Semiconductor processing chamber, tilt actuator and method of processing a substrate

Abstract

An exemplary semiconductor processing chamber may include a chamber body. The chamber may include a base plate coupled to a bottom surface of the chamber body. The chamber may include a substrate support assembly disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support assembly may include a support plate and support pillars coupled to the support plate. The chamber may include mounting brackets coupled to the lower surface of the base plate and the support pillars. The chamber may include a plurality of tilt actuators. Each of the tilt actuators may be coupled to the mounting bracket and the lower surface of the base plate. Each of the tilt actuators may be operable to adjust the vertical distance between the lower surface of the base plate and the mounting bracket at the mounting point of the respective tilt actuator, thereby adjusting the planarity of the support plate relative to the base plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application No. 18 / 483,965, filed on October 10, 2023, entitled "COMPACT DYNAMIC LEVELING LIFT MECHANISM," the entire text of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0002] The present technology relates to components and equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. More specifically, the present technology relates to substrate support assemblies and other semiconductor processing equipment. Prior Art

[0003] It is possible to make integrated circuits by processes that produce complex patterned layers of material on the surface of a substrate. The production of patterned materials on a substrate requires controlled methods for forming and removing materials. The temperatures at which these processes occur can directly affect the final product. The substrate temperature is usually controlled and maintained by components that support the substrate during processing. Internally positioned heating devices can generate heat within the support, and this heat can be transferred to the substrate by conduction. In some techniques, the substrate support can also be used to develop a substrate-level plasma and to electrostatically clamp the substrate to the support. Plasma generated near the substrate can cause bombardment of components and the formation of parasitic plasma in unfavorable areas of the chamber. These conditions can also lead to discharges between the electrodes of the substrate support. In addition, the use of the pedestal for both heat and plasma generation can lead to interference effects.

[0004] As various operating processes may utilize elevated temperatures and substrate-level plasma formation, the constituent materials of the substrate support may be exposed to temperatures that affect the electrical operation of the component. Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to produce high-quality devices and structures. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology. Summary of the invention

[0005] An exemplary semiconductor processing chamber may include a chamber body. The chamber may include a base plate coupled to a bottom surface of the chamber body. The chamber may include a substrate support assembly disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support assembly may include a support plate and a support column coupled to the support plate. The chamber may include a mounting bracket coupling the support column to a lower surface of the base plate. The chamber may include a plurality of tilt actuators. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may couple the mounting bracket to a lower surface of the base plate. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may be operable to adjust a vertical distance between a lower surface of the base plate and the mounting bracket at a mounting site of the corresponding tilt actuator to adjust the planarity of the support plate relative to the base plate.

[0006] In some embodiments, the chamber may include a ball joint that vertically fixes the position of a point of the mounting bracket relative to the base plate. The plurality of tilt actuators may include two tilt actuators spaced apart from the ball joint. The chamber may include a panel that sits on top of the chamber body. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may include a motor. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may include a threaded member that is coupled to an output of the motor. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may include a ramp actuator that is threadedly engaged with the threaded member. The ramp actuator may include an angled top surface. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may include a mount support having an angled bottom surface. The angled bottom surface may be slidably engaged with the angled top surface. Each of the plurality of tilt actuators may include an actuator mounting bracket. The ramp actuator may slide relative to the actuator mounting bracket. The actuator mounting bracket may be coupled to the mounting bracket. The mount support may be coupled to the lower surface of the base plate at a fixed position. The mount support may include a spherical mount. The plurality of tilt actuators may be operable to adjust the planarity of the support plate to have a maximum tilt amplitude of at least 0.5 mm. The chamber may include a lift motor coupled to the support column. The lift motor may be operable to vertically translate the substrate support assembly within the chamber body. The lift motor and the plurality of tilt actuators may operate independently of each other.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass a tilt actuator for a substrate support assembly. The actuator may include a motor. The actuator may include a threaded member coupled to an output of the motor. The actuator may include a ramp actuator threadably engaged with the threaded member. The ramp actuator may include a beveled top surface. The actuator may include a mount support including a beveled bottom surface. The beveled bottom surface may be slidably engaged with the beveled top surface. The actuator may include a mounting bracket. The ramp actuator may slide relative to the mounting bracket.

[0008] In some embodiments, the mount support may be configured to be secured to a floor of the processing chamber. The mounting bracket may be configured to couple with a bracket that secures the substrate support assembly to the floor of the processing chamber. The actuator may include a linear bearing disposed between the ramp actuator and the mounting bracket. The actuator may include a first hard stop that limits travel of the ramp actuator in a first direction relative to the mounting bracket. The actuator may include a second hard stop that limits travel of the ramp actuator in a second direction relative to the mounting bracket. The beveled top surface and the beveled bottom surface may be beveled in opposite directions relative to a horizontal plane.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass methods for processing a substrate. The method may include positioning a substrate on a substrate support surface of a substrate support assembly. A mounting bracket may couple the substrate support assembly to a lower surface of a floor of a processing chamber. The method may include actuating at least one of a plurality of tilt actuators coupled to the mounting bracket to adjust a vertical distance between the lower surface of the floor and the mounting bracket at a mounting site of a corresponding tilt actuator to adjust the planarity of a support plate of the substrate support assembly relative to the floor. The method may include flowing a precursor into a processing chamber. The method may include generating a plasma of a precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The method may include depositing a material on a substrate.

[0010] In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of tilt actuators may be actuated when the substrate support assembly is in the processing position. At least one of the plurality of tilt actuators may be actuated when the substrate support assembly is in the transfer position. At least one of the plurality of tilt actuators may be actuated when a precursor is flowed into the processing chamber.

[0011] Such techniques may provide numerous benefits over conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of the present technique may provide a substrate support planarity actuator that takes up less space than existing planarity actuators. Additionally, the designs described herein may enable the use of smaller motors to drive the planarity actuator. These and other embodiments and many of their advantages and features are described in more detail in conjunction with the following description and accompanying figures. Simple diagram description

[0012] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology may be realized by referring to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a top plan view of an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma system according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0016] FIG. 4A illustrates a schematic partial isometric view of an exemplary processing chamber according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0017] FIG. 4B illustrates a schematic partial isometric view of a substrate support assembly mounting bracket of the processing chamber of FIG. 4A .

[0018] FIG. 4C illustrates a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a substrate support assembly mounting bracket and base plate of the processing chamber of FIG. 4A .

[0019] FIG. 5A illustrates a schematic side elevation view of an exemplary tilt actuator in a neutral position in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0020] Figure 5B shows a schematic side elevation view of the tilt actuator of Figure 5A in a lowered position according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0021] Figure 5C shows a schematic side elevation view of the tilt actuator of Figure 5A in a raised position according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0022] FIG. 5D illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of the tilt actuator of FIG. 5A in a neutral position according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary operations in a processing method according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0024] Some of the figures are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes and are not to be considered to scale unless explicitly stated to be to scale. In addition, the figures are provided as schematic diagrams to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to actual representations and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes.

[0025] In the accompanying figures, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numeral. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference numeral with a letter that distinguishes the similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in the specification, the description applies to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letter. Implementation

[0026] In semiconductor processing operations such as deposition and etching operations, substrates may experience various non-uniformity issues. In some processing chambers, a substrate support may be tilted to adjust the planarity of the substrate support surface to help counteract planarity non-uniformity issues. Some conventional chambers use manual adjustment mechanisms (e.g., bolts, springs, wrenches, etc.) to tilt the substrate support, where the manual adjustment mechanisms are adjusted before each recipe or process change. These adjustment mechanisms cannot be adjusted in situ and require personnel access and time. Other conventional chambers utilize a three-axis planarity adjustment mechanism that utilizes three lift motors. Each lift motor can be independently controlled to adjust the tilt or planarity of the substrate support surface. However, these adjustment mechanisms take up significant space and may require complex motor controllers.

[0027] The present technology solves these problems by incorporating a two-axis actuator having a ball joint at a third location. The operation of the two-axis actuator can be used to control the planarity of the substrate support surface independently of the lift operation and can be performed in situ. In addition, by using a two-axis actuator to replace three lift motors, significant space savings are possible.

[0028] Although the remainder of the disclosure will routinely identify specific deposition processes utilizing the disclosed techniques, it should be readily understood that the systems and methods are equally applicable to other deposition, etching, and cleaning chambers, and processes that may occur in the described chambers. Thus, the techniques should not be considered limited to use with only these specific deposition processes or chambers alone. This disclosure will discuss one possible system and chamber that may include a susceptor according to embodiments of the present technology, followed by descriptions of additional variations and modifications to this system according to embodiments of the present technology.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of one embodiment of a processing system 100 having deposition, etching, baking and / or curing chambers according to an embodiment. In the figure, a pair of front-opening wafer transfer boxes 102 supply substrates of various sizes, which are received by a robot 104 and placed in a low pressure holding area 106 and then placed in one of the substrate processing chambers 108a-108f, which are located in the serial area 109a-108c. A second robot 110 can be used to transfer substrate wafers from the holding area 106 to the substrate processing chambers 108a-108f and back. Each substrate processing chamber 108a-108f can be equipped to perform a variety of substrate processing operations, including forming stacks of semiconductor materials described herein, as well as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, etching, pre-cleaning, degassing, orientation, and other substrate processes including annealing, ashing, etc.

[0030] The substrate processing chambers 108a-108f may include one or more system components for depositing, annealing, curing and / or etching dielectric or other films on a substrate. In one configuration, two pairs of processing chambers (e.g., 108c-108d and 108e-108f) may be used to deposit dielectric material on a substrate, and a third pair of processing chambers (e.g., 108a-108b) may be used to etch the deposited dielectric. In another configuration, all three pairs of chambers (e.g., 108a-108f) may be configured to deposit a stack of alternating dielectric films on a substrate. Any one or more of the processes described may be performed in a chamber separate from the manufacturing system shown in the different embodiments. It should be understood that the system 100 encompasses additional configurations of chambers for deposition, etching, annealing, and curing of dielectric films.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary plasma system 200 according to some embodiments of the present technology. The plasma system 200 may illustrate a pair of processing chambers 108 that may be assembled in one or more of the tandem sections 109 described above and may include a substrate support assembly according to embodiments of the present technology. The plasma system 200 may generally include a chamber body 202 having a sidewall 212, a bottom wall 216, and an inner sidewall 201 defining a pair of processing regions 220A and 220B. Each of the processing regions 220A-220B may be similarly configured and may include equivalent components.

[0032] For example, the processing region 220B (components of which may also be included in the processing region 220A) may include a pedestal 228 disposed in the processing region through a passage 222 formed in the bottom wall 216 in the plasma system 200. The pedestal 228 may provide a heater adapted to support a substrate 229 on an exposed surface of the pedestal, such as a body portion. The pedestal 228 may include a heating element 232, such as a resistive heating element, which may heat and control the temperature of the substrate to a desired process temperature. The pedestal 228 may also be heated by a remote heating element, such as a lamp assembly, or any other heating device.

[0033] The body of the pedestal 228 may be coupled to the post 226 by a flange 233. The post 226 may electrically couple the pedestal 228 to a power outlet or power box 203. The power box 203 may include a drive system that controls the lifting and movement of the pedestal 228 within the processing region 220B. The post 226 may also include an electrical power interface to provide electrical power to the pedestal 228. The power box 203 may also include an interface for electrical power and temperature indicators, such as a thermocouple interface. The post 226 may include a base assembly 238 adapted to be removably coupled to the power box 203. A circumferential ring 235 is shown above the power box 203. In some embodiments, the circumferential ring 235 may be a shoulder adapted to be a mechanical stop or land configured to provide a mechanical interface between the base assembly 238 and the upper surface of the power box 203.

[0034] A rod 230 may be included that passes through a passage 224 formed in the bottom wall 216 of the processing region 220B and may be used to position substrate lift pins 261 disposed through the body of the pedestal 228. The substrate lift pins 261 may selectively space the substrate 229 from the pedestal to facilitate exchanging the substrate 229 with a robot that is used to transfer the substrate 229 into and out of the processing region 220B through the substrate transfer port 260.

[0035] The chamber lid 204 can be coupled to the top portion of the chamber body 202. The lid 204 can house one or more precursor dispensing systems 208, which are coupled to the lid 204. The precursor dispensing system 208 can include a precursor inlet passage 240, which can deliver reactants and cleaning precursors to the processing region 220B through the dual channel showerhead 218. The dual channel showerhead 218 can include an annular base plate 248, which has a baffle plate 244, which is disposed intermediate the face plate 246. A radio frequency (RF) source 265 can be coupled to the dual channel showerhead 218, and the RF source 265 can power the dual channel showerhead 218 to facilitate the generation of a plasma region between the face plate 246 and the pedestal 228 of the dual channel showerhead 218. In some embodiments, the RF source may be coupled to other portions of the chamber body 202, such as the pedestal 228, to facilitate plasma generation. A dielectric isolator 258 may be disposed between the lid 204 and the dual-channel showerhead 218 to prevent conduction of RF power to the lid 204. A shield ring 206 may be disposed on the periphery of the pedestal 228, the shield ring 206 engaging the pedestal 228.

[0036] An optional cooling channel 247 may be formed in the annular base plate 248 of the gas distribution system 208 to cool the annular base plate 248 during operation. A heat transfer fluid (such as water, glycol, gas, or the like) may be circulated through the cooling channel 247 so that the base plate 248 may be maintained at a predefined temperature. The liner assembly 227 may be disposed within the processing region 220B in close proximity to the sidewalls 201, 212 of the chamber body 202 to prevent the sidewalls 201, 212 from being exposed to the processing environment within the processing region 220B. The liner assembly 227 may include a circumferential pumping cavity 225 that may be coupled to a pumping system 264 that is configured to exhaust gases and byproducts from the processing region 220B and control the pressure within the processing region 220B. A plurality of exhaust ports 231 may be formed on the liner assembly 227. The exhaust port 231 may be configured to allow gas to flow from the processing region 220B to the circumferential pumping cavity 225 in a manner that facilitates processing within the system 200 .

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary semiconductor processing chamber 300 according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 may include one or more of the components discussed above with respect to FIG. 2, and may illustrate further details related to that chamber. Chamber 300 may be used to perform semiconductor processing operations, including deposition of a stack of dielectric materials as previously described. Chamber 300 may show a partial view of a processing region of a semiconductor processing system, and may not include all components, such as the additional cover stack components previously described, with the understanding that all components will be incorporated into some embodiments of chamber 300.

[0038] As mentioned, FIG. 3 may illustrate a portion of a processing chamber 300. The chamber 300 may include a showerhead 305 and a substrate support assembly 310. The showerhead 305 and substrate support 310, along with chamber sidewalls 315, may together define a substrate processing region 320 in which a plasma may be generated. The substrate support assembly may include an electrostatic chuck body 325, which may include one or more components embedded or disposed within the body. In some embodiments, the components incorporated into the top retaining plate may not be exposed to the processing material and may be completely retained within the chuck body 325. The electrostatic chuck body 325 may define a substrate support surface 327 and may be characterized by a thickness and a length or diameter depending on the specific geometry of the chuck body. In some embodiments, the chuck body may be elliptical and may be characterized by one or more radial dimensions from a central axis passing through the chuck body. It should be understood that the top retaining plate may be of any geometry and when a radial dimension is discussed, it may define any length from a central location of the chuck body.

[0039] The electrostatic chuck body 325 can be coupled to a post 330, which can support the chuck body and can include channels for delivering and receiving electrical and / or fluid lines, which can be coupled to internal components of the chuck body 325. The chuck body 325 can include associated channels or components to operate as an electrostatic chuck, although in some embodiments, the assembly can operate as or include components of a vacuum chuck, or any other type of clamping system. The post 330 can be coupled to the chuck body on a second surface of the chuck body opposite the substrate support surface. In some embodiments, the electrostatic chuck body 325 can be formed of a conductive material (such as a metal, such as aluminum, or any other material that can conduct heat or electricity) and can be coupled to an electrical power source (such as DC power, pulsed DC power, RF bias power, pulsed RF source or bias power, or a combination of these and other power sources) via a filter, which can be an impedance matching circuit that operates the electrostatic chuck body 325 as an electrode. In other embodiments, the top portion of the electrostatic chuck body 325 can be formed of a dielectric material. In such embodiments, the electrostatic chuck body 325 may include an independent electrode. For example, the electrostatic chuck body 325 may include a first bipolar electrode 335a, which may be embedded in the chuck body near the substrate support surface. The electrode 335a may be electrically coupled to a DC power source 340a. The power source 340a may be configured to provide energy or voltage to the conductive chuck electrode 335a. This may be operated to form a plasma of a precursor within the processing region 320 of the semiconductor processing chamber 300, although other plasma operations may be similarly performed. For example, the electrode 335a may also be a clamping grid that operates as an electrical ground for a capacitive plasma system including an RF source 307, which is electrically coupled to the showerhead 305. For example, the electrode 335a may operate as a ground path for RF power from the RF source 307, while also operating as an electrical bias to the substrate to provide electrostatic clamping of the substrate to the substrate support surface. The power source 340a may include filters, a power supply, and several other electrical components configured to provide the clamping voltage.

[0040] The electrostatic chuck body may also include a second bipolar electrode 335b, which may also be embedded in the chuck body near the substrate support surface. The electrode 335b may be electrically coupled to a DC power source 340b. The power source 340b may be configured to provide energy or voltage to the conductive chuck electrode 335b. Additionally, electrical components and details regarding the bipolar chuck according to some embodiments are further described below, and any of the designs may be implemented with the processing chamber 300. For example, additional plasma-related power supplies or components may be incorporated.

[0041] In operation, a substrate may be at least partially brought into contact with a substrate support surface of an electrostatic chuck body, which may create a contact gap and may substantially create a capacitive effect between the surface of the pedestal and the substrate. A voltage may be applied to the contact gap, which may create an electrostatic force for clamping. Power supplies 340a and 340b may provide charge that migrates from the electrodes to the substrate support surface, where the charge may accumulate on the substrate support surface and may create a charge layer that has a Coulomb attraction to opposite charges at the substrate and which may electrostatically hold the substrate against the substrate support surface of the chuck body. This charge migration may occur by current flowing through the dielectric material of the chuck body based on a finite resistance within the dielectric for Johnsen-Rahbek type clamping, which may be used in some embodiments of the present technology.

[0042] The chuck body 325 can also define a recessed area 345 within the substrate support surface that can provide a recessed pocket in which a substrate can be seated. The recessed area 345 can be formed at an interior region of the top positioning disk and can be configured to receive a substrate for processing. The recessed area 345 can encompass a central region of the electrostatic chuck body as shown and can be sized to accommodate any variety of substrate sizes. The substrate can be seated within the recessed area and is contained by an outer region 347 that can surround the substrate. In some embodiments, the height of the outer region 347 can be such that the substrate is flush with or recessed below the surface height of the substrate support surface at the outer region 347. The recessed surface can control edge effects during processing, which can improve deposition non-uniformity across the substrate in some embodiments. In some embodiments, an edge ring can be disposed around the perimeter of the top positioning disk and can at least partially define a recess in which the substrate can be seated. In some embodiments, the surface of the chuck body can be substantially planar and the edge ring can completely define a recess in which the substrate can be seated.

[0043] In some embodiments, the electrostatic chuck body 325 and / or the posts 330 may be insulating or dielectric materials. For example, oxides, nitrides, carbides, and other materials may be used to form the components. Exemplary materials may include ceramics, including aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, and any other metal or transition metal oxide, nitride, carbide, boride, or titanate, as well as combinations of these and other insulating or dielectric materials. In some embodiments, different grades of ceramic materials may be used to provide a composite configured to operate at a specific temperature range, and thus different ceramic grades of similar materials may be used for the top positioning plate and posts. In some embodiments, dopants may also be incorporated to adjust electrical properties. Exemplary dopant materials may include yttrium, magnesium, silicon, iron, calcium, chromium, sodium, nickel, copper, zinc, or any number of other known elements to be incorporated into the ceramic or dielectric material.

[0044] The electrostatic chuck body 325 may also include an embedded heater 350 that is contained within the chuck body. In embodiments, the heater 350 may include a resistive heater or a fluid heater. In some embodiments, the electrode 335 may operate as a heater, but by decoupling these operations, more individual control may be given and an extended heater coverage area may be provided while limiting the area where plasma is formed. The heater 350 may include a polymer heater that is bonded to or coupled to the chuck body material, although a conductive element may be embedded within the electrostatic chuck body and configured to receive an electrical current (such as an AC current) to heat the top puck. The electrical current may be delivered through the column 330 through a channel similar to the DC power discussed above. The heater 350 may be coupled to a power supply 365 that may provide electrical current to the resistive heating element to facilitate heating of the associated chuck body and / or substrate. In embodiments, the heater 350 may include a plurality of heaters, and each heater may be associated with a location of the chuck body, so an exemplary chuck body may include a similar number or a greater number of locations than heaters. In some embodiments, if a clamping grid electrode 335 is present, it may be positioned between the heater 350 and the substrate support surface 327, and in some embodiments, a distance may be maintained between the electrode within the chuck body and the substrate support surface, as will be further described below.

[0045] The heater 350 can be capable of regulating the temperature across the electrostatic chuck body 325, as well as the temperature of the substrate residing on the substrate support surface 327. The heater can operate over a range of temperatures to heat the chuck body and / or substrate to above or about 100°C, and the heater can be configured to heat to above or about 125°C, above or about 150°C, above or about 175°C, above or about 200°C, above or about 250°C, above or about 300°C, above or about 350°C, above or about 400°C, above or about 450°C, above or about 500°C, above or about 550°C, above or about 600°C, above or about 650°C, above or about 700°C, above or about 750°C, above or about 800°C, above or about 850°C, above or about 900°C, above or about 950°C, above or about 1000°C, or more. The heater may also be configured to operate within any range encompassed between any two of these stated numbers, or within a smaller range encompassed within any of these ranges, and at less than any of the stated temperatures. In some embodiments, chamber 300 may include a purge gas source, such as a purge gas source fluidly coupled to the bottom of the chamber body. The purge gas source may supply purge gas to chamber 300 to remove any film deposited on various components of chamber 300, such as support assembly 310.

[0046] FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate schematic partial views of an exemplary semiconductor processing chamber 400 according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIGS. 4A-4C may include one or more of the components discussed above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 and may illustrate further details associated with the chamber. Chamber 400 may be used to perform semiconductor processing operations, including deposition of a stack of dielectric materials as previously described. Chamber 400 may illustrate a partial view of a semiconductor processing system and may not include all components, such as the additional cover stack components previously described, with the understanding that all components are incorporated into some embodiments of chamber 400.

[0047] As mentioned, FIGS. 4A-4C may illustrate a portion of a processing chamber 400. The chamber 400 may include a bottom plate 405, which may be coupled to a bottom surface of a chamber body, such as the sidewall 212 of the chamber body 202 and / or the sidewall 315 of the chamber 300. The bottom plate 405 may define a bottom of an interior volume of the processing chamber 400, such as defining a bottom boundary of a transfer region of the processing chamber 400. The chamber 400 may include a substrate support assembly 410, which may be similar to the substrate support assembly 310 or the pedestal 228. The substrate support assembly 410 may include a support plate 412 and support columns 414, which may be coupled to a lower surface of the support plate 412. In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly 410 may operate as a chuck, such as a vacuum chuck and / or an electrostatic chuck. The support plate 412 can be positioned above the base plate 405, and the support column 414 can extend through a hole formed through the base plate 405. The substrate support assembly 410 can translate vertically within the chamber 400, such as between a lowered transfer position and an raised process position. The chamber 400 can include a lift motor 415, which can be coupled to the support column 414, such as at the bottom end of the support column 414. The lift motor 415 can be actuated to translate the substrate support assembly 410 vertically within the chamber body (e.g., relative to the base plate 405).

[0048] The chamber 400 can include a mounting bracket 420 that can couple the support columns 414 to the lower surface 405 of the base plate. For example, as best shown in FIG. 4B , the mounting bracket 420 can include a platform 425 that can receive and / or otherwise be secured to the bottom ends of the support columns 412. The platform 425 can translate relative to the outer bracket 430, such as by sliding along one or more tracks 435 disposed on the inner surface of the outer bracket 430. A lift motor 415 can be coupled to the bottom end of the platform 425 to raise and lower the platform 425 (and the substrate support assembly 410) relative to the mounting bracket 420 and the base plate 405. The top end of the mounting bracket 420 can be coupled to the base plate 405. For example, a plurality of tilt actuators 500 can be used to couple the mounting bracket 420 to the lower surface 405 of the base plate. As shown, the tilt actuators 500 are disposed outside the mounting bracket 420, although other locations are possible. In various embodiments, any number of tilt actuators 500 may be included. For example, the chamber 400 may include two or more tilt actuators, three or more tilt actuators, four or more tilt actuators, five or more tilt actuators, or more tilt actuators. In the illustrated embodiment, two tilt actuators 500 are coupled to the mounting bracket 420 and the base plate 405 at different mounting locations. At a third mounting location, a ball joint 440 may be provided to couple the mounting bracket 420 with the base plate 405. The ball joint 440 may vertically fix the position of one point of the mounting bracket 420 relative to the base plate 405, while the tilt actuator 500 may be actuated to adjust the vertical distance between the lower surface 405 of the base plate and the mounting bracket 420 at each location (e.g., mounting location) of the tilt actuator 500 to adjust the planarity of the support plate 412 relative to the base plate 405 and / or a panel seated on top of the chamber body. For example, one or more of the tilt actuators 500 can be adjusted to raise and / or lower the mounting bracket 420 relative to the base plate 405 at a corresponding mounting location. Raising or lowering the mounting bracket 420 at the mounting location of the tilt actuator 500, while the ball joint 440 maintains the corresponding portion of the mounting bracket 420 at a fixed vertical position relative to the base plate 405, can cause the mounting bracket 420 and the support assembly 410 (including the support plate 412) to tilt relative to the base plate 405 and the face plate sitting on the top of the chamber body. The tilt of the substrate support assembly 410 can be used to adjust the planarity of the support plate 410 to counteract planar non-uniform deposition issues. In some embodiments, the tilt actuator 500 can be maintained in a neutral position to maintain the support plate 412 in a planar position (e.g., parallel to the base plate 405 and the face plate).

[0049] FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate different views of the tilt actuator 500. As mentioned above, each tilt actuator 500 can be used to couple the mounting bracket 420 with the base plate 405. For example, the tilt actuator 500 can include a mounting bracket 505 that can be coupled to the mounting bracket 420, such as along a lateral surface of the mounting bracket 420. The mounting bracket 505 can support other components of the tilt actuator 500. For example, a motor 510 (such as a servo motor) can be coupled to a portion of the mounting bracket 505. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 510 can be directly or indirectly coupled to a side end of the mounting bracket 505, although in some embodiments, the motor 510 can be supported on a portion of the top of the mounting bracket 505. As best illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5D, the tilt actuator 500 can include a threaded member 515 (such as a lead screw or ball screw assembly) that can be coupled to an output end 512 (such as an output shaft) of the motor 510. For example, the coupler 520 can be coupled between the end of the threaded member 515 and the output end 512 of the motor 510. The coupler 520 can be disposed within a housing 525 that extends between the housing of the motor 510 and the mounting bracket 505 and couples the two.

[0050] The tilt actuator 500 may include a ramp actuator 530 that may engage with the threaded member 515. For example, the ramp actuator 530 may define a recess that receives an end support 535 that defines a threaded hole. The threaded member 515 may be inserted into the threaded hole to couple the threaded member 515 with the ramp actuator 530. The ramp actuator 530 may slide relative to the mounting bracket 505 along a longitudinal axis of the ramp actuator 530. In some embodiments, a linear bearing 540 may be disposed between the ramp actuator 530 and the mounting bracket 505 to facilitate smooth and / or relatively low-friction sliding of the ramp actuator 530 relative to the mounting bracket 505. For example, the linear bearing 540 may include a bearing track 542 that may be coupled to the ramp actuator 530 or the mounting bracket 505, and a bearing cart 544 that may be coupled to the other of the ramp actuator 530 and the mounting bracket 505. As illustrated, the bearing track 542 is coupled to the mounting bracket 505, and the bearing cart 544 is coupled to the ramp actuator 530. The bearing cart 544 may be designed to slide along the length of the bearing track 542. For example, the bearing cart 544 may include a slot that is received and slides along a flange or other feature of the bearing track 542, wherein the flange prevents the bearing cart 544 from moving vertically relative to the bearing track 542.

[0051] The ramp actuator 530 can include an angled top surface 532 that can be beveled relative to a horizontal plane. In some embodiments, the angle of the bevel of the top surface 532 can be between or about 5 and 45 degrees relative to a horizontal plane, between or about 5 and 30 degrees relative to a horizontal plane, or between or about 5 and 15 degrees relative to a horizontal plane, wherein smaller angles enable smaller adjustments to the tilt of the mounting bracket 420 and the substrate support assembly 410 while also requiring less motor torque to adjust the planarity of the substrate support assembly 410. The tilt actuator 500 can include a mount support 545 that can be disposed above the ramp actuator 530. For example, the mount support 545 can include an angled bottom surface 547 that can be positioned to abut against the top surface 532 of the ramp actuator 530. In some embodiments, the angle of the slope of the bottom surface 547 can be of the same magnitude and opposite direction as the angle of the top surface 532. For example, the bottom surface 547 can have an angle between or about -5 and -45 degrees relative to horizontal, between or about -5 and -30 degrees relative to horizontal, or between or about -5 and -15 degrees relative to horizontal, wherein smaller angles enable smaller adjustments to the tilt of the mounting bracket 420 and the substrate support assembly 410, and require less motor torque to adjust the planarity of the substrate support assembly 410.

[0052] The mount support 545 may be coupled to the bottom surface of the base plate 405 to fix the mount support 545 at a given position relative to the base plate 405. For example, the mount support 545 may include a spherical mount 549 having a top end and a spherical lower end, wherein the top end may be inserted into a socket formed in the base plate 405 and the spherical lower end may be rotatably received in a recess formed in the mount support 545. The spherical mount 549 may enable the mount support 545 to be coupled to the lower surface 405 of the base plate at a fixed position while helping to reduce the load and / or torque on the motor 510. The bottom surface 547 can slide along the length of the top surface 532, such as during movement of the ramp actuator 530 relative to the mounting bracket 505, to control the vertical distance between the mounting bracket 505 (and the mounting bracket 420) and the bottom plate 405, so as to effectively control the planarity of the substrate support assembly 410 relative to the bottom plate 405 and the faceplate of the chamber 400.

[0053] For example, during operation, when the motor 510 is operated, the output end 512 causes the threaded member 515 to rotate. The engagement of the threaded member 515 with the threads of the end support 535 can push or pull the ramp actuator 530 to different positions along the length of the linear bearing 540 relative to the neutral position (e.g., shown in FIG. 5A ). When the ramp actuator 530 moves in a first direction (as shown in FIG. 5B , pushed by the motor 510, although the direction is indicated by the orientation of the slopes of the top surface 532 and the bottom surface 547), the top surface 532 can slide relative to the bottom surface 547 to position the mount support 545 along a higher portion of the ramp actuator 530, which can push the ramp actuator 530 and the mounting bracket 505 downward relative to the fixed position of the mount support 545. This can increase the vertical distance between the mounting bracket 505 (and mounting bracket 420) and the base plate 405 at the location of the tilt actuator 500 (and, in particular, the mount support 545). When the ramp actuator 530 moves in an opposite second direction (as illustrated in FIG. 5C , pulled by the motor 510, although the direction is indicated by the orientation of the slopes of the top surface 532 and the bottom surface 547), the top surface 532 can slide relative to the bottom surface 547 so that the mount support 545 is positioned along a lower portion of the ramp actuator 530, which can pull the ramp actuator 530 and mounting bracket 505 upward relative to the fixed position of the mount support 545. This can reduce the vertical distance between the mounting bracket 505 (and mounting bracket 420) and the base plate 405 at the location of the tilt actuator 500 (and, in particular, the mount support 545).

[0054] In some embodiments, the tilt actuator 500 may include one or more hard stops 550 that limit travel of the ramp actuator 530 in one or more directions relative to the mounting bracket 505. For example, a hard stop 550a may be formed on a first end of the ramp actuator 530 and may contact a portion of the mounting bracket 505 or other static component to limit travel of the ramp actuator 530 toward the motor 510. Similarly, a hard stop 550b may be formed on an opposing second end of the ramp actuator 530 and may contact a portion of the mounting bracket 505 or other static component to limit travel of the ramp actuator 530 away from the motor 510. It should be appreciated that other forms of hard stops may be utilized in various embodiments, including hard stops integrated into the bearing track 542 and / or the bearing cart 544. In some embodiments, one or more sliding interfaces (eg, bearing tracks 542 and bearing carts 544 , top surface 532 and bottom surface 547 , etc.) may be lubricated to reduce abrasive wear between components and / or to reduce friction and subsequent loads on motor 510 .

[0055] By adjusting the position of the ramp actuator 530 used with the one or more tilt actuators 500 (and maintaining a fixed vertical distance between the mounting bracket 420 and the base plate 405 at the location of the ball joint 440), the planarity of the substrate support assembly 410 (and in particular, the support plate 414) can be adjusted. For example, the operation of the one or more tilt actuators 500 can be used to adjust the planarity of the support plate 414 to have a maximum tilt amplitude (e.g., the vertical distance between the center of the support plate 414 and the peripheral edge of the support plate 414) of at least 0.5 mm, at least 0.75 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 1.25 mm, at least 1.5 mm, at least 1.75 mm, at least 2 mm, or more. In other words, the support plate 414 can be tilted to any value within a range between or about 0 mm and 2 mm, between or about 0 mm and 1.75 mm, between or about 0 mm and 1.5 mm, between or about 0 mm and 1.25 mm, between or about 0 mm and 1 mm, between or about 0 mm and 0.75 mm, or between or about 0 mm and 0.5 mm. Each tilt actuator 500 can be operated independently, and the tilt actuator 500 can be operated independently of the lift motor 415.

[0056] FIG. 6 illustrates operations of an exemplary method 600 of semiconductor processing according to some embodiments of the present technology. The method may be performed in various processing chambers, including the processing system 200, chamber 300, or chamber 400 described above, which may include a substrate support assembly and a tilt actuator according to embodiments of the present technology, such as the substrate support assemblies 310 and 410 and the tilt actuator 500 described herein. The method 600 may include a number of optional operations that may or may not be specifically associated with some embodiments of the method according to the present technology.

[0057] Method 600 may include a processing method that may include operations for forming a hard mask film or other deposition operations. The method may include optional operations before the method 600 is started, or the method may include additional operations. For example, the method 600 may include operations performed in an order different from that illustrated. In some embodiments, the method 600 may include positioning a substrate on a substrate support surface of a substrate support assembly in operation 605. The mounting bracket may couple the substrate support assembly to a lower surface of a floor of a processing chamber, such as described with respect to FIGS. 4A to 4C. In operation 610, at least one of a plurality of tilt actuators coupled to the mounting bracket may be actuated to adjust a vertical distance between the lower surface of the floor and the mounting bracket at a mounting site of the corresponding tilt actuator to adjust the planarity of the support plate of the substrate support assembly relative to the floor. For example, a motor of the tilt actuator may be operated to move the ramp actuator relative to a mount support that is fixedly coupled to the floor of the chamber. Movement of the ramp actuator relative to the mount support can push the mounting bracket downward or pull the mounting bracket upward relative to the floor of the chamber to adjust the vertical distance between the lower surface of the floor and the mounting bracket at the mounting location of the corresponding tilt actuator. The vertical distance between the mounting bracket and the floor of the chamber can be fixed at one location, such as at a ball joint, which allows adjustment of one or more of the tilt actuators to adjust the planarity of the substrate support assembly. Actuation of the one or more tilt actuators can occur at any time, such as when the substrate support assembly is in a transfer position, when the substrate support assembly is in a processing position, when the substrate support assembly is in transfer between a transfer position and a processing position, and / or during processing operations (e.g., when precursors and / or plasma are flowing into the chamber and / or are otherwise present in the chamber).

[0058] At operation 615, one or more precursors may be flowed into a processing chamber. For example, the precursors may be flowed into a chamber, such as chamber 300 or chamber 400. At operation 620, a plasma may be generated from the precursors within the processing region, such as by providing RF power to a faceplate and / or substrate support assembly to generate the plasma. At operation 625, a material formed in the plasma may be deposited on a substrate. It should be appreciated that in various embodiments, operation of the tilt actuator may be used for other processing operations, such as etching operations.

[0059] In the foregoing description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous details have been set forth to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details or with additional details.

[0060] After several embodiments are disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. In addition, many well-known processes and components are not described to avoid unnecessary confusion of the present technology. Therefore, the above description should not be considered to limit the scope of the present technology.

[0061] Unless expressly defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly or customarily understood. As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" refer to one or more than one (i.e., at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. For example, "an element" means one element or more than one element. As used herein, "about" and / or "approximately" refer to measurable values ​​(such as, amounts, temporary durations, and the like) when encompassing variations within ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% of the specified value, as such variations are appropriate in the context of the systems, devices, circuits, methods, and other embodiments described herein. As used herein, "substantially" when referring to a measurable value (such as an amount, a temporary duration, a physical property (such as a frequency), and the like) also encompasses variations within ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% of the specified value, as such variations are appropriate in the context of the systems, devices, circuits, methods, and other implementations described herein.

[0062] Where a range of values ​​is provided, it is understood that each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of the range, to the smallest unit of the lower limit, is also specifically disclosed (unless the context clearly dictates otherwise). Any narrower range between any stated value or unstated intervening value in the stated range and any other stated value or intervening value in the stated range are contemplated. The upper and lower limits of those smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range, and the inclusion of either, exclusion of either, or both of the limits in the smaller ranges is also contemplated within the present technology, depending on any specifically excluded limits in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also contemplated.

[0063] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a heater" includes a plurality of such heaters and reference to "the protrusion" includes reference to one or more protrusions and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

[0064] Furthermore, the words “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “contain(s),” “containing,” “include(s),” and “including,” when used in this specification and the following claims, are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or operations, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, actions, or groups.

[0065] 100: Processing system 102: Front-opening wafer transfer box 104:Robotic Arm 106: Low pressure holding area 108a: substrate processing chamber 108b: substrate processing chamber 108c: substrate processing chamber 108d: substrate processing chamber 108e: substrate processing chamber 108f: substrate processing chamber 109a: Serial connection section 109b: Serial connection section 109c: Serial connection area 110: Second Robotic Arm 200: Plasma system 201: Inner wall 202: Chamber body 203: Power box 204: Chamber cover 206: Shielding ring 208: Gas distribution system 212: Side wall 216:Bottom wall 218:Dual channel nozzle 220A: Processing area 220B: Processing area 222:Pathway 224:Pathway 225: Circumferential pumping cavity 226: column 227: Liner assembly 228: Base 229:Substrate 230: Rod 231: discharge port 232: Heating element 233: Flange 235:Circular ring 238: Base component 240: Precursor inlet passage 244: Barrier plate 246: Panel 247: Cooling channel 248: Ring base plate 258: Dielectric Isolator 260: Substrate transfer port 261: Substrate lifting pin 264: Pumping system 265:RF Source 300:Semiconductor processing chamber 305: Nozzle 307:RF Source 310: Substrate support assembly 315: Side wall 320: Substrate processing area 325: Electrostatic chuck body 327: substrate support surface 330: column 335a: first bipolar electrode 335b: Second bipolar electrode 340a: Power source 340b: Power source 345: Depression area 347: External Area 350: Embedded Heater 365: Power 400:Semiconductor processing chamber 405: Bottom plate 410: Substrate support assembly 412: Support plate 414: Support column 415: Lifting motor 420: Mounting bracket 425: Platform 430:External bracket 435: Track 440: Ball joint 500: Tilt actuator 505: Mounting bracket 510: Motor 512: Output 515: Threaded member 520: Coupler 525: Shell 530: Ramp actuator 532: Beveled top surface 535: End support 540:Linear bearings 542: Bearing track 544: Bearing Car 545: Seat support 547: Bevel bottom surface 549: Ball seat 550a: Hard stop 550b: Hard stop 600: Method 605: Operation 610: Operation 615: Operation 620: Operation 625: Operation

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing chamber, comprising: a chamber body; a base plate coupled to a bottom surface of the chamber body; a substrate support assembly disposed within the chamber body, the substrate support assembly including a support plate and a support column coupled to the support plate; and a mounting bracket coupled to a lower surface of the base plate. and a plurality of tilt actuators, wherein: Each of these tilting actuators is coupled to the mounting bracket and the lower surface of the base plate; Each of the tilt actuators is operable to adjust a vertical distance between the lower surface of the base plate and the mounting bracket at a mounting point of the respective tilt actuator, thereby adjusting the planarity of the support plate relative to the base plate.

2. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a ball joint that vertically fixes a point of the mounting bracket at a position relative to the base plate, wherein the tilt actuators include two tilt actuators spaced apart from the ball joint.

3. The semiconductor processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a panel, seated on top of the chamber body.

4. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 1, wherein: Each of these tilt actuators includes: a motor; a threaded member coupled to an output of the motor; a ramp actuator threadedly engaged with the threaded member, wherein the ramp actuator includes a slanted top surface; a frame support including a slanted bottom surface, wherein the slanted bottom surface slidably engages with the slanted top surface; and an actuator mounting bracket, wherein the ramp actuator is slidable relative to the actuator mounting bracket.

5. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 4, wherein: The actuator mounting bracket is coupled to the mounting bracket.

6. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 4, wherein: The support member is coupled to the lower surface of the base plate at a fixed position.

7. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 6, wherein: The support structure includes a spherical support.

8. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 1, wherein: These tilt actuators are operable to adjust the flatness of the support plate to have a maximum tilt amplitude of at least 0.5 mm.

9. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 1, wherein: A lifting motor, coupled to the support column, is operable to vertically translate the substrate support assembly within the chamber body.

10. The semiconductor processing chamber as described in claim 9, wherein: The lifting motor and the tilting actuators can operate independently of each other.

11. A tilt actuator for a substrate support assembly, comprising: a motor; a threaded member coupled to an output of the motor; a ramp actuator threadedly engaged with the threaded member, wherein the ramp actuator includes a beveled top surface; a frame support including a beveled bottom surface, wherein the beveled bottom surface slidably engages with the beveled top surface; and a mounting bracket, wherein the ramp actuator is slidable relative to the mounting bracket.

12. The tilting actuator for a substrate support assembly as described in claim 11, wherein: The support frame is configured to be fastened to a base plate of a processing chamber.

13. The tilting actuator for a substrate support assembly as described in claim 11, wherein: The mounting bracket is configured to couple with a bracket that secures a base plate support assembly to a bottom plate of a processing chamber.

14. The tilt actuator for a substrate support assembly as described in claim 11, further comprising: a linear bearing disposed between the tilt actuator and the mounting bracket.

15. The tilt actuator for a substrate support assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a first hard stop restricting the travel of the ramp actuator relative to the mounting bracket in a first direction; and a second hard stop restricting the travel of the ramp actuator relative to the mounting bracket in a second direction.

16. The tilting actuator for a substrate support assembly as described in claim 11, wherein: The top and bottom surfaces of the angled surface are angled in opposite directions relative to the horizontal plane.

17. A method for processing a substrate, comprising the steps of: positioning a substrate on a substrate support surface of a substrate support assembly, wherein a mounting bracket is coupled to a lower surface of a base plate of a processing chamber; actuating at least one of a plurality of tilt actuators coupled to the mounting bracket to adjust a vertical distance between the lower surface of the base plate and the mounting bracket at a mounting point of the respective tilt actuator to adjust a planarity of a support plate of the substrate support assembly relative to the base plate; flowing a precursor into a processing chamber; generating a plasma of the precursor in a processing area of ​​the processing chamber; and depositing a material on the substrate.

18. The method for processing a substrate as described in claim 17, wherein: When the substrate support assembly is in a processing position, at least one of the tilt actuators is actuated.

19. The method for processing a substrate as described in claim 17, wherein: When the substrate support assembly is in a conveying position, at least one of the tilt actuators is actuated.

20. The method for processing a substrate as described in claim 17, wherein: When the precursor is flowed into the processing chamber, at least one of the tilting actuators is actuated.

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