Multi-piece Thermal Barrier Liner for Processing Chamber Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal barrier liners in processing chambers experience heat loss due to heat transfer between the chamber liner and the base ring, leading to longer heat ramp times and increased energy consumption during processing and cleaning, which decreases throughput and increases the cost of ownership.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece thermal barrier liner design with an inner and outer portion having minimal contact, featuring an air gap as a thermal barrier to reduce heat transfer, and specialized coating materials to enhance heat absorption and reflection, thereby optimizing thermal mass and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional thermal barrier liner is used, then the metallic walls are shielded from high temperatures, but heat is lost across the liner due to heat transfer to the cooler base ring, leading to longer heat ramp times and higher energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is divided into multiple segments (first liner segment, second liner segment, third liner segment) that are spaced apart from each other, creating gaps between segments. This segmentation reduces continuous heat transfer paths to the base ring while maintaining thermal barrier protection for the metallic walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The gaps between liner segments act as thermal intermediaries, interrupting direct heat conduction paths to the base ring. These gaps prevent efficient heat transfer while allowing the liner to maintain its primary function of protecting metallic walls from high temperatures.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the liner is made with sufficient thermal mass to maintain temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but heat ramp times increase due to the energy required to heat the liner itself
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the liner into multiple spaced-apart sections, the total thermal mass of the liner is reduced compared to a continuous liner of the same dimensions. This reduction in thermal mass decreases the energy required to heat the liner during ramp-up, while the segments still provide adequate temperature stability during processing through their individual thermal inertia.
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 multi-piece design with thermal barriers and coatings reduces heat losses, shortens heat ramp times, and decreases energy requirements, enhancing processing efficiency and reducing costs by maintaining higher temperatures within the chamber while minimizing thermal regulation needs.
Implementation Method 1
Heat is often lost across the liners, however, due to the heat transfer between the chamber liner inner surface and the much cooler base ring
Implementation Method 2
the first coating material has a higher absorption coefficient than the second coating material
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein relate to chamber liners with a multi-piece design for use in processing chambers. The multi-piece design can have an inner portion and an outer portion. A portion of the inner surface of the outer portion may be designed to be in contact with the outer surface of the inner portion at a single junction point, creating a thermal barrier between the inner portion and outer portion, thus reducing heat transfer from the inner portion and outer portion. The thermal barrier creates higher temperatures at the chamber liner inner surface and therefore leads to shorter heat up times within the chamber. Additionally, the thermal barrier also creates lower temperatures near the base ring and outer surface of the outer ring, thereby protecting the chamber walls and requiring less thermal regulation/dissipation at the chamber walls.