Semiconductor Component Coating with Movable Magnetrons for Uniform Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor equipment components face significant wear and chemical attack due to plasma exposure, leading to particle contamination and component degradation, particularly in electrostatic chucks, which are costly and require thick, porous coatings for protection.
Innovation Solution
A coating apparatus and method using movable magnetrons with adjustable orientation and movement relative to the component, employing Bi-polar pulses and reactive sputtering to apply dense, uniform coatings of oxides, nitrides, and fluorides on components like liners and electrostatic chucks, enhancing protection against wear and chemical attack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal spraying or aerosol spraying methods are used to apply Y2O3 or YOF coatings, then protection against chemical attack is improved, but the coating thickness must be increased to compensate for porosity, leading to greater material consumption and coating time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the deposition method from thermal/aerosol spraying to reactive sputtering, fundamentally altering the coating formation parameters. This results in dense, non-porous coatings with superior chemical resistance at reduced thickness levels, directly resolving the contradiction between protection reliability and material consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical thermal spraying process with a plasma-based reactive sputtering process. This substitution enables atomic-level control of coating density and composition, producing chemically resistant coatings without the porosity inherent in thermally sprayed coatings, thus reducing required coating thickness
2Ease of manufacture
If stationary magnetrons are used for coating, then the coating process is simpler, but uniform coating thickness distribution is difficult to achieve on surfaces with complex geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic motion to the magnetrons, allowing them to move relative to the component holder during coating. This dynamic positioning enables uniform coating distribution across complex surfaces while maintaining process simplicity, as the motion is automatically controlled without complex manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The movable magnetron system provides universal coating capability for various component geometries and configurations. The same apparatus can coat different surface types by adjusting magnetron position and orientation, eliminating the need for multiple specialized coating systems while maintaining uniformity
3Strength
If thick porous coatings are applied to protect electrostatic chucks, then wear protection is improved, but the coating time and material consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the coating deposition parameters by using reactive sputtering instead of thermal spraying, producing dense hard ceramic coatings with superior wear resistance. This enables achievement of required wear protection at much reduced thickness levels, significantly decreasing coating time and material consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite coating formulations including hard ceramic materials such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and titanium nitride. These composite ceramic coatings provide enhanced wear resistance at reduced thickness, eliminating the need for thick porous protective layers
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 provides a uniform and efficient application of protective coatings, improving the durability of semiconductor equipment components and reducing contamination, thereby extending their lifespan and maintaining manufacturing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a first magnetron and a second magnetron are disposed within the chamber for supplying a coating material to a surface of the component
Implementation Method 2
employing Bi-polar pulses and reactive sputtering to apply dense, uniform coatings
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for coating a component. The apparatus includes a chamber. A first magnetron and a second magnetron are disposed within the chamber for supplying a coating material to a surface of the component. A component holder is disposed within the chamber and is configured to hold the component. The first magnetron and the second magnetron are configured to be positioned and oriented adjacent the surface of the component held by the component holder and the first and second magnetrons are configured to move with respect to the component holder or the component holder is configured to move with respect to the first and second magnetrons during coating of the component.