Substrate transfer mechanism to reduce back-side substrate contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11424149-B2
Application number	US-202016899043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A processing chamber, comprising:
a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, the groove including a reference surface, wherein the reference surface is recessed from a plane of the first surface; and
a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed between the second surface and the reference surface, wherein the opening includes an angled opening sidewall that is recessed to begin at a distance from the reference surface, and each of the plurality of carrier lift pins comprises:
a convex portion configured to contact a concave portion of a substrate carrier,

wherein the plurality of carrier lift pins are movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the susceptor, wherein in the raised position the convex portion contacts the concave portion of the substrate carrier and in the lowered position the convex portion is spaced from the substrate carrier.

2. The processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the reference surface is configured to support the substrate carrier, and the reference surface is parallel with the first surface.

3. The processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the substrate support structure includes a plurality of first support arms and a plurality of second support arms.

4. The processing chamber of claim 3 , wherein each of the first support arms contacts the second surface of the susceptor.

5. The processing chamber of claim 3 , wherein each of the second support arms supports a lift pin of the plurality of carrier lift pins.

6. The processing chamber of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of carrier lift pins is positioned to extend through a lift pin opening formed in one of the first support arms.

7. The processing chamber of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of carrier lift pins includes a flared head, the flared head comprising:
an angled head sidewall configured to fit with the angled opening sidewall; and
the convex portion.

8. A processing chamber, comprising:
a susceptor having a body with a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, the groove including a recessed surface that is recessed from a plane of the first surface; and
a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening positioned in the groove, the opening formed through the body and the opening including an angled opening sidewall that is recessed to begin at a distance from the recessed surface of the groove, and each of the plurality of carrier lift pins comprises:
a convex portion configured to contact a concave portion of a substrate carrier,

wherein the plurality of carrier lift pins are movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the susceptor, wherein in the raised position the convex portion contacts the concave portion of the substrate carrier and in the lowered position the convex portion is spaced from the substrate carrier.

9. The processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the substrate support structure includes a plurality of first support arms and a plurality of second support arms.

10. The processing chamber of claim 9 , wherein each of the first support arms contacts the second surface of the susceptor.

11. The processing chamber of claim 9 , wherein each of the second support arms supports a carrier lift pin of the plurality of carrier lift pins.

12. The processing chamber of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of carrier lift pins is positioned to extend through a lift pin opening formed in one of the first support arms.

13. The processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the lowered position is a suspended position where the plurality of carrier lift pins are suspended from the susceptor.

14. The processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the reference surface is configured to support the substrate carrier.

15. The processing chamber of claim 7 , wherein the lowered position is a suspended position where the plurality of carrier lift pins are suspended from the susceptor.

16. The processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the recessed surface is configured to support the substrate carrier, and the recessed surface is parallel with the first surface.

17. The processing chamber of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of carrier lift pins includes a flared head, the flared head comprising:
an angled head sidewall configured to fit with the angled opening sidewall; and
the convex portion.

18. The processing chamber of claim 17 , wherein the lowered position is a suspended position where the plurality of carrier lift pins are suspended from the susceptor.

19. The processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the lowered position is a suspended position where the plurality of carrier lift pins are suspended from the susceptor.

20. The processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the recessed surface is configured to support the substrate carrier.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ishii Masato
• Collins Richard O
• Giljum Richard
• Berger Alexander

Classifications

• H10P72/7616

  characterised by a coating, a hardness or a material · CPC title

• H10P72/7612

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

• H10P72/7611

  characterised by edge profile or support profile · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3308

  Vertical transfer of a single workpiece · CPC title