Plasma chamber top piece assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9318349-B2
Application number	US-201313950040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 30, 2004
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is described. The plasma processing system includes a bottom piece including a chuck configured for holding the substrate. The plasma processing system also includes an induction coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field in order to create a plasma for processing the substrate; and an optimized top piece coupled to the bottom piece, the top piece further configured for a heating and cooling system. Wherein, the heating and cooling system is substantially shielded from the electromagnetic field by the optimized top piece, and the optimized top piece can substantially be handled by a single person.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A top piece for a plasma processing chamber, comprising:
a first shelf;
a second shelf;
a wall disposed between the first shelf and the second shelf; and
a cavity, that has at least one side that is open to the plasma processing chamber, being formed between the first shelf and the second shelf and between the wall, wherein the cavity comprises a configuration to accommodate a heating and cooling system for the plasma processing chamber with the top piece providing RF shielding to shield RF from the heating and cooling system;
wherein the first shelf is above the second shelf, and wherein a top cover of the plasma processing chamber is aligned by the first shelf and resting on the second shelf.

2. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the first shelf is connected to the wall at a junction.

3. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein RF shielding of the heating and cooling system minimizes a distortion of a resulting electric field.

4. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the top piece comprises an inner surface area configured to be exposed to plasma.

5. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the internal shape of the top piece is such that electrical, gas flow, and plasma containment characteristics are substantially the same.

6. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the top piece comprises a material comprising aluminum or ceramic.

7. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the top piece comprises a material substantially free of plastic or stainless steel.

8. The top piece of claim 1 , further comprising a metallic spring gasket having a configuration to establish electrical conduction with a bottom piece of a plasma processing chamber.

9. The top piece of claim 1 , further comprising a recessed portion that includes said cavity, and wherein the recessed portion is associated with a reduced weight that is greater than a weight of the top piece.

10. The top piece of claim 1 , further comprising a recess portion associated with a reduced weight that is greater than or equal to 400% of a weight of the top piece.

11. The top piece of claim 1 comprising a cylinder comprising mounting process support hardware and a vacuum seal system.

12. The top piece of claim 11 , wherein the mounting process hardware comprises hardware for mounting at least one member selected from the group consisting of an RF input coil, an alignment feature and temperature control hardware.

13. The top piece of claim 11 , wherein the cylinder comprises a configuration to conduct electrical current out of the top piece.

14. The top piece of claim 11 , wherein the sealing vacuum seal system comprises a set of top and bottom vacuum seals.

15. The top piece of claim 14 , wherein the set of top and bottom seals comprise O-rings.

16. The top piece of claim 1 , wherein the first shelf and the second shelf extend outwardly from the wall.

17. A top piece for a plasma processing chamber, comprising:
a first shelf;
a second shelf;
a wall disposed between the first shelf and the second shelf; and
a cavity formed between the first shelf, the second shelf and between the wall, wherein the cavity is configured to accommodate a heating and cooling system disposed in the cavity with the top piece shielding the heating and cooling system from RF of the plasma processing chamber;
wherein the first shelf is above the second shelf, and wherein a top cover of the plasma processing chamber is aligned by the first shelf and resting on the second shelf.

Assignees

• Sharpless Leonard J
• Comendant Keith
• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Sharpless Leonard J
• Comendant Keith

Classifications

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H10P14/40

  of conductive or resistive materials · CPC title

• H10P95/70

  Chemical treatments · CPC title

• H10P52/00

  Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices · CPC title

• H10P50/20 Primary

  Dry etching; Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching · CPC title