Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/32009—Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources
  • H01J37/32082—Radio frequency generated discharge
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
  • H01L21/67248—Temperature monitoring
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
  • H01J37/32532—Electrodes
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
  • H01J37/32715—Workpiece holder
  • H01J37/32724—Temperature
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
  • H01L21/67098—Apparatus for thermal treatment
  • H01L21/67103—Apparatus for thermal treatment mainly by conduction
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/683—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping
  • H01L21/687—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches
  • H01L21/68714—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
  • H01L21/68792—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support characterised by the construction of the shaft
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L2221/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof covered by H01L21/00
  • H01L2221/67—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L2221/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof covered by H01L21/00
  • H01L2221/67—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L2221/683—Apparatus for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for supporting or gripping

Definitions

• Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate processing systems, and more specifically to substrate supports for use in substrate processing systems.
• Substrate processing apparatus typically include a substrate support to support a substrate during processing.
• the substrate support may include a radio frequency (RF) electrode disposed proximate a substrate processing surface to receive RF current from an RF source.
• the RF electrode may act as an RF return to ground or have the RF source coupled to the RF electrode.
• the RF electrode may be coupled to a rod, a wire, or the like to provide RF current to the RF electrode or to return the RF current to ground.
• the substrate support may further include a heater disposed proximate the substrate processing surface to heat a substrate when disposed on the substrate processing surface.
• the inventors have observed that thermocouples and AC power leads that are in the path of the RF return path are adversely affected by RF noise.
• a substrate support includes a body having a support surface; an RF electrode disposed in the body proximate the support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a shaft to support the body; a conductive element having an interior volume and extending through the shaft, wherein the conductive element is coupled to the RF electrode; and an RF gasket; wherein the conductive element includes features that engage the RF gasket to return the RF current to ground.
• a substrate processing system includes a process chamber enclosing a processing volume; and a substrate support disposed in the processing volume.
• the substrate support includes a body having a support surface; an RF electrode disposed in the body proximate the support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a shaft to support the body; a conductive element having an interior volume and extending through the shaft, wherein the conductive element is coupled to the RF electrode; and an RF gasket, wherein the conductive element includes features that engage the RF gasket to return the RF current to ground.
• a substrate support includes a body having a support surface; an RF electrode disposed in the body proximate the support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a shaft to support the body; a conductive element having an interior volume and extending through the shaft, wherein the conductive element is coupled to the RF electrode; and an RF gasket, wherein the conductive element includes features that engage the RF gasket to return the RF current to ground; a heat transfer body to transfer heat to or from the substrate support; an adapter portion coupled between the shaft and the heat transfer body, wherein the RF gasket is disposed between the adapter portion and the heat transfer body; a heater disposed in the substrate support proximate the support surface to provide heat to a substrate when disposed on the support surface, the heater having one or more conductive lines disposed in the interior volume of the conductive element to provide power to the heater; a thermocouple disposed in the interior volume of the conductive element to measure a temperature of a substrate when disposed
• Figure 1 depicts a schematic view of a substrate processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
• Figure 2 depicts a partial schematic view of a substrate support in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
• Figure 3 depicts schematic view of a sheet metal cutout in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
• Embodiments of the inventive apparatus may advantageously shorten the RF current grounding path and prevent the distortion of temperature measurements made by a thermocouple or other temperature monitoring device present in the substrate support.
• a substrate processing system 100 may include a process chamber 102 having a processing volume 104 and a substrate support 106 disposed in the processing volume 104 for supporting a substrate 105.
• the process chamber 102 may comprise walls formed of conductive materials, such as aluminum (Al) or the like.
• the process chamber may have a ceiling comprising a dielectric material (not shown).
• Exemplary process chambers may include any suitable plasma process chamber, such those used for generating one or more of a remote, inductively coupled, or capacitively coupled plasma.
• Suitable process chambers may include the DPS ® , ENABLER ® , ADVANTEDGETM, or other process chambers, available from Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, California. Other suitable process chambers may similarly be used.
• the substrate support 106 may include a body 107 having a support surface 108 and a shaft 1 10 to support the body 107.
• the substrate support may be any suitable substrate support having a support surface and a member, such as the shaft 1 10 or any other suitable member for supporting the support surface.
• the substrate support 106 may comprise a ceramic material, such as, for example, aluminum oxide (AI 2 O 3 ) or aluminum nitride (AIN).
• the substrate support 106 may be coupled to a heat transfer body 170 via an adapter portion 160.
• the heat transfer body 170 may cool or transfer heat to the substrate support 106 depending on the process being performed.
• the heat transfer body 170 includes channels (not shown) through which a coolant is flowed to cool the substrate support 106.
• the substrate support 106 may include an RF electrode 1 12 ⁇ e.g., a first RF electrode) disposed in the substrate support 106 proximate the support surface to receive RF current from an RF source.
• the RF electrode 1 12 may provide an RF return path and may be coupled through a conductive element 1 14 to ground as illustrated in the primary view in Figure 1 .
• the RF electrode 1 12 may function as an RF return path, for example, when the process chamber 102 is configured as a capacitively coupled plasma apparatus.
• a second RF electrode 1 16 may be disposed above the substrate support 106 as illustrated in the primary view in Figure 1 .
• the second RF electrode 1 16 may be disposed in the processing volume 104 and an RF source 1 18 may be coupled to the second electrode 1 16 as illustrated in the primary view in Figure 1.
• the second RF electrode 1 16 may be a showerhead (not shown), or part of and/or disposed in a showerhead 1 19 as illustrated in Figure 1 , or any suitable embodiment of an overhead electrode used in a capacitively coupled plasma apparatus.
• the process chamber 102 may be configured as an inductively coupled plasma apparatus.
• the second RF electrode i.e., a second RF electrode 1 17 as illustrated in phantom in Figure 1
• the RF source 1 18 may be disposed external to the processing volume 104 of the process chamber 102 and coupled to the RF source 1 18.
• the showerhead 1 19 may be coupled to a gas panel 121 as illustrated in Figure 1 to provide one or more process gases to the processing volume 104 to ignite a plasma in the processing volume 104 or the like.
• the showerhead 1 19 is merely one exemplary chamber component for delivering one or more process gases to the processing volume 104.
• the one or more process gases may be delivered to the processing volume 104 via side injection ports (not shown) disposed about the walls of the process chamber 102, or gas inlets disposed is other regions of the process chamber.
• the one or more process gases may be delivered to a remote volume (not shown) where a plasma is formed and then flowed into the processing volume 104.
• the RF electrode 1 12 may also be coupled to an output of an RF source (such as the RF source 120 shown in phantom in Figure 1 ) via a conductive element 1 14 and having an RF return path via the conductive element 1 14, which will be described in greater detail with respect to Figures 2 and 3.
• an RF source such as the RF source 120 shown in phantom in Figure 1
• the RF electrode 1 12 may be used as an RF bias electrode or the like.
• the RF electrode 1 12 may be coupled to the conductive element 1 14 via, for example, an RF pin 109.
• any conductive fixation element may be used to couple the RF electrode 1 12 to the conductive element 1 14.
• the substrate support 106 may include a heater 122 disposed in the substrate support 106 proximate the support surface 108 to provide heat to the substrate 105 when disposed on the support surface 108.
• the heater 122 may be any suitable heater used in a substrate support, such as a resistive heater or the like.
• the heater 122 may include one or more conductive lines 124 that extend from the heater 122 through the shaft 1 10 to provide power to the heater 122.
• the one or more conductive lines 124 may couple the heater 122 to a power supply 126 disposed external of the process chamber 102.
• the one or more conductive lines 124 may include a first line for providing power from the power supply 126 to the heater 122 and a second line for returning power to the power supply 126.
• the power supply 126 may include an alternating current (AC) power source, a direct current (DC) power source or the like.
• the one or more conductive lines 124 may be a single conductive line, which provides power from the power supply 126 to the heater 122.
• the power may be returned to the power supply 126 or to ground via the conductive element 1 14.
• the conductive element 1 14 may act as an electrical return for both the heater 122 and the RF electrode 1 12.
• the substrate support 106 may include a thermocouple 128 disposed in the substrate support 106 to measure a desired temperature, such as the temperature of the substrate support 106, the support surface 108, or the temperature of the substrate 105 when disposed on the support surface 108.
• the thermocouple 128 may be any suitable thermocouple design, such as a thermocouple probe or the like.
• the thermocouple 128 may be removable. As illustrated in Figure 1 , the thermocouple 128 may extend along the shaft 1 10 of the substrate support 106 to proximate the support surface 108.
• thermocouple 128 as illustrated in Figure 1 is merely exemplary, and the tip of the thermocouple may extend to proximate the heater 122 (as illustrated in Figure 1 ) or to above the heater 122 and proximate the support surface 108 (not shown). The location of the tip of the thermocouple 128 may be adjusted relative to the support surface 108 to provide the most accurate measurement of temperature of the substrate 105 or of some other component such as the support surface 108.
• the thermocouple 128 may be coupled to a temperature controller 130.
• the temperature controller 130 may control the power supply 126 based on the temperature measured by the thermocouple 128.
• the temperature controller 130 may be part of, or coupled to, a system controller, such as the controller 144 that may control the operations of the substrate processing system 100.
• the conductive element 1 14 may be disposed along the shaft 1 10 of the substrate support 106.
• the conductive element may include an interior volume 132 with the one or more conductive lines 124 and the thermocouple 128 disposed through the interior volume 132 of the conductive element 1 14.
• the conductive element 1 14 may be coupled to the RF electrode 1 12 as discussed above.
• the conductive element 1 14 may have a protrusion 123 at a first end 1 13 that extends into the interior volume 132.
• the RF pin 109 may be inserted into or coupled to the protrusion 123 to couple the RF pin 109 and the RF electrode 1 12 to the conductive element 1 14.
• the conductive element 1 14 may have a second end 1 15 coupled to ground via an RF gasket 155 disposed on the adapter portion 160, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
• the RF gasket may comprise copper beryllium or the like.
• the conductive element 1 14 includes a plurality of features 202 (also described below with respect to Figure 3) that can be bent into any predetermined position to interface with the RF gasket 155.
• the conductive element 1 14 may advantageously provide an electric field of about zero in the interior volume 132 when RF current flows through the conductive element 1 14. Providing an electric field in the interior volume 132 of about zero advantageously prevents or limits any interference arising from RF current flowing through the conductive element 1 14 that may affect other electric components disposed in the shaft, such as the thermocouple 128.
• the conductive element 1 14 may comprise any suitable process compatible conductive materials, such as aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), tungsten (W), or the like.
• the conductive element 1 14 may be disposed in the shaft 1 10 of the substrate support 106.
• the conductive element may be cylindrical (as represented by dashed line 136), such as a cylinder or another suitable tubular structure having the interior volume 132 that produces an electric field of about zero in the interior volume when current flows along the surface of the cylindrical conductive element.
• the design of the present disclosure advantageously shortens the RF return path.
• the substrate support 106 may include an annular biasable element 156 that contacts the adapter portion 160 when the substrate support 106 is in a processing position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
• the annular biasable element 156 is coupled to a floor 103 of the process chamber 102.
• the annular biasable element 156 comprises copper beryllium, for example, for low temperature applications (e.g., up to 150° C).
• the annular biasable element 156 comprises nickel beryllium, for example, for high temperature applications (e.g., up to 300° C).
• the annular biasable element 156 electrically couples the adapter portion 160 directly to the process chamber 102, thus shortening the RF return path.
• the substrate 105 may enter the process chamber 102 via an opening (not shown) in a wall of the process chamber 102.
• the opening may be selectively sealed via a slit valve, or other mechanism for selectively providing access to the interior of the chamber through the opening.
• the substrate support 106 may be coupled to a lift mechanism 138 that may control the position of the substrate support 106 between a lower position (as shown) suitable for transferring substrates into and out of the chamber via the opening and a selectable upper position suitable for processing.
• the process position may be selected to maximize process uniformity for a particular process.
• the substrate support 106 When in at least one of the elevated processing positions, the substrate support 106 may be disposed above the opening to provide a symmetrical processing region.
• the lift mechanism 138 may be coupled to the process chamber 102 via a bellows 140 or other flexible vacuum hose to maintain a predetermined pressure or pressure range in the processing volume 104 when the substrate support 106 is moved.
• the lift mechanism 138 may be grounded as illustrated in Figure 1 .
• the conductive element 1 14 may be grounded via the lift mechanism 138.
• the lift mechanism 138 may be ground via the process chamber 102 through the bellows 140.
• the apparatus may include additional components that are common to process chambers, such as an exhaust system 142 for removing excess process gases, processing by-products, or the like, from the processing volume 104 of the process chamber 102.
• the exhaust system 142 may include a vacuum pump coupled to a pumping plenum via a pumping port for pumping out the exhaust gases from the process chamber 102 (not shown), or any suitable exhaust system.
• the vacuum pump may be fluidly coupled to an exhaust outlet for routing the exhaust to appropriate exhaust handling equipment.
• a valve (such as a gate valve, z-motion valve, or the like) may be disposed in the pumping plenum to facilitate control of the flow rate of the exhaust gases in combination with the operation of the vacuum pump.
• a controller 144 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 146, a memory 148, and support circuits 150 for the CPU 146 and facilitates control of the components of the process chamber 102.
• the controller 144 may any form of general-purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial setting for controlling various chambers and sub-processors.
• the memory 148, or computer-readable medium, of the CPU 146 may be one or more of readily available memory such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), floppy disk, hard disk, or any other form of digital storage, local or remote.
• the support circuits 150 are coupled to the CPU 146 for supporting the processor in a conventional manner.
• circuits include cache, power supplies, clock circuits, input/output circuitry and subsystems, and the like.
• the methods performed in the process chamber 102, or at least portions thereof, may be stored in the memory 148 as a software routine.
• the software routine may also be stored and/or executed by a second CPU (not shown) that is remotely located from the hardware being controlled by the CPU 146.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a sheet metal cutout 300 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
• the sheet metal cutout 300 is bent into a predetermined shape to form a conductive element (e.g. , conductive element 1 14).
• the sheet metal cutout 300 may comprise any process compatible conductive materials, such as those discussed above with respect to the conductive element 1 14.
• the sheet metal cutout 300 includes a plurality of features 302 (e.g., features 202) and one or more protrusions 304 (e.g., 123).
• the features 302 can be bent into any predetermined position.
• the one or more protrusions are aligned and extend into an interior of the final product (i.e., the conductive element). Utilization of sheet metal to form the conductive element advantageously results in increased surface area for the RF return current, thus improving grounding.
• Embodiments of the inventive apparatus may advantageously permit RF power to be received by an RF electrode disposed in a substrate support without interfering with other electrical components routed through the substrate support, such as interfering with the accuracy of temperature measurements made by a thermocouple or other temperature monitoring device present in the substrate support.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
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• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
• Drying Of Semiconductors (AREA)
• Chemical Vapour Deposition (AREA)

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• 2016
  • 2016-02-09 US US15/019,573 patent/US10134615B2/en active Active
  • 2016-02-11 KR KR1020177025702A patent/KR102537310B1/ko active Active
  • 2016-02-11 CN CN201680009239.2A patent/CN107210180B/zh active Active
  • 2016-02-11 WO PCT/US2016/017452 patent/WO2016130744A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2016-02-11 JP JP2017542411A patent/JP6843752B2/ja active Active
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