Channeled lift pin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021210373-A1
Application number	US-202117140661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 4, 2021
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A reactor system may comprise a reaction chamber enclosed by a chamber sidewall, and a susceptor disposed in the reaction chamber between a reaction space and a lower chamber space comprised in the reaction chamber. The susceptor may comprise a pin hole disposed through the susceptor such that the pin hole is in fluid communication with the reaction space and the lower chamber space, and such that the reaction space is in fluid communication with the lower chamber space. A lift pin may be disposed in the pin hole. The lift pin may comprise a pin body comprising a pin channel, defined by a pin channel surface, disposed in the pin body such that the reaction space is in fluid communication with the lower chamber space when the lift pin is disposed in the pin hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reactor system, comprising:
a reaction chamber enclosed by a chamber sidewall; a susceptor disposed in the reaction chamber, wherein the susceptor is disposed between a reaction space and a lower chamber space comprised in the reaction chamber, wherein the susceptor comprises a pin hole disposed through the susceptor such that the pin hole is in fluid communication with the reaction space and the lower chamber space, and such that the reaction space is in fluid communication with the lower chamber space; and a lift pin disposed in the pin hole, wherein the lift pin comprises a pin body, wherein the pin body comprises a pin channel, defined by a pin channel surface, disposed in the pin body such that the reaction space is in fluid communication with the lower chamber space when the lift pin is disposed in the pin hole.

2 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the lift pin is disposed such that a pin outer surface of the pin body is disposed adjacent to a pin hole surface defining the pin hole.

3 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the pin body comprises a cylindrical shape with a cutout comprising the pin channel, wherein the pin body further comprises a circular cross section with the cutout comprising the pin channel, wherein the pin channel comprises a pie-slice-shape channel in the circular cross section of the pin body.

4 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the pin channel is disposed within the pin body such that the pin channel surface forms an enclosed shape.

5 . The reactor system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum source in fluid communication with the lower chamber space, wherein the vacuum source is in fluid communication with the reaction space of the reaction chamber through the pin channel of the lift pin.

6 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the lift pin comprises a pin head at a top end of the pin body, wherein the pin channel extends through the pin head, wherein the pin head is disposed at least partially in the pin hole of the susceptor, wherein the pin head forms at least a partial seal with the susceptor.

7 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber sidewall is disposed proximate a susceptor outer side surface of the susceptor.

8 . The reactor system of claim 7 , further comprising a space disposed between the chamber sidewall and the susceptor outer side surface such that the reaction space and the lower chamber space of the reaction chamber are in fluid communication via the space.

9 . The reactor system of claim 7 , wherein fluid flow is restricted between the chamber sidewall and the susceptor outer side surface.

10 . The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the lift pin comprises a top end of the pin body, wherein the lift pin and the susceptor are configured to move relative to one another such that the top end of the lift pin body is able to protrude from a substrate support surface of the susceptor.

11 . A lift pin configured to be disposed in a susceptor comprised in a reactor system, comprising:
a pin body defined by a pin outer surface, wherein the wherein the pin body comprises a pin channel, defined by a pin channel surface, extending a length of the pin body.

12 . The lift pin of claim 11 , wherein the pin channel is disposed within the pin body such that the pin channel surface forms an enclosed shape.

13 . The lift pin of claim 11 , wherein the pin channel spans linearly and parallel to an axis on which the pin body spans.

14 . The lift pin of claim 11 , wherein the pin outer surface defines a cross-sectional shape comprising a geometric shape with a portion missing, wherein the pin channel is the portion missing.

15 . The lift pin of claim 11 , further comprising a pin head at a top end of the pin body, wherein the pin channel extends through the pin head.

16 . A method, comprising:
creating a pressure differential in a reaction chamber of a reactor between a reaction space of the reaction chamber and a lower chamber space of the reaction chamber, wherein the reaction space and the lower chamber space are separated by a susceptor disposed in the reaction chamber, wherein the forming the pressure differential causes a lower chamber space pressure to be lower than a reaction space pressure; and flowing a fluid to the lower chamber space through a pin hole disposed in the susceptor and spanning between the reaction space and the lower chamber space in response to the creating the pressure differential, wherein a lift pin is disposed in the pin hole, wherein the lift pin comprises a pin body, wherein the pin body comprises a pin channel disposed in the pin body such that the reaction space is in fluid communication with the lower chamber space via the pin channel when the lift pin is disposed in the pin hole.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a substrate is disposed on a substrate support surface of the susceptor, wherein the substrate support surface is facing the reaction space, wherein the pin hole is disposed through the substrate support surface, wherein the method further comprises:
creating a suction force on the substrate toward the substrate support surface in response to the creating the pressure differential and flowing the fluid through from the reaction space to the lower chamber space through the pin hole; and seating the substrate flat on the susceptor support surface in response to the creating the suction force on the substrate.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the creating the pressure differential is accomplished by a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the lower chamber space.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pin channel is disposed within and completely enclosed by the pin body.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pin body comprises a cross-sectional shape with a portion missing, wherein the pin channel is the portion missing.

Assignees

• Asm Ip Holding Bv

Inventors

• Singu Govindarajasekhar
• Nandwana Dinkar
• Dunn Todd Robert
• Swaminathan Shankar
• Zope Bhushan
• White Carl Louis

Classifications

• H10P72/78

  using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7612 Primary

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

• C23C16/4586 Primary

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

• C23C14/50

  Substrate holders · CPC title

• C23C16/4583

  the substrate being supported substantially horizontally · CPC title