Composite Dielectric Chuck Materials for Fluorine-Resistant High Heat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dielectric ceramic components used in semiconductor processing chambers, such as electrostatic chucks and heaters, degrade due to low chemical resistance to fluorination and cracking/delamination, limiting their temperature tolerance to 700°C and increasing manufacturing downtime.
Innovation Solution
A substrate support with a ceramic composition comprising a top layer of binary or ternary metal oxides and a lower layer of nitride, carbide, or oxide, embedded with a mesh and heating elements, providing enhanced chemical resistance and temperature tolerance up to 950°C.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If aluminum nitride dielectrics are used for high temperature wafer chucking, then temperature tolerance is improved, but chemical resistance to fluorination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining aluminum nitride with other ceramic materials (such as aluminum oxide, magnesium aluminate spinel, or rare earth aluminates) to create a composite dielectric material. This composite structure provides both the high temperature tolerance of aluminum nitride and the chemical resistance of the other ceramic components, specifically resisting fluorination during plasma processing. The composite nature allows the material to withstand temperatures above 700°C while maintaining chemical stability in fluorine-containing plasma environments.
2Reliability
If fluorine resistant coating is applied to ceramic components, then chemical resistance is improved, but coating integrity deteriorates due to cracking and delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluorine resistance function from a separate coating layer and integrates it directly into the bulk dielectric material through composite formulation. Instead of applying a separate coating that cracks and delaminates, the fluorine-resistant ceramic components are incorporated into the dielectric material itself, creating inherent resistance without requiring a surface coating. This eliminates the coating integrity issues while maintaining chemical resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials to achieve fluorine resistance within the bulk dielectric material. By incorporating ceramic components with high fluorine resistance (such as rare earth aluminates or magnesium aluminate spinel) into the aluminum nitride matrix, the material gains intrinsic chemical resistance without requiring a separate coating layer, thereby avoiding cracking and delamination problems.
3Reliability
If doped aluminum nitride is used to prevent degradation, then chemical resistance is improved, but temperature tolerance remains limited to 700°C
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of aluminum nitride combined with other ceramic materials that have both high temperature stability and chemical resistance. The composite structure allows the material to exceed 700°C temperature limits while maintaining chemical resistance, as the other ceramic components (such as rare earth aluminates or magnesium aluminate spinel) provide thermal stability and fluorine resistance simultaneously.
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 solution enhances the longevity and chemical compatibility of ceramic components, allowing for high-temperature chemical vapor deposition processes while maintaining controllable resistivity and preventing fluorine-induced degradation.
Implementation Method 1
one or more heating elements are disposed below the mesh proximal to the support shaft
Implementation Method 2
One or more heating elements are disposed below the mesh proximal to the support shaft
Implementation Method 3
maintaining a substrate on the ceramic component via a clamping force
Implementation Method 4
inadequate electrical resistivity for maintaining a substrate on the ceramic component
Implementation Method 5
wafer processing or chamber cleaning techniques using CF4 or NF3 plasma processing techniques
Implementation Method 6
low chemical resistance of the material to fluorination
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally provides plasma processing chambers and methods thereof. The plasma processing chambers comprises a chamber body covered by a lid, the chamber body and the lid defining a chamber interior volume. A substrate support is disposed on a support shaft within the chamber interior volume. The substrate support includes a body having a top layer including a ceramic composition and a lower layer including a nitride, an oxide, or a carbide. A mesh is embedded in the lower layer. One or more heating elements are disposed below the mesh proximal to the support shaft.