Ceramic Insulator Placement for Plasma Chamber Shadow Frame Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large area plasma processing chambers with multi-piece components face thermal expansion issues, leading to gaps that can cause arcing due to potential differences between electrically conductive materials, which existing technologies fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating ceramic inserts on metallic substrate supports to insulate gaps between adjacent pieces of the shadow frame, ensuring that these gaps are over electrically insulating material rather than conductive material, thereby preventing or reducing arcing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple pieces are used to fabricate chamber components, then ease of manufacture is improved, but arcing occurs between pieces due to gaps created for thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
A ceramic insulator is introduced as an intermediary component between the shadow frame and the substrate support. This ceramic material fills the gap created by thermal expansion and provides electrical insulation, preventing arcing while allowing the metallic components to expand and contract freely.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution employs a composite structure combining metallic components (shadow frame and substrate support) with a ceramic insulator. The ceramic material provides electrical insulation and thermal stability, while the metallic parts provide structural strength and conductivity, creating a multi-material assembly that addresses both manufacturing ease and arcing prevention.
2Stability of the object's composition
If gaps are created between adjacent pieces, then thermal expansion is accommodated, but arcing occurs due to potential differences between conductive materials
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic insulator serves as a mediator that fills the gap between shadow frame pieces. It maintains the physical separation needed for thermal expansion while providing electrical insulation to prevent arcing across the gap during plasma processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic insulator is strategically positioned only at specific locations where gaps occur between shadow frame pieces. This localized application provides electrical insulation precisely where needed without requiring complete insulation of the entire shadow frame structure.
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 use of ceramic inserts effectively reduces or eliminates arcing between the substrate support and the shadow frame, allowing for predictable processing conditions and efficient handling of large area substrates by maintaining electrical isolation across the gaps.
Implementation Method 1
Ceramic inserts are positioned on the substrate support so that when a shadow frame is positioned adjacent thereto, the ceramic inserts are located adjacent the gaps in the shadow frame. The ceramic inserts adjacent the gap prevent and/or reduce the arcing because the gaps are located over electrically insulating material rather than electrically conductive material.
Implementation Method 2
Each piece may expand and contract due to thermal expansion issues. Therefore, the multiple pieces may be spaced slightly apart to create a gap between adjacent pieces.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention generally relates to substrate supports for use in a plasma processing chamber. The substrate supports, which are metallic, have ceramic inserts to prevent arcing between the substrate support and the shadow frame used to protect the edges of the substrate support during processing. In large area substrate processing chambers, the shadow frame may comprise multiple pieces. The individual pieces may be coupled together, but spaced slightly apart by a gap to permit thermal expansion. Ceramic inserts are positioned on the substrate support so that when a shadow frame is positioned adjacent thereto, the ceramic inserts are located adjacent the gaps in the shadow frame. The ceramic inserts adjacent the gap prevent and/or reduce the arcing because the gaps are located over electrically insulating material rather than electrically conductive material.