box 203.

[0024]

[0031] A rod 230 may be included through a passage 224 formed in the bottom wall 216 of the processing region 220B and may be used to position substrate lift pins 261 disposed through the body of the pedestal 228. The substrate lift pins 261 selectively space the substrate 229 from the pedestal to facilitate exchange of the substrate 229 by a robot used to transfer the substrate 229 into and out of the processing region 220B through the substrate transfer port 260.

[0025]

[0032] A chamber lid 204 may be coupled to the top of the chamber body 202. The lid 204 may house one or more precursor delivery systems 208 coupled thereto. The precursor delivery system 208 may include a precursor inlet passage 240 that may deliver reactive precursors and cleaning precursors into the processing region 220B through a gas delivery assembly 218. The gas delivery assembly 218 may include a gas box 248 having a blocker plate 244 disposed intermediate a faceplate 246. A radio frequency (RF) source 265 may be coupled to the gas delivery assembly 218 and may provide power to the gas delivery assembly 218 to facilitate generation of a plasma region between the faceplate 246 of the gas delivery assembly 218 and a pedestal 228, which may be the processing region of the chamber. In some embodiments, an RF source may be coupled to other portions of the chamber body 202, such as the pedestal 228, to facilitate plasma generation. A dielectric isolator 258 may be disposed between the lid 204 and the gas delivery assembly 218 to prevent conduction of RF power to the lid 204. A shadow ring 206 may be disposed around the periphery of the pedestal 228 and engages the pedestal 228.

[0026]

[0033] The gas box 248 of the gas distribution system 208 may be formed with optional cooling channels 247 for cooling the gas box 248 during processing. A heat transfer fluid, such as water, ethylene glycol, or gas, may be circulated through the cooling channels 247 to maintain the gas box 248 at a predetermined temperature. A liner assembly 227 may be positioned within the processing region 220B adjacent to the sidewalls 201, 212 of the chamber body 202 to prevent the sidewalls 201, 212 from being exposed to the processing environment within the processing region 220B. The liner assembly 227 may include a circumferential pumping cavity 225, which may be coupled to a pumping system 264 configured to evacuate gases and byproducts from the processing region 220B and control the pressure within the processing region 220B. A plurality of exhaust ports 231 may be formed in the liner assembly 227. The exhaust port 231 may be configured to allow gas flow from the processing region 220B to the circumferential pumping cavity 225 to facilitate processing within the system 200.

[0027]

[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic, partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing system 300 according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 may illustrate additional details regarding components of system 200. System 300 may be understood to include any feature or aspect of system 200 described above in some embodiments. System 300 may be used to perform semiconductor processing steps, including deposition of hard mask materials as described above, as well as other deposition, removal, and cleaning steps. System 300 may show a partial view of the described chamber components that may be incorporated into a semiconductor processing system. Any aspect of system 300 may be combined with other processing chambers or systems, as would be readily understood by one skilled in the art.

[0028]

[0035] As mentioned above, FIG. 3 may show a portion of a processing chamber 301. The chamber 301 may include multiple lid stack components that can facilitate the delivery or distribution of materials throughout the processing chamber 301 and into a processing region 305, for example, a region where a substrate 306 may be positioned on a pedestal 310. A chamber lid plate 315 may extend across one or more plates of the lid stack and provide structural support for components such as a remote plasma source (“RPS”) unit 370, which may provide precursors or plasma effluent for chamber cleaning or other processing steps. In some embodiments, the RPS unit 370 may include any structure or device that can generate a plasma remote from the processing region 305 and then deliver the plasma to the processing region 305. The RPS unit 370 may be secured to the chamber lid plate 315, often with multiple components disposed between the RPS unit 370 and the lid plate 315. In some embodiments, additional support members (not shown) may be utilized that may be coupled to the processing chamber 301 at one or more locations around the processing chamber 301 to properly distribute the weight of the RPS unit 370 and protect components from shear and other stresses associated with the weight of the RPS unit 370. The RPS unit 370 may include at least one outlet 372 for delivering precursors or plasma effluent to the chamber 301.

[0029]

[0036] An output manifold 320 may be disposed on and / or within the lid plate 315. The output manifold 320 may define a central aperture 328 fluidly connected to an outlet of the RPS unit 370. In some embodiments, one or more spacers and / or isolators 323 may be positioned between the RPS unit 370 and the output manifold 320. A gas lumen 322 defined through the central aperture 328 and / or isolator 323 may, in some embodiments, taper from a narrow top to a wide bottom.

[0030]

[0037] The processing chamber 301 may include a gas box 330 positioned below the output manifold 320. The gas box 330 may feature a first surface 331 on an inlet side and a second surface 332 on an outlet side that may oppose the first surface. The gas box 330 may include an inner wall 334 that defines a central fluid lumen 335. All or a portion of the inner wall 334 may taper outward from the inlet side to the outlet side, thereby allowing the central fluid lumen 335 to provide an expansion region for gases flowing from the RPS unit 370 and / or the output manifold 320. The taper of the inner wall 334 may be constant along the entire length of the inner wall 334, thereby causing the central fluid lumen 335 to have a generally frustoconical shape. For example, the taper angle of the inner wall 334 relative to the vertical can be about 45 degrees or more, about 50 degrees or more, about 55 degrees or more, about 60 degrees or more, about 65 degrees or more, about 70 degrees or more, about 75 degrees or more, about 80 degrees or more, or more. The taper of the inner wall 334 can be constant along only a portion of the wall. For example, the inner wall 334 can include two or more sections with different taper angles. In one example, the upper section of the inner wall 334 can have a steeper taper angle relative to the vertical, while the lower section of the inner wall 334 can have a more gradual taper angle. For example, the upper section of the inner wall 334 can have a taper angle relative to the vertical of about 70 degrees or less, about 65 degrees or less, about 60 degrees or less, about 55 degrees or more, or less. The lower section of the inner wall 334 may have a taper angle relative to the vertical of about 55 degrees or more, about 60 degrees or more, about 65 degrees or more, about 70 degrees or more, about 75 degrees or more, about 80 degrees or more, or more. The inner wall 334 may taper outward in a linear manner and / or a curved manner. In some embodiments, the taper angle of the inner wall 334 may match the taper angle of the central aperture 328 and / or the gas lumen 322, while in other embodiments, the taper angle of the inner wall 334 may be less than or greater than the taper angle of the central aperture 328 and / or the gas lumen 322.

[0031]

[0038] The gas box 330 may also define one or more channels fluidly accessible through the gas box 330, allowing multiple precursors to be delivered through the lid stack at various flow rates. For example, the gas box 330 may define an annular channel 340 that extends into the gas box 330 and may be recessed from the first face 331. As described further below, the annular channel 340 may be fluidly accessible through inlet apertures positionable anywhere around the gas box 330, allowing connection for delivery of one or more precursors from a gas panel or manifold. Inlet apertures that supply precursors into the gas box 330 may extend through the first face 331. In some embodiments, the annular channel 340 may be concentric with the central fluid lumen 335 of the gas box 330. The gas box 330 may also define one or more outlet apertures 342. An exit aperture 342 may be defined through the annular channel 340 and extend from the annular channel 340 through the second face 332 of the gas box 330. Thus, one or more precursors delivered into the annular channel 340 through the gas box 330 may bypass the RPS unit 370 and be delivered to one or more exterior regions of the gas box 330.

[0032]

[0039] The gas box 330 may include additional features. For example, the gas box 330 may define cooling channels 344, which may allow cooling fluid to flow around the gas box 330, enabling additional temperature control. As shown, the cooling channels 344 may be defined in a first surface 331 of the gas box 330, and a lid may extend around the cooling channels to form an airtight seal. The cooling channels 344 may extend around and be concentric with a central fluid lumen 335. As shown, an annular channel 340 may be formed or defined in the gas box 330 between the cooling channels 344 and a second surface of the gas box 330. In some embodiments, the annular channel 340 may be vertically aligned with the cooling channels 344 and may be offset from the cooling channels 344 within the depth of the gas box 330. To form the annular channel 340, in some embodiments, the gas box 330 may include one or more stacked plates. The plates may be glued, welded, or otherwise joined together to form a complete structure.

[0033]

[0040] For example, the gas box 330 can include at least one plate and can include two, three, four, or more plates depending on the features to be formed. As shown, the gas box 330 can include two or three plates, which can form multiple paths to further distribute the precursor toward the annular channel 340. For example, at a single delivery point, uniformity can be achieved by adjusting the conductance within the channel relative to the exit aperture. However, by using one or more conductance paths defined within the gas box 330, precursor can be delivered to multiple locations within the annular channel 340, which can increase the uniformity of delivery through the gas box 330 and may allow for larger diameter exit apertures without sacrificing delivery uniformity.

[0034]

[0041] The semiconductor processing chamber 301 may also include additional components, such as an annular spacer 350 and a faceplate 355, in some embodiments. The faceplate 355 may define a plurality of apertures extending through the thickness of the faceplate 355 to allow precursors and / or plasma effluent to be delivered to a processing region 305, which may be defined at least in part by the faceplate 355 from above. The inner diameter of the annular spacer 350 may be positioned radially outward of the apertures in the faceplate 355 so as not to impede the flow of gases through the faceplate 355. The annular spacer 350 may define a region 352 fluidly coupled to the central fluid lumen 335. The region 352 is the first location through the lid stack where precursors delivered to the central fluid lumen 335 of the gas box 330 and precursors delivered to the annular channel 340 of the gas box 330 may mix. Region 352 may be fluidly accessible from both central fluid lumen 335 and exit aperture 342. Precursors delivered into region 352 may at least partially mix or overlap before continuing through the lid stack. By allowing a certain amount of mixing before contacting the substrate surface, a certain amount of overlap may occur, which may result in smoother conversion on the substrate and may reduce the formation of bonds on the film or substrate surface.

[0035]

[0042] The inner wall of the annular spacer 350 may be positioned radially outward from the bottom end of the central fluid lumen 335. This creates a step transition between the bottom end of the central fluid lumen 335 and the region 352, allowing the gas flow to diffuse over the entire exposed area of ​​the faceplate 355 as it passes into the region 352. For example, the region 352 may have a generally rectangular cross-section, and gas introduced into the central fluid lumen 335 is first confined by the frustum-shaped inner wall 334 and then diffuses into the region 352, which is confined by the inner wall of the annular spacer 350, which has a larger diameter than the bottom of the inner wall 334 of the gas box 330.

[0036]

[0043] Improved uniformity and coverage of RPS-only cleaning can be achieved by providing a tapered diffusion region within and / or below the gas box 330. In particular, providing the diffusion region further away from the faceplate 355 increases the space and distance for precursors and plasma effluent to diffuse radially outward, more effectively distributing cleaning gases to the periphery of the faceplate 355 and other chamber components, such as the edge of the pedestal 310 and / or the pumping liner 360. Increased distribution of cleaning gases to the periphery of the faceplate can also help prevent arcing during certain deposition procedures, such as depositions utilizing conductive elements such as carbon. Furthermore, such gas box designs can aid in more uniform distribution of deposition gases across the faceplate 355, helping to produce more uniform films on the wafer.

[0037]

[0044] The faceplate 355 may be disposed on a pumping liner 360, which may be disposed on the body 365 and / or lid plate 315 of the chamber 301. The pumping liner 360 may be coupled to the exhaust system of the chamber 301, such as via one or more forelines. The pumping liner 360 may define a plurality of apertures through an inner wall of the pumping liner 360, which may allow gas to be delivered from the chamber 301. In some embodiments, a dielectric spacer 375 may be disposed between the pumping liner 360 and the faceplate 355. The dielectric spacer 375 thermally and / or electrically insulates the faceplate 355 from the pumping liner 360. For example, in some embodiments, the pumping liner 360 is formed from a conductive material, such as aluminum, and may form part of an RF return path, as described in more detail below.

[0038]

[0045] In some embodiments, the lid stack components (e.g., some or all of the components from the isolator 323 to the pumping liner 360) located on the chamber body 365 and / or lid plate 315 may be housed beneath the annular cover 380. The annular cover 380 may define a central aperture that receives and seals against a portion of the RPS unit 370 (e.g., the outlet end of the RPS unit 370). The annular cover 380 may include a top plate 382 that extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the lid stack components. A sidewall 384, such as a cylindrical sidewall, may extend downwardly from the periphery of the top plate 382 and may terminate in a flange 386. The flange 386 may extend radially outward from the sidewall 384 and may be connected to the lid plate 315 to cover the lid stack components.

[0039]

[0046] 4A and 4B are schematic, partial cross-sectional views illustrating an exemplary processing system 400 according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIGS. 4A and 4B may illustrate additional details regarding components of system 200 or system 300. System 400, in some embodiments, may be understood to include any feature or aspect of system 200 described above. System 400 may be used to perform semiconductor processing steps, including deposition of hard mask materials, as described above, as well as other deposition, removal, and cleaning steps. System 400 may represent a partial view of illustrative chamber components that may be incorporated into a semiconductor processing system. Any aspect of system 400 may be combined with other processing chambers or systems, as would be readily understood by one skilled in the art.

[0040]

[0047] 4A and 4B may illustrate a portion of a processing chamber 401, as described below, system 400 may include any number of processing chambers, some or all of which may have a structure similar to processing chamber 401. Processing chamber 401 may include any of the features described with respect to chambers 108 and / or 301. For example, each chamber 401 may include a chamber body 402, which may include one or more sidewalls 412 and a base 416. In some embodiments, multiple processing chambers 401 may share one or more of the sidewalls 412 and / or base 416. Similarly, a transfer chamber 495 may be coupled to each processing chamber 401 and may share one or more of the sidewalls 412 and / or base 416 with at least one of the processing chambers 401. At least one sidewall 412 may define or include an opening 485 and / or a slit valve that connects the interior of the processing chamber 401 with the transfer chamber 495. A chamber lid plate 415 may be mounted on top of the chamber body, such as on one or more of the sidewalls 412. The lid plate 415 may extend across some or all of the processing chambers 401 in the system 400, and in some embodiments may also extend over the transfer chamber 495. The lid plate 415 may define a number of apertures, each alignable with a respective one of the processing chambers 401, to allow lid stack components (such as gas distribution components) to be mounted therein and provide access for delivering one or more gases to the processing region 405 of the processing chamber 401.

[0041]

[0048] As described above with respect to systems 200 and 300, multiple lid stack components may be disposed on the lid plate 415. For example, a pumping liner 460 may be disposed on the chamber body and the lid plate 415, with the interior of the pumping liner 460 defining at least a portion of the lateral boundary of the processing region 405. In some embodiments, a dielectric spacer 475 may be disposed on the pumping liner 460, and the dielectric spacer 475 may be disposed between the pumping liner 460 and a faceplate 455 disposed on the pumping liner 460 to isolate the pumping liner 460 from the faceplate 455. This provides thermal and / or electrical insulation between the pumping liner 460 and the faceplate 455. The faceplate 455 may define the upper boundary of the processing region 405.

[0042]

[0049] Each processing chamber 401 may include a substrate support 410, which may include a shaft 411 extending through a base 416. The shaft 411 may be attached to and / or otherwise coupled to a support 414 (which may be, or may include, a linear actuator or other lift mechanism that controls the translation of the substrate support 410) disposed below the base 416. The substrate support 410 may also include a support plate 413 coupled to the shaft 411 and defining a substrate receiving surface. The substrate support 410 is translatable within the processing chamber 401 between a lower transfer position (such as the position shown in FIG. 4A ) in which a transfer apparatus 495 delivers a substrate to or from the support plate 413, and an elevated process position (such as the position shown in FIG. 4B ) in which the substrate 406 is positioned proximate a faceplate 455 to facilitate processing. In the process position, the substrate support, and in particular the support plate 413, may define at least a portion of the lower boundary of the processing region 405.

[0043]

[0050] Each processing chamber 401 may include a seal plate 440 coupled to the shaft 411 and extending below the support plate 413. For example, the seal plate 440 may have a larger diameter than the support plate 413, such that the periphery of the seal plate 440 extends radially outward from the periphery of the support plate 413. The seal plate 440 includes a top plate 441 that is substantially parallel to the support plate 413 and defines the periphery of the seal plate 440. The top plate 441 may define a central aperture sized to receive the shaft 411 of the substrate support 410. In some embodiments, the top plate 441 may be directly coupled to the shaft 411. In other embodiments, the seal plate 440 may include a collar 443, such as a cylindrical collar, that extends downward from an inner edge of the top plate 441 and is coupled to a base 445 that extends inward to couple the collar 443 and top plate 441 to the shaft 411. The upwardly facing surface of the top plate 441 may include an RF gasket 447 positioned radially outward from the periphery of the support plate 413 and aligned with the bottom surface of the pumping liner 460. Such positioning may enable the RF gasket 447 to seal the joint between the seal plate 440 and the bottom surface of the pumping liner 460 when the substrate support 410 (and seal plate 440) are in the process position. In some embodiments, the RF gasket 447 may be an O-ring with an aluminum and / or stainless steel core, although other materials are possible. In some embodiments, in addition to the RF gasket 447, an additional chamber seal is included proximate the RF gasket 447 to help form an airtight seal at the joint between the seal plate 440 and the bottom surface of the pumping liner 460 when the substrate support 410 (and seal plate 440) are in the process position. For example, an elastomer-encapsulated Teflon O-ring and / or other seal may be provided proximate the RF gasket 447 to provide such sealing function.

[0044]

[0051] The sealed joint and seal plate 440 can isolate the processing region 405 from regions below (e.g., the transfer region of the processing chamber 401, which may include cryogenic components that can promote residue formation from process gases and by-products), as well as the transfer chamber 495 and any other processing chambers in the system 400. This isolation can reduce the amount of purge gas that needs to be flowed below the substrate support 410 during processing steps (e.g., to prevent deposition gases from forming residue on chamber components below the processing region), which can improve process gas efficiency due to reduced dilution by the purge gas. This isolation also reduces the amount of chamber cleaning required. Furthermore, the RF gasket 447 can provide a conductive return path for RF current to flow through the substrate support 410, seal plate 440, RF gasket 447, pumping liner 460, and lid plate 415 when in the processing position.

[0045]

[0052] In some embodiments, a small amount of purge gas can be flowed through the region between the seal plate 440 and the substrate support 410 to prevent any deposition gas from reaching that region and forming deposits on the exposed surfaces. Additionally, if a gas-tight seal is not maintained (e.g., if a small gap exists), purge gas can be flowed adjacent to the RF gasket 447 to prevent process gas from leaking through the interface between the RF gasket 447 and the pumping liner 460. The purge gas can be introduced through one or more channels formed in the seal plate 440 and / or the pumping liner 460.

[0046]

[0053] In some embodiments, the components defining the processing region 405 (and the region itself) may be structurally symmetric. For example, the faceplate 455, the dielectric spacer 475, the pumping liner 460, the substrate support 410, the seal plate 440, and / or the RF gasket 447 may each be symmetric about the central axis of the respective component. Such a design may enable the processing region 405 to be symmetric with respect to gas flow, heat distribution, and RF distribution, which may improve deposition and film thickness uniformity for substrates processed therein.

[0047]

[0054] Each chamber 401 may include a bellows 465 that extends along at least a portion of the length of the shaft 411 and isolates the interior of the bellows 465 (and thus the shaft 411 and the opening in the base 416 through which the shaft 411 extends) from a high-pressure environment (e.g., atmospheric conditions outside the chamber environment). In certain embodiments, the bellows 465 may extend between a bottom surface of the chamber body's base 416 and the support 414 to which the shaft 411 of the substrate support 410 is attached. The bellows 465 may be expandable along its length, such that the interior of the bellows 465 remains isolated from the high-pressure environment as the substrate support 410 translates within the processing chamber 401. For example, the bellows 465 may contract between the bottom surface of the base 416 and the support 414 (as shown in FIG. 4B ) when the substrate support 410 is raised, and the bellows 465 may extend (as shown in FIG. 4A ) when the substrate support 410 is lowered. In other embodiments, the bellows 465 may extend between the top surface of the chamber body base 416 and the bottom surface of the seal plate 440. The bellows 465 may expand as the substrate support 410 rises and contract as the substrate support 410 lowers.

[0048]

[0055] Each chamber 401 may include a plurality of lift pins 454 that are retractable through the support plate 413 to facilitate transfer of substrates between the support plate 413 and the transfer device 495. For example, the lift pins 454 may be movable between a retracted position, which allows the substrate to rest directly against the surface of the support plate 413, and an extended position, which allows the substrate to be lifted from the surface of the support plate 413 and engaged by the transfer device 495. Each lift pin 454 may include an actuator 457 that can move the lift pin 454 between the retracted and extended positions. In some embodiments, the actuator 457 may be an active actuator that includes a motor or other mechanism for moving the lift pin 454. In other embodiments, as described with respect to FIGS. 6A-7C , the actuator 457 may be passive and actuated based on movement of the substrate support 410. For example, when the substrate support 410 is lowered, the lift pins 454 may transition to an extended state, and when the substrate support 410 is raised, the lift pins 454 may transition to a retracted state. In various embodiments, the actuator 457 may remain coupled to the lift pins 454 as the substrate support 410 is raised, or may disengage from the lift pins 454 as the substrate support 410 is raised. For example, the actuator 457 may be a spring-loaded plunger coupled to the base 416 that urges the lift pins 454 upward until the substrate support 410 is raised to a particular height, at which point the head of the lift pin 454 may lift off the spring-loaded plunger, which may remain attached to the base 416.

[0049]

[0056] 4A illustrates the substrate support 410 in a lowered, transfer position. In the transfer position, the substrate support 410, seal plate 440, and RF gasket 447 are each vertically spaced from the bottom surface of the pumping liner 460 by a distance sufficient to provide clearance for the transfer apparatus 495 to load and unload substrates from the substrate support 410. Additionally, the lift pins 454 may be in an extended position to accept and / or deliver substrates to and from the transfer apparatus 495. In the transfer position, the RF gasket 447 and pumping liner 460 are separated, so that no RF circuit is formed. 4B , in the process position, the substrate support 410, seal plate 440, and RF gasket 447 are each raised, and the RF gasket 447 contacts the bottom surface of the pumping liner 460, creating an RF return path (e.g., from the RF power source through the shaft 411, seal plate 440, RF gasket 447, pumping liner 460, and lid plate 415). In the process position, the lift pins 454 are in a retracted position, so that the substrate 406 is fully supported by the surface of the support plate 413. The interface between the RF gasket 447 and the pumping liner 460 (together with the presence of the seal plate 440) can isolate the processing region 405 from the environment below the seal plate 440 when the substrate support 410 and seal plate 440 are in the process position. This allows the processing regions of the system 400 to be isolated from each other (and from the shared transfer chamber 490) during processing steps, preventing cross-contamination between the chambers. Furthermore, because the chambers 401 are isolated from each other during processing / cleaning steps, the chambers can be operated independently of each other and can be used to perform the same or different processing / cleaning steps and / or operate at the same or different times.

[0050]

[0057] As described above, when in the process position, a closed RF circuit is formed that allows radio frequency (RF) current to flow from a radio frequency source to one or more components of the system 400, thereby facilitating plasma formation of a plasma-generating precursor within the processing region. For example, in some embodiments, RF current may be supplied through an upper RF electrode disposed in the faceplate 455 and / or lid stack and / or through the substrate support 410. In either case, the presence of the RF gasket 447 on the seal plate 440 and its contact with the pumping liner 460 in the process position provides a continuous RF ground return path. The symmetry of the ground path (e.g., through the RF gasket 447 and symmetrical chamber components) can improve plasma uniformity while electrically isolating the seal plate 440 and RF gasket 447 from the pumping liner 460 during downward translation of the substrate support 410 within the system 400.

[0051]

[0058] 5A and 5B illustrate a processing system 500 including multiple processing chambers 501 coupled to a single transfer chamber 590. The chambers 501 may be similar to any of the processing chambers described herein, such as chambers 108, 301, and / or 401. For example, chambers 108, 301, and / or 401 may each be arranged in system 500 to share a single transfer chamber 590, described below. The transfer chamber 590 may include one or more transfer apparatuses 595, each including one or more robot arms 597 and one or more end effectors 599 that may engage and transfer substrates through one or more slit valves 592 between the various processing chambers 501 and one or more holding areas (not shown) or other chambers. In each system 500, the processing chambers 501 may each share at least one sidewall 512 and / or a base (or bottom surface) 516. Additionally, the transfer chamber 590 may share one or more sidewalls 512 and / or a base 516 with one or more (or all) of the processing chambers 501. Such a design simplifies the manufacture and assembly of the components of the system 500.

[0052]

[0059] As shown, the processing chambers 501 can be arranged in one or more rows within the housing (e.g., base 516 and sidewalls 512). For example, in processing system 500a, the processing chambers 501 are arranged in two parallel rows on either side of a transfer apparatus 595. System 500a includes a single slit valve 592 formed in one or more of the sidewalls 512, which allows the transfer apparatus 595a to transport substrates in and out of the housing. As shown, the slit valve 592 is sized to allow for the transport of one substrate in and out of the housing at a time, although other configurations are possible, including configurations incorporating multiple slit valves and / or larger slit valves within system 500a. In processing system 500b, the processing chambers 501 are arranged in a single row on one side of a transfer apparatus 595b, with the transfer chamber 592 and transfer apparatus 595b separated from the processing chambers 501 by a sidewall 512. System 500b includes openings 593 formed in one or more of the sidewalls 512, which allow a transfer device 595 to transport substrates into and out of the housing. As shown, openings 593 are sized to allow a single transfer device 595b to access each of multiple processing chambers 501, although other configurations are possible, including configurations incorporating multiple openings and / or openings of different sizes within system 500b.

[0053]

[0060] It will be understood that the above arrangements of processing chambers around one or more transfer devices are provided by way of example only, and that numerous variations exist. For example, processing chambers may be provided on three, four, or more sides of the transfer device, and the chambers may be arranged in rows and / or other configurations. Furthermore, additional numbers and configurations of slit valves, openings, and / or other features may be used in various embodiments.

[0054]

[0061] 6A-6D are schematic side views illustrating a substrate transfer procedure using a processing system 600. The processing system 600 can include one or more chambers 601, which can be similar to any of the processing chambers described herein, such as chambers 108, 301, 401, and / or 501. Each chamber 601 can be coupled to a transfer chamber 690, which can include one or more transfer apparatuses 695, each including one or more robot arms and one or more end effectors that can engage and transfer a substrate 606 between the processing chamber 601 and one or more holding areas (not shown) or other chambers. As shown in FIG. 6A, the substrate support 610 of the chamber 601 can be in a transfer position in which the support plate 613 is positioned below the height of the arms of the transfer apparatus 695. In the transfer position, the lift pins 654 are in an extended position that allows the arm of a transfer robot to move the substrate 606 laterally through a slit valve or other opening 670 and to a position above the support plate 613. Once the substrate is positioned above the support plate 613, the substrate support 610 may be raised. As shown in FIG. 6B , as the substrate support 610 begins to rise, a spring-loaded plunger 656 positioned below each lift pin 654 may begin to depressurize, urging the lift pins 654 in an upward direction to maintain the lift pins 654 in an extended position that engages the bottom surface of the substrate 606. Once the lift pins 654 are supporting the bottom surface of the substrate 606, the transfer device 695 may release the substrate 606 and retract laterally from the chamber 601 through the slit valve or other opening 670. The substrate support 610 then rises further, as shown in FIG. 6C . Once the spring-loaded plunger reaches its fully extended state (e.g., the spring is fully decompressed), the lift pins 654 begin to retract into the support plate 613 and continue to retract until the lift pins 654 are fully retracted and the substrate 606 rests on the upper surface of the support plate 613. The substrate support 610 may continue to rise until it reaches the final processing position shown in Figure 6D. In this position, the lift pins 654 may hang from the bottom surface of the support plate 613 (and / or seal plate 640) and float above the spring-loaded plunger 656.Additionally, in this process position, the substrate support 610 , the seal plate 640 , and the RF gasket 647 may each be raised so that the RF gasket 647 contacts the bottom surface of the pumping liner 660 .

[0055]

[0062] 7A-7C are partial cross-sectional side views illustrating an exemplary lift pin or lift pin assembly 700 in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The lift pin assembly 700 can be used as a lift pin in any of the chambers described herein, such as chambers 108, 301, 401, 501, and / or 601, as well as any other chamber or system. The lift pin assembly 700 can include any of the features described with respect to the lift pins 261, 454, 654. As shown in FIG. 7A , the lift pin assembly 700 can include a spring-loaded plunger 705. The plunger 705 can include a base 706 defining a central recess sized and shaped to slidably receive a plunger body 707. The plunger body 707 can include an upper flange 710 and a lower flange 711. The bottom end of a compression spring 708 and / or other biasing element is mounted between the base 706 and the plunger body 707 within the central recess, with the spring 708 biasing the plunger body 707 in an upward direction, away from the bottom of the central recess. The upper end of the spring 708 may be coupled to the lower end of the plunger body 707. The base 706 may include a mounting flange 709 that may be used to attach or otherwise couple the plunger to a portion of the processing chamber, such as the chamber's base 716. The upper end of the central recess may have a narrower diameter than the lower end of the central recess. In some embodiments, a sleeve insert 712 may be positioned within the central recess to create the narrower diameter. The plunger body 707 is inserted within the central recess such that the lower flange 711 is positioned below the sleeve insert 712, and the narrow diameter of the sleeve insert 712 prevents the spring 708 from pushing the plunger body 707 out of engagement with the central recess. Similarly, the upper flange 710 may prevent the plunger body 707 from being forced too far into the central recess, which may help prevent the spring 708 from being overly compressed.

[0056]

[0063] Each lift pin assembly 700 may include a pin guide 715 that may be positioned above the plunger 705. The pin guide 715 may define a central aperture that may be sized to slidably receive the pin body 722 of the pin member 720. A lower opening of the central aperture, which extends through the bottom surface of the pin guide 715, may have a smaller diameter than an upper region of the central aperture. The pin guide 715 may include a mounting flange 717 that may be used to secure the pin guide 715 to a portion of the substrate support (e.g., the support plate 713) and / or the seal plate 740. The pin body 722 may have various diameters. For example, as shown, the middle portion of the pin body 722 may have a larger diameter than the proximal and distal ends of the pin body 722, which may reduce the amount of material of the pin body 722 that may contact the inner walls of the central recess of the pin guide 715 and allow the pin body 722 to slide along the length of the central aperture without falling out of the central aperture. For example, a cover plate 725 may be placed over and coupled to the mounting flange 717, the cover plate 725 defining a central aperture sized to slidably receive the narrow diameter of the distal end of the pin body 722, thereby preventing the intermediate portion of the pin body 722 from being ejected or otherwise removed from the upper end of the central aperture of the pin guide 715. Similarly, the narrow diameter of the lower opening of the central aperture may be smaller than the intermediate portion of the pin body 722, preventing the intermediate portion of the pin body 722 from being ejected or otherwise removed from the lower end of the central aperture of the pin guide 715. The distal end of the pin body 722 may have a length sufficient to protrude above the upper surface of the support plate 713 of the substrate support when the lift pin assembly 700 is in a fully extended position (e.g., a position in which the intermediate portion of the pin body 722 contacts the lower surface of the cover plate 725). Although pin member 720 is illustrated herein as a single component, it should be understood that other configurations are possible. For example, pin member 720 may be in the form of a split pin, with a first member including the head 724, proximal end, and intermediate portion of pin member 720, and a second member including the distal end of pin member 720 coupled to the intermediate portion of pin member 720.

[0057]

[0064] As previously described, the plunger 705 may be coupled to the base 716 of the processing chamber and may remain in a fixed position. The pin guide 715 may be coupled to the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740 of the substrate support and may translate within the chamber along with the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740. Operation of the lift pin assembly 700 may be similar to that described with respect to FIGS. 6A-6D . For example, the substrate support may be in a low transfer position in which the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740 are proximate to the base of the chamber. As shown in FIG. 7A , in this position, the head 724 of the pin member 720 is positioned above the plunger body 707, which is pressed downward within a central recess in the base 706, compressing the spring 708. In this position, the plunger body 707 forces the head 724 upward, causing the distal end of the pin body 722 to protrude above the upper surface of the support plate 713, placing the lift pin assembly 700 in an extended position for transferring substrates to and from the transfer apparatus. Once a substrate is positioned above the support plate 713, the substrate support can be raised, which decompresses the spring 708 and forces the plunger body 707 upward, maintaining the pin member 720 in an extended position to engage the bottom surface of the substrate, as shown in FIG. 7B . The substrate support can be further raised when the transfer apparatus releases the substrate and retracts from the chamber. Once the spring 708 reaches its fully extended state and the plunger body 707 reaches its maximum height, the lift of the substrate support causes the pin member 720 to slide downward within the central aperture of the pin guide 715 until it is fully retracted within the substrate support and the substrate rests on the upper surface of the support plate 713. As the substrate support rises, the pin member 720 can continue to move downward until the middle portion of the pin body 720 contacts the bottom surface of the pin guide 715, at which point the downward movement of the pin member stops and the pin member 720 is lifted from the top of the plunger body 707 and hangs from the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740, as shown in FIG. 7C.In some embodiments, instead of being suspended from the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740, the plunger body / spring travel can be designed such that the spring 708 reaches its maximum travel and the plunger body 707 reaches its maximum height when the substrate support is in its full process position, thereby ensuring that the head 724 of the pin member 720 does not disengage from the plunger body 707 at any point in the travel of the pin member 720 and substrate support. In some such embodiments, the head 724 of the pin member 720 may be fixedly coupled to the upper end of the plunger 707. For example, the upper end of the plunger body 707 may define a recess sized to receive, grip, or otherwise engage the outer surface and / or upper surface of the head 724 of the pin member 720.

[0058]

[0065] In some embodiments, the lift pin assembly 700 can include a pin bellows 730. The pin bellows 730 can be positioned around the pin guide 715 and can help seal the lift pin assembly 700 to prevent any process gases from infiltrating beneath one or more plates through the lift pin apertures formed through the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740. The pin bellows 730 can be coupled to or between the underside of the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 713 and the upper surface of the head 724 of the pin body 720. The pin bellows 730 expands and contracts as the pin member 720 extends and retracts relative to the support plate 713. In embodiments in which the pin member 720 and plunger body 707 remain engaged throughout substrate support translation, the pin bellows 730 can extend between the chamber base 716 and the underside of the support plate 713 and / or seal plate 740.

[0059]

[0066] In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that particular embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details.

[0060]

[0067] Although several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative structures, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Moreover, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the technology, some well-known processes and elements have not been described. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the technology.

[0061]

[0068] Where a range of values ​​is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the smallest fraction of the unit of the lower limit, between the upper and lower limit of that range is also specifically disclosed, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Any narrower range between any stated value or unstated intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is also included. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded, and each range in which either or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also included within the technology, subject to any specifically excluded limits in the stated range. Where a stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included.

[0062]

[0069] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "a region" includes a plurality of such regions, and a reference to "the aperture" includes a reference to one or more apertures and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art.

[0063]

[0070] Also, as used in this specification and the claims that follow, the terms "comprise," "comprising," "contain," "containing," "include," and "including" specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, operations, or groups.

Claims

1. 1. A semiconductor processing system comprising:

1. A processing chamber comprising: a chamber body including a sidewall and a base; a pumping liner disposed on the chamber body; a faceplate disposed on the pumping liner; a substrate support disposed within the chamber body, the substrate support including a support plate and a shaft coupled to the support plate; a seal plate coupled to the shaft and extending below the support plate, the seal plate having a diameter larger than the support plate and including an RF gasket disposed radially outward of the support plate; and a processing chamber including Equipped with the substrate support and the seal plate are vertically translatable within the chamber body between a transfer position in which the RF gasket is vertically spaced from a bottom surface of the pumping liner and a process position in which the RF gasket is in contact with the bottom surface of the pumping liner; a processing region formed between the face plate and the support plate is isolated from an environment below the seal plate when the substrate support and the seal plate are in a process position; Semiconductor processing systems.

2. a dielectric spacer disposed between the pumping liner and the faceplate; The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

3. 10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein said pumping liner is symmetrical about a central axis.

4. 10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein the processing region is symmetrical with respect to each of gas flow, heat distribution, and RF distribution.

5. 10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein said processing region is structurally symmetric.

6. a bellows extending along at least a portion of the length of the shaft, sealing and isolating the interior of the bellows from the high pressure environment; The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

7. 7. The semiconductor processing system of claim 6, wherein the bellows extends between a bottom surface of a base of the chamber body and a support to which a shaft of the substrate support is attached.

8. A plurality of lift pins that can be advanced and retracted through the support plate, each of which has a spring-loaded plunger coupled to a base of the chamber body; a pin member biased in an upward direction by the spring-biased plunger; Multiple lift pins, including The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

9. 9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of lift pins includes a pin guide coupled to one or both of said seal plate and said pin member head.

10. 9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of lift pins each include a pin bellows extending between said seal plate and a base of said chamber body.

11. 9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8, wherein said spring-loaded plunger and said pin member separate when said substrate support is raised to a process position, said pin member hanging from said substrate support when in said process position.

12. The spring-loaded plunger a base coupled to the base and defining a central recess; a plunger body slidably received within the central recess; a spring connected between the base of the central recess and the bottom end of the plunger body; 9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8, comprising:

13. a transfer chamber coupled to the processing chamber; at least one additional processing chamber sharing a base of the chamber body with the chamber and the transfer chamber, wherein a processing region of the processing chamber and a processing region of the at least one additional processing chamber are isolated from each other when the substrate support is in a process position; The semiconductor processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

14. 1. A semiconductor processing system comprising: a transfer chamber including at least one transfer device; a plurality of processing chambers horizontally aligned with one another, each of the plurality of processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, each of the plurality of processing chambers comprising: a chamber body including a sidewall and a base, the interior of the chamber body being accessible to the at least one transfer device; a pumping liner disposed on the chamber body; a faceplate disposed on the pumping liner; a substrate support disposed within the chamber body, the substrate support including a support plate and a shaft coupled to the support plate; a seal plate coupled to the shaft and extending below the support plate, the seal plate having a diameter larger than the support plate and including an RF gasket disposed radially outward of the support plate; and a plurality of processing chambers, Equipped with the substrate support and the seal plate are vertically translatable within the chamber body between a transfer position in which the RF gasket is vertically spaced from a bottom surface of the pumping liner and a process position in which the RF gasket is in contact with the bottom surface of the pumping liner; a processing region formed between the face plate and the support plate is isolated from an environment below the seal plate when the substrate support and the seal plate are in a process position; Semiconductor processing systems.

15. 15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 14, wherein a base of each of said plurality of processing chambers forms a bottom surface of said transfer chamber.

16. 15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of processing chambers are arranged in a single row on one side of the at least one transfer device.

17. 15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of processing chambers are arranged in a plurality of rows on a plurality of sides of the at least one transfer device.

18. a lid plate disposed on the chamber body of each of the plurality of processing chambers; 15. The semiconductor processing system of claim 14, further comprising:

19. 1. A lift pin assembly comprising: a spring-loaded plunger; a pin guide disposed above the spring-loaded plunger; a pin member disposed within the pin guide and biased in an upward direction by the spring-biased plunger; a pin bellows positioned around the pin guide and connected to the head of the pin member; 1. A lift pin assembly comprising:

20. The lift pin assembly of claim 19 , wherein the pin member comprises a split pin.

Images