Heated lid for processing chamber - Patents.com

Abstract

An embodiment of a heating lid for a processing chamber is provided herein. In some embodiments, the heating lid includes a body having a central region and a peripheral region, the body includes a central opening in the central region, the peripheral region includes a plurality of vertical slots extending on an upper surface of the body and arranged along a circle to provide a thermal break, and the body includes one or more annular plenums extending to the upper surface of the body and a plurality of holes extending through a bottom surface of the one or more annular plenums to a lower surface of the body; a first heater ring with one or more heating elements disposed therein, the first heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body; and a second heater ring with one or more heating elements disposed therein.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Many microelectronic device manufacturing processes are performed through a processing chamber, for example, to form a thin layer of material on a substrate or to coat a part or component used in microelectronic device manufacturing. The processing chamber may be a deposition chamber, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber. The processing chamber generally includes a chamber body and a lid disposed on the chamber body to define an internal volume therein. An O-ring may be disposed at the interface between the chamber body and the lid. A showerhead may be coupled to the lid and disposed within the internal volume to provide one or more process gases to facilitate deposition of a thin layer of material. To perform a particular deposition process, the showerhead may need to be heated to a certain temperature. To heat the showerhead to a desired temperature, the lid may be heated. However, a high temperature on the periphery of the lid may compromise the integrity of an O-ring disposed between the chamber body and the lid. Furthermore, a high temperature on the periphery of the lid may lead to increased heat loss from the outer sidewall of the lid.

[0003] Accordingly, the present inventors have provided an improved heated lid for use with a processing chamber. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An embodiment of a heating lid for a processing chamber is provided herein. In some embodiments, the heating lid for a processing chamber includes a body having a central region and a peripheral region, the body includes a central opening in the central region, the peripheral region includes a plurality of vertical slots extending on the upper surface of the body and arranged along a circle to provide a thermal break, and the body includes one or more annular plenums extending to the upper surface of the body and a plurality of holes extending through the bottom surface of the one or more annular plenums to the lower surface of the body; a first heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the first heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body; and a second heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the second heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body and arranged radially outside the first heater ring and radially inside the one or more annular plenums.

[0005] In some embodiments, a heated lid for a processing chamber includes a body having a central region and a peripheral region, the body including a central opening in the central region, the peripheral region including a plurality of vertical slots extending from a top surface of the body to provide a thermal break and a plurality of horizontal slots extending from an outer sidewall of the body to a position radially outer than the plurality of vertical slots to provide a thermal break; a first heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the first heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body; and a second heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the second heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body and positioned radially outer than the first heater ring.

[0006] In some embodiments, a processing chamber includes a chamber body; and a heated lid coupled to the chamber body, the chamber body and the heated lid defining an interior volume therein, the heated lid including a body having a central region and a peripheral region, the body including a central opening in the central region and the peripheral region including a plurality of vertical slots extending from a top surface of the body, the body including an outer annular plenum extending from a top surface of the body and a plurality of gas source openings extending from a bottom surface of the one or more annular plenums to a bottom surface of the body, a cap covering the outer annular plenum, the cap including one or more gas inlet holes, and a first heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the first heater ring coupled to the central region of the body, and a showerhead disposed within the interior volume and coupled to the heated lid.

[0007] Other and further embodiments of the present disclosure are described below.

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above and described in more detail below, can be understood by reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, however, illustrate only typical embodiments of the present disclosure, since the present disclosure may admit of other equally effective embodiments, and therefore should not be considered as limiting in scope. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a deposition system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a portion of a processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a top isometric view in cross section of a portion of a heated lid of a processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a top view of a processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a portion of a heated lid of a processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a portion of a processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a top view of a heated lid according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a top view of a heated lid with an annular cap according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] To facilitate understanding, the same reference numbers are used, where possible, to designate identical elements common to the figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and may be simplified for clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation.

[0011] Provided herein are embodiments of a heated lid for a processing chamber. The heated lid provided herein advantageously includes a thermal break proximate a peripheral region of the heated lid to reduce heat loss from an outer sidewall of the heated lid. In some embodiments, the heated lid is used in the processing chamber to heat a showerhead disposed therein. The processing chamber can be, for example, a deposition chamber configured to perform an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.

[0012] 1 shows a schematic side view of a deposition system according to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, a deposition system 100 is shown with a processing chamber 102 disposed on a support 104. The support 104 is illustratively shown as including a frame assembly 106. Although the frame assembly 106 is shown as having wheels, alternatively or additionally, the frame assembly 106 can include leveling feet, stabilizing brackets, or other elements for supporting the processing chamber 102. In some embodiments, the frame assembly 106 can be omitted and the processing chamber 102 can be disposed on some other type of support 104, such as by resting or mounting on another component, such as, for example, a base, a transfer chamber of a cluster tool, a part handling system for delivering and retrieving parts to / from the processing chamber 102, etc.

[0013] A cover 138 may be provided to enclose the processing chamber 102. The cover 138 may be disposed on the support 104 or may be otherwise coupled to the processing chamber 102. The cover 138 may include a number of openings to facilitate the flow of air therethrough to cool the processing chamber 102. A fan 140 may be provided to enhance air cooling exterior to the processing chamber 102.

[0014] The processing chamber 102 generally includes a chamber body 108 and a heated lid 110 that together define and enclose an interior volume 112. The interior volume may be small, such as about 1 liter to about 1.5 liters. The chamber body 108 and the heated lid 110 may each include cavities formed in opposing surfaces of the components that together define the interior volume 112 when the chamber body 108 and the heated lid 110 are assembled together. For example, the chamber body 108 may include a bottom plate 182 and a sidewall 184 that extends upwardly from the bottom plate 182 and partially encloses the interior volume 112. Similarly, the heated lid 110 may include a body 178 having a central region 105 and a peripheral region 115. The heated lid 110 may include a sidewall 180 that extends downwardly from a lower surface 129 of the body at the peripheral region 115 and partially encloses the interior volume 112. In some embodiments, each of the sidewalls 180, 184 can have the same or substantially the same dimensions (e.g., diameter for a circular chamber configuration) that define the interior volume 112. In some embodiments, the dimensions (e.g., inner diameter) of the interior volume 112 within the sidewalls 180, 184 are from about 14 to about 20 inches. The heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108 can be made of a metal, such as aluminum.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108 can be coupled together, for example, by clamping, bolting, screwing, etc. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of holes 308 can be provided for coupling the heated lid 110 to the chamber body 108, for example, using bolts that extend to corresponding threaded holes in the chamber body 108. In some embodiments, the holes 308 can be countersunk to receive the heads of corresponding bolts, screws, etc. The plurality of holes 308 can be positioned to provide a uniform seal between the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108, for example, to prevent leakage of gas provided to the internal volume 112. A lift system (not shown) can be provided to lift the heated lid 110 to facilitate insertion and removal of a workpiece to be coated, or for other maintenance or operations requiring access to the internal volume 112. The heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108 can be made from any suitable process compatible material, such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0016] The heated lid 110 includes one or more heaters 132. The one or more heaters 132 can be coupled to a heater power supply 160. In some embodiments, the one or more heaters 132 include a ring heater disposed in an annular channel in the upper surface 12 (e.g., the top surface of the body 178) of the heated lid 110. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2-3, the one or more heaters 132 include a first heater ring 272 disposed in the first annular channel 268 and a second heater ring 274 disposed in the second annular channel 270. In some embodiments, the second heater ring 274 is coupled to the central region 105 of the body 178 and is disposed radially outward of the first heater ring 272. In some embodiments, the first heater ring 272 and the second heater ring 274 are disposed within an annular channel formed in the upper surface 123 of the heated lid 110. The first heater ring 272 and the second heater ring 274 may have one or more heating elements disposed therein. In some embodiments, the first heater ring 272 and the second heater ring 274 are made of a metal, such as aluminum.

[0017] In some embodiments, a first conductive ring 292 is disposed in the first annular channel 268 between the first heater ring 272 and the body 178 to enhance thermal coupling between the first heater ring 272 and the body 178. In some embodiments, a second conductive ring 294 is disposed in the second annular channel 270 between the second heater ring 274 and the body 178 to enhance thermal coupling between the second heater ring 274 and the body 178. In some embodiments, the first conductive ring 292 and the second conductive ring 294 are made of graphite. In some embodiments, the first heater ring 272 and the second heater ring 274 are coupled to the body 178 via the first conductive ring 292 and the second conductive ring 294, respectively, without directly contacting the body 178.

[0018] A center cap 212 can span over each of the one or more heaters 132 to retain the heaters within the annular channel. In some embodiments, the center cap 212 can span over one or more heaters 132 and one or more coolant channels 134 that may be disposed within the heated lid 110. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a number of receptacles 306 can be formed in the top surface 123 of the heated lid 110 to receive corresponding protrusions 402 from the center cap 212. The center cap 212 can be secured to the body 178 of the heated lid 110 by, for example, a number of fasteners 404 (e.g., bolts, screws, etc.).

[0019] One or more coolant channels 134 may be provided in the heated lid 110 to allow a heat transfer medium to flow. For example, a coolant source 142 may be coupled to the one or more coolant channels 134 to circulate the coolant. The coolant may be a liquid or a gas. In some embodiments, the coolant includes air. In some embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the one or more coolant channels 134 may include a first coolant channel formed at the top of the heated lid 110, and a cap 214 may be disposed over the first coolant channel. In some embodiments, for example, when the one or more heaters 132 include a pair of heaters 132, at least one (and in some embodiments, all) of the one or more coolant channels 134 may be disposed between the pair of heaters 132 (i.e., between a first heater ring 272 and a second heater ring 274). 3, the one or more coolant channels 134 can be a single annular channel having an inlet 302 and an outlet 304 coupled to a coolant source, such as the coolant source 142 shown in FIG 1, for circulating coolant through the coolant channel 134 (e.g., a single annular channel). In some embodiments, the coolant source 142 and the coolant channel 134 are configured to maintain a temperature of the heated lid 110 at about 50 to about 75 degrees Celsius.

[0020] In some embodiments, one or more coolant channels 236 may be provided in the chamber body 108 for flowing a heat transfer medium. For example, the coolant source 142 or another coolant source (not shown) may be coupled to the one or more coolant channels 236 to circulate the coolant. In some embodiments, the coolant source 142 (or other different source) and the coolant channels 236 are configured to maintain a temperature of the chamber body 108 at about 50 to about 75 degrees Celsius. The small volume and configuration of the coolant channels 134, 236 advantageously facilitates rapid cooling of the processing chamber 102 to remove completed workpieces and load new workpieces, thus increasing throughput.

[0021] 1, a thermostat 162 may be disposed within or coupled to the heated lid 110 to monitor the temperature of the heated lid 110 and, in some embodiments, to facilitate feedback control of the temperature during use. The thermostat 162 may be provided in any suitable location for monitoring the temperature of the heated lid 110, such as on a side of the heated lid 110 (as shown in FIG. 1) or on a top surface of the heated lid 110 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7).

[0022] The heated lid 110 includes a plurality of gas passages 136 disposed therein to facilitate delivery of one or more gases to the interior volume 112 of the processing chamber 102. A gas source 114 is fluidly coupled to the interior volume 112 via a plurality of conduits 116 coupled to the plurality of gas passages 136 to supply process gases to the interior volume 112 during an operation, such as an ALD operation to coat a workpiece (or substrate) disposed within the interior volume 112. For example, the gas source may include a precursor ampule, one or more inert gases, as well as fast pulse valves for supplying deposition gases, carrier gases, purge gases, etc., purge valves, etc., to perform an ALD process. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a first conduit 118, a second conduit 120, and a third conduit 122 may be provided to supply three different gases, such as, for example, a first precursor, a second precursor, and an inert gas, to the interior volume 112. The first conduit 118 , the second conduit 120 , and the third conduit 122 may be coupled through the heated lid 110 to the interior volume 112 via a number of gas passages 136 , for example.

[0023] In one example, the coating formed is aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 In such an embodiment, for example, the gas source may be a mixture of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water (H 2 A deposition gas (e.g., precursor gas) containing nitrogen (N 2 The gas supply may be configured to be supplied together with an inert gas such as argon (Ar), or a rare gas such as argon (Ar).

[0024] In some embodiments, the processing chamber 102 is configured to deliver one or more process gases in a distributed manner. For example, in some embodiments, the processing chamber 102 is configured to deliver one or more process gases to multiple zones of the interior volume 112. For example, the heated lid 110 can include one or more annular plenums that are fluidly independent and each coupled to a gas source 114. Each of the one or more annular plenums is configured to deliver one or more process gases to a particular zone of the interior volume 112, at least some of the particular zones being different from one another. The one or more annular plenums advantageously provide gas isolation to prevent undesired reactions and / or deposition within the conduits or the heated lid 110.

[0025] For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the heated lid 110 can include an outer annular plenum 208 and one or more inner annular plenums 210. The outer annular plenum 208 facilitates the delivery of one or more gases to a peripheral region of the interior volume 112 and to a peripheral region of the workpiece to be coated. In some embodiments, for example, an inert gas can be delivered to the outer annular plenum 208 to prevent deposition on the peripheral edge of the workpiece and / or the peripheral edge of the interior volume 112. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, two inner annular plenums 210 are shown. The inner annular plenums facilitate the delivery of one or more gases, such as different deposition gases or precursor gases for an ALD process, to a more radially inner portion of the interior volume closer to the region of the workpiece desired to be coated. In some embodiments, a first heater ring 272 and a second heater ring 274 are disposed radially inward of the one or more annular plenums.

[0026] The one or more annular plenums may be formed, for example, by respective annular channels disposed on the top surface of the body 178. An annular cap 246 may be disposed over each channel to define a respective plenum. Each annular plenum may be provided with a plurality of holes 248, for example, along a bottom surface of the annular plenum to the lower surface 129 of the body 178, to fluidly connect the annular plenum to the interior volume 112. The plurality of holes 248 may be sized and positioned to provide suitable gas flow from the plenum to the interior volume 112. In some embodiments, the plurality of holes 248 may be equally or substantially equally spaced along the annular plenum. In some embodiments, the plurality of holes 248 may be arranged in sets of holes, with the holes in each set being equally or substantially equally spaced along the annular plenum.

[0027] Each of the annular plenums may be coupled to the gas source 114 via a different one of the first, second, or third conduits 118, 120, 122. For example, a first annular plenum 210A of the one or more inner annular plenums 210 may be coupled to the gas source 114 via a first conduit 118. A second annular plenum 210B of the one or more inner annular plenums 210 may be coupled to the gas source 114 via a second conduit 120. The outer annular plenum 208 may be coupled to the gas source 114 via a third conduit 122.

[0028] As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the first conduit 118 may be coupled to one of the inner annular plenums 210 (e.g., 210A) via a plurality of legs 202 (e.g., a first plurality of legs). Similarly, the second conduit 120 may be coupled to a different one of the inner annular plenums 210 (e.g., 210B) via a different plurality of legs 204 (e.g., a second plurality of legs). Similarly, the third conduit 122 may be coupled to the outer annular plenum 208 via a different plurality of legs 206 (e.g., a third plurality of legs). Each of the plurality of legs 202, 204, 206 is fluidly coupled to a respective inner annular plenum 210A, 210B, and outer annular plenum 208. In some embodiments, one or more of the first conduit 118, the second conduit 120, or the third conduit 122 may be coupled to a respective plenum at multiple locations along the plenum. The multiple locations may be two or more locations, three or more locations, four or more locations, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the multiple locations may be six locations.

[0029] In some embodiments, at least one of the first conduit 118, the second conduit 120, or the third conduit 122, and in some embodiments, all of them, are coupled to the respective plenums with azimuth symmetry. In some embodiments, each of the locations in the respective plenums is equally spaced from adjacent locations in the respective plenums. In some embodiments, none of the multiple locations are radially aligned with respect to each other. For example, as best shown in FIG. 4, each plenum includes multiple inlets that can be equally spaced from each other. Each of the inlets in each plenum can be angularly offset from each other. In some embodiments, there are an equal number of inlets in each plenum. Each of the first, second, or third conduits 118, 120, or 122 can be coupled to the respective plenums via a fitting 250 disposed at the end of each conduit and aligning the conduit with the inlet to the plenum. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a fitting 250 is disposed at the end of each of the multiple legs 202, 204, 206. Each annular cap 246 includes one or more gas inlet holes to accommodate a fitting 250 and an entrance to a plenum.

[0030] Referring again to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, a remote plasma source (RPS) 127 can be coupled to the interior volume 112, for example, via a central opening 121 in the central region 105 of the heated lid 110, to facilitate cleaning of the processing chamber 102, if necessary. Alternatively or in combination, a gas source 114 can be coupled to the interior volume 112 (e.g., via the first conduit 118, the second conduit 120, and the third conduit 122) through the central opening 121. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the central opening 121 can be coupled to a gas source 240. The gas source 240 can include one or more of the gas source 114 or the RPS 127. In some embodiments, the central opening is coupled to the gas source 240 via a cap 252. In some embodiments, the cap 252 can be configured similarly to the annular cap 246 described above.

[0031] In some embodiments, one or more mounting brackets 156 are provided to facilitate coupling of the showerhead 158 to the heated lid 110. In some embodiments, the showerhead 158 partially defines a processing volume portion of the interior volume 112. The showerhead 158 can include a bottom plate having a peripheral lip extending therefrom and defining a central recess within the peripheral lip. A plurality of gas distribution holes 220 are disposed through the bottom plate to facilitate flow of gas from the central recess through the bottom plate to a space on the opposite side of the bottom plate (e.g., to the processing volume of the chamber in which the showerhead is located). The showerhead 158 can be coupled to the heated lid 110 such that the bottom plate of the showerhead 158 is spaced from about 1 mm to about 5 mm, e.g., about 3 mm, from a support surface of a pedestal heater 124 disposed within the processing chamber 102. The showerhead can include a number of openings through the bottom plate radially outward from the peripheral lip to facilitate coupling the workpiece to the heated lid 110 via a mounting bracket 156 .

[0032] For example, in some embodiments, the one or more mounting brackets 156 can be multiple posts, such as the post 244 shown in FIG 2. The showerhead 158 can be coupled to the heated lid 110 via the multiple posts 244. For example, the multiple posts 244 can be inserted into existing mounting holes in the showerhead 158 and include through holes for bolting the showerhead 158 to a mating threaded opening in the heated lid 110.

[0033] 2, in some embodiments, a spacer 218 can be provided to help maintain a gap between the showerhead 158 and the heated lid 110. The gap between the showerhead 158 and the heated lid 110 promotes the flow of gas therebetween. The spacer 218 can further promote the formation of a seal between the showerhead 158 and the heated lid 110 such that gas supplied to the interior volume 112 flows substantially toward and over a surface of the showerhead 158 disposed radially inward of the spacer 218, rather than around a radially outer surface of the showerhead 158. In some embodiments, the spacer 218 is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), aluminum, such as Al6061 or Al1005, or a similar material.

[0034] In some embodiments, the spacer 218 is sized such that the spacer 218 is disposed between the outer annular plenum 208 and the one or more inner annular plenums 210. During operation, a process gas (e.g., a deposition gas) for a deposition process, such as an ALD deposition process, can be supplied to the one or more inner annular plenums 210 (or through the central opening 121), while an inert gas, such as a noble gas, e.g., argon, can be supplied to the outer annular plenum 208. Thus, the process gas supplied to the one or more inner annular plenums 210 (or through the central opening 121) flows over a radially inner (relative to the spacer 218) surface of the showerhead 158 and through the openings (e.g., gas distribution holes 220) of the showerhead 158. The process gas supplied to the one or more inner annular plenums 210 (or through the central opening 121) is substantially prevented from flowing radially outward of the spacer 218 and over a radially outer (relative to the spacer 218) surface of the showerhead 158. Similarly, a gas, such as an inert gas, supplied to the outer annular plenum 208 is substantially prevented from flowing over a radially inner surface of the showerhead 158 and flows over a radially outer surface of the showerhead 158. The inert gas supplied to the outer annular plenum 208 further limits or prevents deposition of material along the outer sidewall of the heated lid 110. A diagram of the flow of gases into and out of the processing chamber 102 is shown by the arrows in FIG.

[0035] 1, in some embodiments, a liner 157 is provided surrounding the showerhead 158 to protect the heated lid 110. The liner 157 can have any suitable shape for surrounding the showerhead 158 and protecting the inner walls of the heated lid 110 (e.g., the periphery of the interior volume adjacent the heated lid).

[0036] The chamber body 108 is sized and configured to receive the pedestal heater 124. For example, the chamber body 108 may include an opening 126 formed through the bottom plate 182 to receive the shaft of the pedestal heater 124 (e.g., shaft 228 shown in FIG. 2). A pedestal hub 128 may be coupled to the bottom plate 182 to surround and encase the shaft of the pedestal heater 124. In some embodiments, the shaft of the pedestal heater 124 may be coupled to and supported by the pedestal hub 128 such that a bottom surface of the pedestal heater 124 is disposed above and opposite a top surface of the bottom plate 182 of the chamber body 108.

[0037] The pedestal heater power supply 130 is coupled to a heater electrode 125 disposed within the pedestal heater 124, for example via a pedestal hub 128, to provide power to the pedestal heater 124 during use. The heater electrode 125 may be configured with one zone or multiple zones, such as two zones. In some embodiments, the pedestal heater 124 is configured to heat up to about 600 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the pedestal heater 124 is heated to a temperature of about 200 degrees Celsius to about 500 degrees Celsius. As shown in FIG. 2, the pedestal heater 124 may include a heater plate 238 and a shaft 228. The heater plate 238 includes the heater electrode 125 and may include a substantially flat upper surface. In some embodiments, the heater plate may be configured to support a planar substrate, for example, a semiconductor wafer. In some embodiments, the heater plate 238 can include a flat or substantially flat raised upper surface and a substantially flat ledge disposed radially outward of the raised upper surface. The pedestal heater 124 can have a larger diameter than the showerhead 158. In some embodiments, the pedestal heater 124 can have a diameter of about 500 mm to about 600 mm.

[0038] The chamber body 108 is sized to define a small gap between the pedestal heater 124 and the interior volume 112 facing a surface of the chamber body 108. For example, a first gap 258 is formed between an inner surface of the sidewall 184 and an outer periphery of the heater plate 238. In some embodiments, the first gap 258 can be about 2 mm to about 4 mm, such as about 3 mm. A second gap 260 is formed between an upper surface of the bottom plate 182 and an opposing lower surface of the heater plate 238. In some embodiments, the second gap 260 can be about 3 mm to about 6 mm, such as about 4 mm. The opening 126 is larger than an outer diameter of the shaft 228 such that a third gap 262 is formed between the opening 126 and the shaft 228. In some embodiments, the third gap 262 can be about 3 mm to about 6 mm, such as about 4 mm.

[0039] The pedestal hub 128 is coupled to the chamber body 108 about the shaft 228 and the opening 126. The pedestal 128 may be bolted or otherwise secured to the chamber body 108, for example, using a number of fasteners that are placed through a number of corresponding openings 234 formed in a flange 232 of the pedestal hub 128 and extend into corresponding threaded openings in the chamber body 108. In some embodiments, one or more grooves 251 may be provided in either or both of the pedestal hub 128 or the chamber body 108 to facilitate the formation of a seal therebetween. For example, a gasket, such as an O-ring, may be placed in the groove 251.

[0040] In some embodiments, a choke cup 230 can be provided to regulate the exhaust flow of gases exiting the interior volume 112. The choke cup 230 can be disposed between the pedestal hub 128 and the chamber body 108. The choke cup 230 provides a flow conductance choke point to regulate the flow exiting the processing chamber so that the azimuth angle is more uniform. For example, the choke cup 230 can be a tubular member including a flange 254 that can rest on a corresponding ledge 256 formed along an inner diameter of the pedestal hub 128. The flange 254 can have a thickness equal to or substantially equal to the height of the ledge 256 such that the flange 254 abuts the bottom of the chamber body 108 when the pedestal hub 128 is coupled to the chamber body 108.

[0041] The choke cup 230 can have an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the opening 126 so as to define a fourth gap 264 between an inner surface of the choke cup 230 and an outer surface of the shaft 228. The choke cup 230 further has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the pedestal hub 128 so as to define a fifth gap 266 therebetween. The choke cup 230 further includes a plurality of openings 231 formed therethrough for fluidly connecting the fourth gap 264 to the fifth gap 266.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 1 , the exhaust assembly 144 of the processing chamber 102 is fluidly coupled to the internal volume 112 via the pedestal hub 128. The exhaust assembly 144 includes a throttle valve 146 disposed in line along a conduit 148 that couples a pump 150 to the internal volume 112. The throttle valve 146 facilitates control of the pressure within the internal volume 112. A pressure gauge 152 may also be coupled to the conduit 148 to monitor the pressure within the conduit 148 (and, associated, the pressure within the internal volume). In some embodiments, additional valves, such as, for example, an isolation valve 154, a bypass valve 155, etc., may be provided to facilitate isolating and / or disconnecting the processing chamber 102 from the conduit 148 and the pump 150, for example, for maintenance.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, the heated lid 110 is coupled to the chamber body 108 to at least partially define the interior volume 112. In some embodiments, a seal can be provided at the interface between the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108. For example, a groove 226 can be provided in one or more of the heated lid 110 or the chamber body 108 to receive a gasket, such as an O-ring 249, to facilitate maintaining a seal between the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108 during assembly. In some embodiments, another alignment feature can be provided to facilitate alignment and interconnection of the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108. For example, a protrusion or lip 222 can be disposed around a periphery of one of the heated lid 110 or the chamber body 108. A mating recess 224 can be provided in the other of the heated lid 110 or the chamber body 108 to receive and interface with the lip 222. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, a lip 222 is shown projecting downwardly from the heated lid 110 and a mating recess 224 is shown formed in the periphery of the chamber body 108 .

[0044] One or more thermally conductive chokes (i.e., thermal breaks) may be provided within the heated lid 110 to advantageously facilitate reducing heat transfer from an upper central portion of the heated lid above the interior volume 112. The thermal break advantageously maintains the integrity of the O-ring 249 and the seal between the heated lid 110 and the chamber body 108 when the central region 205 of the heated lid 110 is heated to an elevated temperature (i.e., above about 225 degrees Celsius). The thermal break may advantageously maintain the central region 205 of the heated lid 110 above about 225 degrees Celsius while maintaining the temperature of the peripheral region 215 of the heated lid 110 below about 80 degrees Celsius. For example, a plurality of slots 216 may be formed in the peripheral region 115 of the heated lid 110 to impede conductive heat transfer through the heated lid 110. In some embodiments, the plurality of slots 216 include elongated slots. The plurality of slots 216 may be formed in either the top surface 123 or the side surface of the heated lid 110, or both.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the plurality of slots 216 can include a plurality of vertical slots 316A (see FIG. 3) formed in the upper surface 123 of the heated lid 110. The plurality of vertical slots 316A can be disposed, for example, along a circle in the peripheral region 115 of the body 178 proximate the outer periphery of the heated lid 110 and radially outward of the interior volume 112. In some embodiments, the plurality of vertical slots 316A are disposed about 1.0 inches to about 1.3 inches from the outer periphery of the heated lid 110. In some embodiments, the plurality of vertical slots 316A can be elongated slots having major axes aligned or substantially aligned with the circle on which they are disposed (e.g., aligned tangentially with the circle, e.g., at the center of the elongated slot). In some embodiments, the plurality of vertical slots 316A have a length 408 of about 2.0 inches to about 3.0 inches, e.g., about 2.25 inches to about 2.3 inches. In some embodiments, the plurality of vertical slots 316A has a width 418 of about 0.25 inches to about 0.75 inches. In some embodiments, the plurality of vertical slots 316A has a width 418 of about 0.35 inches to about 0.45 inches.

[0046] 2, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 5, the plurality of slots 216 may include a plurality of horizontal slots 316B formed in the outer sidewall 259 of the heated lid 110. In some embodiments, the plurality of horizontal slots 316B extend from the outer sidewall 259 to a location radially outward of the plurality of vertical slots 316A. In some embodiments, the plurality of horizontal slots 316B have a width 520 of about 1.9 inches to about 2.5 inches. In some embodiments, the plurality of horizontal slots 316B have a height 506 of about 0.25 inches to about 0.50 inches.

[0047] The horizontal slots 316B may be arranged along one or more vertically spaced circular rows along the outer sidewall 259 of the heated lid 110, as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. In embodiments where circular rows of horizontal slots are provided, the slots in each row may be staggered or overlapped to reduce the path of conductive heat transfer from the top surface 123 of the heated lid 110 to the sides of the heated lid 110 (e.g., to provide a tortuous path for heat transfer). In some embodiments, the vertical slots 316A extend downward beyond the top surface 508 of the topmost circular row 504 of the horizontal slots 316B.

[0048] The arrows extending between the horizontal slots 316B in FIG. 5 show an example of a tortuous path for heat conduction. In some embodiments, the horizontal slots 316B can be elongated slots with their major axes aligned or substantially aligned with the circular rows in which they are arranged. In some embodiments, the horizontal slots 316B are arranged in slot clusters 510 separated at locations corresponding to the holes in the holes 308. In some embodiments, the slot clusters 510 are evenly spaced around the heated lid 110.

[0049] During operation, when gas is flowing through the processing chamber 102, the gas first enters the processing chamber 102 through the heated lid 110. For example, the gas can be introduced through at least one of the gas passages 136 or the openings 126. The gas then flows around and through the showerhead 158. The gas then flows around the periphery of the pedestal heater 124 (e.g., through the first gap 258), between the bottom of the pedestal heater 124 and the floor of the chamber body 108 (e.g., through the second gap 260), through the choke cup 230 and the pedestal hub 128, etc. (e.g., through the third gap 262, the fourth gap 264, and the fifth gap 266), and is exhausted out of the interior volume 112 through a location below the pedestal heater 124. A pump, such as pump 150, is coupled to the interior volume 112, for example, through the pedestal hub 128.

[0050] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional side view of a portion of the processing chamber 102 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the first conduit 118 and the second conduit 120 are routed to the center of the heated lid 110. For example, in some embodiments, the heated lid 110 includes a central manifold 610 coupled to the body 178 and having a central gas inlet 608. In some embodiments, the central manifold 610 includes a feedblock 602 and a central feed baffle 606 disposed at least partially within the feedblock 602. The first conduit 118 can be configured to deliver a first precursor. The second conduit 120 can be configured to deliver a second precursor. In some embodiments, the first precursor and the second precursor are trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water (H ), respectively. 2 In some embodiments, the heated lid 110 does not include one or more coolant channels 134.

[0051] In some embodiments, the central feed baffle 606 includes a central opening 614 aligned with the central gas inlet 608. In some embodiments, the central opening 614 has a conical or funnel shape (e.g., a wider opening proximate the central gas inlet 608 and a narrower opening at the bottom of the central feed baffle 606). In some embodiments, the top of the central feed baffle 606 includes a conical portion and the bottom of the central feed baffle 606 includes a cylindrical portion connected to the conical portion. The bottom of the central feed baffle 606 extends into the interior volume 112 of the processing chamber 102. In some embodiments, the bottom of the central feed baffle 606 includes one or more radial channels 612 extending radially outward from the central opening 614 to more uniformly distribute the processing gases within the interior volume 112.

[0052] In some embodiments, the one or more annular plenums include a single plenum (e.g., the outer annular plenum 208). The third conduit 122 is coupled to the outer annular plenum 208. In some embodiments, the third conduit 122 is configured to supply an inert gas to the outer annular plenum 208 and around the showerhead 158 via a plurality of holes 248. In some embodiments, the outer annular plenum 208 is disposed in an annular recess 628 disposed radially outward of the second annular channel 270. In some embodiments, the annular recess 628 includes a first annular seal 632 and a second annular seal 634 on either side of the outer annular plenum 208 to seal the outer annular plenum 208. The annular cap 246 can be disposed within the annular recess 628 to cover and seal the outer annular plenum 208. In some embodiments, the annular cap 246 is coupled to the body 178 via a plurality of fasteners 618.

[0053] In some embodiments, an inner liner 642 is provided radially inward of the plurality of holes 248 between the showerhead 158 and the heated lid 110 to contain one or more process gases supplied to the interior volume 112 via the central manifold 610. The inner liner 642 can have any suitable shape to, for example, prevent precursor gases supplied via the central gas inlet 608 from mixing with inert gases supplied via the plurality of holes 248 above the showerhead 158. In some embodiments, the inner liner 642 extends into at least one of the body 178 and the showerhead 158.

[0054] 7 illustrates a top view of the heated lid 110 without the annular cap 246 and the central cap 212, and FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the heated lid 110 with the annular cap 246 and the central cap 212, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, a plurality of receptacles 702 may be formed in the top surface 123 of the heated lid 110 to receive corresponding protrusions 806 from the annular cap 246. In some embodiments, a plurality of fasteners 618 are disposed at locations corresponding to the receptacles 702.

[0055] In some embodiments, the central cap 212 has a two-piece construction including a first portion 212a and a second portion 212b. In such embodiments, the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b are substantially similarly sized. In some embodiments, the interface between the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b is aligned with the central gas inlet 608. In some embodiments, the central cap 212 (e.g., one or more of the first portion 212a and the second portion 212b) includes one or more cutouts 810 to facilitate power connections to one or more heaters 132. In some embodiments, the third conduit 122 can be coupled to the outer annular plenum 208 at multiple locations along the outer annular plenum 208, for example, via an opening 816 in the annular cap 246. The multiple locations can be two or more locations, three or more locations, four or more locations, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the multiple locations can be six locations.

[0056] While the forgoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof.

Claims

1. 1. A heated lid for a processing chamber, comprising: a body having a central region and a peripheral region, the body including a central opening in the central region, the peripheral region including a plurality of vertical slots extending on an upper surface of the body and arranged along a circle to provide a thermal break, the body including one or more annular plenums extending to the upper surface of the body and a plurality of holes extending through a bottom surface of the one or more annular plenums to a lower surface of the body; a first heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the first heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body; and a second heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, the second heater ring being coupled to the central region of the body and disposed radially outward of the first heater ring and radially inward of the one or more annular plenums; Including, heated lid.

2. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of horizontal slots extend from an outer sidewall of the heated lid to a location radially outward of the plurality of vertical slots.

3. The heated lid of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of horizontal slots are arranged along two or more vertically spaced circular rows.

4. The heated lid of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of horizontal slots are arranged in a plurality of slot clusters, the plurality of slot clusters being equally spaced around the body.

5. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein the one or more annular plenums include one or more inner annular plenums and an outer annular plenum disposed radially outward of the one or more inner annular plenums.

6. The heated lid of claim 1 , further comprising a cap disposed on each of the one or more annular plenums, the cap including one or more gas inlet holes.

7. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein the heated lid includes a sidewall extending downwardly to the peripheral region of the body, the plurality of vertical slots extending into the sidewall.

8. 5. The heated lid of claim 1, further comprising a central manifold connected to the body and having a feedblock and a central feed baffle disposed in the feedblock and having a conical central opening.

9. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein the first heater ring is disposed in a first annular channel of the body and the second heater ring is disposed in a second annular channel of the body.

10. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein the one or more annular plenums consist of one annular plenum.

11. The heated lid of claim 1 , further comprising a center cap covering the first heater ring and the second heater ring.

12. The heated lid of claim 11 , wherein the center cap has a two-piece construction including a first portion and a second portion.

13. 5. The heated lid of claim 1 , further comprising a first conductive ring disposed between the first heater ring and the body, and a second conductive ring disposed between the second heater ring and the body.

14. The heated lid of claim 1 , wherein the body, the first heater ring, and the second heater ring are made of aluminum.

15. A processing chamber comprising: A chamber body, and 5. A heated lid according to claim 1 coupled to the chamber body, the chamber body and the heated lid defining an interior volume; and a showerhead disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the heated lid; a processing chamber comprising:

16. The processing chamber of claim 15, further comprising a cap covering the one or more annular plenums, the cap comprising one or more gas inlet holes.

17. 16. The processing chamber of claim 15, further comprising a gas supply fluidly connected to the one or more gas inlet holes.

18. 16. The processing chamber of claim 15, further comprising a central manifold coupled to the body and having a feedblock and a central feed baffle disposed in the feedblock, the central feed baffle having a conical central opening.

19. The processing chamber of claim 15 , further comprising an O-ring disposed between the chamber body and the heated lid.

20. The processing chamber of claim 15 further comprising a remote plasma source coupled to the central opening of the heated lid.

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