Ceramic substrate support

• US 6,494,955 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Umotoy, Sal, Rose, Ron, Lei, Lawrence Chung-Lai, Yuan, Xiaoxiong, Nguyen, Anh N., Chang, Anzhong, Teoh, Hongbee
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kackar, Ram N
• Application Number:
  US09/596,854
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 118/725, 118/728, 118/729, 118/730, 118/500, 156/345
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45521 the gas, other than thermal contact gas, being introduced the rear of the substrate to flow around its periphery
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4581 characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68721 characterised by edge clamping, e.g. clamping ring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68735 characterised by edge profile or support profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68792 characterised by the construction of the shaft

Abstract

A substrate support assembly for supporting a substrate during processing is provided. In one embodiment, a support assembly includes a top ceramic plate having a first side, a bottom ceramic plate having a first side and an embedded electrode, the first side of the bottom plate fused to the first side of the top plate defining a channel therebetween. In another embodiment, a support assembly includes a first plate having a first side and second side. A ring is disposed on the first side. A stepped surface is formed on the first side radially inward of the ring. A second plate is connected to the second side of the first plate.

Claims

1. A support assembly for supporting a workpiece comprising:

a top ceramic plate having a first side and an outer diameter;

a bottom plate having a first side and an embedded electrode, the first side of the bottom plate connected to the first side of the top ceramic plate, the bottom plate extending beyond the outer diameter of the top ceramic plate; and

a channel defined between the first side of the top ceramic plate and the first side of the bottom plate, the channel adapted to flow a fluid outward of the outer diameter of the top ceramic plate.

2. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is at least partially defined in the top ceramic plate.

3. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is at least partially defined in the bottom plate.

4. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate further comprises:

a hole disposed through the bottom plate in communication with the channel.

5. The support assembly of claim 4, wherein the channel further comprises a plurality of passages, each passage coupling the central origin with an outlet.

6. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein the passages comprises:

one or more shorter passages; and

one or more longer passages having a cross section greater than the shorter passages.

7. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein the channel and outlets are disposed in the bottom plate.

8. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein at least one of the outlets further comprises a flow restrictor disposed therein.

9. The support assembly of claim 5, wherein the channel further comprises:

a primary channel having a mid-point coinciding with the central origin; and

a first secondary channel, a second secondary channel and a third secondary channel branching from each end of the primary channel, the first secondary channel, the second secondary channel and the third secondary channel each coupling the primary channel to the outlets.

10. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the top ceramic plate further comprises:

a second surface adapted to support the substrate; and

a vacuum port disposed at least partially in the second surface.

11. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the top ceramic plate further comprises:

a second surface adapted to support the substrate;

a vacuum port disposed through the top ceramic plate; and

an enlarged portion of the vacuum port disposed at least partially In the second surface.

12. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the top ceramic plate further comprises;

a stepped surface disposed on a second side of the top ceramic plate, the second side disposed opposite the first side.

13. The support assembly of claim 12, wherein the stepped surface further comprises:

a center portion, an intermediate portion and an outer portion, wherein a center portion extends farthest below the second side of the top ceramic plate.

14. The support assembly of claim 12, wherein the stepped surface further comprises:

an outer portion;

an intermediate portion that extends 0.001 inches below the outer portion; and

a center portion that extends 0.001 inches below the intermediate portion.

15. The support assembly of claim 12, wherein the stepped surface further comprises:

a plurality of posts extending therefrom.

16. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate further comprise aluminum nitride.

17. The support assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a ceramic stem connected to the bottom plate.

18. The support assembly of claim 17, where the stem further comprises:

a central, axial passage;

a first gas passage disposed adjacent to the central passage; and

a second gas passage disposed adjacent to the central passage.

19. The support assembly of claim 17, where the stem further comprises:

a central, axial passage;

a first gas passage disposed adjacent to the central passage; and

a second gas passage disposed adjacent to the first gas passage, the second gas passage and the first gas passage on opposite sides of the central passage.

20. The support assembly of claim 1 further comprising;

a ceramic stem having a first end and a second end;

the first end fused to the bottom plate; and

a heat transfer block disposed coupled to the second end.

21. The support assembly of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer block further comprises:

a first surface having a plurality of projections; and

a seal disposed between the projections.

22. The support assembly of claim 21 further comprising:

an insulator disposed between the heat transfer block and the stem.

23. The support assembly of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer block further comprises:

a plurality of heat transfer passages disposed therein.

24. The support assembly of claim 1, wherein the top ceramic plate further comprises:

a second side disposed opposite the first side;

a center portion, an intermediate portion, and an outer portion formed in the second side and defining a stepped surface adapted to support the substrate, wherein a center portion extends farthest below the second side of the top ceramic plate;

a plurality of posts extending from the stepped surface;

a vacuum port disposed through the top ceramic plate; and

an enlarged portion of the vacuum port disposed in the center portion.

25. The support assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a ring disposed on the second plate; and

a plenum defined between the ring and the first plate, the plenum in communication with the channels.

26. A support assembly for supporting a workpiece comprising:

a top plate having a first side and second side;

a ring disposed on the first side;

a stepped surface formed on the first side radially inwards of the ring, the stepped surface having a center portion, an intermediate portion and an outer portion, wherein a center portion extends farthest below the first side of the top plate; and

a bottom plate connected to the second side of the top plate.

27. The support assembly of claim 26 further comprising:

a channel defined between the second side of the top plate and the bottom plate.

28. The support assembly of claim 26 further comprising:

a heater embedded in the bottom plate.

29. The support assembly of claim 26 further comprising:

a plurality of posts extending from the stepped surface;

each post having a distal end substantially coplanar with the ring.

30. The support assembly of claim 26, wherein the stepped surface further comprises:

an outer portion;

an intermediate portion that extends 0.001 inches below the outer portion; and

a center portion that extends 0.001 inches below the intermediate portion.

31. A support assembly for supporting a workpiece comprising:

a top ceramic plate having a first side;

a bottom ceramic plate having a first side and an embedded electrode, the first side of the bottom plate fused to the first side of the top plate;

a channel defined between the first side of the top plate and the first side of the bottom plate, the channel extending to a perimeter of the top plate;

a ceramic stem fused to the bottom plate having a center passage, a purge gas passage and a vacuum passage, the purge gas passage coupled to the channel; and

a cooling block coupled to the stem.

32. A semiconductor process chamber comprising:

a chamber having sidewalls and a lid defining a process volume;

a top ceramic plate having a first side disposed in the process volume;

a bottom ceramic plate having a first side and an embedded electrode, the first side of the bottom ceramic plate fused to the first side of the top ceramic plate;

a channel defined between the first side of the top ceramic plate and the first side of the bottom ceramic plate, the channel extending to a perimeter of the top plate;

a ceramic stem fused to the bottom ceramic plate having a center passage, a purge gas passage and a vacuum passage;

a cooling block coupled to the stem; and

a shadow ring disposed on the bottom ceramic plate and defining an annular plenum with the top ceramic plate, the plenum coupled to the purge gas passage by the channel.

33. The semiconductor process chamber of claim 32, wherein the chamber is a chemical vapor deposition chamber.

34. A support assembly for supporting a workpiece comprising:

a top ceramic plate having a first side;

a bottom ceramic plate having a first side connected to the first side of the top ceramic plate, the bottom ceramic plate having a diameter greater than the top ceramic plate; and

a channel defined between the first side of the top ceramic plate and the first side of the bottom ceramic plate, the channel extending to a perimeter of the top ceramic plate.

35. The support assembly of claim 34, wherein the bottom ceramic plate further comprises:

an electrode embedded therein.