Apparatus and method of shaping profiles of large-area PECVD electrodes
First Claim
1. A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber for processing a large-area substrate, comprising:
- an upper electrode; and
a lower electrode which supports the substrate, the lower electrode comprising;
a substrate support fabricated from a material of insufficient strength to rigidly support itself under operating conditions; and
a base structure that is pre-shaped to support the substrate support such that the substrate support deforms to place the substrate in a desired orientation with the upper electrode at operating conditions.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for shaping profiles of a large-area PECVD electrode is provided. A plasma-enhanced CVD chamber for processing a large-area substrate is first provided. The chamber includes a lower electrode that supports a large area substrate. The lower electrode is shaped to selectively conform the supported substrate in a selected orientation under operating conditions. The orientation may be either planar or nonplanar. The substrate complies with the shape of the electrode so the substrate is substantially parallel to an upper electrode in the chamber, and/or to a gas diffusion plate in the chamber. The lower electrode comprises a substrate support fabricated from a material of insufficient strength to support itself at operating temperatures and pressure in the chamber. The shape of the substrate support is adjusted by modifying the dimensions and/or planarity of a supporting base structure, and/or by appropriately varying the thickness of the substrate support.
95 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber for processing a large-area substrate, comprising:
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an upper electrode; and
a lower electrode which supports the substrate, the lower electrode comprising;
a substrate support fabricated from a material of insufficient strength to rigidly support itself under operating conditions; and
a base structure that is pre-shaped to support the substrate support such that the substrate support deforms to place the substrate in a desired orientation with the upper electrode at operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A substrate support assembly for supporting a large-area substrate in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber, the chamber having an upper electrode, and the substrate support assembly comprising:
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(a) a substrate support serving as a lower electrode, the substrate support;
being fabricated substantially from a thermally conductive metal, being configured to receive the substrate, and having a shape that compensates for thermal and pressure induced planarity changes of the substrate support during substrate processing; and
(b) a base structure for supporting the substrate support, the base structure having sufficient strength to rigidly support itself under operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 31)
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21. A method of shaping an electrode in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber, comprising the steps of:
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providing an upper electrode in the chamber;
providing a substrate support in the chamber to receive a large-area substrate and to serve as a lower electrode in the chamber, the substrate support being fabricated from a thermally conductive metal of insufficient strength to rigidly support itself under operating conditions; and
providing a base structure for supporting the substrate support that is fabricated from a material that has sufficient strength to rigidly support itself under operating conditions, and that is pre-shaped to support the substrate support and supported substrate such that the substrate support deforms to place the substrate in a desired orientation with the upper electrode at operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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32. A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber for processing a large-area substrate, comprising:
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a nonplanar upper electrode;
a substrate support assembly disposed below the upper electrode and supporting the substrate, wherein a processing region is formed between the upper electrode and the substrate support assembly;
a gas diffusion plate for diffusing gases into the processing region and onto the substrate; and
a lower electrode within the substrate support assembly, the lower electrode being shaped to selectively place the supported substrate in a nonplanar profile under operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification