Lam Research Corporation

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Applied Materials, Inc.

Ramkishan Rao Lingampalli

Karl Frederick Leeser

Joel Philip Hollingsworth

Mohamed Sabri

Bradley Baker

Douglas L Keil

Edward J Augustyniak

Brian C Lue

Padmanabhan Krishnaraj

Shawn M Hamilton

Jonathan David Mohn

Shun Jackson Wu

Harald Te Nijenhuis

Jeremy Tucker

Kevin Madrigal

Tony Kaushal

Cody Barnett

In some examples, a substrate support assembly comprises a monolithic ceramic body, a heater element disposed within the monolithic ceramic body, and an RF antenna disposed within the monolithic ceramic body. One or more power lines supplies the heater element and the RF antenna. A lamellar structure is formed or included within the monolithic ceramic body, the lamellar structure including at least one layer having a thermal conductivity different than a thermal conductivity of the monolithic ceramic body.

Lamellar ceramic structure

A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a pedestal made of ceramic material having an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor substrate thereon during processing, a stem made of ceramic material, and a backside gas tube made of metallized ceramic material that is located in an interior of the stem. The metallized ceramic tube can be used to deliver backside gas to the substrate and supply RF power to an embedded electrode in the pedestal.

Apparatus including metallized-ceramic tubes for radio-frequency and gas delivery

Module including metallized ceramic tubes for RF and gas delivery

Various implementations of hybrid ceramic faceplates for substrate processing showerheads are provided. The hybrid ceramic showerhead faceplates may include an electrode embedded within the ceramic material of the faceplate, as well as a pattern of through-holes. The electrode may be fully encapsulated within the ceramic material with respect to the through-holes. In some implementations, a heater element may also be embedded within the hybrid ceramic showerhead faceplate. A DC voltage source may be electrically connected with the hybrid ceramic showerhead faceplate during use. The hybrid ceramic faceplates may be easily removable from the substrate processing showerheads for easy cleaning and faceplate replacement.

Hybrid ceramic showerhead

A gas distribution plate for a substrate processing system includes a ceramic lower portion of the gas distribution plate including a plurality of ceramic green sheets. A ceramic upper portion of the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of ceramic green sheets. An electrode is printed on at least one of an upper surface of the ceramic lower portion and a lower surface of the ceramic upper portion using metal screen printing. A first plurality of through holes is machined through the ceramic lower portion and the ceramic upper portion of the gas distribution plate prior to sintering.

Ceramic gas distribution plate with embedded electrode

Substrate pedestal module including metallized ceramic tubes for RF and gas delivery

Electronic device fabrication processes, apparatuses and systems for flowable gap fill or flowable deposition techniques are described. In some implementations, a semiconductor fabrication chamber is described which is configured to maintain a semiconductor wafer at a temperature near 0&#xb0; C. while maintaining most other components within the fabrication chamber at temperatures on the order of 5-10&#xb0; C. or higher than the wafer temperature.

System and apparatus for flowable deposition in semiconductor fabrication

A showerhead assembly for a substrate processing system includes a back plate connected to a gas channel. A face plate is connected adjacent to a first surface of the back plate and includes a gas diffusion surface. An electrode is arranged in one of the back plate and the face plate and is connected to one or more conductors. A gas plenum is defined between the back plate and the face plate and is in fluid communication with the gas channel. The back plate and the face plate are made of a non-metallic material.

Ceramic showerhead with embedded RF electrode for capacitively coupled plasma reactor

An article having a protective coating for use in semiconductor applications and method for making the same is provided. In one embodiment, a method of coating an aluminum surface of an article utilized in a semiconductor deposition chamber includes the steps of heating a coating material to a semi-liquidous state, the coating material comprising at least one material from the group consisting of aluminum fluoride and magnesium fluoride and depositing the heated coating material on the aluminum surface. The protective coating has a beta phase grain orientation of less than about 10 percent that has good adhesion to aluminum and resists cracking, flaking and peeling. Some articles that may be advantageously coated include showerheads, blocker plates, support assemblies and vacuum chamber bodies, among others.

Article for use in a semiconductor processing chamber and method of fabricating same

The present invention provides an electrostatic chuck having a dielectric layer with improved porosity and electrical properties, and a method for fabricating the dielectric layer and applying the layer to a pedestal to form a portion of an electrostatic chuck. The dielectric layer is formed by a detonation gun process which includes igniting a fuel gas mixture to form a detonation wave and propelling aluminum oxide powder onto the pedestal at high speeds. The dielectric layer has a porosity of less than 1 percent of its total volume, which improves the electrical properties of the chuck, such as its dielectric strength and the dielectric constant. In addition, the low porosity decreases the adsorption of moisture and other gases into the dielectric layer, which further enhances the electrical properties of the chuck.

Electrostatic chuck and method for fabricating the same

A high temperature, oxidation resistant coating is provided for an RF antenna used in semiconductor processing. In a preferred embodiment, the coating is made of nickel to protect the antenna against oxidation at high temperatures.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Ramkishan Rao Lingampalli