Measurement of flatness of a susceptor of a display CVD chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10763154-B2
Application number	US-201816114558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 28, 2018
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a flexible support to aid in a measurement of flatness of a susceptor. The flexible support has a first support block having a substantially flat upper surface and a lower surface having a first aperture formed therein. The flexible support further has a second support block having a substantially flat lower surface and an upper surface having a second aperture formed therein. The flexible support further has a support pin configured to be receivable in the first aperture and the second aperture, the support pin configured to retain the first support block and the second support block in a spaced apart relation while allowing restricted motion of the first support block relative to the second support block via deformation of the support pin. The flexible support further has a guide disposed between the first support block and the second support block, the guide configured to allow the first support block and the second support block to move axially relative to the guide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible support for obtaining a flatness measurement of a susceptor, comprising:
a first support block having a flat upper surface and a lower surface having a first aperture formed therein;
a second support block having a flat lower surface and an upper surface having a second aperture formed therein;
a support pin configured to be receivable in the first aperture and the second aperture, the support pin configured to retain the first support block and the second support block in a spaced apart relation while allowing restricted motion of the first support block relative to the second support block via deformation of the support pin; and
a guide disposed between the first support block and the second support block, the guide configured to allow the first support block and the second support block to move axially relative to the guide.

2. The flexible support of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical stop configured to restrain the support pin relative to the second support block.

3. The flexible support of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical stop is configured to set a distance spacing the first support block from the second support block.

4. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the support pin is adjustable to set a parallelism defined between the upper surface of the first support block and lower surface of the second support block.

5. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the support pin is adjustable to set an acute angle between a plane containing the upper surface of the first support block and a plane containing the lower surface of the second support block.

6. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the guide is further configured to restrict lateral movement between the first support block and the second support block.

7. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the first support block comprises:
a cylindrical upper sub-block having a first diameter and disposed on a cylindrical lower support block having a second diameter less than the first diameter.

8. The flexible support of claim 7 , wherein the second support block is cylindrical and has a diameter that matches the first diameter of the of the first support block.

9. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the guide is a solid cylinder.

10. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the guide is a cylindrical ring.

11. The flexible support of claim 1 , wherein the support pin is replaceable.

12. The flexible support of claim 1 further comprising:
a baseplate fastener screw configured to secure the first support block to the second support block.

13. An apparatus for obtaining a flatness measurement of a susceptor, comprising:
a flat and hard table;
a plurality of flexible supports disposed on the table, wherein each of the flexible supports comprises:
a first support block having a flat upper surface and a lower surface having a first aperture formed therein;
a second support block having a flat lower surface and an upper surface having a second aperture formed therein;
a support pin configured to be receivable in the first aperture and the second aperture, the support pin configured to retain the first support block and the second support block in a spaced apart relation while allowing restricted motion of the first support block relative to the second support block via deformation of the support pin; and
a guide disposed between the first support block and the second support block, the guide configured to allow the first support block and the second support block to move axially relative to the guide; and

the susceptor overlying the plurality of flexible supports.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the flexible supports further comprises a mechanical stop configured to restrain the support pin relative to the second support block.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the mechanical stop is configured to set a distance spacing the first support block from the second support block.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support pin is adjustable to set a parallelism defined between the upper surface of the first support block and lower surface of the second support block.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support pin is adjustable to set an acute angle between a plane containing the upper surface of the first support block and a plane containing the lower surface of the second support block.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the guide is further configured to restrict lateral movement between the first support block and the second support block.

19. An apparatus for obtaining a flatness measurement of a susceptor, comprising:
a flat and hard table;
a plurality of flexible supports disposed on the table, wherein each of the flexible supports comprises:
a first support block having a flat upper surface and a lower surface having a first aperture formed therein;
a second support block having a flat lower surface and an upper surface having a second aperture formed therein;
a support pin configured to be receivable in the first aperture and the second aperture, the support pin configured to retain the first support block and the second support block in a spaced apart relation while allowing restricted motion of the first support block relative to the second support block via deformation of the support pin; and
a guide disposed between the first support block and the second support block, the guide configured to allow the first support block and the second support block to move axially relative to the guide;

the susceptor overlying the plurality of flexible supports; and
a laser above an upper surface of the susceptor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein each of the flexible supports further comprises a mechanical stop configured to restrain the support pin relative to the second support block.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ma Ying
• Tian Yixi
• Chen Shih Chang
• Sun Jin
• Perez Rodolfo
• Wu Stanley

Classifications

• H10P72/7618

  characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel · CPC title

• H10P72/0616

  Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/7624 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• H10P72/7612

  characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins · CPC title

• H10P72/0432

  mainly by conduction · CPC title