Susceptor support

Abstract

An improved semiconductor processing apparatus for supporting a susceptor is provided. In a processing chamber (100), a susceptor support (150) includes a shaft (170), a plate (172) having a first major surface connected to the shaft, and a support element (174) extending from a second major surface of the plate. The plate is made of a material that is optically transparent to radiant energy from a plurality of energy sources (102) disposed below the plate. The plate has a thickness that is small enough to minimize radiation transmission losses and large enough to be thermally and mechanically stable to support a susceptor during processing. The plate thickness is within a range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses an apparatus for semiconductor processing. More specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a susceptor support for supporting a susceptor in a deposition process.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of integrated circuits, deposition processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or epitaxial processes are used to deposit films of various materials on a semiconductor substrate. Epitaxy is a process widely used in semiconductor processing to form very thin layers of material on a semiconductor substrate. These layers often define some of the smallest features of semiconductor devices and can have a high-quality crystal structure if the electrical properties of crystalline materials are desired. Typically, a deposition precursor is supplied to a processing chamber in which the substrate is disposed, and the substrate is heated to a temperature conducive to the growth of a material layer having specific properties.

[0003] Conventionally, a substrate is disposed on a susceptor, and the susceptor is supported by three or more arms extending from a shaft. A plurality of energy sources, such as lamps, can be disposed below the substrate to heat the back side of the substrate. The susceptor is typically used to eliminate any non-uniformities in the radiation from the energy source, which results in non-uniformities that cannot be properly removed by the susceptor and non-uniform heating of the susceptor due to the radiation from the energy source being obstructed by the arms of the susceptor support.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus for supporting a susceptor.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments disclosed herein relate to susceptor supports for supporting susceptors in a deposition process. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a shaft and a plate having a first main surface connected to the shaft. The plate includes quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria, and the plate has a thickness ranging from about 2 mm to about 20 mm. The apparatus further includes support elements extending from a second main surface of the plate.

[0006] In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a shaft and a plate having a first main surface connected to the shaft. The plate includes quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria. The apparatus further includes support elements extending from a second main surface of the plate, the support elements having a height ranging from about 30 mm to about 60 mm.

[0007] In another embodiment, the processing chamber includes a first enclosure member, a second enclosure member, and a susceptor support. At least a portion of the susceptor support is positioned between the first and second enclosure members. The susceptor support includes a shaft and a plate having a first main surface connected to the shaft. The plate includes quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria, and the plate has a thickness ranging from about 2 mm to about 20 mm. The apparatus further includes support elements extending from a second main surface of the plate. The processing chamber further includes a plurality of energy sources positioned facing the second enclosure member.

[0008] To allow for a more detailed understanding of the features of this disclosure described above, a more detailed description of this disclosure, which is briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that since this disclosure may also permit other equally valid embodiments, the accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered to limit the scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one embodiment described herein. [Figure 2A] This is a perspective view of a susceptor support according to one embodiment described herein. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the susceptor support. [Figure 2C] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a support element according to one embodiment described herein. [Figure 2D] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a support element according to one embodiment described herein. [Figure 2E] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a support element according to one embodiment described herein. [Figure 3A] This is a perspective view of a susceptor support according to another embodiment described herein. [Figure 3B] This is a perspective view of a susceptor support according to another embodiment described herein. [Figure 4A] This is a perspective view of a susceptor support according to another embodiment described herein. [Figure 4B] This is a perspective view of a susceptor support according to another embodiment described herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals were used to indicate identical elements common to multiple figures whenever possible. Furthermore, elements in one embodiment may be advantageously adapted for use in other embodiments described herein.

[0011] The embodiments described herein generally relate to susceptor supports for supporting a susceptor in a deposition process. The susceptor support includes a shaft, a plate having a first main surface connected to the shaft, and support elements extending from a second main surface of the plate. The plate may be made of a material that is optically transparent to radiant energy from a plurality of energy sources located beneath the plate. The plate may have a thickness that is small enough to minimize radiation transmission loss and large enough to be thermally and mechanically stable for supporting the susceptor during processing. The thickness of the plate may range from about 2 mm to about 20 mm. The support elements may be located on the plate or may be formed integrally with the plate. The support elements may be provided at one or more positions on the plate outside the substrate processing diameter. The substrate processing diameter is generally the diameter of the plate covered by the substrate placed on the susceptor during processing.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 100 according to one embodiment. The processing chamber 100 may be used for processing one or more substrates, including the deposition of material on the deposition surface 116 of a substrate 108. The processing chamber 100 includes, among other components, a plurality of energy sources 102 for heating the back side 104 of the substrate 108 placed inside the processing chamber 100. The plurality of energy sources 102 may be a plurality of heating lamps. The substrate 108 may be supported by a susceptor 105. The susceptor 105 is supported by a susceptor support 150. The susceptor 105 may be made of silicon carbide or graphite having a silicon carbide coating. The susceptor support 150 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 connected to the shaft 170, and support elements 174 extending from the plate 172. The shaft 170 is connected to the center of the first main surface 171 of the plate, and the support element 174 extends from the second main surface 173 of the plate opposite the first main surface 171. The plate 172 is a disk and may be made of a material that is optically transparent to radiant energy from a plurality of energy sources 102 located beneath the plate 172. Optically transparent means that the material transmits most of the radiant energy and reflects and / or absorbs very little. In one embodiment, the plate is made of quartz, such as quartz glass. In other embodiments, the plate 172 is made of alumina, sapphire, or yttria.

[0013] The plate 172 may have a thickness that is small enough to minimize radiotransmission loss and large enough to be thermally and mechanically stable to support the susceptor during processing. The thickness of the plate may be in the range of about 2 mm to about 20 mm, such as about 4 mm to about 8 mm. The support elements 174 may be provided on the plate 172 at one or more positions outside the substrate processing diameter of the plate 172. The substrate processing diameter is generally the diameter of the plate 172 covered by the substrate 108 placed on the susceptor 105 during processing. In other words, the support elements 174 are not positioned directly beneath the substrate 108. In one embodiment, the substrate 108 has a diameter of about 300 mm, and the support elements 174 are positioned on the plate 172 at a diameter greater than 300 mm, such as about 310 mm to about 360 mm. The plate 172 may have a diameter similar to or larger than the diameter of the susceptor 105. In one embodiment, the plate 172 has a diameter of approximately 370 mm. Compared to conventional susceptor supports, the plate 172 provides a uniform medium for radiant energy to pass through. Furthermore, the support element 174 is not positioned directly beneath the substrate 108, and therefore the support element 174 does not obstruct the radiant energy from the multiple energy sources 102 to the back side 104 of the substrate 108. The distance D between the susceptor 105 and the plate 172 can provide more uniform heating of the substrate 108. The distance D is in the range of approximately 10 mm to approximately 60 mm, such as approximately 30 mm to approximately 60 mm, and may be, for example, approximately 40 mm.

[0014] At least a portion of the susceptor support 150 is positioned within the processing chamber 100 between the first enclosure member 128 and the second enclosure member 114. The substrate 108 can be transported into the processing chamber 100 through the loading port 103 and positioned on the susceptor 105. While positioned within the processing location, the susceptor 105 and plate 172 divide the internal volume of the processing chamber 100 into a processing gas region 156 (between the substrate 108 and the first enclosure member 128) and a purge gas region 158 (between the plate 172 and the second enclosure member 114). To minimize the effects of spatial specificities in heat and processing gas flow within the processing chamber 100 and thus facilitate uniform processing of the substrate 108, the susceptor support 150 can be rotated around its central axis. The susceptor support 150 moves the susceptor 105 axially 134 during loading and unloading, and in some cases while processing the substrate 108.

[0015] Generally, the first enclosure member 128 and the second enclosure member 114 are formed from an optically transparent material such as quartz. The first and second enclosure members 128 and 114 are thin to minimize thermal memory, typically having a thickness between about 3 mm and about 10 mm, for example, about 4 mm. The first enclosure member 128 can be thermally controlled by introducing a thermal control fluid, such as a cooling gas, into the thermal control space 136 through an inlet portal 126, and by withdrawing the thermal control fluid through an outlet portal 130. In one embodiment, the cooling fluid circulating through the thermal control space 136 can reduce deposition on the inner surface of the first enclosure member 128. The second enclosure member 114 may have a conical shape to withstand the vacuum inside the processing chamber 100. In one embodiment, the second enclosure member 114 is made of quartz. Quartz is optically transparent to radiant energy from multiple energy sources 102.

[0016] To reflect radiation emitted from the substrate 108 back to the substrate 108, a reflector 122 may optionally be placed outside the first enclosure member 128. The reflected radiation improves heating efficiency by containing heat that would otherwise have escaped from the processing chamber 100. The reflector 122 may be made of a metal such as aluminum, brass, or stainless steel.

[0017] Multiple energy sources 102 can be adapted to heat the substrate 108 to temperatures in the range of approximately 200 to 1,400 degrees Celsius, such as from approximately 300 degrees Celsius to approximately 1,350 degrees Celsius. The multiple energy sources 102 can be positioned within a partitioned housing 145. Each energy source 102 can be located inside a tube 143. Multiple thermal radiation sensors 140, which may be pyrometers, can be placed within the housing 145 to measure the heat emission from the substrate 108. The sensors 140 are typically placed at various locations within the housing 145 to facilitate inspection of various locations on the substrate 108 during processing. Sensing thermal radiation from various locations on the substrate 108 facilitates comparing the amount of thermal energy (e.g., temperature) at various locations on the substrate 108 to determine whether temperature peculiarities or heterogeneities exist. Such heterogeneities can result in non-uniformity in film formation, such as thickness and composition. Typically, at least two sensors 140 are used, but more than two may be used. Various embodiments may use three, four, five, six, seven, or more sensors 140.

[0018] To monitor the thermal state of the first enclosure member 128 or to monitor the thermal state of the substrate 108 from a perspective opposite to the perspective of the sensor 140, the thermal sensor 118 can be disposed within the reflector 122. Such monitoring can be useful for determining, for example, whether there are errors in the data received from the sensor 140 as compared to the data received from the sensor 140. The thermal sensor 118 can, in some cases, be a sensor assembly. The assembly employs more than one individual sensor. Thus, the processing chamber 100 can employ one or more sensors disposed to receive radiation emitted from the first side of the substrate and one or more sensors disposed to receive radiation from the second side of the substrate opposite the first side.

[0019] The controller 160 receives data from the sensor 140 and, based on that data, individually adjusts the power distributed to each energy source 102 or to an individual group of energy sources 102. The controller 160 can include a power supply 162 that individually supplies power to the various energy sources 102. The controller 160 is set to a particular temperature profile and, based on comparing the data received from the sensor 140, the controller 160 adjusts the power to the energy sources 102 to match the observed thermal data to the particular temperature profile.

[0020] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a susceptor support 200 according to one embodiment. The susceptor support 200 can be used within the processing chamber 100 of FIG. 1 in place of the susceptor support 150. As shown in FIG. 2A, the susceptor support 200 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 coupled to the shaft 170, and a plurality of support elements 203 extending from the plate 172. In one embodiment, the support elements 203 are a plurality of cylindrical posts that are positioned outside the substrate processing diameter on the plate 172. A plurality of through holes 201 can be formed in the plate 172 to enable a plurality of lift pins to pass therethrough. Corresponding through holes can be formed in the susceptor 105 to enable a plurality of lift pins to pass therethrough.

[0021] The support element 203 can be made of any suitable material such as quartz, fused quartz, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, graphite coated with silicon carbide, graphite coated with vitreous carbon, graphite coated with silicon nitride, vitreous carbon, graphite, quartz coated with silicon carbide, or quartz coated with vitreous carbon. Each of the support elements 203 can have a height within a range from about 4 mm to about 60 mm, such as from about 30 mm to about 60 mm, and can have a diameter 220 within a range from about 5 mm to about 15 mm, such as about 10 mm. The susceptor 105 (FIG. 1) can be directly supported by the support element 203 or can be supported by pins or caps disposed within or on the support element 203. In one embodiment, the plate 172 is made of fused quartz, the support element 203 is made of fused quartz, and the pins are made of solid silicon carbide.

[0022] The shaft 170 can include a first portion 202, a second portion 204, a spacer 206, and a connector 208. The first portion 202 and the second portion 204 are made of fused quartz, and the spacer 206 can be made of opaque quartz.

[0023] FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the susceptor support 200 of FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 2B, the support element 203 can be coupled to the plate 172. Each support element 203 can include an opening 210 for placing a pin therein. And the susceptor 105 can be supported by pins disposed within the opening 210. Each support element 203 can include a wall 213 and a tapered portion 212. The tapered portion 212 is connected to the wall 213 and can have a flat upper end surface 222. The portion 212 can engage a corresponding recess formed on the back side of the susceptor 105 for fixing the susceptor 105. Other suitable methods can be used to fix the susceptor 105 to the support element 203.

[0024] The tapered shape of portion 212 may have a straight taper, a segmented taper, or a curved taper. For example, the tapered shape may be conical. The tapered portion may form a certain angle with respect to the wall 213 of the support element 203. This angle is between approximately 1° and approximately 30°, such as approximately 15°, toward the central axis 215 of the support element 203. In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 2C, the tapered shape may be a curved portion 224 that is substantially in contact with the wall 213. In this case, the curved portion 224 is in contact with the wall 213 and curves toward the central axis 215 of the support element 203. Thus, the curved portion 224 may be the rounded end of the support element 203. Alternatively, the curved portion 224 may have the curved taper described above, with a flat upper end surface 222, as shown in Figure 2C.

[0025] The tapered portion may have a single radius of curvature or multiple radii of curvature. In one embodiment, portion 212 has a linearly tapered shape that connects to a flat upper end surface 222 at a curved joint portion 226, as shown in Figure 2D. The flat upper end surface 222 may have a diameter 228 less than the diameter 220 of the support element 203, for example, between about 30% and about 80% of the diameter 220 of the support element 203. The joint portion 226 may have a radius of curvature less than the diameter 228 of the flat upper end surface 222, for example, between about 5% and about 20% of the diameter of the flat upper end surface. Note that, as described above, the curved joint portion 226 may also be used to join a curved portion 224 (Figure 2C) to a flat upper end surface 222. The curved joint portion 226 may also be used to join portion 212 to a curved upper portion using a curved or straight taper. This means that the upper portion is not flat.

[0026] Other tapered shapes may be used similarly. For example, the tapered shape may, in one embodiment, include threading to attach an end portion, such as the tip of a silicon carbide, to the support element 203. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2E, portion 212 may rise from a step 234 formed within the support element 203. Step 234 may have a lateral diameter 230 of 1% to 25%, for example, about 5%, of the diameter 220 of the support element 203. Step 234 may include a portion 232 substantially perpendicular to the lateral diameter 230, and portion 232 may be connected to the upper end face 222. Although the lateral diameter 230 is shown perpendicular to the wall 213 in Figure 2E, in other embodiments the lateral diameter 230 may not be perpendicular to the wall 213. In another embodiment, the entire support element 203 may be conical or frustoconical. The shape extends from where the support element 203 joins the plate 172 to substantially near the end of the support element 203. The end has any desired end features for engaging with the susceptor 105. Finally, as described above, the taper can be segmented. In one embodiment, portion 212 may have a first frustoconical portion having a profile that forms a first angle with respect to the wall 213, and a second frustoconical portion having a profile that forms a second angle with respect to the first portion. This gives portion 212 a taper with a linear profile, but forming an angle with respect to the wall 213 that is not constant. Any number of sections can be used for the segmented taper.

[0027] Figure 3A is a perspective view of a susceptor support 300 according to another embodiment described herein. As shown in Figure 3A, the susceptor support 300 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 connected to the shaft 170 at a first main surface 171, and a support element 302 extending from a second main surface 173 of the plate 172. The support element 302 is a hollow cylinder and may have an inner diameter 304 larger than the diameter of the substrate 108 (Figure 1). In one embodiment, the substrate 108 has a diameter of about 300 mm, and the support element 302 has an inner diameter 304 larger than 300 mm, such as about 310 mm to about 360 mm. The plate 172 may have a diameter similar to or larger than the diameter of the susceptor 105. In one embodiment, the plate 172 has a diameter 306 of about 370 mm. The susceptor 105 can be supported by the support element 302. Alternatively, the substrate 108 may be directly supported by a support element 302. The support element 302 may be welded or bonded to the plate 172, formed integrally with the plate 172, or positioned in a groove formed within the plate 172 to fix the support element 302 in place. The support element 302 may be made from any suitable material such as quartz, quartz glass, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide coated graphite, glassy carbon coated graphite, silicon nitride coated graphite, glassy carbon, graphite, silicon carbide coated quartz, or glassy carbon coated quartz. The support element 302 may have a height in the range of approximately 30 mm to approximately 60 mm in order to have a distance D (Figure 1) of approximately 30 mm to approximately 60 mm.

[0028] The support element 302 may have a thickness 308 ranging from approximately 2 mm to approximately 50 mm. This thickness may be constant or may vary with height, orientation, or both. In one embodiment, the radial cross-section of the support element 302 is rectangular, and in another embodiment, the radial cross-section of the support element 302 is trapezoidal. The radial cross-section may be constant or may vary with orientation.

[0029] Figure 3B is a perspective view of a susceptor support 320 according to another embodiment described herein. As shown in Figure 3B, the susceptor support 320 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 connected to the shaft 170 at a first main surface 171, and a plurality of support elements 322 extending from a second main surface 173 of the plate 172. Each of the plurality of support elements 322 may have a curvature according to the curvature of the plate 172. In other words, each support element 322 may have an outer surface 326 substantially parallel to the thickness surface 328 of the plate 172. The lengths of the outer surfaces 326 of the plurality of support elements 322 may be the same or different. Adjacent support elements 322 are separated by a space 324, which may have the same or different dimensions. The number of support elements 322 may be in the range of 2 to 10, such as 3 to 6.

[0030] The support elements 322 can be made from any suitable material such as quartz, quartz glass, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide coated graphite, glassy carbon coated graphite, silicon nitride coated graphite, glassy carbon, graphite, silicon carbide coated quartz, or glassy carbon coated quartz. Each of the support elements 322 may have a height in the range of approximately 30 mm to approximately 60 mm, as it has a distance D (Figure 1) from approximately 30 mm to approximately 60 mm. Multiple support elements 322 are positioned outside the substrate processing diameter of the plate 172.

[0031] Figure 4A is a perspective view of a susceptor support 400 according to another embodiment described herein. As shown in Figure 4A, the susceptor support 400 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 connected to the shaft 170 at a first main surface 171, a plurality of support elements 203 extending from a second main surface 173 of the plate 172, and a support element 302 extending from the second main surface 173. The susceptor 105 is supported by the support elements 203, and the support elements 302 are used to block radiant energy coming from the support elements 203. As a result, the radiant energy received by the substrate 108 is from radiant energy passing through a portion of the plate 172 surrounded by the support elements 302. The support elements 302 may have a diameter larger than the diameter of the substrate 108. The support elements 203 are positioned outside the support elements 302 on the plate 172. The distance between each support element 203 and support element 302 may be in the range of approximately 1 mm to approximately 10 mm. When the susceptor 105 is directly supported by the support elements 203, the height of support element 302 may be less than the height of each support element 203. When the susceptor 105 is supported by pins placed within the support elements 203, the height of support element 302 may be greater than the height of each support element 203.

[0032] Figure 4B is a perspective view of a susceptor support 410 according to another embodiment described herein. As shown in Figure 4B, the susceptor support 410 includes a shaft 170, a plate 172 connected to the shaft 170 at a first main surface 171, a plurality of support elements 203 extending from a second main surface 173 of the plate 172, and a plurality of support elements 322 extending from the second main surface 173. The susceptor 105 is supported by the support elements 203, and the support elements 322 are used to block radiant energy coming from the support elements 203. As a result, the radiant energy received by the substrate 108 is from radiant energy passing through a portion of the plate 172 surrounded by the support elements 322. The support elements 322 may be positioned adjacent to the support elements 203 to block radiant energy from the support elements 203. In one embodiment, there are three support elements 203 and three support elements 322 positioned adjacent to the support elements 203. The distance between each support element 203 and its corresponding support element 322 may range from about 1 mm to about 10 mm. When the susceptor 105 is directly supported by the support elements 203, the height of each support element 322 may be less than the height of each support element 203. When the susceptor 105 is supported by pins positioned within the support elements 203, the height of each support element 322 may be greater than the height of each support element 203.

[0033] While the above description applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, other further embodiments of the present disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A susceptor support, The shaft and A plate having a bottom surface connected to the shaft, comprising quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria, and having a thickness in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm, A support element extending from the upper surface of the plate, wherein the support element comprises a plurality of cylindrical posts, each of the plurality of cylindrical posts comprising a wall and a tapered portion connected to the wall, and the support element includes quartz, quartz glass, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide-coated graphite, glassy carbon-coated graphite, silicon nitride-coated graphite, glassy carbon, graphite, silicon carbide-coated quartz, or glassy carbon-coated quartz. A susceptor support equipped with a susceptor support.

2. The susceptor support according to claim 1, wherein the thickness is in the range of 4 mm to 8 mm.

3. The tapered portion has a linear taper, as described in claim 1.

4. The susceptor support according to claim 3, wherein the linear taper of each cylindrical post is located between the wall and the flat surface of the cylindrical post and forms an angle between 1° and 30° with respect to the wall.

5. The susceptor support according to claim 4, wherein the first diameter of the flat surface of each cylindrical post is between 30% and 80% of the second diameter of the cylindrical post, and the angle is 15°.

6. The susceptor support according to claim 3, wherein the tapered portion of each cylindrical post rises from a step formed in the cylindrical post.

7. The tapered portion has a curved taper, as described in claim 1, for the susceptor support.

8. The susceptor support according to claim 7, wherein the curved taper of each cylindrical post extends between the wall and a flat surface of the cylindrical post, and the curved taper of each cylindrical post connects substantially smoothly to the wall where the curved taper connects to the wall.

9. The susceptor support according to claim 1, further comprising a hollow cylinder extending from the upper surface of the plate, wherein the plurality of cylindrical posts are arranged radially outward of the hollow cylinder.

10. The aforementioned shaft is Part 1 and The second part, A spacer that leaves a gap between the first part and the second part, A connector connected to the end of the second part, Equipped with, The susceptor support according to claim 1, wherein the plate and the plurality of cylindrical posts are made of quartz glass, the first portion and the second portion are made of quartz glass, and the spacer is made of opaque quartz.

11. A processing chamber, First enclosure member, The second enclosure member, Susceptor support, and The system comprises a plurality of energy sources arranged facing the second enclosure member, At least a portion of the susceptor support is positioned between the first enclosure member and the second enclosure member, and the susceptor support is shaft, A plate having a bottom surface connected to the shaft, comprising quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria, and having a thickness in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm, and A support element extending from the upper surface of the plate, wherein the support element comprises a plurality of cylindrical posts, each of the plurality of cylindrical posts comprising a wall and a tapered portion connected to the wall, and the support element comprises quartz, quartz glass, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide-coated graphite, glassy carbon-coated graphite, silicon nitride-coated graphite, glassy carbon, graphite, silicon carbide-coated quartz, or glassy carbon-coated quartz. Processing chamber.

12. The processing chamber according to claim 11, further comprising a susceptor disposed on the susceptor support, wherein the distance between the susceptor and the plate of the susceptor support is in the range of 10 mm to 60 mm.

13. A susceptor support, The shaft and A plate having a bottom surface connected to the shaft, comprising quartz, quartz glass, alumina, sapphire, or yttria, and having a first thickness in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm, A support element extending from the upper surface of the plate, wherein the support element has an inner diameter and a second thickness, the sum of the inner diameter and the second thickness being smaller than the diameter of the plate, and the inner diameter of the support element being larger than the diameter of the substrate supported by the susceptor placed on the susceptor support, and the support element includes quartz, quartz glass, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide coated graphite, glassy carbon coated graphite, silicon nitride coated graphite, glassy carbon, graphite, silicon carbide coated quartz, or glassy carbon coated quartz, A susceptor support equipped with a susceptor support.

14. The support element is part of a plurality of support elements, each having an inner diameter, a second thickness, and a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the plate. The susceptor support according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of support elements are spaced apart from each other.

15. The susceptor support according to claim 13, wherein the support element comprises a hollow cylinder having the inner diameter and the second thickness.

16. The susceptor support according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of cylindrical posts extending from the upper surface of the plate.

17. The susceptor support according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of cylindrical posts are arranged radially outward of the hollow cylinder.

18. The susceptor support according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical posts comprises a wall and a tapered portion connected to the wall.

19. The susceptor support according to claim 18, wherein the tapered portion has a linear taper.

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