Actuator to dynamically adjust showerhead tilt in a semiconductor processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191160-A1
Application number	US-201514986191-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A showerhead module adjustment mechanism is provided which supports a showerhead module in a top plate of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, the showerhead module adjustment mechanism being dynamically operable to adjust a planarization of a faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate in the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates comprising:
a chemical isolation chamber in which individual semiconductor substrates are processed wherein a top plate forms an upper wall of the chemical isolation chamber; a process gas source in fluid communication with the chemical isolation chamber for supplying a process gas into the chemical isolation chamber; a showerhead module which delivers the process gas from the process gas source to a processing zone of the processing apparatus wherein the individual semiconductor substrates are processed, wherein the showerhead module comprises a base attached to a lower end of a stem wherein a faceplate having gas passages therethrough forms a lower surface of the base; a substrate pedestal module which is configured to support the semiconductor substrate in the processing zone below the faceplate during processing of the substrate; and a showerhead module adjustment mechanism which supports the showerhead module in the top plate wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism is dynamically operable to adjust the planarization of the faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of the substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate, wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism comprises at least one actuator assembly.

2 . The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly comprises:
at least one piezoelectric stack, which dynamically allows movement of the showerhead module in at least one direction of tilt.

3 . The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly further comprises:
a lever, which mechanically amplifies displacement of the at least one piezoelectric stack, wherein a blade flexure is a lever fulcrum.

4 . The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly includes:
a first flexure coupled between a first end of the piezoelectric stack and an actuator housing containing the piezoelectric stack and, a second flexure coupled between a second end of the piezoelectric stack and one side of the lever.

5 . The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
(a) the showerhead module adjustment mechanism comprises three actuator assemblies configured to effect movement of the showerhead module in two directions of tilt and an axial translation; (b) an end of the lever opposite to the piezoelectric stack causes movement of an adjustment screw coupled to a top plate of a bellows assembly; (c) an end of the lever opposite to the piezoelectric stack acts on a ball joint of the adjustment screw via a socket-groove; (d) the showerhead module is attached to the top plate of the bellows assembly; (e) the lever fulcrum constrains the lever in lateral and vertical translations; (f) the combined thermal expansion of an upper flexure portion, flexure mount, and actuator housing matches the thermal expansion of the piezoelectric stack; or, (g) the showerhead module adjustment mechanism dynamically adjusts tilt of the faceplate of the showerhead module over a range of approximately 3 milliradians.

6 . The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism dynamically adjusts a position of a faceplate of the showerhead module with a resolution of better than 0.15 milliradians.

7 . A showerhead module adjustment mechanism which supports a showerhead module in a top plate of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism is dynamically operable to adjust a planarization of a faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate in the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus.

8 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism comprises:
at least one actuator assembly, which allows dynamic movement of the showerhead module in at least one direction of tilt.

9 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly further includes:
a lever, which mechanically amplifies displacement of a piezoelectric stack and a blade flexure, which is a lever fulcrum and couples the lever to an actuator housing.

10 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 9 , wherein:
a first flexure is coupled between a first end of the piezoelectric stack and the actuator housing which contains the piezoelectric stack and, a second flexure is coupled to a second end of the piezoelectric stack and one side of the lever, and the first flexure and the second flexure are configured to reduce stress on the piezoelectric stack.

11 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 9 , further comprising:
(a) three actuator assemblies configured to effect movement of the showerhead module in two directions of tilt and an axial translation; (b) an end of the lever opposite to the piezoelectric stack causes movement of an adjustment screw coupled to a top plate of a bellows assembly; (c) an end of the lever opposite to the piezoelectric stack acts on a ball joint of the adjustment screw via a socket-groove; (d) the showerhead module is attached to the top plate of the bellows assembly; (e) the lever fulcrum constrains the lever in lateral and vertical translations; (f) the combined thermal expansion of an upper flexure portion, flexure mount, and actuator housing match the thermal expansion of the piezoelectric stack; or (g) the showerhead module adjustment mechanism dynamically adjusts tilt of the faceplate of the showerhead module over a range of approximately 3 milliradians.

12 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the showerhead module adjustment mechanism dynamically adjusts a position of the faceplate of the showerhead module with a resolution of better than 0.15 milliradians.

13 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly further comprises:
an upper flexure portion coupled between an upper end of the piezoelectric stack and an actuator housing containing the piezoelectric stack.

14 . The showerhead module adjustment mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the at least one actuator assembly further comprises:
a lever, which mechanically amplifies displacement of a piezoelectric stack; a ball-and-socket joint coupled to the lever and a bottom end of the piezoelectric stack; and an upper flexure portion coupled between an upper end of the piezoelectric stack and an actuator housing containing the piezoelectric stack.

15 . A powered mechanism for adjusting a showerhead used in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the powered mechanism adjusting the showerhead in one, two, or three degrees of freedom in less than one second.

16 . The powered mechanism of claim 15 , wherein three independent actuator assemblies are used to provide three degrees of freedom, with the three degrees of freedom being two tilt directions and one linear axial direction.

17 . The powered mechanism of claim 16 , wherein each actuator assembly is a combination of a piezoelectric stack and a lever having a blade flexure as its fulcrum, the lever configured to amplify displacement of the piezoelectric stack.

18 . The powered mechanism of

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Wiltse John

Classifications

• C23C16/45565 Primary

  Shower nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/54

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating · CPC title

• C23C16/45589

  Movable means, e.g. fans · CPC title

• C23C16/44 Primary

  characterised by the method of coating (C23C16/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title