YAG–Spinel Multilayer Ceramic for Plasma Chamber Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor plasma processing chamber components face issues with corrosion, erosion, and contamination due to harsh plasma environments, leading to wafer-level contamination and yield loss, while current corrosion-resistant coatings and laminates suffer from poor adhesion, delamination, and limited thickness, making them prone to cracking and spalling.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer sintered ceramic body comprising a polycrystalline YAG layer with controlled porosity and a magnesium aluminate spinel layer, having differing thermal expansion coefficients, is produced through precise sintering and calcination, ensuring high adhesion, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength, suitable for large dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vapor deposition methods are used to deposit corrosion resistant films on substrates, then corrosion resistance is improved, but film thickness is limited to relatively thin layers due to internal film stresses and holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the deposition parameters by using sintering technology instead of vapor deposition, operating at temperatures between 900-1200°C to achieve dense, thick films without the internal stresses and holes that limit vapor deposition thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite multilayer structures combining different ceramic materials (e.g., YAG, alumina, silica) with complementary properties to achieve both corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, allowing thicker films without the limitations of single-layer vapor deposited coatings
2Reliability
If aerosol or plasma spray techniques are used to make corrosion resistant coatings, then corrosion resistance is improved, but porosity increases to 3-50% and interfacial adhesion becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the coating application parameters by using sintering instead of aerosol or plasma spray, operating at controlled temperatures to achieve dense structures with <1% porosity and strong interfacial adhesion, eliminating the porosity and adhesion problems of spray techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary surface preparation and uses intermediate layers with matching thermal expansion coefficients to ensure strong adhesion before depositing the final corrosion resistant layer, preventing the flaking and exfoliation that occurs with spray methods
3Reliability
If highly pure starting powders are used and manufacturing processes retain initial purity, then dielectric loss is reduced to meet low loss requirements, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes sintering parameters (temperature, time, atmosphere) to achieve high purity and low dielectric loss without requiring overly complex manufacturing processes, using controlled atmosphere sintering that maintains purity while being manufacturable
4Reliability
If chamber components are made from materials providing corrosion and erosion resistance, then resistance to plasma attack is improved, but components continuously corrode, erode or accumulate contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multilayer composite structures where each layer provides specific functions: inner layers provide mechanical strength and thermal stability, outer layers provide corrosion resistance, creating a system that outperforms single-material components in harsh plasma environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the composition and microstructure of the ceramic layers through controlled sintering to achieve optimal resistance to plasma attack, reducing contamination and extending component service life in semiconductor processing chambers
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 multilayer ceramic body provides improved plasma resistance, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity, reducing contamination and enhancing the durability of semiconductor processing chamber components.
Implementation Method 1
A multilayer sintered ceramic body comprising a polycrystalline YAG layer with controlled porosity and a magnesium aluminate spinel layer, having differing thermal expansion coefficients, is produced through precise sintering and calcination
Implementation Method 2
a magnesium aluminate spinel layer, having differing thermal expansion coefficients
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a multilayer sintered ceramic body comprising at least one first layer comprising polycrystalline YAG, wherein the at least one first layer has at least one surface; and at least one second layer comprising magnesium aluminate spinel, wherein the at least one surface of the at least one first layer comprises pores wherein the pores have a maximum size of from 0.1 to 5 pm as measured by SEM, and wherein each of the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion (GTE), wherein the GTE of the at least one first layer and the GTE of the at least one second layer differ from 0 to 0.6×10−6/° C. Methods of making are also disclosed.