Systems for cooling RF heated chamber components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9978565-B2
Application number	US-201113292649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2011
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a plasma processing device may include a dielectric window, a vacuum chamber, an energy source, and at least one air amplifier. The dielectric window may include a plasma exposed surface and an air exposed surface. The vacuum chamber and the plasma exposed surface of the dielectric window can cooperate to enclose a plasma processing gas. The energy source can transmit electromagnetic energy through the dielectric window and form an elevated temperature region in the dielectric window. The at least one air amplifier can be in fluid communication with the dielectric window. The at least one air amplifier can operate at a back pressure of at least about 1 in-H 2 O and can provide at least about 30 cfm of air.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma processing device comprising:
a dielectric window comprising a plasma exposed surface and an air exposed surface;
a vacuum chamber coupled with the dielectric window, wherein the vacuum chamber and the plasma exposed surface of the dielectric window cooperate to enclose a plasma processing gas;
an energy source disposed adjacent to the dielectric window, wherein the energy source transmits electromagnetic energy through the dielectric window and into the vacuum chamber such that the electromagnetic energy forms an elevated temperature region in the dielectric window and transforms at least a portion of the plasma processing gas into a plasma; and
at least one air amplifier in fluid communication with the air exposed surface of the dielectric window, wherein the at least one air amplifier operates at a back pressure of at least about 1 in-H2O and provides at least about 30 cfm of air, the air amplifier comprising a first inlet for receiving pressurized air at a first velocity and a first volume, a second inlet for receiving ambient air at a second velocity, and an exhaust for outputting amplified air at a second volume, wherein the first velocity is greater than the second velocity and the first volume is less than the second volume; and
a substantially annular plenum in fluid communication with the air exposed surface of the dielectric window and the at least one air amplifier to receive cooling air from the at least one air amplifier, wherein the plenum is divided into a plurality of segments by partition walls that are shared by adjacent segments and each segment comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein each at least one inlet of each segment receives amplified air from the at least one air amplifier and each at least one outlet of each segment outputs air directly into a pressure region having a back pressure, wherein the pressure region is at least partially surrounded by the plenum, and wherein the air is outputted toward the dielectric window.

2. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the plenum is disposed over the elevated temperature region of the dielectric window.

3. The plasma processing device of claim 2 , wherein the plenum is in contact with the dielectric window.

4. The plasma processing device of claim 2 , wherein the plenum is offset from the dielectric window.

5. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the elevated temperature region is coincident heat induced by the plasma disposed within the vacuum chamber.

6. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air amplifier comprises a control input in fluid communication with a ring shaped nozzle.

7. The plasma processing device of claim 6 , further comprising one or more ducts in fluid communication with the at least one air amplifier and the plenum.

8. The plasma processing device of claim 7 , wherein the plenum and the one or more ducts comprise a passive material.

9. The plasma processing device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one air amplifier pressurizes the plenum such that the back pressure is at least about 2 in-H2O and each of the at least one air amplifier provides about 30 cfm of air.

10. The plasma processing device of claim 8 , wherein the plenum comprises at least one outlet.

11. The plasma processing device of claim 10 , wherein the plenum is located within a pressure controlled enclosure and air is purged from the at least one outlet of the plenum to the pressure controlled enclosure.

12. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more ducts is in fluid communication with the at least one outlet of the plenum and a purging air amplifier such that the purging air amplifier removes air from the plenum.

13. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises an inner coil and an outer coil.

14. The plasma processing device of claim 13 , wherein the plenum is disposed between the inner coil and the outer coil.

15. The plasma processing device of claim 14 , wherein the plenum is substantially ring shaped.

16. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises a radio frequency source, a helicon source, an electron cyclotron resonance, a microwave source or a combination thereof.

17. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic energy has a power level greater than about 50 W.

18. The plasma processing device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric window comprises aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, or quartz.

19. A plasma processing device comprising:
a dielectric window comprising a plasma exposed surface and an air exposed surface;
a vacuum chamber coupled with the dielectric window, wherein the vacuum chamber and the plasma exposed surface of the dielectric window cooperate to enclose a plasma processing gas;
an energy source disposed outside of the vacuum chamber wherein, the energy source transmits electromagnetic energy through the dielectric window and into the vacuum chamber such that the electromagnetic energy forms an elevated temperature region in the dielectric window to transform at least a portion of the plasma processing gas into a plasma;
a substantially annular plenum in fluid communication with the air exposed surface of the dielectric window, wherein the plenum is disposed over the elevated temperature region of the dielectric window, wherein the plenum is divided into a plurality of segments by partition walls that are shared by adjacent segments and each segment comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein each at least one inlet of each segment receives amplified air from at least one air amplifier and each at least one outlet of each segment outputs air directly into a pressure region having a back pressure, wherein the pressure region is at least partially surrounded by the plenum, and wherein the air is outputted toward the dielectric window; and
wherein the at least one air amplifier is in fluid communication with the plenum, wherein the at least one air amplifier pressurizes the plenum to a back pressure of at least about 2 in-H2O and provides at least about 30 cfm of air.

20. A plasma processing device comprising:
a dielectric window comprising a plasma exposed surface and an air exposed surface;
a vacuum chamber coupled with the dielectric window, wherein the vacuum chamber and the plasma exposed surface of the dielectric window cooperate to enclose a plasma processing gas;
an energy source disposed adjacent to the dielectric window, wherein the energy source transmits electromagnetic energy through the dielectric window and into the vacuum chamber such that the electromagnetic energy forms an elevated temperature region in the dielectric window and transforms at least a portion of the plasma processing gas into a plasma; and
at least one air amplifier in fluid communication with the air exposed surface of the dielectric window, wherein the at least one air amplifier operates at a back pressure of at least about 1 in-H2O and provides at least about 30 cfm of air; and
a substantially annular plenum in fluid communication with the air exposed surface of the dielectric window and the at least one air amplifier to receive cooling air from the at least one air amplifier, wherein the plenum is divided into a plurality of substantially wedge-shaped segments by partition walls that are shared by adjacent segments and each segment comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the at least one

Assignees

• Mcchesney Jon
• Sriraman Saravanapriyan
• Marsh Ricky
• Paterson Alex
• Holland John
• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Mcchesney Jon
• Sriraman Saravanapriyan
• Marsh Ricky
• Paterson Alex
• Holland John

Classifications

• H01J37/32082

  Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32522 Primary

  Temperature · CPC title

• H01J37/32238

  Windows · CPC title

• H01J37/32119

  Windows · CPC title