Cerium oxide containing ceramic components and coatings in semiconductor processing equipment and methods of manufacture thereof

• US 6,830,622 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Daugherty, John E., OʼDonnell, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kackar, Ram N
• Application Number:
  US09/820,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20020142611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/724, 118/725, 118/728, 156/915, 156/345.51, 156/345.52, 156/345.53, 156/315, 427/446, 427/454, 438/710, 148/272
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0073 Sealings sealings for pressure vessels per se F16J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/02 Apparatus characterised by being constructed of material selected for its chemically-resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0218 of ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/024 Metal oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3217 Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3225 Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3229 Cerium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3244 Zirconium oxides, zirconates, hafnium oxides, hafnates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3817 Carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/80 Phases present in the sintered or melt-cast ceramic products other than the main phase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/50 based on rare-earth compounds non-oxide rare earth compounds C04B35/5156
• 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 28/042 including a refractory ceramic layer, e.g. refractory metal oxides, ZrO2, rare earth oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32477 characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 156/915 Differential etching apparatus including focus ring surrounding a wafer for plasma apparatus

Abstract

A corrosion resistant component of semiconductor processing equipment such as a plasma chamber comprises a cerium oxide containing ceramic material as an outermost surface of the component. The cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof. The component can be made entirely of the cerium oxide containing ceramic material or, alternatively, the cerium oxide containing ceramic can be provided as a layer on a substrate such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a ceramic material, stainless steel, or a refractory metal. The cerium oxide containing ceramic layer can be provided as a coating by a technique such as plasma spraying. One or more intermediate layers may be provided between the component and the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating. To promote adhesion of the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating, the component surface or the intermediate layer surface may be subjected to a surface roughening treatment prior to depositing the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating.

Claims

1. A component of semiconductor processing equipment, the component comprising an aluminum substrate having an anodized surface and a plasma sprayed ceramic layer of cerium oxide containing ceramic material on the anodized surface of the substrate and forming an outermost surface of the component, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic material (a) consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides or (b) consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof and an oxide of an element of the lanthanide series.

2. The component according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.001 to 0.050 inches.

3. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component comprises a part exposed to a plasma environment or a part exposed to bias voltages associated with a plasma environment.

4. The component according to claim 1, wherein the cerium oxide comprises Ce(lll) oxide and/or Ce(IV) oxide.

5. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a plasma chamber wall, a chamber liner, a gas distribution plate, a gas ring, a pedestal, a dielectric window, an electrostatic chuck and a focus ring.

6. The component according to claim 1, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic material consists essentially of (i) one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof and (ii) an oxide of an element of the lanthanide series.

7. The component according to claim 1, wherein plasma sprayed ceramic layer Is mechanically interlocked with the anodized surface.

8. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a component of a polysilicon high-density plasma etch chamber or a dielectric material etch chamber.

9. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a plasma chamber wall.

10. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a chamber liner.

11. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a dielectric window.

12. A component of semiconductor processing equipment, the component having a cerium oxide containing ceramic material forming an outermost surface of the component, the component being selected from the group consisting of a plasma chamber wall, a chamber liner, a gas distribution plate, a gas ring, a pedestal, a dielectric window, an electrostatic chuck, and a focus ring, and the cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprising one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic material is a ceramic layer on a ceramic substrate selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride.

13. The component according to claim 12, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprises a plasma sprayed ceramic layer.

14. The component according to claim 12, wherein the ceramic layer has a thickness in a range of from about 0.001 to 0.050 inches.

15. The component according to claim 12, wherein the component comprises a part exposed to a plasma environment or a part exposed to bias voltages associated with a plasma environment.

16. The component according to claim 12, wherein the cerium oxide comprises Ce(III) oxide and/or Ce(IV) oxide.

17. The component according to claim 12, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic material consists essentially of (i) one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof and (ii) an oxide of an element of the lanthanide series.

18. The component according to claim 12, wherein the ceramic substrate includes a roughened surface, and the ceramic layer is a plasma sprayed layer mechanically interlocked with the roughened surface.

19. The component according to claim 12, wherein the component is a component of a polysilicon high-density plasma etch chamber or a dielectric material etch chamber.

20. The component according to claim 12, wherein the component is a plasma chamber wall.

21. The component according to claim 12, wherein the component is a chamber liner.

22. The component according to claim 12, wherein the component is a dielectric window.

23. A component semiconductor processing equipment, the component comprising:

an aluminum substrate;

a plasma sprayed ceramic layer of cerium oxide containing ceramic material which forms an outermost surface of the component, the cerium oxide containing ceramic material a consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides or b consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof and an oxide of an element of lanthanide series; and

wherein the ceramic layer is (i) on a first intermediate layer or (ii) on an optional second intermediate layer disposed on the first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer and the optional second intermediate lever are of the same or a different material selected from group consisting of refractory is metal Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, boron carbide, AIN, TiO₂and polymers.

24. The component according to claim 23, wherein the first intermediate layer includes a roughened surface, and the plasma sprayed ceramic layer is mechanically interlocked with the roughened surface of the first intermediate layer.

25. The component according to claim 23, wherein the component is a plasma chamber wall.

26. The component according to claim 23, wherein the component is a chamber liner.

27. The component according to claim 23, wherein the component is a dielectric window.

28. A component of semiconductor processing equipment selected from the group consisting of a plasma chamber wall, a chamber liner, a gas distribution plate, a gas ring, a pedestal, a dielectric window, an electrostatic chuck and focus ring, the component comprising:

a cerium oxide containing ceramic material which is a ceramic layer forming an outermost surface of the component, the cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof; and

wherein the ceramic layer is (i) on a first intermediate layer (ii) on an optional second intermediate layer disposed on the first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer and the optional second intermediate layer are of the same or a different material selected from the group consisting of refractory metals Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, boron carbide, AIN, TiO₂and polymers.

29. The component according to claim 28, wherein the first intermediate layer includes a roughened surface, and the ceramic layer is a plasma sprayed layer interlocked with the roughed surface of the first intermediate layer.