Semiconductor processing apparatus with protective coating including amorphous phase

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016276141-A1
Application number	US-201514545042-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2008
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to compositions including a yttrium-based fluoride crystal phase, or a yttrium-based oxyfluoride crystal phase, or an oxyfluoride amorphous phase, or a combination of these materials. The compositions may be used to form a solid substrate for use as a semiconductor processing apparatus, or the compositions may be used to form a coating which is present upon a surface of substrates having a melting point which is higher than about 1600°, substrates such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, quartz, silicon carbide and silicon nitride, by way of example.

First claim

1 . A substrate protected by a coating which is resistant to a halogen-comprising plasma, comprising:
a sintered composition including a yttrium-based fluoride crystal phase, or a yttrium-based oxyfluoride crystal phase, or an oxyfluoride amorphous phase, or a combination thereof, wherein said coating is present over a surface which has a melting point higher than about 1600° C.

2 . A substrate protected by a coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a portion of said yttrium oxyfluoride or yttrium fluoride is present as a crystalline phase and an oxyfluoride is present as an amorphous phase.

3 . A substrate protected by a coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein additional crystalline phase compounds are present, and wherein said additional crystalline phase compounds were formed during sintering of said composition due to the presence of a dopant selected from the group consisting of: an oxide, fluoride, or oxyfluoride of neodymium, cerium, samarium, erbium, aluminum, scandium, lanthanum, hafnium, niobium, zirconium, ytterbium, hafnium, and combinations of an oxide, or fluoride or oxyfluoride of at least one of these elements.

4 . A coating combination in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said crystalline portion of said coating composition ranges from about 70% by weight to about 100% by weight.

5 . A coating in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said crystalline portion of said coating composition ranges from about 70% by weight to about 100% by weight.

6 . A component of a semiconductor processing apparatus, where a surface of the apparatus is exposed to a halogen-comprising reactive plasma, the component comprising:
a ceramic or glass substrate with a melting point higher than about 1600° C.; and a protective coating applied over at least one surface of said substrate, said coating including at least one yttrium-based fluoride crystal phase, or at least one yttrium-based oxyfluoride crystal phase, or at least one amorphous phase, or a combination thereof, wherein said amorphous phase comprises yttrium and fluorine.

7 . A structure in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said substrate is selected from aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, quartz, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

8 . A structure in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said protective coating comprises a matrix area near an upper surface of said coating which matrix area contains crystal grains selected from the group consisting of: an oxide, fluoride, or oxyfluoride of neodymium, cerium, samarium, erbium, aluminum, scandium, lanthanum, hafnium, niobium, zirconium, ytterbium, hafnium, and combinations of an oxide, fluoride or oxyfluoride of at least one of these elements.

9 . A structure in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said crystal grains are present at a concentration ranging from about 70 weight % to about 100 weight %.

10 . A structure in accordance with claim 7 , wherein a transition matrix area is present between said matrix area near the upper surface of said coating and said substrate, and wherein said transition matrix area comprises aluminum fluoride.

11 . A component of a semiconductor processing apparatus, where a surface of the apparatus is exposed to a halogen-comprising reactive plasma, the structure comprising:
a solid structure having an overall uniform composition, wherein said composition comprises: crystal grains selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, yttrium fluoride, yttrium oxyfluoride, and at least one additional compound selected from the group consisting of: an oxide, fluoride, or oxyfluoride of neodymium, cerium, samarium, erbium, aluminum, scandium, lanthanum, hafnium, niobium, zirconium, ytterbium, hafnium, and combinations of an oxide, fluoride or oxyfluoride of at least one of these elements.

12 . A structure in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said solid structure also comprises an amorphous phase including yttrium and fluorine.

13 . A method of forming a protective coating comprising yttrium fluoride, yttrium oxyfluoride, or a combination thereof upon at least one surface of a substrate, comprising:
a) applying a slurry comprising a powder in suspension over at least one surface of a substrate, to provide a coating over said at least one surface, wherein said powder comprises yttrium fluoride, and said substrate is selected to have a melting point higher than about 1600° C.; and b) sintering said coating present on said substrate surface to produce a sintered coating comprising yttrium fluoride, or yttrium oxyfluoride, or a combination thereof in an argon environment.

14 .- 24 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Sun Jennifer Y
• Duan Ren-Guan
• Collins Kenneth S

Classifications

• C04B2235/38

  Non-oxide ceramic constituents or additives · CPC title

• C04B41/009

  characterised by the material treated · CPC title

• C04B2235/66

  Specific sintering techniques, e.g. centrifugal sintering · CPC title

• H01J37/32495 Primary

  Means for protecting the vessel against plasma · CPC title

• C23C24/08

  by application of heat or pressure and heat (C23C24/04 takes precedence) · CPC title