Self aligning non contact shadow ring process kit

• US 6,589,352 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yudovsky, Joseph, Tzu, Gwo-Chuan, Madar, Tom, Dixit, Girish, Lei, Lawrence C., Umotoy, Salvador
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/459,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 118/728, 118/729, 118/500, 118/720, 156/345.3, 156/345.51, 156/345.54, 204/298.11, 204/298.15
• US Class Current: 118/729
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4585 Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/12 Substrate holders or susceptors
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 31/14 Substrate holders or susceptors

Abstract

The invention provides a removable first edge ring configured for pin and recess/slot coupling with a second edge ring disposed on the substrate support. In one embodiment, a first edge ring includes a plurality of pins, and a second edge ring includes one or more alignment recesses and one or more alignment slots for mating engagement with the pins. Each of the alignment recesses and alignment slots are at least as wide as the corresponding pins, and each of the alignment slots extends in the radial direction a length that is sufficient to compensate for the difference in thermal expansion between the first edge ring and the second edge ring.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

a chamber;

a substrate support disposed in the chamber;

a first edge ring disposed on the substrate support, wherein the first edge ring comprises one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots; and

a second edge ring having two or more matching tapered pins disposed thereon for mating engagement with the recesses and slots of the first edge ring.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a chamber body ring disposed on an interior surface of the chamber, the chamber body ring having one or more recesses for supporting engagement with the second edge ring.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first edge ring comprises a urge ring.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second edge ring comprises a shadow ring.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first edge ring includes one tapered recess and one diametrically positioned tapered slot, and wherein the second edge ring includes two tapered pins diametrically positioned for mating engagement with the recess and the slot.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the substrate support comprises a purge gas channel, and the first edge ring comprises a purge ring.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the one or more recesses on the chamber body ring include tapered side surfaces.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first edge ring is made of a material having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than that of the substrate support.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more slots of the first edge ring extend in a radial direction, relative to the center of the first edge ring, to a length that is sufficient to compensate for any difference in thermal expansion between the first edge ring and the second edge ring.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radial dimension of the one or more slots of the first edge ring is up to about 60 mils greater than the radial dimension of the one or more matching tapered pins of the second edge ring.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of the one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots of the first edge ring is between about 3 mils and about 10 mils wider than the width of the one or more matching tapered pins of the second edge ring.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more tapered pins of the second edge ring is surrounded by an insulating pad made of a thermally insulating material.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate support further comprises one or more matching tapered pins disposed thereon for mating engagement with the recesses and slots of the first edge ring.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more tapered pins of the substrate support is surrounded by an insulating pad made of a thermally insulating material.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a chamber;

a substrate support;

a first edge ring disposed on the substrate support, comprising two or more tapered pins;

a second edge ring, comprising one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots, in mating engagement with the two or more tapered pins of the first edge ring; and

a chamber body ring disposed on an interior surface of the chamber, wherein the chamber body ring comprises one or more recesses for supporting engagement with the second edge ring.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first edge ring is made of a material having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) than that of the substrate support.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more slots of the second edge ring extend in a radial direction, relative to the center of the second edge ring, to a length that is sufficient to compensate for any difference in thermal expansion between the first edge ring and the second edge ring.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the radial dimension of the one or more slots of the first edge ring is up to about 60 mils greater than the radial dimension of the one or more matching tapered pins of the second edge ring.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the width of the one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots of the second edge ring is between about 3 mils and about 10 mils wider than the width of the one or more matching tapered pins of the first edge ring.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more tapered pins of the first edge ring is surrounded by an insulating pad made of a thermally insulating material.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more tapered pins of the chamber body ring is surrounded by an insulating pad made of a thermally insulating material.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the substrate support comprises a purge gas channel, and the first edge ring comprises a purge ring.

23. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

a chamber;

a substrate support disposed at least partially in the chamber;

a first edge ring disposed on the substrate support, comprising one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots;

a second edge ring disposed in mating engagement with the first edge ring, comprising two or more tapered pins; and

a chamber body ring disposed on an interior surface of the chamber, wherein the chamber body ring comprises one or more tapered recesses for supporting engagement with the second edge ring.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the substrate support comprises a purge gas channel, and the first edge ring comprises a purge ring.

25. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

a chamber;

a substrate support, disposed at least partially in the chamber, comprising a purge gas channel;

a purge ring, disposed on the substrate support, comprising one or more tapered recesses and one or more diametrically positioned slots;

a shadow ring, comprising two or more tapered pins diametrically positioned for mating engagement with the recesses and slots of the purge ring;

a chamber body ring disposed on an interior surface of the chamber, wherein the chamber body ring comprises one or more tapered recesses for supporting engagement with the shadow ring.

26. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

a chamber;

a substrate support, disposed at least partially in the chamber, comprising a purge gas channel;

a purge ring disposed on the substrate support, comprising two or more tapered pins;

a shadow ring, comprising one or more tapered recesses and one or more slots, disposed in mating engagement with the two or more tapered pins of the purge ring; and

a chamber body ring disposed on an interior surface of the chamber, wherein the chamber body ring comprises one or more tapered recesses for supporting engagement with the shadow ring.