Ceramic Substrate Pedestal With Backside Gas Tube for High-Temperature PECVD
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in handling high-temperature processes due to the limitations of metal materials, which can lead to contamination and inefficiencies in gas delivery and temperature control during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
Innovation Solution
The use of a ceramic substrate pedestal module with a backside gas tube for supplying backside gases and a ceramic platen to support the substrate, integrated with a diffusion-bonded structure for high-temperature processing, ensuring efficient gas delivery and temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If metal materials are used in substrate processing apparatus, then ease of manufacture is improved, but contamination occurs and gas delivery efficiency deteriorates at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate pedestal module employs a composite structure combining ceramic materials (platen and stem) with metal components (flanges and gas delivery tubes). The ceramic platen and stem provide contamination-free, high-temperature stable surfaces for substrate processing, while metal flanges and gas tubes maintain structural integrity and ease of manufacture. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by using materials optimized for their specific functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate pedestal module use different materials optimized for local requirements: ceramic materials are used where contamination resistance and thermal stability are critical (platen surface, stem interior), while metal materials are used where mechanical strength and manufacturability are prioritized (flanges, external gas delivery tubes). This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and contamination resistance.
2Ease of manufacture
If metal materials are used in substrate processing apparatus, then ease of manufacture is improved, but gas delivery efficiency worsens at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The gas delivery system uses a hybrid architecture where metal gas tubes connect to ceramic platen passages. The ceramic platen passages provide stable, contamination-free gas flow paths at high temperatures, while metal tubes maintain structural flexibility and ease of connection. This composite gas delivery system resolves the contradiction by combining the thermal stability of ceramics with the manufacturability of metals.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic stem acts as an intermediary component connecting the metal gas delivery tubes to the ceramic platen. It provides a stable thermal and chemical environment for gas flow, mediating between the metal tube interface and the ceramic platen passages. This intermediary structure ensures efficient gas delivery while maintaining compatibility between different material components.
3Temperature
If ceramic materials are used for platen and stem, then temperature control and contamination prevention are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic platen and stem are designed as an integrated, monolithic structure that combines multiple functions: substrate support, gas distribution, thermal management, and electrical isolation. This merging of functions into a single ceramic component reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies assembly, offsetting the increased material complexity with structural integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic platen serves multiple functions simultaneously: it supports the substrate, distributes process gas through integrated passages, provides thermal stability for temperature control, and acts as an electrical insulator. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby simplifying the overall device structure despite using advanced ceramic materials.
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 ceramic substrate pedestal module effectively supports high-temperature processing, preventing contamination and enhancing gas delivery efficiency, thereby improving the performance of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition processes.
Implementation Method 1
the backside gas tube is in fluid communication with at least one backside gas passage of the platen
Implementation Method 2
integrated with a diffusion-bonded structure for high-temperature processing
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen made of ceramic material having an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor substrate thereon during processing, a stem made of ceramic material having an upper stem flange that supports the platen, and a backside gas tube made of ceramic material that is located in an interior of the stem. The backside gas tube includes an upper gas tube flange that is located between a lower surface of the platen and an upper surface of the upper stem flange wherein the backside gas tube is in fluid communication with at least one backside gas passage of the platen and the backside gas tube is configured to supply a backside gas to a region below a lower surface of a semiconductor substrate that is to be supported on the upper surface of the platen during processing.