ALD-Coated Ceramic Powder Sintering for Corrosion-Resistant Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing semiconductor chamber components face challenges in maintaining corrosion resistance and component integrity due to degradation from plasma exposure, leading to reduced operational lifespan and increased maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving atomic layer deposition to remove passivation layers from powder grains, followed by sintering coated powders with corrosion-resistant coatings, enhances adhesion and distribution, resulting in improved thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties suitable for plasma processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a top coating is provided to protect the underlying component from corrosion, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the coating eventually exhausts and requires replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a corrosion-resistant coating on the powder particles before sintering. This pre-coating ensures that the protective layer is already in place during component formation, and the coating becomes an integral part of the sintered structure, preventing the exhaustion problem of post-application coatings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the core powder particle with a corrosion-resistant coating layer to form a coated powder. This composite structure integrates the protective coating as an inherent part of the material, ensuring long-lasting corrosion resistance throughout the service life of the sintered component.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional sintering methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adhesion and distribution of coating materials are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the sintering process parameters (temperature, atmosphere, time) to optimize the bonding of coated powders. These parameter adjustments enhance coating adhesion and material distribution without fundamentally changing the conventional sintering approach, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces high-quality, corrosion-resistant semiconductor chamber components with extended lifespan and reduced maintenance intervals, exhibiting enhanced thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties under semiconductor processing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a method involving atomic layer deposition to remove passivation layers from powder grains
Implementation Method 2
followed by sintering coated powders with corrosion-resistant coatings
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods of forming a sintered semiconductor chamber component may include applying a binder solution and a ceramic-containing powder having a corrosion-resistant coating to a print bed to form a body of a semiconductor component. The methods may include sintering the body of the semiconductor component to form the semiconductor component from the ceramic-containing powder having the corrosion-resistant coating.