Corrosion resistant apparatus

• US 5,891,253 A
• Filed: 10/12/1995
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Wong, Manus K., Chew, Sandy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUTTON, BRIAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/542,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/726
• US Class Current: 118/726
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4404 Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 3/50 of platinum group metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32495 Means for protecting the vessel against plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32559 Protection means, e.g. coatings

Abstract

An apparatus used for processing substrates in a corrosive process gas is rendered substantially resistant to corrosion, by coating processing components exposed to the corrosive process gas with a coating comprising rhodium. The rhodium coating can be deposited by electroplating, and preferably has a thickness of at least about 10 microinches. A coating of nickel can be also applied between the rhodium coating and the processing component.

Claims

1. A corrosion resistant apparatus for processing a substrate in a corrosive process gas, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a process chamber having a process gas inlet for introducing corrosive process gas in the process chamber; and

(b) at least one metal processing component in the process chamber, at least a portion of the processing component exposed to the corrosive process gas, and having a corrosion resistant coating comprising rhodium.

2. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the processing component having the corrosion resistant coating is made of metal.

3. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a support component for supporting the substrate in the chamber.

4. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a positioning component for positioning the substrate in the chamber.

5. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 4, wherein the positioning component comprises at least one of the following:

(a) a mounting arm for positioning the substrate in the process chamber;

(b) a lift bellow for lifting and lowering a support plate, the support plate capable of supporting the substrate;

or

(c) a lift finger assembly for lifting and lowering the substrate.

6. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a process gas inlet component for introducing process gas in the process chamber.

7. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 6, wherein the process gas inlet component comprises at least one plate having at least one inlet hole for distributing process gas in the process chamber.

8. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a gas exhaust component for exhausting gases from the process chamber.

9. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a plasma forming component for forming a plasma in the process chamber.

10. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a gas flow containment component for containing the flow of corrosive process gas around the substrate in the process chamber.

11. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing component comprises a fastener component.

12. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the corrosion-resistant coating on the processing component is at least about 10 microinches.

13. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating on the processing component further comprises nickel.

14. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating on the processing component comprises:

(i) a nickel coating on the processing component, and (ii) a rhodium coating on the nickel coating.

15. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the nickel coating is from about 200 to about 600 microinches.

16. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corrosive process gas is capable of depositing material on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition.

17. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corrosive process gas is capable of etching material from the substrate.

18. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corrosive process gas is capable of cleaning at least one of the following:

(i) the substrate, (ii) the process chamber, or (iii) the processing component in the process chamber.

19. A corrosion resistant apparatus for processing a substrate in a corrosive process gas, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a process chamber having a surrounding wall with at least one process gas inlet in the wall, the process gas inlet provided for introducing corrosive process gas in the process chamber;

(b) at least a portion of the surrounding wall comprising metal and having a corrosion resistant coating comprising rhodium.

20. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the corrosion-resistant coating is at least about 10 microinches.

21. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 19, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating further comprises nickel.

22. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 19, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating comprises a nickel coating on the surrounding wall and a rhodium coating on the nickel coating.

23. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 22, wherein the thickness of the nickel coating is from about 200 to about 600 microinches.

24. A corrosion resistant apparatus for processing a substrate in a corrosive process gas, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a process chamber capable of containing corrosive process gas; and

(b) means for processing the substrate in the process chamber, at least a portion of the means comprising a metal structure exposed to the corrosive process gas and the metal structure having a corrosion resistant coating comprising rhodium.

25. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 24, wherein the thickness of the corrosion-resistant coating is at least about 10 microinches.

26. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 24, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating further comprises nickel.

27. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 24, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating comprises a nickel coating on the metal structure, and a rhodium coating on the nickel coating.

28. The corrosion resistant apparatus of claim 27, wherein the thickness of the nickel coating is from about 200 to about 600 microinches.