Self-compliant seal assembly

Abstract

A process station is provided. The process station includes a chamber body defining a chamber volume. The process station also includes a pumping plate disposed in the chamber body. Further, the process station includes a substrate support disposed in the chamber body. The substrate support includes a seal plate and a self-compliant seal assembly. The self-compliant seal assembly includes a compliant diaphragm having an inner rim and an outer rim, the inner rim being coupled with the seal plate and the outer rim forming a cavity; a spring element disposed in the cavity; and a compliant sheet disposed between the seal plate and the inner rim and between the outer rim and the pumping plate. The spring element is arranged to bias the compliant sheet toward the pumping plate to form a compliant seal that isolates a first region from a second region of the chamber volume.

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