Rotatable thermal processing chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12176242-B2
Application number	US-202217581678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2022
Priority date	Jan 21, 2022
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to heating a substrate in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber. The chamber may contain a rotatable assembly configured to accommodate and rotate the substrate while a heat source inside the RTP chamber applies heat to the substrate. The rotatable assembly is partially disposed outside the RTP chamber. A seal may formed around the rotatable assembly and maintain a vacuum inside the RTP chamber while the rotatable assembly rotates. The rotatable assembly may configured to accommodate various-sized substrates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal processing chamber, comprising:
a rotatable assembly configured to rotate about an axis of the thermal processing chamber, comprising:
a rotatable pedestal comprising a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, wherein the pedestal plate is coupled to an end of the pedestal shaft and the pedestal shaft extends outside the thermal processing chamber, the pedestal shaft disposed in a pedestal housing coupled to the thermal processing chamber; and
a substrate support plate removably coupled to the pedestal plate and disposed on a plurality of transfer pins forming a gap between the substrate support plate and the pedestal plate; and

a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing, the magnetic fluid seal configured to maintain a vacuum inside the thermal processing chamber.

2. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lift pins configured to lift the substrate when the rotatable assembly is in a first position about the central axis.

3. The thermal processing chamber of claim 2 , wherein:
the substrate support plate has a first plurality of openings; and
the plurality of lift pins are configured to extend through the first plurality of openings when the plurality of lift pins lift the substrate.

4. The thermal processing chamber of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of lift pins are configured to lift the substrate support plate when the rotatable assembly is in a second position about the central axis.

5. The thermal processing chamber of claim 4 , further comprising a system controller configured to control rotation of the rotatable assembly about the central axis, wherein the system controller is configured to move the rotatable assembly from a third position about the central axis to the first position.

6. The thermal processing chamber of claim 5 , wherein the system controller is configured to receive data from a rotation sensor.

7. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal shaft is disposed in a pedestal sleeve configured rotate the pedestal.

8. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the pedestal shaft.

9. The thermal processing chamber of claim 8 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate the pedestal sleeve.

10. The thermal processing chamber of claim 7 , wherein the magnetic seal is formed around the pedestal sleeve.

11. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a reflector plate disposed inside the thermal processing chamber, wherein the reflector plate surrounds the pedestal shaft.

12. The thermal processing chamber of claim 11 , wherein the reflector plate has a channel formed therein and the channel is configured to connect to a chiller.

13. The thermal processing chamber of claim 11 , wherein the reflector plate comprises a plurality of resistive heaters disposed therein and the resistive heaters are configured to heat the substrate.

14. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal plate has a channel formed therein and the channel is configured to connect to a chiller.

15. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transfer pins removably couple the substrate support plate to the pedestal plate.

16. The thermal processing chamber of claim 1 , further comprising an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate through an adapter ring, wherein the edge ring is configured to support a substrate.

17. A rotatable assembly configured to rotate about an axis of a thermal processing chamber, the rotatable assembly comprising:
a pedestal comprising a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, wherein the pedestal shaft is disposed within a pedestal housing;
a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate, wherein the reflector plate has a first plurality of features formed therein;
a substrate support plate disposed on a plurality of transfer pins forming a gap between the substrate support plate and the pedestal plate and removably coupled to the reflector plate, wherein the substrate support plate comprises:
a second plurality of features formed therein, and
a third plurality of features formed therein and configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features; and

a magnetic fluid seal disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing.

18. The rotatable assembly of claim 17 , further comprising an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate, wherein:
the edge ring comprises at least one tab configured to couple to at least a portion of the second plurality of grooves, and
a lip configured to support a substrate.

19. The rotatable assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the pedestal shaft.

20. A thermal processing chamber, comprising:
a rotatable assembly configured to rotate about a central axis of the thermal processing chamber, the rotatable assembly comprising:
a pedestal comprising a pedestal shaft and a pedestal plate, wherein the pedestal shaft is disposed within a pedestal housing;
a reflector plate coupled to the pedestal plate, wherein the reflector plate has a first plurality of features formed therein;
a substrate support plate removably coupled to the reflector plate, wherein the substrate support plate comprises:
a second plurality of features formed therein, and
a third plurality of features formed therein and configured to couple to at least a portion of the first plurality of features;

an edge ring removably coupled to the substrate support plate, wherein:
the edge ring comprises at least one tab configured to couple to at least a portion of the second plurality of grooves, and
a lip configured to support a substrate;

a magnetic seal configured disposed between the pedestal shaft and the pedestal housing; and
a plurality of lift pins disposed in a first plurality of openings formed by the thermal processing chamber, wherein:
the lift pins are configured to be disposed in a second plurality of openings formed by the reflector plate and a third plurality of openings formed by the substrate support plate when the rotatable assembly is in a first position about the central axis, and
the lift pins are configured to lift the reflector plate when the rotatable assembly is in a second position about the central axis.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Aderhold Wolfgang R
• Iu Dongming

Classifications

• H10P72/7612

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

• H10P72/7606 Primary

  characterised by edge clamping, e.g. clamping ring · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H10P72/7624 Primary

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

• H10P72/7626

  characterised by the construction of the shaft · CPC title