Coating for aluminum component

• US 7,323,230 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Doan, Trung T., Ngan, Kenny King-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeil; Jennifer C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Speer; Timothy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/910,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060024517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 428/469, 205/175
• US Class Current: 427/569
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0227 by cleaning or etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/20 Deposition of aluminium only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment

Abstract

A coated aluminum component for a substrate processing chamber comprises an aluminum component having a surface; a first aluminum oxide layer formed on the surface of the aluminum component, the aluminum oxide layer having a surface comprising penetrating surface features; and a second aluminum oxide layer on the first aluminum oxide layer, the second aluminum oxide layer substantially completely filling the penetrating surface features of the first aluminum oxide layer. A method of forming the coated aluminum component is also described.

Claims

1. A method of coating a surface of an aluminum component, the method comprising:

(a) anodizing the surface of the aluminum component to form an anodized aluminum oxide layer;

(b) depositing an aluminum layer on the anodized aluminum oxide layer by a chemical vapor deposition process comprising;

(i) placing the component in a process zone of a substrate processing chamber; and

(ii) providing an energized process gas comprising an aluminum-containing gas in the process zone to deposit an aluminum layer on the anodized aluminum oxide layer;

(c) heating the aluminum layer to re-flow the aluminum layer; and

(d) forming a second aluminum oxide layer from the aluminum layer.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the aluminum layer is at least partially consumed by the formation of the second aluminum oxide layer.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the aluminum layer is substantially completely consumed by the formation of the second aluminum oxide layer.

4. A method according to claim 1 comprising cleaning the surface of the aluminum component prior to (a).

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein cleaning the surface of the aluminum component comprises dipping the surface of the aluminum component into a cleaning solution.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the cleaning solution comprises an organic solvent, an alkaline solution, an acidic solution, water, de-ionized water, or mixtures thereof.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein the surface of the aluminum component is dipped into a plurality of different cleaning solutions.

8. A method according to claim 4 comprising grit blasting the surface of the aluminum component prior to cleaning the surface of the aluminum component.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein (d) comprises exposing the aluminum layer to an oxygen-containing gas.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the oxygen-containing gas is energized.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein (b) (ii) comprises energizing the process gas with RF energy.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the aluminum-containing gas comprises dimethylaluminum hydride, dimethyl ethyl amine alane, argon, or mixtures thereof.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein (a) comprises:

(i) dipping the surface of the aluminum component in an acidic solution; and

(ii) applying a positive voltage to the aluminum component.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the acidic solution comprises sulfuric acid, chromic acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, water or mixtures thereof.

15. A method according to claim 1 comprising energizing the process gas using microwave energy.

16. A method of coating an anodized surface of an aluminum component, the method comprising:

(a) depositing an aluminum layer on the anodized surface of the aluminum component by a chemical vapor deposition process comprising;

(i) placing the component in a process zone of a substrate processing chamber; and

(ii) providing an energized process gas comprising an aluminum-containing gas in the process zone to deposit an aluminum layer on the anodized aluminum oxide layer;

(b) heating the aluminum layer to re-flow the aluminum layer; and

(c) forming an aluminum oxide layer from the aluminum layer.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the aluminum layer is at least partially consumed by the formation of the aluminum oxide layer.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein (c) comprises exposing the aluminum layer to an oxygen-containing gas.

19. A method according to claim 16 wherein (a) comprises:

(i) placing the anodized surface of the aluminum component in a process zone; and

(ii) introducing a process gas comprising an aluminum-containing gas to the process zone.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the aluminum-containing gas comprises dimethylaluminum hydride, dimethyl ethyl amine alane, argon, or mixtures thereof.

21. A method of fabricating an aluminum component, the method comprising:

(a) forming the aluminum component having a surface;

(b) anodizing the cleaned surface of the aluminum component to form an anodized aluminum oxide layer;

(c) depositing an aluminum layer on the anodized aluminum oxide layer by a chemical vapor deposition process comprising;

(i) placing the component in a process zone of a substrate processing chamber; and

(ii) providing an energized process gas comprising an aluminum-containing gas in the process zone to deposit an aluminum layer on the anodized aluminum oxide layer;

(d) heating the aluminum layer to re-flow the aluminum layer; and

(e) forming a second aluminum oxide layer from the aluminum layer.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the aluminum layer is at least partially consumed by the formation of the second aluminum oxide layer.

23. A method according to claim 21 comprising cleaning the surface of the aluminum component after forming the aluminum component and prior to anodizing the surface of the aluminum component.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein cleaning the surface of the aluminum component comprises dipping the surface of the aluminum component into a cleaning solution comprising an organic solvent, an alkaline solution, an acidic solution, water, de-ionized water, or mixtures thereof.

25. A method according to claim 21 wherein (e) comprises exposing the aluminum layer to an oxygen-containing gas.

26. A method according to claim 21 wherein (c) comprises:

(i) placing a surface of the anodized aluminum oxide layer in a process zone; and

(ii) introducing a process gas comprising an aluminum-containing gas to the process zone.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein the aluminum-containing gas comprises dimethylaluminum hydride, dimethyl ethyl amine alane, argon, or mixtures thereof.

28. A method according to claim 21 wherein (b) comprises:

(i) dipping the surface of the aluminum component in an acidic solution; and

(ii) applying a positive voltage to the aluminum component.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the acidic solution comprises sulfuric acid, chromic acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, water or mixtures thereof.