Seal to mitigate particle contamination in plasma chambers

Abstract

A substrate support comprises a baseplate includes a recessed portion, an edge ring arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate, a thermal interface material arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate between the edge ring and the baseplate, and a seal arranged in the recessed portion of the baseplate along a radially inner edge of recessed portion of the baseplate.

Description

SEAL TO MITIGATE PARTICLE CONTAMINATION IN PLASMA CHAMBERSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 664,480, filed on June 26, 2024. The entire disclosure of the application referenced above is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to substrate processing systems and more particularly to a seal to mitigate particle contamination in substrate processing systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

[0004] A substrate processing system (also called a tool) typically comprises a plurality of processing chambers (also called stations) in which processes such as deposition, etching, and other treatments are performed on substrates such as semiconductor wafers. Examples of processes that may be performed on a substrate comprise a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a chemically enhanced plasma vapor deposition (CEPVD) process, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, a sputtering physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, atomic layer deposition (ALD), and plasma enhanced ALD (PEALD). Additional examples of processes that may be performed on a substrate comprise etching (e.g., chemical etching, plasma etching, reactive ion etching, etc.) and cleaning processes.

[0005] During processing, a substrate is arranged on a substrate support such as a pedestal in a station. During deposition, gas mixtures comprising one or more precursors are introduced into the station, and plasma may be optionally struck to activate chemical reactions. During etching, gas mixtures comprising etch gases are introduced into the station, and plasma may be optionally struck to activate chemicalreactions. A computer-controlled robot typically transfers substrates from one station to another in a sequence in which the substrates are to be processed.SUMMARY

[0006] A substrate support comprises a baseplate comprises a recessed portion, an edge ring arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate, a thermal interface material arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate between the edge ring and the baseplate, and a seal arranged in the recessed portion of the baseplate along a radially inner edge of recessed portion of the baseplate.

[0007] In an additional feature, the seal is cylindrical.

[0008] In additional features, the seal is L-shaped. The seal comprises a vertical portion that is cylindrical and comprises a horizontal portion that extends radially outwards from a lower end of the vertical portion.

[0009] In an additional feature, the seal is a unitary component.

[0010] In additional features, the seal is cylindrical. An inner diameter of the seal is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate. An outer diameter of the seal is less than or equal to inner diameters of each of the edge ring and the thermal interface material.

[0011] In additional features, the seal is cylindrical. A height of the seal is less than or equal to a height of the recessed portion of the baseplate. A thickness of the seal is less than or equal to a distance between an inner diameter of the edge ring and an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate.

[0012] In additional features, an inner diameter of the vertical portion is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate. An outer diameter of the horizontal portion is less than or equal to inner diameters of each of the edge ring and the thermal interface material.

[0013] In additional features, an inner diameter of the vertical portion is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate. An outer diameter of the horizontal portion is greater than an inner diameter of the edge ring and is less than or equal to an inner diameter of the thermal interface material.

[0014] In additional features, the horizontal portion extends under the edge ring towards the thermal interface material.

[0015] In additional features, a height of the vertical portion of the seal is less than or equal to a height of the recessed portion of the baseplate. A thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is less than a distance between an inner diameter of the edge ring and an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate.

[0016] In additional features, a thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is less than or equal to a thickness of the horizontal portion of the seal.

[0017] In additional features, a thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is greater than or equal to a thickness of the horizontal portion of the seal.

[0018] In additional features, a length of the vertical portion of the seal is greater than or equal to a length of the horizontal portion of the seal.

[0019] In additional features, the seal is cylindrical and wherein a radially inner edge of a lower end of the seal is rounded.

[0020] In additional features, the seal is cylindrical and wherein edges of the seal are rounded.

[0021] In additional features, a corner formed by a lower portion of an inner diameter of the vertical portion and a radially inner portion of a lower surface of the horizontal portion is rounded.

[0022] In additional features, a corner formed by a lower portion of an outer diameter of the vertical portion and a radially inner portion of an upper surface of the horizontal portion is rounded.

[0023] In additional features, edges of the seal are rounded.

[0024] In additional features, an upper surface of the substrate support comprises a notch. The seal comprises a notch that lies radially outside the notch on the upper surface of the substrate support.

[0025] In additional features, an upper surface of the substrate support comprises a notch. The seal does not comprise a notch that lies radially outside the notch on the upper surface of the substrate support.

[0026] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a first example of processing chambers in which a seal of the present disclosure can be used;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a second example of processing chambers in which a seal of the present disclosure can be used;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows an example of a substrate support without a seal;

[0031] FIGS. 4A-4C show an example of a first seal according to the present disclosure;

[0032] FIGS. 5A-5C show an example of a second seal according to the present disclosure;

[0033] FIGS. 6A and 6B show additional views of the first seal with a notch according to the present disclosure;

[0034] FIGS. 7A and 7B show additional views of the second seal with a notch according to the present disclosure;

[0035] FIGS. 8A and 8B show additional views of the first seal without a notch according to the present disclosure; and

[0036] FIGS. 9A and 9B show additional views of the second seal without a notch according to the present disclosure.

[0037] In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and / or identical elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In some substrate processing systems (tools), substrate supports such as electrostatic chucks (ESCs) are used to support substrates during processing. Examples of processes performed on the substrates comprise deposition and etching processes that use plasma to deposit material on and remove material from the substrates. An edge ring is disposed in a stepped region on a periphery of the ESC. The edge ring surrounds but does not contact the substrate arranged on the ESC.During processing, the edge ring absorbs heat from the plasma, which acts as a heat source. The edge ring is in contact with the ESC, which act as a heat sink.

[0039] In processes performed under vacuum, vacuum between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC provides a weak heat conduction path between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC. To improve heat conduction, a thermal interface material (TIM) is disposed between a bottom portion of the edge ring and a top portion of the stepped region on the periphery of the ESC. Hereinafter, for brevity, the TIM is described as disposed between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC, which should be understood as disposed between the bottom portion of the edge ring and the top portion of the stepped region on the periphery of the ESC. The TIM provides the heat conduction path between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC.

[0040] However, since the edge ring does not contact the substrate, a gap exists between an inner diameter (ID) of the edge ring and an outer diameter (OD) of the substrate. A gap also exists between a bottom inner portion of the edge ring and an inner edge of the stepped region of the ESC to allow thermal expansion of the edge ring and the ESC while still avoiding contact between the edge ring and the substrate at process temperatures. Due to these gaps, a direct line of sight exists between the ID of the edge ring and the OD of the substrate to the stepped region of the ESC where the TIM is disposed between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC. Consequently, the TIM is partially exposed to the plasma and reacts with the plasma radicals that pass through these gaps.

[0041] Many TIM materials tend to deteriorate (e.g., harden and erode) due to the exposure to plasma and due to high temperatures used in the processes. Further, many TIM materials tend to deteriorate due to repeated movement of the edge ring. The degradation causes cracking and flaking of the TIM material, which generates particles. The particles contaminate the substrate during processing and cause defects in the substrate, which lowers the yield. Further, repairs needed to replace the TIM material can be labor-intensive and often require replacing the entire ESC if the TIM material cannot be easily replaced, which increases cost and tool downtime.

[0042] The present disclosure solves the above problems by disposing a seal in the gap between the edge ring and the ESC in the stepped region of the ESC. The seal is suspended in the stepped region of the ESC in the gap between the edge ring and the ESC. The seal is not attached (fastened) to the ESC. The seal blocks the line of sightbetween the plasma and the TIM disposed between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC. The seal prevents the plasma from reaching the TIM disposed between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC. The seal prevents the TIM from deteriorating and causing contamination of the substrate during processing. The seal is made of a material (e.g., Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE) that is chemically and thermally resistant to the chemistry and heat of the plasma. Accordingly, the seal does not degrade due to exposure to the plasma and does not cause contamination of the substrate during processing.

[0043] As described below in detail, the seal can be of different designs and shapes. For example, the seal can be cylindrical or L-shaped. At high temperatures, the performance of the seal improves rather than degrading. Specifically, as the gap between the edge ring and the stepped region of the ESC narrows due to thermal expansion at high temperatures, the seal displaces within the stepped region of the ESC since the seal is not attached (fastened) to the ESC. The seal displaces in a manner that further narrows the gap between the edge ring and the stepped region of the ESC. Consequently, the seal further blocks the plasma from reaching the TIM disposed between the edge ring and the periphery of the ESC at high temperatures. These and other features of the seal are described below in further detail.

[0044] The present disclosure is organized as follows. Initially, examples of processing chambers in which the seal can be used are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. An example of a substrate support without the seal is shown and described with reference to FIG. 3. Two examples of the seals are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 4A-5B. Additional views and features of the seals are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 6A-9B.EXAMPLES OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM

[0045] FIG. 1 shows an example of a substrate processing system 10 comprising a processing chamber 28 that utilizes the seal of the present disclosure. The processing chamber 28 uses inductively coupled plasma to etch substrates. While only one processing chamber is shown for example, the substrate processing system 10 may comprise additional processing chambers. The additional processing chambers may perform other processes (e.g., deposition) on substrates. The seal can also be used with a processing chamber in which a deposition process is performed. Otherprocessing chambers of the substrate processing system 10 may use other types of plasma (e.g., capacitively coupled plasma, remote plasma, etc.).

[0046] The substrate processing system 10 comprises a coil driving circuit 11 to generate a plasma 41 in the processing chamber 28 during substrate processing and chamber cleaning as described below. The coil driving circuit 11 includes a radio frequency (RF) source 12, a pulsing circuit 14, and a tuning circuit (i.e., matching circuit) 13. The RF source 12 generates an RF signal. The pulsing circuit 14 controls a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) envelope of the RF signal and varies a duty cycle of TCP envelope (e.g., between 1% and 99%) during operation. The pulsing circuit 14 and the RF source 12 can be combined or separate. The tuning circuit 13 may be directly connected to an inductive coil 16. While a single coil is shown, the substrate processing system 10 may comprise a plurality of coils (e.g., inner and outer coils) to generate the plasma 41. The tuning circuit 13 tunes an output of the RF source 12 to a desired frequency and / or a desired phase, and matches an impedance of the inductive coil 16.

[0047] A dielectric window 24 is arranged along a top end of the processing chamber 28. The processing chamber 28 comprises a substrate support (or pedestal) 30 to support a substrate 34. The substrate support 30 comprises an electrostatic chuck (ESC) that electrostatically clamps the substrate 34 to the substrate support 30. Alternatively, the substrate support 30 may use another type of clamping mechanism such as vacuum clamping or mechanical clamping to clamp the substrate 34 to the substrate support 30.

[0048] The substrate support 30 comprises a baseplate 32 and a ceramic plate 33. The baseplate 32 is made of a metallic material (e.g., aluminum or an aluminum alloy). The ceramic plate 33 is arranged on a top surface of the baseplate 32. A thermal resistance layer 36 made of an electrically and thermally insulating material is disposed between the ceramic plate 33 and the baseplate 32. The substrate 34 is arranged on the ceramic plate 33 during processing. The ceramic plate 33 comprises a clamping electrode 37 to clamp the substrate 34 to the ceramic plate 33. One or more heaters 35 are arranged in the ceramic plate 33 to heat the substrate 34 during processing. The baseplate 32 comprises one or more cooling channels 38 to cool the substrate support 30. The cooling channels 38 use a coolant supplied by a coolant supply 39 (also called a chiller) to regulate the temperature of the substrate support 30.

[0049] An upper end of the baseplate 32 comprises a stepped portion 29. An edge ring 40 is disposed on the stepped portion 29 of the baseplate 32. The edge ring 40 surrounds the substrate 34 but does not contact the substrate 34. A TIM 43 is disposed on a top surface of the stepped portion 29 of the baseplate 32 under the edge ring 40. A seal 60 is disposed between the edge ring 40 and a radially inner wall of the stepped portion 29 of the baseplate 32. A more detailed view of the stepped portion 29 of the baseplate 32, the edge ring 40, and the seal 60 is shown in FIGS. 4A-5B. Various designs and arrangements of the seal 60 are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 4A-9B.

[0050] A gas delivery system 56 is used to supply various gases to the processing chamber 28. The gas delivery system 56 comprises gas sources 57 to supply the various gases. The gas sources 57 supply process gases, inert gases, and purge gases used to generate the plasma 41 for substrate processing. The gas sources 57 also supply cleaning gases used to generate the plasma 41 for cleaning the processing chamber 28. The gas delivery system 56 comprises a gas metering system 58 comprising valves and mass flow controllers (MFCs) to supply the various gases from the gas sources 57 to the processing chamber 28. The gas delivery system 56 comprises a manifold 59 through which the various gases are supplied to the processing chamber 28. A gas injector 63 may be arranged at a center of the dielectric window 24 to inject the various gases from the manifold 59 into the processing chamber 28. Additionally or alternatively, the gases may be injected from the side of the processing chamber 28.

[0051] During substrate processing, a process gas is supplied to the processing chamber 28. The plasma 41 is generated in the processing chamber 28 by supplying RF power from the coil driving circuit 11 to the inductive coil 16. The RF power ignites the process gas to generate the plasma 41 . The plasma 41 etches an exposed surface of the substrate 34. An RF source 50, a pulsing circuit 51 , and a bias matching circuit 52 may be used to bias the substrate support 30 during processing to control ion energy.

[0052] During chamber cleaning, a cleaning gas is supplied to the processing chamber 28. The plasma 41 is generated in the processing chamber 28 by supplying RF power from the coil driving circuit 11 to the inductive coil 16. The RF power ignites thecleaning gas to generate the plasma 41. The plasma 41 generated using the cleaning gas (called cleaning plasma) cleans various components of the processing chamber 28.

[0053] A system controller 64 controls the heaters 35 to control a temperature of the substrate support 30 and the substrate 34. The substrate support 30 includes a temperature sensor 31 to sense the temperature of substrate support 30. The system controller 64 controls the coolant supply 39 to control fluid flow through the cooling channels 38 to cool the substrate support 30 based on feedback from the temperature sensor 31 .

[0054] An exhaust system 65 includes a valve 66 and pump 67 to control pressure in the processing chamber 28 and / or to remove reactants from the processing chamber 28 by purging or evacuation. The system controller 64 controls the etching process and the cleaning process. The system controller 64 controls the components of the substrate processing system 10. For example, the system controller 64 monitors system parameters and controls delivery of the gases from the gas delivery system 56; striking, maintaining, and extinguishing the plasma 41 ; supply of the fluid from the coolant supply 39; control of the heaters 35 and the clamping electrode 37; removal of reactants from the processing chamber 28; and so on. Additionally, the system controller 64 controls various aspects of the coil driving circuit 11 , the RF source 50, the pulsing circuit 51 , and the bias matching circuit 52, and so on.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows another example of a substrate processing system 100 including a processing chamber 102. The processing chamber 102 comprises a substrate support (also called a pedestal) 104 and a showerhead 106. For example, the substrate support 104 comprises an electrostatic chuck (ESC). The showerhead 106 is connected to a top plate of the processing chamber 102. The substrate processing system 100 may comprise an actuator (not shown) that can move the substrate support 104 vertically up and down relative to the showerhead 106.

[0056] The substrate support 104 comprises a baseplate 108 and a ceramic plate 110 disposed on the baseplate 108. For example, the baseplate 108 is made of a metallic material such as aluminum or an alloy. The ceramic plate 110 is arranged on a top surface of the baseplate 108. A thermal resistance layer 109 made of an electrically and thermally insulating material is disposed between the ceramic plate 110 and the baseplate 108. The substrate 120 is arranged on the ceramic plate 110 during processing. The ceramic plate 110 comprises a clamping electrode 112 to clamp thesubstrate 120 to the ceramic plate 110. One or more heaters 114 are arranged in the ceramic plate 110 to heat the substrate 120 during processing. The baseplate 32 comprises one or more cooling channels 116 to cool the substrate support 104. The cooling channels 116 use a coolant supplied by a coolant supply 118 (also called a chiller) to regulate the temperature of the substrate support 104.

[0057] An upper end of the baseplate 108 comprises a stepped portion 129. An edge ring 140 is disposed on the stepped portion 129 of the baseplate 108. The edge ring 140 surrounds the substrate 120 but does not contact the substrate 120. A TIM 143 is disposed on a top surface of the stepped portion 129 of the baseplate 108 under the edge ring 140. A seal 160 is disposed between the edge ring 140 and a radially inner wall of the stepped portion 129 of the baseplate 108. A more detailed view of the stepped portion 129 of the baseplate 108, the edge ring 140, and the seal 160 is shown in FIGS. 4A-5B. Various designs and arrangements of the seal 160 are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 4A-9B.

[0058] The showerhead 106 supplies one or more gases, gas mixtures, and vaporized precursors into the processing chamber 102. For example, the gases comprise process gases, gas mixtures, vaporized precursors, purge gases, cleaning gases, and so on. While not shown, the showerhead 106 may also comprise one or more heaters and one or more cooling channels that receive the coolant from the coolant supply 118 to regulate the temperature of the showerhead 106.

[0059] The substrate support 104 and the showerhead 106 may also comprise respective temperature sensors 122, 124. A system controller 150 receives the temperatures of the substrate support 104 and the showerhead 106 sensed by the temperature sensors 122, 124, respectively. Based on the sensed temperatures, the system controller 150 controls the supply of the coolant from the coolant supply 118 to the cooling channels 116 in the substrate support 104, the cooling channels in the showerhead 106, the heaters 114 in the substrate support 104, and the heaters in the showerhead 106 to regulate the temperatures of the substrate support 104 and the showerhead 106.

[0060] The substrate processing system 100 comprises a gas delivery system 130, a vapor delivery system 132, and a manifold 134. The gas delivery system 130 comprises a plurality of gas sources, valves, and mass flow controllers (MFCs) (all not shown) to supply various gases and gas mixtures at various flow rates. The gas delivery system130 supplies the various gases and gas mixtures to the manifold 134. For example, the various gases comprise process gases, purge gases, cleaning gases, and so on. The vapor delivery system 132 supplies one or more vaporized precursors to the manifold 134. The manifold 134 is connected to the gas delivery system 130, the vapor delivery system 132, and the showerhead 106. The showerhead 106 receives one or more gases, gas mixtures, and vaporized precursors from the manifold 134 and supplies them into the processing chamber 102.

[0061] The substrate processing system 100 comprises a radio frequency (RF) power supply 136. For example, the RF power supply 136 supplies RF power to the showerhead 106. When one or more gases are supplied through the showerhead 106 into the processing chamber 102, the RF power supplied to the showerhead 106 strikes a plasma 141 between the showerhead 106 and the substrate support 104.

[0062] The substrate processing system 100 further comprises a valve 144 and a pump 146. The pump 146 is connected to the processing chamber 102 through the valve 144. The pump 146 is connected to an exhaust system (not shown) of the substrate processing system 100. The pump 146 maintains pressure (e.g., vacuum) in the processing chamber 102. The pump 146 also evacuates residual gases and reactants from the processing chamber 102 into the exhaust system of the substrate processing system 100.

[0063] The system controller 150 controls all of the components of the substrate processing system 100 described above. For example, the system controller 150 controls the gas delivery system 130, the vapor delivery system 132, the RF power supply 136, the coolant supply 118, the heaters 114, the valve 144 and the pump 146, and so on.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of an example of a substrate support without using the seal of the present disclosure. The detailed view illustrates the gaps and the line of sight of the plasma to the TIM as described above. From FIG. 3 onwards, to simplify description, a substrate support 200 comprising a baseplate 202 and a ceramic plate 204 is shown. The baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200 is similar to the baseplates 32 and 108 of the substrate supports 30 and 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The ceramic plate 204 of the substrate support 200 is similar to the ceramic plates 33 and 110 of the substrate supports 30 and 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

[0065] The baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200 comprises a stepped portion 214, which is similar to the stepped portions 29 and 129 of the substrate supports 30 and 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The stepped portion 214 is formed in a top portion of the baseplate 202. The top portion of the baseplate 202 is recessed radially inwards relative to a lower portion of the baseplate 202 that extends radially outwards from a lower end of the top portion of the baseplate 202. The stepped portion214 has a radially inner edge 215 and a lower surface 217. The stepped portion 214 may also be called a recessed portion, a recessed region, or a stepped region 214 of the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200. An OD of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 is slightly less than an OD of the ceramic plate 204. An OD of the lower portion of the stepped portion 214 is greater the OD of the radially inner edge215 of the stepped portion 214 and the OD the ceramic plate 204. In FIG. 3 onwards, an edge ring 210 and a TIM 212 disposed on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200 are shown, which are similar to the edge rings 40 and 140, and the TIMs 43 and 143 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. In some examples, while not shown, one or more of the bottom and top corners along the ID of the edge ring 210 may be chamfered (rounded).

[0066] Further, the substrate support 200 comprises a thermal resistance layer 206 between the ceramic plate 204 and the base plate 202, which is similar to the thermal resistance layers 36 and 109 of the substrate supports 30 and 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. A substrate 220 is arranged on the substrate support 200, which is similar to the substrates 34 and 120 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. To focus on the seals, in FIG. 3 onwards, some of the features of the substrate supports 30 and 104 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are not shown. The omitted features are presumed present in the substrate support 200.

[0067] In the substrate support 200, the edge ring 210 does not contact the substrate 220. Instead, a gap g1 exists between an inner diameter (ID) of the edge ring 210 and an outer diameter (OD) of the substrate 220. A gap g2 also exists between a bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. Specifically, the gap g2 exists between the ID of the edge ring 210 and a radially inner edge of the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200. The g2 allows for thermal expansion of the edge ring 210 and the substrate support 200 caused by high process temperatures during substrate processing while still avoiding contact between the edge ring 210 and the substrate 220.

[0068] Due to the gaps g1 and g2, a direct line of sight exists between the ID of the edge ring 210 and the OD of the substrate 220 to the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200 where the TIM 212 is disposed between the edge ring 210 and the periphery of the substrate support 200. Consequently, the TIM 212 is partially exposed to the plasma (shown and described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2). The TIM 212 reacts with the plasma radicals that pass through the gaps g1 and g2. The TIM 212 deteriorates due to the exposure to plasma, high process temperatures, and repeated movement of the edge ring 210. The degradation of the TIM 212 causes cracking and flaking of the TIM 212, which generates particles. The particles contaminate the substrate 220 during processing and cause defects in the substrate 220.EXAMPLES OF SEALS

[0069] FIGS. 4A-5C show two examples of the seals of the present disclosure. FIGS. 4A-5C show the substrate support 200 shown and described above with reference to FIG. 3 with the addition of the seals. Therefore, elements shown in FIGS. 4A-5C that are described above with reference to FIG. 3 are not described again for brevity. From FIG. 4A onwards, to simplify description, seals 250 and 252 are shown. The seal 252 is similar to the seals 60 and 160 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The seal 250 is another design of the seal of the present disclosure. While specific shapes and geometries of the seals 250, 252 are described, the seals can be of any other shape. For example, the seal can be round (with a circular cross-section, like an O-ring), polygonal, and so on.

[0070] FIGS. 4A-4C show a first example of a seal 250 according to the present disclosure. The seal 250 is cylindrical and annular in shape. FIG. 4A shows the seal 250 arranged in the substrate support 200. FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the seal 250 showing additional details. FIG. 4C shows the displacement of the seal 250 due to thermal expansion of the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 caused by heat conducted by the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 during substrate processing.

[0071] In FIG. 4A, the seal 250 is disposed in the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. An ID of the seal 250 contacts the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. An OD of the seal 250 does not contact the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. A bottom end of the seal 250 lies on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. A top end of the seal 250 does notextend to the ceramic plate 204. In some examples, the top end of the seal 250 may extend up to but not above the ceramic plate 204. The top end of the seal 250 is located well below the substrate 220.

[0072] Accordingly, the seal 250 is arranged on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202 between the ID (i.e., the radially inner edge 215) of the stepped portion 214 and the IDs of each of the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. The ID of the seal 250 is slightly greater than (i.e., greater than or equal to) the ID of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. The OD of the seal 250 is less than the IDs of each of the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. The OD of the seal 250 does not contact the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. A height of the seal 250 is less than the height of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. A thickness of the seal 250 less than a distance between the ID of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202 and the ID of the edge ring 210.

[0073] The seal 250 partially fills and narrows the gap g2 between the bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. Specifically, the seal 250 partially fills and narrows the gap g2 exists between the ID of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The seal 250 blocks the line of sight of the plasma from the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The seal 250 reduces the exposure of the TIM 212 to the plasma and reduces the interaction between the TIM 212 and the plasma. As a result, the TIM 212 does not deteriorate, generate particles, and contaminate the substrate 220, which reduces defects in the substrate 220.

[0074] FIG. 4B shows the cross-section of the seal 250 and shows the shape of the seal 250 in detail. The general shape of the seal 250 is already described above with reference to FIG. 4A. The features additionally shown in FIG. 4B are as follows. A radially inner lower edge 260 near the bottom end of the seal 250 is rounded. The radially inner lower edge 260 of the seal 250 is rounded to match the shape of a corner region of the stepped portion 214. The corner region of the stepped portion 214 is formed at an intersection of a lower portion of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 and the radially inner portion of the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214. Additionally, one or more of the remaining edges (e.g., corners at the top and bottom ends) of the seal 250 can also be rounded as shown.

[0075] In FIG. 4C, during substrate processing, when the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200 expand due to heat, the seal 250 displaces within the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. For example, the seal 250 can slant as shown. The ID of the seal 250 still partially contacts the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The radially inner lower edge 260 of the seal 250, which is rounded as described above with reference to FIG. 4B, contacts the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200 on which the seal 250 is arranged. The OD of the seal 250 does not contact the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. In some examples, the OD of the seal 250 may contact the ID of the edge ring 210. The bottom end of the seal 250 partially lies on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The top end of the seal 250 still does not extend to the ceramic plate 204. In some examples, the top end of the seal 250 may extend up to but not above the ceramic plate 204. The top end of the seal 250 is located well below the substrate 220.

[0076] In the displaced (e.g., slanted) position, the seal 250 further fills and narrows the gap g2 between the bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, in the slanted position, the seal 250 further blocks the line of sight of the plasma from the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. As a result, during substrate processing, in the displaced (e.g., slanted) position, the seal 250 further reduces the exposure of the TIM 212 to the plasma and further reduces the interaction between the TIM 212 and the plasma. As a result, the TIM 212 does not deteriorate, generate particles, and contaminate the substrate 220, which further reduces defects in the substrate 220.

[0077] FIGS. 5A-5C show a second example of a seal 252 according to the present disclosure. The seal 252 is also cylindrical but has an L-shaped cross-section. FIG. 5A shows the seal 252 arranged in the substrate support 200. FIG. 5B shows a cross- sectional view of the seal 252 showing additional details. FIG. 5C shows the displacement of the seal 252 due to thermal expansion of the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 caused by heat conducted by the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 during substrate processing.

[0078] In FIG. 5A, the seal 252 is disposed in the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. The seal 252 has an L- shaped cross-section shown in FIG. 5B. In FIG. 5B, theseal 252 comprises a cylindrical portion 254 that forms the vertical portion of the letter L and an annular portion 256 that forms the horizontal portion of the letter L. The cylindrical portion (i.e., the vertical portion) 254 is perpendicular to the annular portion (i.e., the horizontal portion) 256. The annular portion 256 extends radially outwards from a bottom end of the cylindrical portion 254 towards the bottom of the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. While the seal 252 is described as comprising the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256, the seal 252 is manufactured as an integral and unitary element. That is, the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256 are not two pieces that are joined together to form the seal 252. In the following description, an ID of the seal 252 is an ID of the cylindrical portion 254, and an OD of the seal 252 is an OD of the annular portion 256.

[0079] In FIG. 5A, the ID of the seal 252 contacts the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The OD of the seal 252 does not contact the edge ring 210. The OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may extend under the bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210. The OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may or may not contact the TIM 212. A bottom portion of the seal 252 (i.e., a bottom surface of the annular portion 256) lies on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. A top end of the seal 252 does not extend to the ceramic plate 204. In some examples, the top end of the seal 252 may extend up to but not above the ceramic plate 204. The top end of the seal 252 is located well below the substrate 220.

[0080] Accordingly, the seal 252 is arranged on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202 between the ID (i.e., the radially inner edge 215) of the stepped portion 214 and IDs of each of the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. The ID of the seal 252 (i.e., the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252) is slightly greater than (i.e., greater than or equal to) the ID of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. In some examples, the OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may be less than the IDs of each of the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. The OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) does not contact the edge ring 210 and the TIM 212. In some examples, the OD of the of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may be greater than or equal to the ID of the edge ring 210. In some examples, the OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may be greater than the ID of the edge ring 210, and the OD of the annular portion 256 may extend under the edge ring 210. be less than or equal to the ID of the TIM 212.

[0081] In some examples, the ID of the TIM 212 may be slightly greater than or equal to the ID of the edge ring 210. In some examples, the OD of the of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may be less than or equal to the ID of the TIM 212. The OD of the of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may or may not contact the ID of the TIM 212.

[0082] The cylindrical portion 254 is longer than the annular portion 256. In some examples, the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256 may be of equal length. A height of the cylindrical portion 254 is less than a height of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202. The cylindrical portion 254 is slightly thinner than the annular portion 256. In some examples, the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256 can be of the same thickness. In other examples, the cylindrical portion 254 may be thicker than the annular portion 256. A thickness of cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252 is less than a distance between the ID of the edge ring 210 and the ID of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202.

[0083] The seal 252 at least partially fills and narrows the gap g2 between the bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. Specifically, the seal 252 at least partially fills and narrows the gap g2 exists between the ID of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The seal 252 blocks the line of sight of the plasma from the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The seal 252 reduces the exposure of the TIM 212 to the plasma and reduces the interaction between the TIM 212 and the plasma. As a result, the TIM 212 does not deteriorate, generate particles, and contaminate the substrate 220, which reduces defects in the substrate 220.

[0084] FIG. 5B shows the cross-section of the seal 252 and shows the shape of the seal 252 in further detail. The general shape of the seal 252 is already described above with reference to FIG. 5A. The features additionally shown in FIG. 5B are as follows. An outer corner portion 262 of the seal 252 is formed at an intersection of the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256 and is rounded. Specifically, the outer corner portion 262 of the seal 252 formed by a lower end of the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 and a radially inner portion of a lower surface of the annular portion 256 is rounded. More specifically, the outer corner portion 262 is formed by a lower end of the radially inner surface of the cylindrical portion 254 and a radially inner end of the bottomsurface of the annular portion 256 and is rounded. The outer corner portion 262 of the seal 252 is rounded to match the shape of a corner region of the stepped portion 214.

[0085] Additionally, an inner corner portion 264 of the seal 252 where the cylindrical portion 254 and the annular portion 256 intersect is also rounded. Specifically, the inner corner portion 264 of the seal 252 formed by a lower end of the OD of the cylindrical portion 254 and a radially inner portion of an upper surface of the annular portion 256 is rounded. More specifically, the inner corner portion 264 is formed by a lower end of the radially outer surface of the cylindrical portion 254 and a radially inner end of the upper surface of the annular portion 256 and is rounded. Additionally, one or more of the remaining edges (e.g., corners at the top and bottom ends) of the seal 252 can also be rounded as shown.

[0086] In FIG. 5C, during substrate processing, when the edge ring 210 and the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200 expand due to heat, the seal 252 displaces within the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. For example, the seal 252 can slant as shown. The ID of the seal 252 still partially contacts the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The inner corner portion 264 of the seal 252, which is rounded as described above with reference to FIG. 5B, contacts the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200 on which the seal 252 is arranged. The bottom portion of the seal 252 (i.e., the bottom surface of the annular portion 256) partially lies on the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. The top end of the seal 252 does not extend to the ceramic plate 204. In some examples, the top end of the seal 252 may extend up to but not above the ceramic plate 204. The top end of the seal 252 is located well below the substrate 220. The OD of seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256) may or may not contact the ID of the edge ring 210.

[0087] In the displaced (e.g., slanted) position, the seal 252 further fills and narrows the gap g2 between the bottom inner portion of the edge ring 210 and the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, in the slanted position, the seal 252 further blocks the line of sight of the plasma from the lower surface 217 of the stepped portion 214 of the substrate support 200. As a result, during substrate processing, in the displaced (e.g., slanted) position, the seal 252 further reduces the exposure of the TIM 212 to the plasma and further reduces the interaction between the TIM 212 and the plasma. As a result, the TIM 212 does notdeteriorate, generate particles, and contaminate the substrate 220, which further reduces defects in the substrate 220.ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF SEALS

[0088] FIGS. 6A-9B show additional views of the seals 250, 252. As shown in these figures, the substrate support 200 comprises a notch 300 for aligning the substrate 220 (which also has a notch, not shown) with the substrate support 200 when the substrate 220 is arranged on the substrate support 200. In some examples, each of the seals 250 and 252 also comprises a corresponding notch that aligns with the notch 300 of the substrate support 200. In some examples, each of the seals 250 and 252 does not comprise a notch that aligns with the notch 300 of the substrate support 200.

[0089] FIGS. 6A-9B show the seals 250 and 252 with and without the notch that aligns with the notch on the on the substrate support 200. As mentioned in the description of FIG. 3, some of the features of the substrate support 200 are not shown in FIGS. 6A- 9B. For example, the edge ring 210 and the substrate 220 are not shown to illustrate the layouts of the seals 250, 252 relative to the TIM 212. These and other omitted features are presumed present in the substrate support 200 shown in FIGS. 6A-9B. Elements identified by reference numerals that are already described above with reference to FIGS. 3-5C are not described again for brevity.

[0090] FIG. 6A shows a top view of the substrate support 200 with the seal 250. The TIM 212 is arranged on the baseplate 202 as an annular band of the TIM material (e.g., PTFE), which is already described above. The OD of the seal 250 is less than the ID of the TIM 212. The substrate support 200 comprises the notch 300. The notch 300 is a small flat region along the circumference of the ceramic plate 204 and along the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200. The seal 250 comprises a notch 302 that aligns with the notch 300 of the substrate support 200.

[0091] FIG. 6B shows a partial detailed view of the notches 300 and 302. The notch 302 is also a small flat region along the circumference of the seal 250. Since the seal 250 is arranged on the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200, and since the OD of the ceramic plate 204 is slightly greater than the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202, the ID of the seal 250 is the same as the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 and is less than the OD of the ceramic plate 204 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, the ID of the seal 250 and the notch 302of the seal 250 lie radially outside the notch 300 of the substrate support 200. Other than the notch 302, all other features of the seal 250 are identical to those described above with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C.

[0092] FIG. 7A shows a top view of the substrate support 200 with the seal 252. The TIM 212 is arranged on the baseplate 202 as an annular band of the TIM material (e.g., PTFE), which is already described above. The OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256 of the seal 252) is less than the ID of the TIM 212. The substrate support 200 comprises the notch 300. The seal 252 comprises a notch 304 that aligns with the notch 300 of the substrate support 200.

[0093] FIG. 7B shows a partial detailed view of the notches 300 and 304. The notch 304 is also a small flat region along the circumference of the seal 252. Since the seal 252 is arranged on the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200, and since the OD of the ceramic plate 204 is slightly greater than the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202, the ID of the seal 252 (i.e., the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252) is the same as the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 and is less than the OD of the ceramic plate 204 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, the ID of the seal 252 (i.e., the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252) and the notch 304 of the seal 252 lie radially outside the notch 300 of the substrate support 200. Other than the notch 304, all other features of the seal 252 are identical to those described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. Due to the L- shape of the seal 252, the seal 252 appears radially wider in FIGS. 7A and 7B than the seal 250 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B.

[0094] FIG. 8A shows a top view of the substrate support 200 with the seal 250. The TIM 212 is arranged on the baseplate 202 as an annular band of the TIM material (e.g., PTFE), which is already described above. The OD of the seal 250 is less than the ID of the TIM 212. The substrate support 200 comprises the notch 300. The seal 250 does not comprise the notch 302.

[0095] FIG. 8B shows a partial detailed view of the seal 250 without the notch 300 and the substrate support with the notch 300. All the features of the seal 250 are identical to those described above with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C. Since the seal 250 is arranged on the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200, and since the OD of the ceramic plate 204 is slightly greater than the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202, the ID of the seal 250 is the same as thediameter of the radially inner edge 215 and is less than the OD of the ceramic plate 204 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, the ID of the seal 250 lies radially outside the notch 300 of the substrate support 200.

[0096] FIG. 9A shows a top view of the substrate support 200 with the seal 252. The TIM 212 is arranged on the baseplate 202 as an annular band of the TIM material (e.g., PTFE), which is already described above. The OD of the seal 252 (i.e., the OD of the annular portion 256 of the seal 252) is less than the ID of the TIM 212. The substrate support 200 comprises the notch 300. The seal 252 does not comprise the notch 304.

[0097] FIG. 9B shows a partial detailed view of the seal 252 without the notch 304 and the substrate support with the notch 300. All the features of the seal 252 are identical to those described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. Due to the L-shape of the seal 252, the seal 252 appears radially wider in FIGS. 9A and 9B than the seal 250 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Since the seal 252 is arranged on the baseplate 202 of the substrate support 200, and since the OD of the ceramic plate 204 is slightly greater than the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 of the stepped portion 214 of the baseplate 202, the ID of the seal 252 (i.e., the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252) is the same as the diameter of the radially inner edge 215 and is less than the OD of the ceramic plate 204 of the substrate support 200. Accordingly, the ID of the seal 252 (i.e., the ID of the cylindrical portion 254 of the seal 252) lies radially outside the notch 300 of the substrate support 200.

[0098] As described above, each of the seals 250, 252 can be disposed in the gap between the edge ring 210 and the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200. Each of the seals 250, 252 is suspended in the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200 in the gap between the edge ring 210 and the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200. The seals 250, 252 are not attached (fastened) to the substrate support 200. The seals 250, 252 block the line of sight between the plasma and the TIM 212 disposed between the edge ring 210 and the periphery of the substrate support 200 where the TIM 212 is posited under the edge ring 210. The seals 250, 252 prevent the plasma from reaching the TIM 212. The seals 250, 252 prevent the TIM 212 from deteriorating and causing contamination of the substrate 220 during processing. The seals 250, 252 are made of a material (e.g., Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE) that is chemically and thermally resistant to the chemistry and heat of the plasma. Accordingly,the seals 250, 252 do not degrade due to exposure to the plasma and do not cause contamination of the substrate 220 during processing.

[0099] As described above in detail, each of the seals 250, 252 can be of different designs and shapes. At high temperatures, the performance of the seals 250, 252 improves rather than degrading. Specifically, since the seals 250, 252 are not attached (fastened) to the substrate support 200, the gap between the edge ring 210 and the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200 is filled and narrowed further due to the displacement of the seals 250, 252 within the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200 when thermal expansion of the edge ring 210 and the substrate support 200 occurs. The seals 250, 252 displace (e.g., slant) in a manner that further narrows the gap between the edge ring 210 and the stepped region 214 of the substrate support 200. Consequently, the seals 250, 252 further block the plasma from reaching the TIM 212 disposed between the edge ring 210 and the periphery of the substrate support 200 at high temperatures. Since neither the seals 250, 252 nor the TIM 212 deteriorates, the substrate 220 is not contaminated and defects due to deterioration of the TIM 212 are prevented by the seals 250, 252.

[0100] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.

[0101] It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be executed in different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of the examples is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any one of the examples of the disclosure can be implemented in and / or combined with features of any of the other examples, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described examples are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more examples with one another remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0102] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example, between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,” “coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of,”“above,” “below,” and “disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when a relationship between first and second elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intervening elements are present between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or more intervening elements are present (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0103] In some implementations, a controller is part of a system, which may be part of the above-described examples. Such systems can comprise semiconductor processing equipment, including a processing tool or tools, chamber or chambers, a platform or platforms for processing, and / or specific processing components (a wafer pedestal, a gas flow system, etc.). These systems may be integrated with electronics for controlling their operation before, during, and after processing of a semiconductor wafer or substrate.

[0104] The electronics may be referred to as the “controller,” which may control various components or subparts of the system or systems. The controller, depending on the processing requirements and / or the type of system, may be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, including the delivery of processing gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and / or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid delivery settings, positional and operation settings, wafer transfers into and out of a tool and other transfer tools and / or load locks connected to or interfaced with a specific system.

[0105] Broadly speaking, the controller may be defined as electronics having various integrated circuits, logic, non-transitory memory, and / or software that receive instructions, issue instructions, control operation, enable cleaning operations, enable endpoint measurements, and the like. The integrated circuits may include chips in the form of firmware that store program instructions, digital signal processors (DSPs), chips defined as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and / or one or more microprocessors, or microcontrollers that execute program instructions (e.g., software).

[0106] Program instructions may be instructions communicated to the controller in the form of various individual settings (or program files), defining operational parameters for carrying out a particular process on or for a semiconductor wafer or to a system. The operational parameters may, in some examples, be part of a recipe defined by process engineers to accomplish one or more processing steps during the fabrication of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and / or dies of a wafer.

[0107] The controller, in some implementations, may be a part of or coupled to a computer that is integrated with the system, coupled to the system, otherwise networked to the system, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller may be in the “cloud” or all or a part of a fab host computer system, which can allow for remote access of the wafer processing. The computer may enable remote access to the system to monitor current progress of fabrication operations, examine a history of past fabrication operations, examine trends or performance metrics from a plurality of fabrication operations, to change parameters of current processing, to set processing steps to follow a current processing, or to start a new process.

[0108] In some examples, a remote computer (e.g., a server) can provide process recipes to a system over a network, which may include a local network or the Internet. The remote computer may include a user interface that enables entry or programming of parameters and / or settings, which are then communicated to the system from the remote computer. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data, which specify parameters for each of the processing steps to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of process to be performed and the type of tool that the controller is configured to interface with or control.

[0109] Thus, as described above, the controller may be distributed, such as by comprising one or more discrete controllers that are networked together and working towards a common purpose, such as the processes and controls described herein. An example of a distributed controller for such purposes would be one or more integrated circuits on a chamber in communication with one or more integrated circuits located remotely (such as at the platform level or as part of a remote computer) that combine to control a process on the chamber.

[0110] Without limitation, example systems may include a plasma etch chamber or module, a deposition chamber or module, a spin-rinse chamber or module, a metal plating chamber or module, a clean chamber or module, a bevel edge etch chamber or module, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber or module, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or module, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber or module, an atomic layer etch (ALE) chamber or module, an ion implantation chamber or module, a track chamber or module, and any other semiconductor processing systems that may be associated or used in the fabrication and / or manufacturing of semiconductor wafers.

[0111] As noted above, depending on the process step or steps to be performed by the tool, the controller might communicate with one or more of other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, cluster tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools located throughout a factory, a main computer, another controller, or tools used in material transport that bring containers of wafers to and from tool locations and / or load ports in a semiconductor manufacturing factory.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:1 . A substrate support comprising: a baseplate comprising a recessed portion; an edge ring arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate; a thermal interface material arranged on the recessed portion of the baseplate between the edge ring and the baseplate; and a seal arranged in the recessed portion of the baseplate along a radially inner edge of recessed portion of the baseplate.

2. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is cylindrical.

3. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is L-shaped and wherein the seal comprises a vertical portion that is cylindrical and comprises a horizontal portion that extends radially outwards from a lower end of the vertical portion.

4. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein the seal is a unitary component.

5. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is cylindrical and wherein: an inner diameter of the seal is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate; and an outer diameter of the seal is less than or equal to inner diameters of each of the edge ring and the thermal interface material.

6. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is cylindrical and wherein: a height of the seal is less than or equal to a height of the recessed portion of the baseplate; and a thickness of the seal is less than or equal to a distance between an inner diameter of the edge ring and an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate.

7. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein: an inner diameter of the vertical portion is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate; andan outer diameter of the horizontal portion is less than or equal to inner diameters of each of the edge ring and the thermal interface material.

8. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein: an inner diameter of the vertical portion is greater than or equal to an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate; and an outer diameter of the horizontal portion is greater than an inner diameter of the edge ring and is less than or equal to an inner diameter of the thermal interface material.

9. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein the horizontal portion extends under the edge ring towards the thermal interface material.

10. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein: a height of the vertical portion of the seal is less than or equal to a height of the recessed portion of the baseplate; and a thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is less than a distance between an inner diameter of the edge ring and an inner diameter of the recessed portion of the baseplate.11 . The substrate support of claim 3 wherein a thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is less than or equal to a thickness of the horizontal portion of the seal.

12. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein a thickness of the vertical portion of the seal is greater than or equal to a thickness of the horizontal portion of the seal.

13. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein a length of the vertical portion of the seal is greater than or equal to a length of the horizontal portion of the seal.

14. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is cylindrical and wherein a radially inner edge of a lower end of the seal is rounded.

15. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein the seal is cylindrical and wherein edges of the seal are rounded.

16. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein a corner formed by a lower portion of an inner diameter of the vertical portion and a radially inner portion of a lower surface of the horizontal portion is rounded.

17. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein a corner formed by a lower portion of an outer diameter of the vertical portion and a radially inner portion of an upper surface of the horizontal portion is rounded.

18. The substrate support of claim 3 wherein edges of the seal are rounded.

19. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein: an upper surface of the substrate support comprises a notch; and the seal comprises a notch that lies radially outside the notch on the upper surface of the substrate support.

20. The substrate support of claim 1 wherein: an upper surface of the substrate support comprises a notch; and the seal does not comprise a notch that lies radially outside the notch on the upper surface of the substrate support.

Images