Method and apparatus for an improved bellows shield in a plasma processing system

• US 20040060656A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nakayama, Hiroyuki, Mitsuhashi, Kouji, Takase, Taira, Saigusa, Hidehito
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32477 characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching

Abstract

The present invention presents an improved bellows shield for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the bellows shield coupled to a substrate holder electrode advantageously provides protection of a bellows with substantially minimal erosion of the bellows shield.

Claims

1. An improved bellows shield for protecting a bellows on a substrate holder of a plasma processing system comprising:

a cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first end comprises an attachment flange, said attachment flange comprising an interior surface coupled to said inner surface of said cylindrical wall and configured to mate with said substrate holder, an inner radial surface coupled to said interior surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface and said inner radial surface, and wherein said second end of said cylindrical wall comprises an end surface; and

a protective barrier coupled to a plurality of exposed surfaces of said bellows shield, wherein said plurality of exposed surfaces comprise said end surface of said second end, said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and said exterior surface of said attachment flange of said first end.

2. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said attachment flange further comprises a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said interior surface and said exterior surface of said attachment flange and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

3. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of fastening receptors comprises an entrant cavity, an exit through-hole, and an inner receptor surface.

4. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said improved bellows shield comprises a metal.

5. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 4, wherein said metal comprises aluminum.

6. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective barrier comprises a compound containing at least one of a III-column element and a Lanthanon element.

7. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 6, wherein said III-column element comprises at least one of Yttrium, Scandium, and Lanthanum.

8. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 6, wherein said Lanthanon element comprises at least one of Cerium, Dysprosium, and Europium.

9. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective barrier comprises at least one of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, and DyO₃.

10. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective barrier comprises a thermal spray coating having a minimum thickness and said minimum thickness is constant across at least one of said exposed surfaces.

11. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said protective barrier comprises a thermal spray coating having a minimum thickness and said minimum thickness is variable across at least one of said exposed surfaces.

12. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical wall has a minimum thickness of at least two millimeters.

13. The improved bellows shield as recited in claim 1, wherein said inner radial surface comprises a minimum diameter of at least 200 millimeters.

14. A bellows shield for protecting a bellows on a substrate holder of a plasma processing system comprising:

a cylindrical element comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an interior surface coupled to said inner surface and configured to mate with said substrate holder, an inner radial surface coupled to said interior surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface and said inner radial surface, and an end surface coupled to said inner surface and said outer surface; and

a protective barrier coupled to a plurality of exposed surfaces of said bellows shield, wherein said plurality of exposed surfaces comprise said end surface, said outer surface, and said exterior surface.

15. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said interior surface and said exterior surface and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

16. The bellows shield as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of fastening receptors comprises an entrant cavity, an exit through-hole, and an inner receptor surface.

17. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, said interior surface further comprising a mating surface.

18. The bellows shield as recited in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said mating surface and said exterior surface and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

19. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, said exterior surface further comprising a mounting surface.

20. The bellows shield as recited in claim 19, further comprising a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said mounting surface and said interior surface and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

21. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, further comprising a metal.

22. The bellows shield as recited in claim 21, wherein said metal comprises aluminum.

23. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, wherein said inner radial surface comprises a diameter greater than 200 mm.

24. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, wherein said protective barrier comprises a compound containing at least one of a III-column element and a Lanthanon element.

25. The bellows shield as recited in claim 24, wherein said III-column element comprises at least one of Yttrium, Scandium, and Lanthanum.

26. The bellows shield as recited in claim 24, wherein said Lanthanon element comprises at least one of Cerium, Dysprosium, and Europium.

27. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, wherein said protective barrier comprises at least one of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, and DyO₃.

28. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, said inner surface further comprising an anodization layer.

29. The bellows shield as recited in claim 28, wherein said anodization layer comprises Al₂O₃.

30. The bellows shield as recited in claim 14, said interior surface further comprising an anodization layer.

31. A method of producing a bellows shield for surrounding a bellows in a plasma processing system, said method comprising:

fabricating said bellows shield, said bellows shield comprising a cylindrical element having an inner surface, an outer surface, an interior surface coupled to said inner surface and configured to mate with a substrate holder in said plasma processing system, an inner radial surface coupled to said interior surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface and said inner radial surface, and an end surface coupled to said inner surface and said outer surface; and

forming a protective barrier on exposed surfaces, said exposed surfaces comprising said end surface, said outer surface, and said exterior surface.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, said method further comprising:

anodizing said bellows shield to form a surface anodization layer on said bellows shield; and

removing said surface anodization layer on said exposed surfaces.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said removing comprises at least one of machining, smoothing, polishing, and grinding.

34. The method as recited in claim 31, said method further comprising:

masking said exposed surfaces on said bellows shield to prevent formation of a surface anodization layer;

anodizing said bellows shield to form a surface anodization layer on the unmasked surfaces of said bellows shield; and

unmasking said exposed surfaces.

35. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said fabricating comprises at least one of machining, coating, masking, unmasking, casting, polishing, forging, and grinding.

36. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said forming comprises at least one of spraying, heating, and cooling.

37. The method as recited in claim 31, said method further comprising smoothing said protective barrier.

38. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said bellows shield further comprises a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said interior surface and said exterior surface and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein each of said plurality of fastening receptors comprises an entrant cavity, an exit through-hole, and an inner receptor surface.

40. The method as recited in claim 31, said interior surface further comprising a mating surface.

41. The method as recited in claim 31, said exterior surface further comprising a mounting surface.

42. The method as recited in claim 31, said bellows shield comprising a metal.

43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein said metal comprises aluminum.

44. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said exposed surfaces further comprise said inner radial surface.

45. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said protective barrier comprises a compound containing at least one of a III-column element and a Lanthanon element.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein said III-column element comprises at least one of Yttrium, Scandium, and Lanthanum.

47. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein said Lanthanon element comprises at least one of Cerium, Dysprosium, and Europium.

48. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said protective barrier comprises at least one of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, and DyO₃.

49. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said protective barrier comprises a minimum thickness and said minimum thickness is constant across at least one of said exposed surfaces.

50. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein said protective barrier comprises a variable thickness and said variable thickness ranging from 0.5 to 500 microns.

51. A method of producing an improved bellows shield capable of being coupled to a substrate holder of a plasma processing system, said method comprising the steps:

fabricating said bellows shield, said bellows shield comprising a cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first end comprises an attachment flange, said attachment flange comprising an interior surface coupled to said inner surface of said cylindrical wall and configured to mate with said substrate holder, an inner radial surface coupled to said interior surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface of said cylindrical wall and said inner radial surface, and wherein said second end of said cylindrical wall comprising an end surface;

anodizing said bellows shield to form a surface anodization layer on said bellows shield;

machining exposed surfaces on said bellows shield to remove said surface anodization layer, said exposed surfaces comprising said end surface of said cylindrical wall, said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and said exterior surface of said attachment flange; and

forming a protective barrier on the exposed surfaces.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein said attachment flange further comprises a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said interior surface and said exterior surface of said attachment flange and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

53. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein said protective barrier comprises a compound containing at least one of a III-column element and a Lanthanon element.

54. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein said protective barrier comprises at least one of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, and DyO₃.

55. A method of producing an improved bellows shield capable of being coupled to a substrate holder of a plasma processing system, said method comprising the steps:

fabricating said bellows shield, said bellows shield comprising a cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first end of said cylindrical wall comprises an attachment flange, said attachment flange comprising an interior surface coupled to said inner surface of said cylindrical wall and configured to mate with said substrate holder, an inner radial surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and wherein said second end of said cylindrical wall comprising an end surface;

masking exposed surfaces on said bellows shield to prevent formation of a surface anodization layer, said exposed surfaces comprising said end surface of said cylindrical wall, said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and said exterior surface of said attachment flange coupled to said cylindrical wall;

anodizing said bellows shield to form said surface anodization layer on said bellows shield;

unmasking the exposed surfaces; and

forming a protective barrier on the exposed surfaces.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein said attachment flange further comprises a plurality of fastening receptors coupled to said interior surface and said exterior surface of said attachment flange and configured to receive fastening devices in order to couple said bellows shield to said substrate holder.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein each of said plurality of fastening receptors comprises an entrant cavity, an exit through-hole, and an inner receptor surface.

58. The method as recited in claim 57, further comprising masking said inner receptor surface.

59. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein said protective barrier comprises a compound containing at least one of a III-column element and a Lanthanon element.

60. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein said protective barrier comprises at least one of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, and DyO₃.

61. A method of producing an improved bellows shield capable of being coupled to a substrate holder of a plasma processing system, said method comprising the steps:

fabricating said bellows shield, said bellows shield comprising a cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first end of said cylindrical wall comprises an attachment flange, said attachment flange comprising an interior surface coupled to said inner surface of said cylindrical wall, said interior surface having a mating surface configured to mate with said substrate holder, an inner radial surface, and an exterior surface coupled to said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and wherein said second end of said cylindrical wall can comprise an end surface;

masking exposed surfaces on said bellows shield to prevent formation of a surface anodization layer, said exposed surfaces comprising said end surface of said cylindrical wall, said outer surface of said cylindrical wall, and said exterior surface of said attachment flange coupled to said cylindrical wall;

anodizing said bellows shield to form said surface anodization layer on said bellows shield;

unmasking said exposed surfaces;

machining said mating surface of said interior surface of said attachment flange; and

forming a protective barrier on the exposed surfaces.