Patent US3134216A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5846332A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5846332A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thermally floating pedestal collar in a chemical vapor deposition chamber
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1996-07-12
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Granted: 1998-12-08
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Expires: 2016-07-12
Abstract
Abstract A substrate processing chamber, particularly a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber used both for thermal deposition of a conductive material and a subsequently performed plasma process. The invention reduces thermal deposition of the conductive material on peripheral portions of the pedestal supporting a wafer and in a pumping channel exhausting the chamber. A peripheral ring placed on the pedestal, preferably also used to center the wafer, is thermally isolated from the pedestal so that its temperature is kept substantially lower than that of the wafer. Despite its thermal isolation, the peripheral ring is electrically connected to the pedestal to prevent arcing. The pumping channel is lined with various elements, some of which are electrically floating and which are designed so that conductive material deposited on these elements do not deleteriously affect a plasma generated for processing the wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 Jun Zhao
- 👤 Ashok Sinha
- 👤 Avi Tepman
- 👤 Mei Chang
- 👤 Lee Luo
- 👤 Alex Schreiber
- 👤 Talex Sajoto
- 👤 Stefan Wolff
- 👤 Charles Dornfest
- 👤 Michal Danek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:25
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45502; C23C16/45508; C23C16/4411; C23C16/4412; C23C16/458; C23C16/4582; C23C16/4583; C23C16/4585; C23C16/46; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509; C23C16/5096; C23C16/54; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3244; H01J37/32458; H01J37/32477; H01J37/32798; H01J37/32816; H01J37/32834; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7611; H10P72/7624; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/20; H01J2237/2001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting on a generally planar surface thereof a substrate to be processed; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; and a peripheral member supported on said pedestal on a side thereof including said planar surface, separated from said pedestal by a space, and thermally floating from said pedestal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting on a generally planar surface thereof a substrate to be processed; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; and a peripheral member supported on said pedestal on a side thereof including said planar surface, separated from said pedestal by a space, and thermally floating from said pedestal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The reactor of claim 1, wherein said peripheral member is supported on said pedestal by a number of point contacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The reactor of claim 2, wherein said number is three.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The reactor of claim 2, wherein said point contacts comprise pins fixed in said pedestal and floatingly supporting said peripheral member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The reactor claim 4, wherein said pins provide point contacts between said pedestal and said peripheral member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The reactor of claim 4, wherein said pins comprise a ceramic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The reactor of claim 4, wherein said pins comprise a stainless steel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The reactor of claim 1, wherein said peripheral member is supported in a peripheral recess in said pedestal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The reactor of claim 1, further comprising at least one insulating member disposed between said peripheral member and said pedestal and having respective gaps formed between said insulating member and said peripheral member and between said insulating member and said pedestal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The reactor of claim 9, comprising at least two of said insulating members having gaps formed between them and between a topmost of them and said peripheral.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The reactor of claim 1, wherein said peripheral member includes centering bosses for centering said substrate on said pedestal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting on a generally planar surface thereof a substrate to be processed and additionally including pins fixed to said pedestal; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; and a peripheral member supported on said pedestal, thermally floating from said pedestal peripheral member, and including radial grooves formed on a bottom thereof for loosely fittingly receiving said pins.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
83 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting on a generally planar surface thereof a substrate to be processed and additionally including pins fixed to said pedestal; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; and a peripheral member supported on said pedestal, thermally floating from said pedestal peripheral member, and including radial grooves formed on a bottom thereof for loosely fittingly receiving said pins.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting a substrate to be processed; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; a peripheral member supported on said pedestal and thermally floating from said pedestal; and an electrical connector between said peripheral member and said pedestal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including therein a pedestal for supporting a substrate to be processed; a source of gas disposed over said pedestal; an exhaust vent disposed around said pedestal on sides of said chamber; a peripheral member supported on said pedestal and thermally floating from said pedestal; and an electrical connector between said peripheral member and said pedestal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The reactor of claim 13, wherein said electrical connector does not significantly support said peripheral member on said pedestal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The reactor of claim 14, further comprising a fastener detachably connecting a bottom of said electrical connector to said pedestal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The reactor of claim 15, wherein said fastener is disposed in an axial groove in said pedestal so as to maintain a nominal perimeter outline of said pedestal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The reactor of claim 13, wherein said pedestal on a substantially planar surface thereof supports said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The reactor of claim 17, wherein said peripheral member is supported on said pedestal on a side thereof including said planar surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
82 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including an inlet and an outlet for a processing gas; a pedestal disposed in said chamber for supporting on a top thereof a substrate to be processed, said pedestal including a peripheral recess; a peripheral member; and support pins supported on said pedestal and supporting said peripheral member in said recess; wherein said supported peripheral member has a top surface that is substantially even with a top of said substrate supported on said pedestal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a reaction chamber including an inlet and an outlet for a processing gas; a pedestal disposed in said chamber for supporting on a top thereof a substrate to be processed, said pedestal including a peripheral recess; a peripheral member; and support pins supported on said pedestal and supporting said peripheral member in said recess; wherein said supported peripheral member has a top surface that is substantially even with a top of said substrate supported on said pedestal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The substrate processing reactor of claim 19, wherein said support pins provide a three-point support for said peripheral member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The substrate processing reactor of claim 19, wherein said peripheral member a radially inwardly extending ledge above which said supported substrate is disposed; and a plurality of centering bosses extending over said ledge for centering said substrate on said pedestal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The substrate processing reactor of claim 19, further comprising at least one insulating annular member fixed to a bottom of said peripheral member and having a gap formed between said insulating member and said peripheral member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-07 | 2002-06-08 | 2002-12-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-07 | 2006-06-08 | 2006-12-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-07 | 2010-06-08 | 2010-12-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |