Heat sink assembly and related methods for semiconductor vacuum processing systems

• US 7,622,803 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Winston T., Wood, Jim, Cronin, Daniel, Mieczowski, Van, Emerson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Long K
• Application Number:
  US11/467,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 257/706, 257/720, 257/675, 257/E33.075, 257/E23.051, 257/E23.087, 438/122, 438/FOR.413
• US Class Current: 257/706
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67346 characterized by being specially adapted for supporting a single substrate or by comprising a stack of such individual supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68771 characterised by supporting more than one semiconductor substrate

Abstract

An assembly for supporting a substrate during vacuum processing operations includes a thermally conductive heat sink tray including at least one wafer pocket recessed therein, and a thermally conductive heat sink carrier in the at least one wafer pocket. The heat sink carrier includes a first surface in contact with a surface within the at least one wafer pocket and a second surface opposite the first surface. A heat sink is affixed to the second surface of the heat sink carrier.

Claims

1. An assembly for supporting a substrate during vacuum processing operations, comprising:

a thermally conductive heat sink tray including at least one wafer pocket recessed therein;

a thermally conductive heat sink carrier in the at least one wafer pocket, the heat sink carrier including a first surface in contact with a surface within the at least one wafer pocket and a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a heat sink on the second surface of the heat sink carrier.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a wafer of silicon carbide that has a flatness of about +/−

20 μ

m or less.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the heat sink comprises a single crystal silicon carbide wafer.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the heat sink comprises a wafer of macro-crystalline silicon carbide.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat sink carrier comprises a protrusion extending from the first surface thereof, and wherein the at least one wafer pocket includes a recess therein that is shaped to receive the protrusion extending from the heat sink carrier.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the protrusion comprises a cylindrical protrusion.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the protrusion comprises an annular ring.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one wafer pocket comprises a protrusion extending from a bottom surface thereof, and wherein the heat sink carrier includes a recess therein that is shaped to receive the protrusion extending from the bottom surface of the wafer pocket.

9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cover plate disposed above the heat sink tray and including a plurality of openings therein, a respective one of openings being aligned with the at least one wafer pocket of the heat sink tray.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat sink tray comprises a vent hole extending from a location within the at least one wafer pocket to an external surface of the heat sink tray.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat sink tray comprises a hole extending from the at least one wafer pocket to a bottom surface of the heat sink tray and a fastener extending through the hole and attached to the heat sink carrier.

12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a clamp affixed to the heat sink carrier and configured to urge a substrate into contact with the heat sink.

13. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a metallic bonding layer between the heat sink carrier and the heat sink.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the metallic bonding layer comprises indium.

15. A heat sink assembly for supporting a wafer during vacuum processing, comprising:

a thermally conductive heat sink carrier;

a heat sink affixed to the heat sink carrier, wherein the heat sink has a flatness of about +/−

20 μ

m or less; and

a metallic bonding layer between the heat sink carrier and the heat sink.

16. The heat sink assembly of claim 15, wherein the heat sink comprises a wafer of silicon carbide.

17. The heat sink assembly of claim 16, wherein the heat sink comprises a single crystal silicon carbide wafer.

18. The heat sink assembly of claim 16, wherein the heat sink comprises a wafer of macro-crystalline silicon carbide.

19. The heat sink assembly of claim 15, wherein the heat sink carrier comprises a protrusion extending from the first surface thereof.

20. The heat sink assembly of claim 19, wherein the protrusion comprises a cylindrical protrusion.

21. The heat sink assembly of claim 19, wherein the protrusion comprises an annular ring.

22. The heat sink assembly of claim 15, wherein the metallic bonding layer comprises indium.

23. The heat sink assembly of claim 15, further comprising a clamp affixed to the heat sink carrier and configured to urge a substrate into contact with the heat sink.