Plasma Ring Support Structure for Precise Annular Member Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma processing apparatuses face challenges in accurately positioning annular members due to mechanical differences and thermal expansion, leading to potential misalignment and damage during replacement, which affects processing precision.
Innovation Solution
A plasma processing apparatus with a substrate support design featuring an insulating ring and conductive ring configuration, including through holes and grooves, along with lift pins and actuators, ensures precise positioning and handling of ring assemblies by enhancing transfer precision and minimizing mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional substrate support design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but positioning precision of annular members deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support is segmented into multiple functional layers: insulating ring, conductive ring, and lift pin assembly. Each component has specific positioning features (through holes, grooves, protrusions) that work together to achieve precise annular member positioning while maintaining manageable manufacturing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift pins act as intermediaries between the substrate support structure and the annular members. They provide controlled contact points that facilitate precise positioning and transfer of annular members without requiring direct complex mechanical interfaces between the support structure and the members.
2Reliability
If mechanical differences and thermal expansion are not compensated, then device structure is simpler, but reliability of annular member positioning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The design incorporates parameters that accommodate thermal expansion and mechanical variations, such as the flaring shape of lower hole portions and the specific dimensional relationships between through holes, grooves, and protrusions. These parameter variations allow the structure to maintain positioning accuracy under thermal and mechanical stress without complex active compensation mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If through holes and grooves are made larger, then ease of assembly improves, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning features exhibit local quality variations: through holes have different dimensions in radial versus circumferential directions, grooves have specific width variations, and protrusions have tailored geometries. These localized dimensional characteristics provide both the precision needed for accurate positioning and the tolerance necessary for ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning features utilize asymmetric geometries, such as the flaring shape of lower hole portions and the specific dimensional relationships between corresponding features of different components. This asymmetry provides directional guidance during assembly while maintaining precise final positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
There is a plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support having a ring supporting surface; an insulating ring disposed on the ring supporting surface, the insulating ring having at least three through holes, each of the through holes having upper and lower hole portions, the lower hole portion having a flaring shape; a conductive ring supported by the insulating ring, the conductive ring having at least three grooves on a lower surface, the grooves corresponding to the through holes; at least three lift pins disposed below the ring supporting surface, the lift pins corresponding to the grooves, each of the lift pins having upper and lower supporting portions, the upper supporting portion being configured to support the conductive ring, the lower supporting portion configured to support the insulating ring; and at least one actuator configured to vertically move the pins.