Flip-able Inner Ring Assembly for Semiconductor Chamber Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional quartz rings in semiconductor processing chambers have a short service life due to erosion from etching gases and fluids, often requiring replacement after each wet clean, leading to wastage of expensive material.
Innovation Solution
A ring assembly comprising two distinct pieces, an inner and an outer ring body, designed to maintain a single sectional profile when nested, allowing the inner ring body to be flipped and reused until both sides are eroded, thereby extending the service life and reducing material wastage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional single-piece quartz ring is used in the etching chamber, then the ring can protect the substrate support from erosion, but the ring itself erodes quickly and requires frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The ring is divided into two separate pieces: an inner ring that contacts the substrate support and an outer ring that protects the inner ring. The inner ring can be flipped over to use the opposite surface when one surface erodes, effectively doubling its service life. The outer ring protects the inner ring from direct plasma exposure while allowing the inner ring to be reused.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the inner ring body is made flipable with a second usable surface, then the service life is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner ring body is nested within the outer ring body, with the inner ring fitting inside the outer ring's cavity. This nested configuration allows the inner ring to be flipped and reused while protected by the outer ring, extending service life without requiring a completely complex redesign. The nesting provides structural support while enabling the flipping mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention generally relates to a ring assembly that may be used in an etching or other plasma processing chamber. The ring assembly generally includes an inner ring body having a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface, and an outer ring body having a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and an inside surface that extends between the top surface and the bottom surface, the inside surface having a roof covering a portion of the inner ring body when the inner ring body is disposed adjacent the roof, wherein the inner ring body can be flipped into a different position so that a portion of the inner ring body that is not covered by the roof provides a substantially planar surface.