Substrate processing system with mechanically floating target assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303311-B2
Application number	US-201213435949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2012
Priority date	Mar 30, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Substrate processing systems are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system may include a target assembly having a target comprising a source material to be deposited on a substrate; a grounding assembly disposed about the target assembly and having a first surface that is generally parallel to and opposite a backside of the target assembly; a support member coupled to the grounding assembly to support the target assembly within the grounding assembly; one or more insulators disposed between the backside of the target assembly and the first surface of the grounding assembly; and one or more biasing elements disposed between the first surface of the grounding assembly and the backside of the target assembly to bias the target assembly toward the support member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a target assembly having a target comprising a source material to be deposited on a substrate;
a grounding assembly disposed about the target assembly and having a first surface that is generally parallel to and opposite a backside of the target assembly, wherein the grounding assembly is electrically separated from the target assembly;
a support member coupled to the grounding assembly to support the target assembly within the grounding assembly;
one or more insulators disposed between the backside of the target assembly and the first surface of the grounding assembly; and
one or more biasing elements disposed between the first surface of the grounding assembly and the backside of the target assembly to bias the target assembly toward the support member.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a seal ring disposed between the target assembly and the support member, wherein the seal ring includes a first side opposing a lower surface of the target assembly and a second side opposing an upper surface of the support member.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first compressible element disposed between the first side of the seal ring and the lower surface of the target assembly that forms a seal between the first side and the lower surface of the target assembly when compressed by the one or more biasing elements; and
a second compressible element disposed between the second side of the seal ring and the upper surface of the support member that forms a seal between the second side and the upper surface of the support member when compressed by the one or more biasing elements.

4. The substrate processing system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a chamber body disposed below the support member and having an upper surface opposing a lower surface of the support member; and
a third compressible element disposed between the upper surface of the chamber body and the lower surface of the support member that forms a seal between the upper surface of the chamber body and the lower surface of the support member when compressed by the one or more biasing elements.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the target assembly further comprises:
a source distribution plate opposing a backside of the target and electrically coupled to the target along a peripheral edge of the target, wherein the source distribution plate is coupled to at least one of the one or more insulators or the one or more biasing elements; and
a conductive member disposed between the backside of the target and the source distribution plate to propagate RF energy from the source distribution plate to the peripheral edge of the target.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 5 , wherein the target further comprises:
a backing plate to support the source material, wherein the backing plate is coupled to a bottom side of the conductive member and wherein the source material is disposed on a conductive member opposing surface of the backing plate.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 5 , wherein the target assembly further comprises:
a cavity disposed between the backside of the target and the source distribution plate; and
a magnetron assembly comprising a rotatable magnet disposed within the cavity and having an axis of rotation that is aligned with a central axis of the target.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 5 , further comprising:
an RF feed structure coupled to the source distribution plate to provide RF energy to the source distribution plate, wherein the RF feed structure is aligned with a central axis of the target.

9. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the grounding assembly further comprises:
a grounding plate including the first surface and opposing the target assembly, wherein the grounding plate is coupled to at least one of the one or more insulators or the one or more biasing elements; and
a grounding shield extending from the first surface of the grounding plate and surrounding the target assembly, wherein the support member is coupled to a lower side of the grounding shield.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein a first side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the target assembly and a second side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the grounding assembly via the one or more biasing elements.

11. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein a first side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the target assembly via the one or more biasing elements and a second side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the first surface of the grounding assembly.

12. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more biasing elements further comprises at least two biasing elements and wherein a first side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the target assembly via one of the at least two biasing elements and a second side of the one or more insulators is coupled to the grounding assembly via another of the at least two biasing elements.

13. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a target assembly having a target comprising a source material to be deposited on a substrate and having a source distribution plate opposing a backside of the target and electrically coupled to the target along a peripheral edge of the target;
a grounding assembly disposed about the target assembly and having a first surface that is generally parallel to and opposite a backside of the target assembly, wherein the grounding assembly is electrically separated from the target assembly;
a support member coupled to the grounding assembly to support the target assembly within the grounding assembly;
one or more insulators disposed between the source distribution plate and the first surface of the grounding assembly; and
one or more biasing elements disposed between the first surface of the grounding assembly and the source distribution plate to bias the target assembly toward the support member.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 13 , wherein the grounding assembly comprises:
a grounding plate including the first surface and opposing the target assembly, wherein the grounding plate is coupled to at least one of the one or more insulators or the one or more biasing elements; and
a grounding shield extending from the first surface of the grounding plate and surrounding the target assembly, wherein the support member is coupled to a lower side of the grounding shield.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a seal ring disposed between the target assembly and the support member, wherein the seal ring includes a first side opposing a lower surface of the target assembly and a second side opposing an upper surface of the support member;
a first compressible element disposed between the first side of the seal ring and the lower surface of the target assembly that forms a seal between the first side and the lower surface of the target assembly when compressed by the one or more biasing elements; and
a second compressible element disposed between the second side of the seal ring and the upper surface of the support member that forms a seal between the second side and the upper surface of the support member when compressed by the one or more biasing elements.

16. The substrate processing system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a chamber body disposed below the support member and having an upper surface opposing a lower surface of the sup

Assignees

• Young Donny
• Ritchie Alan
• Pai Uday
• Rasheed Muhammad
• Miller Keith A
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Young Donny
• Ritchie Alan
• Pai Uday
• Rasheed Muhammad
• Miller Keith A

Classifications

• H01J37/3417

  Arrangements · CPC title

• C23C14/35

  by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J37/3435

  Target holders (includes backing plates and endblocks) · CPC title

• C23C14/3407 Primary

  Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target · CPC title