US6364957B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Support assembly with thermal expansion compensation
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 2000-02-08
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Granted: 2002-04-02
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Expires: 2020-02-08
Abstract
Abstract A substrate support assembly 30 comprises a substrate support 38 and a collar 130 which may comprise at least one slit 150 . The slit allows for thermal expansion compensation in the support assembly 30 . The collar 130 may, for example, protect the dielectric 45 from erosion in a process chamber 25 . In one version, the collar 130 comprises a clamping ring 200 on the dielectric 45.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerhard M. Schneider
- 👤 Hamid Noorbakhsh
- 👤 Bryan Pu
- 👤 Kaushik Vaidya
- 👤 Brad Leroy Mays
- 👤 Hung Dao
- 👤 Evans Lee
- 👤 Hongging Shan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:10
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0432; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/458; C23C16/4582; C23C16/4583; C23C16/4585; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/20; H01J2237/2001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 59
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
A substrate support assembly comprising: a support comprising a substrate supporting surface and a collar abutting and at least partially around the support, the collar comprising a unitary structure having at least one slit, the slit being sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of the support assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
A substrate support assembly comprising: a support comprising a substrate supporting surface and a collar abutting and at least partially around the support, the collar comprising a unitary structure having at least one slit, the slit being sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of the support assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the slit comprises a radial or circular cut across a portion of the collar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the slit extends from an inner surface to an outer surface of the collar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises an electrode at least partially covered by a dielectric.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A support assembly according to claim 4 wherein the collar at least partially surrounds a layer of dielectric covering the electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A support assembly according to claim 4 wherein the collar is biased inwardly against the dielectric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A support assembly according to claim 4 wherein the collar comprises a surface that couples with a surface of the dielectric to reduce a gas flow between the dielectric and the collar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A support assembly according to claim 4 wherein the dielectric comprises a ceramic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the collar comprises dielectric material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A support assembly according to claim 9 wherein the dielectric material comprises a ceramic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the collar is adapted to direct energized gas toward a substrate on the support.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises an aluminum support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A substrate support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises a perimeter surface and the collar is adapted to clampingly engage the support about the perimeter surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A substrate support assembly according to claim 13 wherein the collar comprises an unexpanded inner diameter that is substantially the same as or less than an outer diameter of the support, and wherein the support is clampingly engaged upon expansion of the collar about the support.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
A substrate processing chamber comprising: a substrate support assembly comprising a support having a supporting surface, and a collar abutting and at least partially around the support, the collar comprising a unitary structure having a slit sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of the support assembly; a gas distributor; a gas energizer; and a gas exhaust, whereby a substrate received on the substrate support assembly may be processed by gas introduced through the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer and exhausted by the gas exhaust.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
A substrate processing chamber comprising: a substrate support assembly comprising a support having a supporting surface, and a collar abutting and at least partially around the support, the collar comprising a unitary structure having a slit sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of the support assembly; a gas distributor; a gas energizer; and a gas exhaust, whereby a substrate received on the substrate support assembly may be processed by gas introduced through the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer and exhausted by the gas exhaust.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the slit comprises a radial or circular cut across a portion of the collar.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the slit extends from an inner surface to an outer surface of the collar.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the collar is inwardly biased against the support.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the collar comprises dielectric material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the collar comprises a surface that couples with a surface of the support to reduce a gas flow between the support and the collar.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the collar is adapted to direct an energized gas toward a substrate on the support assembly.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 15 wherein the support comprises a dielectric at least partially covering an electrode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A substrate processing chamber according to claim 22 wherein the dielectric comprises a ceramic.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the support comprises a perimeter surface and the collar is adapted to clampingly engage the support about the perimeter surface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the collar comprises an unexpanded inner diameter that is substantially the same as or less than an outer diameter of the support, and wherein the support is clampingly engaged upon expansion of the collar about the support.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
55 words
A collar for a substrate support assembly, the collar comprising: a ring comprising a unitary structure adapted to abut and fit around a support having a supporting surface and a slit in the ring that is sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of at least one of the support or ring.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
55 words
A collar for a substrate support assembly, the collar comprising: a ring comprising a unitary structure adapted to abut and fit around a support having a supporting surface and a slit in the ring that is sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of at least one of the support or ring.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A collar according to claim 26 wherein the ring is adapted to fit around an electrostatic chuck.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
44 words
A collar according to claim 26 wherein an unexpanded inner diameter of the ring is substantially the same as or less than an outer diameter of the support, and wherein the ring clampingly engages the support upon expansion of the ring about the support.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A collar according to claim 25 wherein the slit comprises a radial or circular cut across at least a portion of the ring.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A collar according to claim 26 wherein the slit extends from an inner surface to an outer surface of the ring.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A collar according to claim 26 wherein the ring is adapted to clampingly engage the support about a perimeter surface of the support.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A collar according to claim 26 wherein the ring is adapted to be inwardly biased against the support.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
112 words
An apparatus comprising: a first split ring configured to abut and substantially surround a substrate support surface of a substrate support member, said split ring comprising a unitary structure having a slit that is sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of at least one of the substrate support member or split ring, and said split ring having an inner surface in substantially continuous contact with a perimeter surface of said substrate support member, wherein when said split ring is positioned adjacent to said substrate support member a top surface of said split ring is approximately an outward extension of the substrate support surface of said substrate support member.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
112 words
An apparatus comprising: a first split ring configured to abut and substantially surround a substrate support surface of a substrate support member, said split ring comprising a unitary structure having a slit that is sized sufficiently wide and shaped to accommodate a thermal expansion of at least one of the substrate support member or split ring, and said split ring having an inner surface in substantially continuous contact with a perimeter surface of said substrate support member, wherein when said split ring is positioned adjacent to said substrate support member a top surface of said split ring is approximately an outward extension of the substrate support surface of said substrate support member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring comprises a dielectric material.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring comprises silicon nitride.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 35 , wherein the substrate support member comprises aluminum.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring comprises aluminum nitride.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 37 , wherein the substrate support member comprises aluminum.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring comprises silicon carbide.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 39 , wherein the substrate support member comprises aluminum.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring comprises silicon.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 41 , wherein the substrate support member comprises aluminum.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said split ring is resistant to deterioration when exposed to plasma in a substrate vacuum processing chamber.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein a split gap in said split ring is approximately a linear gap cut at an angle other than 90 degrees to the plane of the ring.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein a cross section of said split ring is an L-shape where the vertical leg of the L-shape faces the center of the ring and the horizontal leg of the L-shape extends outward from the center of the ring at the bottom of the vertical leg of the L-shape.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 45 , wherein a collar ring is configured to be located on said horizontal leg of said L-shape.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , further comprising: a second split ring configured to substantially surround said first split ring, said second split ring having an inner surface in substantially continuous contact with a perimeter surface of said first split ring, wherein when said second split ring is positioned adjacent to said first split ring a top surface of said second split ring is approximately an outward extension of the substrate support member, wherein a gap of the split of said first split ring is offset from a gap of said second split ring.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein an outer top corner of said substrate support member is rounded and an inner surface of said split ring is configured to approximately follow said rounded corner of said substrate support member to provide a substantially continuous substrate support surface supporting said substrate, with a minimal gap between the two pieces along the curved interface.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said substrate support member includes an outer flat at one side of its approximately circular top perimeter, and the split ring includes an inner flat to mate with said outer flat.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein the substrate support member is electrically biased and said split ring is a dielectric.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim. 33 , wherein the substrate support member and said split ring are disposed in a plasma processing chamber, and said split ring surrounds an upper portion of said substrate support member which supports a substrate during processing; wherein said split ring is made of a material which is resistant to erosion when exposed to plasma.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said substrate support surface supports a substrate in a substrate processing chamber during processing.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the split ring is adapted to clampingly engage the support about the perimeter surface.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 53 wherein the split ring comprises an unexpanded inner diameter that is substantially the same as or less than an outer diameter of the substrate support member, and wherein the substrate support member is clampingly engaged upon expansion of the split ring about the substrate support member.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the split ring is adapted to be inwardly biased against the substrate support 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) | 2005-04-01 | 2005-10-01 | 2006-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-04-01 | 2009-10-01 | 2010-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-04-01 | 2013-10-01 | 2014-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |