Gas quenching for diffusion bonding.

Abstract

An exemplary method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate may include heating the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature greater than or about 500° C. in a chamber. The semiconductor component substrate may be or include aluminum. The method may include providing a gas to the chamber. The gas may be characterized by a temperature less than or about 100° C. The method may include cooling the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature less than or about 200° C. in a first time period less than or about 1 minute.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Non-provisional Application No. 17 / 343,482, filed June 9, 2021, and entitled “GAS QUENCH FOR DIFFUSION BONDING,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] The present technique relates to processes and systems for diffusion bonding, and more particularly, to systems and methods for cooling a substrate after a diffusion bonding operation. [Background technology]

[0003] Semiconductor processing systems may include several components used to support substrates, deliver forming and removing materials, and define processing regions and flow paths. These components may be exposed to high and low temperatures, high and low pressures, and a variety of corrosive and erosive materials. Thus, many processing chambers include processed or coated materials. However, as processing systems and chambers become more complex, the components incorporated within the system may become multi-piece devices that must be connected or bonded in one or more ways. These joints and seams may also be exposed to environmental conditions and materials that can cause damage to the components.

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

[0005] An exemplary method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate may include heating the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature greater than or about 500° C. in a chamber. The semiconductor component substrate may be or include aluminum. The method may include providing a gas to the chamber. The gas may be characterized by a temperature less than or about 100° C. The method may include cooling the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature less than or about 200° C. in a first period of time less than or about 1 minute.

[0006] In some embodiments, the semiconductor component substrate may be or include aluminum 6061. After cooling, the semiconductor component substrate may be characterized by a Vickers hardness of greater than or about 100. The method may include maintaining the semiconductor component substrate at a temperature between about 150° C. and about 200° C. for a second period of greater than or about 1 hour. The method may include air cooling the semiconductor component substrate after the second period. The semiconductor component substrate may be or include a diffusion bonded aluminum substrate. The diffusion bonded aluminum substrate may define one or more internal channels accessible through apertures defined in the diffusion bonded aluminum substrate. The gas may be air, water vapor, nitrogen, or argon. The chamber may include a heater and a support for the semiconductor component substrate. A plurality of gas apertures may be defined around the support. The chamber may be a diffusion bonded chamber.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may include a method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate. The method may include heating the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature greater than or about 500° C. in a diffusion bonding chamber while applying a uniaxial force to the semiconductor component substrate. The semiconductor component substrate may include a first aluminum piece and a second aluminum piece. The method may include providing a gas to the diffusion bonding chamber. The gas may be characterized by a temperature less than or about 100° C. The method may include cooling the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature less than or about 200° C. in a first period of time less than or about 1 minute.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method may include maintaining the semiconductor component substrate at a temperature between about 150° C. and about 200° C. for a second time period of greater than or about 1 hour. The method may include air cooling the semiconductor component substrate after the second time period. The diffusion bonding chamber may include a heater, a support for the semiconductor component substrate, and a mechanical press. A plurality of gas apertures may be defined about the support. The diffusion bonding chamber may include an exhaust system configured to maintain fluid flow through the diffusion bonding chamber while supplying gas to the diffusion bonding chamber. The first aluminum piece may define one or more channels and the second aluminum piece may define one or more apertures. Each of the first aluminum piece and the second aluminum piece may be or include aluminum 6061. After cooling, the semiconductor component substrate may be characterized by a Vickers hardness of greater than or about 65. The method may include adjusting the uniaxial force being applied to the semiconductor component substrate while cooling the semiconductor component substrate.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technique may include a diffusion bonding system. The system may include a chamber. The chamber may include a chamber sidewall. The chamber sidewall may define a plurality of gas apertures. The chamber may include a substrate support. The chamber may include a heater. The chamber may include a mechanical press. The system may include a gas supply system. The gas supply system may be fluidly coupled to the plurality of gas apertures defined in the chamber sidewall. The system may include an exhaust system. The diffusion bonding system may be configured to perform an air quench on a component disposed within the chamber.

[0010] Such techniques may provide numerous benefits over conventional systems and techniques. For example, the techniques may form semiconductor system components characterized by improved material properties compared to conventional techniques. Additionally, the techniques may reduce post-bonding processing to restore material properties to the bonded components. These and other embodiments, along with many of their advantages and features, will be described in more detail in conjunction with the following description and accompanying figures.

[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 description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1A-1D illustrate selected processes in a method for cooling a component, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique. [Diagram 2] 1A-1D illustrate selected processes in a method for cooling a component, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique. [Figure 3A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary diffusion bonding chamber setup, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique; [Figure 3B] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary diffusion bonding chamber setup, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technique;

[0013] 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 expressly stated to be to scale. 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] In the accompanying figures, similar components and / or features may have 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. If only a first reference label is used herein, the description is applicable to any of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of its letter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Semiconductor processes utilize systems configured to create environmental conditions to facilitate semiconductor manufacturing and systems that include several complex components to support or facilitate substrate processing. Due to the environment in which semiconductor processes may be performed, many components within the processing chamber may be made from or include aluminum or aluminum alloys. Many of these components include multiple pieces that are bonded together to create channels, flow paths, or enclosed areas within the components. Bonds may be formed in any number of ways, and in some processes, diffusion bonding is performed to essentially create a single component part that may be characterized by any number of internal features.

[0016] Diffusion bonding can be performed in any number of ways, and generally includes heating the components to a temperature that allows a solid solution between the components to form at the interface and applying pressure to the components to produce a single component. However, many of the base materials used as pieces to be joined together can be characterized by material properties that can be affected by the joining process. For example, an exemplary material encompassed by the present technology can be aluminum 6061, which can be an aluminum alloy formed by precipitation hardening. A typical process for producing each component can include heating the alloy material to a relatively high temperature for a period of time, which can produce a solid solution of all incorporated elements. This can be followed by placing the components in a bath to quench or rapidly cool the components, which can induce some material properties to occur. The quench bath can be an aqueous bath or can include, for example, oil or brine. Rapid cooling can create material stresses, so to relieve the stresses and improve material properties, after quenching, an aging process can be performed, where the component is reheated for a period of time. This can allow precipitates to form, such as magnesium and silicon materials for aluminum 6061, which can then diffuse throughout the component and improve the mechanical properties. This can produce a temper, such as a T4 or T6 temper, which can increase the strength and hardness of the material.

[0017] However, when the diffusion bonding process is subsequently performed with two or more precipitation hardening materials, the process may include applying even higher temperatures than during heat treatment. Furthermore, the diffusion bonding chamber must generally undergo slow cooling to control stresses and protect the chamber components of the diffusion bonding chamber. This may therefore return the components to O tempering with much reduced material properties as solutionizing may occur again, but no tempering treatment may be performed. The result in the case of conventional techniques is that either the final components produced may be limited in mechanical properties or, after bonding, heat treatment may be performed for an additional time, further distorting the material properties of the materials and reducing the ultimate strength and hardness.

[0018] An additional problem with repeating the tempering process is that conventional techniques use a fluid bath for quenching, which can contaminate many semiconductor processing system components. As one non-limiting example, a diffusion-bonded material can be incorporated into a semiconductor support, which can define several channels, such as for backside gas flow, where gas is supplied through the support and along the backside of the substrate to limit contaminant ingress into the substrate support. The fluid quenching operation can allow any number of contaminants to get into the component channels and recesses, which may not be completely removed prior to installation. When gas is flowed through the component, these contaminants can be displaced and supplied to the processing area, which can cause contamination and yield loss.

[0019] The present technology overcomes these problems by performing a gas quench process on the components after diffusion bonding. Whether after repeated heat treatments after diffusion bonding or in a diffusion bonding chamber where gas quenching may be employed, the present technology may provide improved material properties and reduced component contamination compared to conventional techniques. Thus, in some embodiments of the present technology, reduced material distortion may occur and post-processing may be reduced. While the remaining disclosure routinely identifies specific materials and components that utilize aspects of the disclosed technology, it will be readily understood that the systems, methods, and materials are equally applicable to a variety of other devices and processes, such as may occur in semiconductor processing systems or in other manufacturing where bonding may be performed. Thus, the present technology should not be considered as limited to use with only the components and processes described. The present disclosure describes non-limiting processing of exemplary processes and exemplary chamber systems that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the present technology.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, selected operations in a method 100 for performing gas cooling or quenching of a semiconductor component substrate according to some embodiments of the present technique are shown. Many of the operations of the method 100 may be performed in, for example, any number of chambers or systems, including a diffusion bonding chamber as described further below, as well as any combination of the systems described, or configured to perform the operations described for the method 100. The method 100 may include one or more operations prior to the start of the method, including operations to generate or prepare one or more parts or pieces that may be bonded, as well as components that are already bonded. For example, upstream operations may include casting or processing metal components, as well as bonding two or more components together. The method may include several optional operations as shown in the figures, which may or may not be specifically associated with the method according to the present technique. For example, many of the operations are described to provide a broader scope of structure formation, but are not critical to the technique or may be performed by alternative methodologies as described further below.

[0021] As described throughout this disclosure, a substrate according to an embodiment of the present technology may be or include any number of components or component sections. For example, an exemplary component substrate in a semiconductor processing system may include any component incorporated into a semiconductor processing system that may include materials created by diffusion or other bonding techniques. For example, substrate support components, fluid delivery components such as showerheads or lid plates, structural components such as spacers or liners, as well as any other multi-piece components that may be bonded to create channels, features, or to embed components may be encompassed as substrates according to an embodiment of the present technology. The components may be made from any number of materials that may be or include aluminum, carbon, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, silicon, titanium, or zinc. The components may be or include alloys, such as aluminum alloys, which may include any number of materials. Exemplary alloys may include any known aluminum alloys, including alloys from the 1xxx series, 2xxx series, 3xxx series, 4xxx series, 5xxx series, 6xxx series, or 7xxx series. The following description may generally refer to aluminum 6061, but it should be understood that the present technology may be employed with any aluminum alloy, as well as alloys of any number of other metals.

[0022] The method 100 may include, in process 105, heating a substrate, such as a semiconductor processing system component, in a chamber to a temperature of greater than or about 400° C., which may be heated to a temperature of greater than or about 420° C., greater than or about 440° C., greater than or about 440° C., greater than or about 460° C., greater than or about 460° C., greater than or about 480° C., greater than or about 500° C., greater than or about 520° C., greater than or about 520° C., greater than or about 540° C., greater than or about 560° C., greater than or about 580° C., greater than or about 600° C., or greater, depending on the materials being used. As mentioned above, chambers utilized in embodiments according to the present technique may include a diffusion bonding chamber, as well as a processing chamber, which may include a heater and a gas supply system, which may enable each of the processes of method 100 to be performed. The components may be maintained at any of the above temperature ranges for a period of time, such as during a precipitation hardening process, which may be greater than or about 1 hour, and may be greater than or about 2 hours, greater than or about 3 hours, greater than or about 4 hours, greater than or about 5 hours, or more. As will be further explained below, the time at the elevated temperature may also be less in some embodiments, such as during a diffusion bonding process.

[0023] After a period at the elevated temperature, the method 100 may include supplying a gas to the chamber in process 110. The gas may be flowed around the component, causing the component to cool in process 115. The gas flow and cooling may be performed to ensure that the component cools at a rate sufficient to improve material properties. For example, the temperature and flow rate of the gas flow may be adjusted to improve cooling, which may allow the component to cool below a threshold temperature within a period of time. The temperature of the gas being supplied may be controlled to ensure that the component cools at an appropriate rate. For example, in some embodiments, the gas may be supplied at a temperature that is below or about 100° C., below or about 95° C., below or about 95° C., below or about 90° C., below or about 85° C., below or about 85° C., below or about 80° C., below or about 75° C., below or about 70° C., below or about 65° C., below or about 60° C., below or about 55° C., below or about 50° C., below or about 45° C., It may be provided at a temperature that is below or about 40°C, below or about 35°C, below or about 35°C, below or about 30°C, below or about 25°C, below or about 20°C, below or about 15°C, below or about 10°C, below or about 5°C, below or about 0°C, or less, although the temperature may be maintained above or about 0°C, or greater, to limit stresses induced by rapid cooling.

[0024] The flow rates at which gases can be supplied can vary over a wide range that can be affected by chamber size and configuration, component sizes, rates of cooling, and the temperature of the gas being supplied, among other variables, and thus gases can be supplied at rates from less than or about 100 sccm up to flow rates of tens of slm or greater. By implementing the gas supply, the temperature of the component can be reduced at a rate of greater than or about 50° C. / min, greater than or about 100° C. / min, greater than or about 150° C. / min, greater than or about 200° C. / min, greater than or about 250° C. / min, greater than or about 300° C. / min, greater than or about 350° C. / min, greater than or about 400° C. / min, greater than or about 450° C. / min, greater than or about 50 ... The temperature may be reduced at a rate of, for example, 00° C. / min, greater than or about 550° C. / min, greater than or about 600° C. / min, greater than or about 650° C. / min, greater than or about 700° C. / min, greater than or about 750° C. / min, greater than or about 800° C. / min, greater than or about 850° C. / min, greater than or about 900° C. / min, greater than or about 950° C. / min, greater than or about 1000° C. / min, or greater. Thus, the time period over which the component is cooled can be less than or about 1 minute, less than or about 55 seconds, less than or about 50 seconds, less than or about 45 seconds, less than or about 40 seconds, less than or about 35 seconds, less than or about 30 seconds, less than or about 25 seconds, less than or about 20 seconds, less than or about 15 seconds, less than or about 10 seconds, less than or about 5 seconds, or less than or about 5 seconds.

[0025] The component may be cooled below any threshold temperature, such as being cooled to a temperature below or about 400° C., the component may be cooled to a temperature below or about 350° C., below or about 300° C., below or about 250° C., below or about 200° C., below or about 190° C., below or about 180° C., below or about 170° C., below or about 160° C., The component may be cooled to a temperature below or about 150° C., below or about 140° C., below or about 130° C., below or about 120° C., below or about 110° C., below or about 100° C., below or about 90° C., below or about 80° C., below or about 70° C., below or about 60° C., below or about 50° C., or less. In some embodiments, the component may then be aged in optional treatment 120 for a second period of time. The aging process may include reheating the component to an aging temperature, which may be any of the temperatures mentioned above, although in some embodiments, a quenching process may only be performed to reduce the component temperature to the aging temperature. As one non-limiting example, the component may simply be cooled to a temperature between about 100° C. and about 200° C., or may be reheated to this temperature range and maintained at this temperature for a period of time to induce aging as previously described. In some embodiments, the method may then include cooling the component in optional operation 125, either by gas, liquid, or simply air cooling. The aging process may be carried out for any period of time previously described, and in some embodiments, may be carried out for several hours.

[0026] As mentioned above, the present technique may perform the quenching process by supplying one or more gases or vapors, which may limit contamination of the component. Because components according to some embodiments may include complex channel configurations and limited aperture access, utilizing gas flow may control the ingress of contaminants that may later be released into the processing chamber. For example, the components included may include components integrated into the substrate support. Some components may define trenches or channels in which components such as heaters may be attached, or may define paths for fluid supplies such as gases that may be released through apertures defined in the surface of the component. Gases included by the present technique may include air, but in some embodiments the gas may not limit oxygen exposure, and thus in some embodiments the gas may include nitrogen, argon, helium, or some other non-reactive gas that may be temperature controlled. Additionally, in some embodiments, water vapor may be sprayed or supplied to the component, which may enhance the temperature reduction at the exterior surface, which may limit ingress into the component.

[0027] Following the process, the component may be characterized by material properties that may be improved by the present technique or may be provided while limiting the exposure of the component to contaminants as previously described. For example, the process may provide a component characterized by increased hardness and ultimate tensile strength, which is useful for use in a processing chamber. For example, aluminum 6061 components, as well as many other materials produced according to the present technique, may be characterized by a Vickers hardness sufficient to be considered a T4 or T6 temper, and may be characterized by a Vickers hardness of greater than or about 65, greater than or about 70, greater than or about 75, greater than or about 80, greater than or about 85, greater than or about 90, greater than or about 95, greater than or about 100, greater than or about 105, greater than or about 110, or greater. Similarly, the components may be characterized by an ultimate tensile strength of greater than or about 200 MPa, greater than or about 210 MPa, greater than or about 220 MPa, greater than or about 230 MPa, greater than or about 240 MPa, greater than or about 250 MPa, greater than or about 260 MPa, greater than or about 270 MPa, greater than or about 280 MPa, greater than or about 290 MPa, greater than or about 300 MPa, greater than or about 310 MPa, greater than or about 320 MPa, greater than or about 330 MPa, greater than or about 330 MPa, greater than or about 340 MPa, greater than or about 340 MPa, greater than or about 350 MPa, or greater, which may provide improved strength over conventional materials.

[0028] As previously described, the present technique may be applied to components that have been previously bonded and may have lost or reduced material properties. Additionally, the present technique may be applied to perform a quenching treatment during the diffusion bonding process, which may reduce or limit post-processing treatments. FIG. 2 illustrates selected treatments in a method 200 of cooling components according to some embodiments of the present technique. The method 200 may include some or all of the treatments of the method 100 described above, and in some embodiments, additional details of the method 100 may be described. The method 200 may be performed in any chamber as described above, and may also be performed in a diffusion bonding chamber as further described below. The method may include several optional treatments as shown in the figures that may or may not be specifically associated with the method according to the present technique. For example, many of the treatments are described to provide a broader scope of structure formation, but may not be critical to the technique or may be performed by alternative methodologies as one skilled in the art would appreciate as being similarly encompassed by the present technique.

[0029] Method 200 may include operations of a diffusion bonding process and may include performing a process on two or more components disposed in a chamber. For example, one or more components may define one or more trenches or channels, and one or more components may define one or more apertures through the components. After the bonding process, the channels and / or apertures may define fluid paths or zones within the components and / or create recesses in which additional components may be attached. In process 205, two or more components, which may be any of the components previously described and may be formed from any of the materials previously described, may be heated in a diffusion bonding chamber. The components may be heated to any temperature as previously described. During the heat process, the components may also be compressed in process 210. For example, a mechanical press may apply a uniaxial force to the components, which when combined with heat may cause the components to create a solid solution at the interface of the pieces and may diffusion bond the components. The press may apply a force from 100 psi to several thousand psi depending on the components, temperature, and materials used. Any of the temperatures and times previously described may be utilized in the method 200, however, in some embodiments, the diffusion bonding may occur for a period of time that is less than the solution treatment.

[0030] Many conventional diffusion bonding chambers may be limited in the cooling process that may be performed after bonding. For example, conventional diffusion bonding cool down processes may be performed at temperature rates less than or about 10° C. / min, which may not involve a quenching process. Thus, pieces of components that were T6 tempered may lose material strength during diffusion bonding, for example, and slow cooling may not produce precipitates that were previously produced within each piece. However, the present technique may cool the components in process 215, which may be performed in the diffusion bonding chamber. For example, cooling may include providing a gas to the diffusion bonding chamber and cooling the substrate, as previously described in method 100. Any gas may be provided, including any of the materials previously described.

[0031] During the cooling process, the heat may be reduced or turned off, but in some embodiments, pressure may still be applied to the pieces or bonded components during cooling. For example, a mechanical press may continue to apply pressure to the components as they cool. The press may be maintained at a constant pressure, but in some embodiments, the compression may be adjusted in optional operation 220, such as increased or decreased, during the cooling process. Since cooling may cause the components to shrink, for example, the press may adjust the compression to ensure that the bond is maintained during the cooling process. The temperature may be reduced to any of the temperatures described above, and in some embodiments, a subsequent aging process may be performed in optional operation 225. For example, while still in the diffusion bonding chamber or after being transferred to a separate heating chamber, the substrate may be maintained at the aging temperature for a period of time, as previously described. The components may then be cooled in optional operation 230, in some embodiments, as previously described. The resulting components may be characterized by any of the material properties previously described, and the process may be completed immediately after the diffusion bonding or aging process, which may reduce thermally induced stresses that may affect components when multiple tempering and bonding processes are performed.

[0032] As previously described, since the diffusion bonding chamber may not be capable of performing gas quenching, the present technology may, in some embodiments, include a diffusion bonding chamber configured to perform gas quenching. Figure 3A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary diffusion bonding chamber setup according to some embodiments of the present technology. It should be understood that this figure is intended to show components that may be included in accordance with the present technology and enable the above-described method to be performed. It should also be understood that any number of modifications may be made to the schematic representation in the commercial embodiment and still be encompassed by the present technology for performing gas quenching in the diffusion bonding chamber.

[0033] As shown, the system 300 may include a diffusion bonding chamber 305, which may be or may include a vessel in which a bonding process may be performed. The vessel may include one or more chamber sidewalls 310 that define a volume in which the process may occur. Within this volume may be a substrate support 315, upon which components may be, for example, diffusion bonded. The chamber may include one or more heaters 320, which may be integrated into the chamber sidewalls or substrate support, as shown. The chamber may also be fitted with a mechanical press 325, which may be translated to compress components within the diffusion bonding chamber, and may be configured to apply a force as previously described. As shown, a two-piece component 330 may be placed on the substrate support 315 and bonded to produce a single component within the chamber. Since the vessel may be pressurized during the cooling process in which gas is pumped into the chamber, the press 325 may in some embodiments act as a seal for the chamber or pass through a seal that may hermetically contain the interior volume and allow the volume to be pressurized.

[0034] The present technique may also include components or features for providing gas cooling by any of the methods previously described. For example, the system 300 may include a gas supply system, such as a gas source 335 and one or more fluid lines 340, as well as one or more pumps that may supply gas to the diffusion bonding chamber. As shown, and as described in more detail below, the chamber sidewall 310 may define one or more gas apertures 345 that may allow gas to be supplied to the diffusion bonding chamber during the cooling operation, as described above, and may also be nozzled to generate a spray pattern, such as, for example, that of water vapor. The system 300 may also include an exhaust system, which may include a pump 350, and in some embodiments, may allow gas to be pumped out of the chamber during the cooling process, as well as to generate a vacuum environment. Because the supplied gas may be rapidly heated by the component, the exhaust system may actively pump the volume of gas being supplied, which may enhance cooling of the component.

[0035] FIG. 3B shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary diffusion bonding chamber setup, according to some embodiments of the present technique, and may show the system 300 along line AA from FIG. 3A. As shown in the cross-sectional view, the chamber sidewall 310 may define multiple apertures 345 through the system, which may allow gas to be supplied at multiple locations around the chamber. This may ensure more uniform cooling of the part during the cooling process previously described. The coupling of the gas source 335 to the multiple apertures may occur in any number of ways, such as with individual couplings, as well as to a single access point on the sidewall 310, as shown. The access point may provide access to a channel 360 that extends around the perimeter of the chamber, and may also provide fluid access to all gas apertures 345, which may limit system hardware and couplings. A controller may be included to operate the press, heater, and gas supply and exhaust system, which may allow gas quenching to be performed in the diffusion bonding chamber according to any of the methods previously described.

[0036] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details have been 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 some embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details.

[0037] Although several embodiments have been disclosed, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Moreover, some well-known processes and elements have not been described to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the technology. Thus, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the technology.

[0038] Where a range of values ​​is provided, it is understood that each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed, to the smallest part of the unit of the lower limit, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Any narrower range between any stated or unstated intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is included. The upper and lower limits of those smaller ranges may be independently included or excluded in the range, and each range in which neither limit is included, either limit is included, or both limits are included in the smaller range is also encompassed within the technology, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. If a stated range includes one or both of the limits, then ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included.

[0039] 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 layer" includes a plurality of such layers, a reference to "the precursor" includes a reference to one or more precursors and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

[0040] Additionally, the words "comprise(s)," "comprising," "contain(s)," "containing," "include(s)," and "including" as used in this specification and the following claims specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or operations, but they do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. 1. A method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate, the method comprising: heating the semiconductor component substrate in a chamber to a temperature greater than or about 500° C., the semiconductor component substrate comprising aluminum; providing a gas to the chamber, the gas being characterized by a temperature below or about 100° C.; cooling the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature below or about 200° C. in a first period of time less than or about 1 minute; 23. A method for cooling a semiconductor component substrate, comprising:

2. 2. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor component substrate comprises Aluminum 6061.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein after said cooling, said semiconductor component substrate is characterized by a Vickers hardness of greater than or about 100.

4. The semiconductor component substrate is cooled to a temperature between about 150°C and about 200°C, and the method further comprises: maintaining the semiconductor component substrate at a temperature between about 150° C. and about 200° C. for a second period of time greater than or about 1 hour.

10. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 1 further comprising:

5. air cooling the semiconductor component substrate after the second period of time.

5. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 4, further comprising:

6. 10. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor component substrate comprises a diffusion bonded aluminum substrate.

7. 7. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 6, wherein said diffusion bonded aluminum substrate defines one or more internal channels accessible through apertures defined in said diffusion bonded aluminum substrate.

8. 2. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein said gas comprises air, water vapor, nitrogen, or argon.

9. 2. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein said chamber comprises a heater and a support for said semiconductor component substrate, a plurality of gas apertures being defined about said support.

10. 2. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein said chamber is a diffusion bonding chamber.

11. 1. A method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate, the method comprising: heating the semiconductor component substrate in a diffusion bonding chamber to a temperature greater than or about 500° C. while applying a uniaxial force to the semiconductor component substrate, the semiconductor component substrate including a first aluminum piece and a second aluminum piece; providing a gas to the diffusion bonding chamber, the gas being characterized by a temperature below or about 100° C.; cooling the semiconductor component substrate to a temperature below or about 200° C. in a first period of time less than or about 1 minute; 23. A method for cooling a semiconductor component substrate, comprising:

12. maintaining the semiconductor component substrate at a temperature between about 150° C. and about 200° C. for a second period of time greater than or about 1 hour. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 11 further comprising:

13. air cooling the semiconductor component substrate after the second period of time. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 12 further comprising:

14. 12. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 11, wherein the diffusion bonding chamber comprises a heater, a support for the semiconductor component substrate, and a mechanical press, a plurality of gas apertures being defined around the support.

15. 15. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 14, wherein the diffusion bonding chamber comprises an exhaust system configured to maintain a fluid flow through the diffusion bonding chamber while supplying gas to the diffusion bonding chamber.

16. 12. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 11, wherein the first aluminum piece defines one or more channels and the second aluminum piece defines one or more apertures.

17. 12. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 11, wherein the first aluminum piece and the second aluminum piece each comprise Aluminum 6061.

18. 12. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate as recited in claim 11, wherein after said cooling, said semiconductor component substrate is characterized by a Vickers hardness of greater than or about 65.

19. adjusting the uniaxial force applied to the semiconductor component substrate while cooling the semiconductor component substrate. The method of cooling a semiconductor component substrate of claim 11 further comprising:

20. 1. A diffusion bonding system comprising: a chamber sidewall defining a plurality of gas apertures; A substrate support; A heater and Mechanical press and a chamber comprising: a gas supply system fluidly coupled to the plurality of gas apertures defined in the chamber sidewall; Exhaust system and the diffusion bonding system configured to perform an air quench on a component disposed within the chamber, the air quench comprising cooling the component to a temperature below or about 200° C. in a first period of time less than or about 1 minute.

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