Conditioning chamber component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12544809-B2
Application number	US-202418787708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2024
Priority date	May 3, 2017
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A method for conditioning a component of a wafer processing chamber is provided. The component is placed in an ultrasonic conditioning solution in an ultrasonic solution tank. Ultrasonic energy is applied through the ultrasonic conditioning solution to the component to clean the component. The component is submerged in a megasonic conditioning solution in a tank. Megasonic energy is applied through the megasonic conditioning solution to the component to clean the component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for conditioning a component of a processing chamber, comprising:
a tank for holding a megasonic conditioning solution; a mount for holding the component immersed in a megasonic conditioning solution, when the tank is filled with the megasonic conditioning solution; a megasonic conditioning solution inlet system for delivering the megasonic conditioning solution to the tank, wherein megasonic conditioning solution inlet system comprises at least one inlet for flowing the megasonic conditioning solution into the tank at a location under where the component is mounted in the tank, and wherein at least part of the inlet is under where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution; a megasonic transducer head with a length to provide megasonic energy to the megasonic conditioning solution, comprising:
at least one megasonic transducer; and
a housing positioned between the at least one megasonic transducer and the megasonic conditioning solution, where the megasonic transducer head has a length and wherein the at least one megasonic transducer provides megasonic energy to the megasonic conditioning solution through the housing, wherein the megasonic energy is delivered to the component via the megasonic conditioning solution;
a megasonic conditioning solution drain system for draining the megasonic conditioning solution from the tank at a location above where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution; and an actuator for moving the megasonic transducer head across the tank above where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein the megasonic transducer head faces the at least one inlet and wherein the component is mounted in the mount between the megasonic transducer head and the at least one inlet, so that the megasonic transducer head is above the component and the at least one inlet is directly below the mount, so that some of the megasonic energy from the megasonic transducer head directed towards the at least one inlet reaches the component.

2 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump for circulating the megasonic conditioning solution; a degas membrane; and at least one filter for filtering contaminants from the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein the pump, degas membrane, and at least one filter are in serial fluid connection between the megasonic conditioning solution drain system and the megasonic conditioning solution inlet system.

3 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 2 , further comprising a heater for heating the megasonic conditioning solution in serial fluid connection with the pump.

4 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the megasonic conditioning solution drain system comprises:
a spillway configured to allow the megasonic conditioning solution to flow from the tank; and a gutter for catching the megasonic conditioning solution flowing from the spillway.

5 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 4 , wherein the spillway is formed by a weir.

6 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tank comprises nonmetallic sides.

7 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuator moves the megasonic transducer head in a direction perpendicular to the length of the megasonic transducer head.

8 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a quartz housing positioned between the at least one megasonic transducer and the megasonic conditioning solution.

9 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one generator, wherein the at least one generator provides enough power to the megasonic transducer head, so that the megasonic transducer head provides at least 2 Watts/cm 2 of power to the megasonic conditioning solution.

10 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a socket and ball attached to the megasonic transducer head.

11 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the length of the megasonic transducer head spans across a dimension of the tank.

12 . An apparatus for conditioning a component of a processing chamber, comprising:
a tank for holding a megasonic conditioning solution; a mount for holding the component immersed in a megasonic conditioning solution, when the tank is filled with the megasonic conditioning solution; a megasonic conditioning solution inlet system for delivering the megasonic conditioning solution to the tank, wherein at least part of the megasonic conditioning solution inlet system is under where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution; a megasonic transducer head comprising at least one stationary megasonic transducer placed in the tank, the megasonic transducer to provide megasonic energy to the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein the megasonic energy is delivered to the component via the megasonic conditioning solution; and a megasonic conditioning solution drain system for draining the megasonic conditioning solution from the tank at a location above where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein megasonic conditioning solution inlet system comprises at least one inlet for flowing the megasonic conditioning solution into the tank at a location under where the component is mounted in the tank, wherein the megasonic transducer head faces the at least one inlet and wherein the component is mounted in the mount between the megasonic transducer head and the at least one inlet, so that the megasonic transducer head is above the component and the at least one inlet is directly below the mount, so that some of the megasonic energy from the megasonic transducer head directed towards the at least one inlet reaches the component.

13 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 12 , wherein the component has a height at least five times a thickness of the component, wherein the mount holds the component so that the height of the component is vertical, and wherein the tank has a height that is at least five times a width of the tank.

14 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:
a pump for circulating the megasonic conditioning solution; a degas membrane; and at least one filter for filtering contaminants from the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein the pump, degas membrane, and at least one filter are in serial fluid connection between the megasonic conditioning solution drain system and the megasonic conditioning solution inlet system.

15 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a heater for heating the megasonic conditioning solution in serial fluid connection with the pump.

16 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 12 , wherein the megasonic conditioning solution drain system comprises:
a spillway configured to allow the megasonic conditioning solution to flow from the tank; and a gutter for catching the megasonic conditioning solution flowing from the spillway.

17 . The apparatus, as recited in claim 12 , wherein the tank comprises nonmetallic sides.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Yasseri Amir A
• Shih Hong
• Daugherty John
• Outka Duane
• Xu Lin
• Avoyan Armen
• La Croix Cliff
• Hundi Girish M

Classifications

• H10P72/0468

  comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process · CPC title

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0448

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0406 Primary

  for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like · CPC title

• B08B3/12 Primary

  by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title