Device for desorbing molecules from chamber walls

• US 10,578,510 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramirez, Ricardo M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ippolito, Nicole M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luck, Sean M
• Application Number:
  US15/362,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20180149547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/02 by using fluid or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/202 using mass spectrometer detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67288 Monitoring of warpage, curvature, damage, defects or the like

Abstract

Embodiments include devices and methods for desorbing molecules from a chamber wall. In an embodiment, a desorption device includes several light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a substrate having a wafer form factor. The LEDs may emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as UV radiation in a UV C range. In an embodiment, the LEDs are thermally coupled to a heat exchanger, such as a thermoelectric cooling device. The emitted radiation may uniformly irradiate a chamber wall to desorb water molecules from the chamber wall. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A desorption device, comprising:

a substrate having a disc-shaped wafer form factor, wherein the substrate includes a flat support surface and a flat bottom surface opposite the flat support surface, and wherein the disc-shaped wafer form factor has a diameter greater than a thickness between the flat support surface and the flat bottom surface;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the flat support surface, wherein the plurality of LEDs emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation when electrically powered;

a power source mounted on the flat support surface of the substrate, wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the plurality of LEDs to electrically power the plurality of LEDs; and

a heat exchanger thermally coupled to at least one of the plurality of LEDs.

2. The desorption device of claim 1, wherein the UV radiation is in a UV C range.

3. The desorption device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of LEDs include a first set of LEDs mounted symmetrically about a central axis extending orthogonal to the flat support surface of the substrate.

4. The desorption device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of LEDs include a second set of LEDs mounted on the flat bottom surface of the substrate.

5. The desorption device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of LEDs include a third set of LEDs mounted on a lateral edge of the substrate.

6. The desorption device of claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger is encapsulated in an insulated cover, and further comprising a plurality of heat pipes extending from respective LEDs through the insulated cover to the heat exchanger.

7. The desorption device of claim 6, wherein the heat exchanger includes a thermoelectric cooling device.

8. The desorption device of claim 2, wherein the substrate includes a semiconductor material.

9. The desorption device of claim 8, wherein the wafer form factor includes a diameter between 95 to 455 mm.

10. A desorption device, comprising:

a substrate having a disc-shaped wafer form factor, wherein the substrate includes a flat support surface and a flat bottom surface opposite the flat support surface, and wherein the disc-shaped wafer form factor has a diameter greater than a thickness between the flat support surface and the flat bottom surface;

a heat exchanger mounted on the substrate, wherein the heat exchanger includes a thermoelectric cooling device encapsulated in an insulated cover;

a light emitting diode (LED) thermally coupled to the heat exchanger, wherein the LED emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation when electrically powered, the LED mounted on the flat support surface of the substrate; and

a power source mounted on flat support surface of the substrate.

11. The desorption device of claim 10, wherein the UV radiation is in a UV C range.

12. The desorption device of claim 11 further comprising one or more heat pipes extending from the LED to the thermoelectric cooling device through the insulated cover.

13. The desorption device of claim 11, wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the LED and the thermoelectric cooling device to electrically power the LED and the thermoelectric cooling device.

14. The desorption device of claim 12, wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the thermoelectric cooling device to electrically power the thermoelectric cooling device.

15. A method comprising:

irradiating a chamber wall surrounding a chamber volume by a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of a desorption device, wherein the device includes a substrate having a flat support surface and a flat bottom surface opposite the flat support surface, the substrate having a disc-shaped wafer form factor, wherein the LEDs and a power source coupled to the LEDs are mounted on the flat support surface, wherein the disc-shaped wafer form factor has a diameter greater than a thickness between the flat support surface and the flat bottom surface, and wherein the LEDs emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation;

reducing a chamber pressure of the chamber volume to a test pressure; and

determining whether a test gas is present in the chamber volume when the chamber pressure is at the test pressure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the UV radiation is in a UV C range.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the test pressure is equal to or less than 1×

10<sup>−

4</sup> Torr.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the LEDs irradiate the chamber wall uniformly.