Applied Materials, Inc.

Kok Seong Teo

Yuichi Wada

Kok Wei Tan

Ananthkrishna Jupudi

Yueh Sheng Ow

Siew Kit Hoi

Sarath Babu

Junqi Wei

Kang Zhang

Xinxin Wang

Yaoying Zhong

Chul Nyoung Lee

Zheng Min Clarence Chong

Apparatus and methods use a unique process kit to protect a processing volume of a process chamber. The process kit includes a shield with a frame configured to be insertable into a shield and a foil liner composed of a metallic material that is attachable to the frame at specific points. The specific attachment points are spaced apart to produce an amount of flexibility based on a malleability of the metallic material. The amount of flexibility ranges from approximately 2.5 to approximately 4.5.

Methods and apparatus for reducing defects in preclean chambers

Methods and apparatus for protecting parts of a process chamber from thermal cycling effects of deposited materials. In some embodiments, a method of protecting the part of the process chamber includes wet etching the part with a weak alkali or acid, cleaning the part by bead blasting, coating at least a portion of a surface of the part with a stress relief layer. The stress relief layer forms a continuous layer that is approximately 50 microns to approximately 250 microns thick and is configured to preserve a structural integrity of the part from the thermal cycling of aluminum deposited on the part. The method may also include wet cleaning of the part with a heated deionized water rinse after formation of the stress relief layer.

Methods and apparatus for prevention of component cracking using stress relief layer

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Singapore, Singapore

Kok Seong Teo