Thermal repeatability and in-situ showerhead temperature monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11508558-B2
Application number	US-202016834814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2020
Priority date	Nov 18, 2016
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally related to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically to an improved showerhead assembly for a substrate processing apparatus. The showerhead assembly includes a chill plate, a gas plate, and a gas distribution plate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of protruded features contacts the top surface of the gas distribution plate. A fastener and an energy storage structure is provided on the protruded features. The energy storage structure is compressed by the fastener and axially loads at least one of the protruded features to compress the chill plate, the gas plate and the gas distribution plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A showerhead assembly, comprising:
a chill plate;
a gas plate;
a gas distribution plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a plurality of protruded features contacting the top surface of the gas distribution plate and the protruding features extending through the chill plate and gas plate;
a fastener; and
an energy storage structure, wherein the energy storage structure is compressed by the fastener and axially loads at least one of the protruded features to compress the chill plate and the gas plate.

2. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas plate has a top surface and a bottom surface, the gas plate has one or more openings formed through the gas plate from the top surface and the bottom surface, the bottom surface of the gas plate is positioned over the top surface of the gas distribution plate such that the protruded feature extends through the opening of the gas plate.

3. The showerhead assembly of claim 2 , wherein the chill plate comprises:
a top surface;
a bottom surface; and
one or more openings formed from the top surface to the bottom surface, the bottom surface of the chill plate is positioned over the top surface of the gas plate such that the protruded feature extends through the opening of the chill plate.

4. The showerhead assembly of claim 3 , wherein a top surface of each protruded feature includes a probe support that is configured to support a temperature probe within the protruded feature and above the chill plate.

5. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the showerhead assembly further comprises:
one or more insulative sleeves, wherein each insulative sleeve at least partially surrounds the protruded feature.

6. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes arranged on the gas distribution plate in one or more zones.

7. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the protruded features are arranged in a ring concentric with the gas distribution plate.

8. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the protruded features are arranged in a grid pattern on the gas distribution plate.

9. The showerhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the protruded features is not axially loaded.

10. A processing chamber, comprising:
a substrate support member configured to support a substrate; and
a showerhead assembly, comprising:
a chill plate;
a gas plate;
a gas distribution plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a plurality of protruded features contacting the top surface of the gas distribution plate and the protruding features extending through the chill plate and gas plate;
a fastener; and
an energy storage structure, wherein the energy storage structure is compressed by the fastener and axially loads at least one of the protruded features to compress the chill plate and the gas plate.

11. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein the gas plate has a top surface and a bottom surface, the gas plate has one or more openings formed through the gas plate from the top surface and the bottom surface, the bottom surface of the gas plate is positioned over the top surface of the gas distribution plate such that the protruded feature extends through the opening of the gas plate.

12. The processing chamber of claim 11 , wherein the chill plate comprises:
a top surface;
a bottom surface; and
one or more openings formed from the top surface to the bottom surface, the bottom surface of the chill plate is positioned over the top surface of the gas plate such that the protruded feature extends through the opening of the chill plate.

13. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein a top surface of each protruded feature includes a probe support that is configured to support a temperature probe within the protruded feature and above the chill plate.

14. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein the showerhead assembly further comprises:
one or more insulative sleeves, wherein each insulative sleeve at least partially surrounds the protruded feature.

15. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes arranged on the gas distribution plate in one or more zones.

16. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the protruded features are arranged in a ring concentric with the gas distribution plate.

17. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the protruded features are arranged in a grid pattern on the gas distribution plate.

18. The processing chamber of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the protruded features is not axially loaded.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Franklin Timothy Joseph
• Babayan Steven E
• Kraus Philip Allan

Classifications

• H10P72/0421

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H10P72/0602

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P50/242

  of Group IV materials · CPC title

• B05B1/005

  Nozzles or other outlets specially adapted for discharging one or more gases · CPC title

• H01J37/3244 Primary

  Gas supply means · CPC title