Thickness uniformity improvement kit for thermally sensitive epitaxial processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12519005-B2
Application number	US-202217875302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2022
Priority date	Jul 27, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a susceptor kit. The susceptor kit includes a susceptor support plate including a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes, a plurality of susceptor supports recessed within the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, and a lift pin assembly. The plurality of susceptor supports receive a plurality of susceptor support pins. The support body supports the support pin link in a spaced apart relation to the susceptor support plate. The lift pin assembly is received in the plurality of susceptor lift pin holes. The lift pin assembly includes a lift pin cap and a susceptor lift pin comprising a susceptor stop plate. The susceptor support plate stop is receivable within the susceptor lift pin holes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A susceptor kit, the susceptor kit comprising:
a susceptor support plate comprising a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes; a plurality of susceptor supports, each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports recessed within a respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports each comprising a plurality of susceptor support pins to support a substrate support, wherein each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports further comprises a support body and a support pin link, wherein a support connector is received by a support anchor of the susceptor support plate to secure the support body to the susceptor support plate, and wherein the support pin link receives the susceptor support pins, the support body supports the support pin link in spaced apart relation to the susceptor support plate; and a lift pin assembly received in each susceptor lift pin hole of the plurality of susceptor lift pin holes.

2 . The susceptor kit of claim 1 , wherein each two adjacent susceptor support holes of the plurality of susceptor support holes are radially spaced 120 degrees apart and each two adjacent susceptor supports of the plurality of susceptor supports are radially spaced 120 degrees apart.

3 . The susceptor kit of claim 1 , wherein each two adjacent susceptor support pins of the plurality of susceptor support pins are positioned radially 60 degrees apart about a perimeter of the susceptor support plate to contact an edge of the substrate support.

4 . The susceptor kit of claim 1 , wherein the susceptor support pins comprise silicon carbide.

5 . The susceptor kit of claim 1 , wherein the susceptor support plate, the susceptor supports, and the lift pin assembly comprise a material with a UV transmission of greater than 80%.

6 . The susceptor kit of claim 5 , wherein the material of the susceptor support plate, the susceptor supports, and the lift pin assembly is quartz.

7 . The susceptor kit of claim 1 , wherein a width W 1 of the support body is between 10 mm and 30 mm and a width W 2 of each susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes is between 12 mm and 32 mm.

8 . A susceptor kit, the susceptor kit comprising:
a susceptor support plate comprising a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes; and a plurality of susceptor supports, each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports recessed within a respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports each comprising a plurality of susceptor support pins to support a substrate support, wherein each two adjacent susceptor support holes of the plurality of susceptor support holes are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, each two adjacent susceptor supports of the plurality of susceptor supports are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, and each two adjacent susceptor support pins of the plurality of susceptor support pins are positioned 60 degrees apart about a perimeter of the susceptor support plate to contact an edge of the substrate support, wherein each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports pivots about an axis within each respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes between +/−5°.

9 . A susceptor kit, the susceptor kit comprising:
a susceptor support plate comprising a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes; a plurality of susceptor supports, each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports recessed within a respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports each comprising a plurality of susceptor support pins to support a substrate support, wherein each two adjacent susceptor support holes of the plurality of susceptor support holes are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, each two adjacent susceptor supports of the plurality of susceptor supports are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, and each two adjacent susceptor support pins of the plurality of susceptor support pins are positioned 60 degrees apart about a perimeter of the susceptor support plate to contact an edge of the substrate support; and a lift pin assembly received in each susceptor lift pin hole of the plurality of susceptor lift pin holes.

10 . The susceptor kit of claim 9 , wherein the lift pin assembly further comprises a lift pin cap and a susceptor lift pin, the susceptor lift pin comprising a susceptor stop plate, wherein the susceptor stop plate further comprises a flared portion and a stop portion, the flared portion having sidewalls that flare outward toward the stop portion.

11 . The susceptor kit of claim 10 , wherein the lift pin cap has a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a lift pin alignment hole.

12 . The susceptor kit of claim 10 , wherein the lift pin cap is comprised of a silicon carbide.

13 . The susceptor kit of claim 9 , wherein the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports, and the plurality of susceptor lift pins comprise a material with a UV transmission of greater than 80%.

14 . A susceptor kit, the susceptor kit comprising:
a susceptor support plate comprising a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes; a plurality of susceptor supports, each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports recessed within a respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports each comprising a support body and a support pin link, wherein a support connector is received by a support anchor of the susceptor support plate to secure the support body to the susceptor support plate, and wherein the support pin link receives a plurality of susceptor support pins, the support body supports the support pin link in a spaced apart relation to the susceptor support plate; and a lift pin assembly received in each susceptor lift pin hole of the plurality of susceptor lift pin holes, wherein the lift pin assembly further comprises a lift pin cap and a susceptor lift pin, the susceptor lift pin comprising a susceptor stop plate, wherein the susceptor stop plate is receivable within the susceptor lift pin holes.

15 . The susceptor kit of claim 14 , wherein a width W 1 of the support body is between 10 mm and 30 mm and a width W 2 of each susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes is between 12 mm and 32 mm.

16 . The susceptor kit of claim 14 , wherein each susceptor support of the plurality of susceptor supports pivots about an axis within each respective susceptor support hole of the plurality of susceptor support holes between +/−5°.

17 . The susceptor kit of claim 14 , wherein the susceptor support plate, the plurality of susceptor supports, and the susceptor lift pin comprise a material with a UV transmission of greater than 80%.

18 . The susceptor kit of claim 14 , wherein each two adjacent susceptor support holes of the plurality of susceptor support holes are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, each two adjacent susceptor supports of the plurality of susceptor supports are radially spaced 120 degrees apart, and each two ad

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Cong Zhepeng
• Atanos Ashur J
• Smith Nimrod
• Collins Richard O

Classifications

• H10P72/7612 Primary

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

• C30B25/12 Primary

  Substrate holders or susceptors · CPC title

• C23C16/4583

  the substrate being supported substantially horizontally · CPC title

• C23C16/4586

  Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices · CPC title

• C23C16/46

  characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence) · CPC title