Applied Materials, Inc.

Thomas Joseph Banholzer

Dan A Marohl

Avi Tepman

Donald M Mintz

Dan Morohl

A substrate processing chamber, in which the chamber houses a domed pedestal for supporting a substrate inside the chamber and a clamp ring having a seat formed therein. The chamber also houses a lift mechanism configured to receive the substrate and move it in close proximity to the clamp ring so that, upon transfer on the substrate from the lift mechanism to the pedestal, the clamp ring functions to secure the substrate to the pedestal. The lift mechanism includes a support having lift fingers to hold and center the substrate. The clamp ring includes a seat having a substrate engaging surface, which receives and holds down the periphery of the substrate onto the domed pedestal. In use the substrate engaging surface defines an angle to the horizontal which is greater than or equal to the angle to the horizontal defined by a tangent to the domed pedestal at the point where the periphery of the substrate is held down onto the pedestal. Typically the angle to the horizontal defined by the seat is about 3.degree. greater than the angle of the tangent to the domed pedestal at the point where the substrate is held down onto the pedestal.

Clamp ring for domed heated pedestal in wafer processing

Replaceable parts for a vacuum chamber including an aluminum lid and a quartz door and shield, are treated to clean and roughen their surfaces to increase adhesion of materials deposited thereon during substrate processing in said chamber, thereby reducing downtime of the equipment. The parts can be chemically cleaned, rinsed to remove the chemicals and dried in a first step; subjected to bead blasting to roughen the surface of the part and improve adhesion thereon of deposited material; in a succeeding step the part be cleaned ultrasonically to remove all loose particles; and in a last step the parts rinsed and dried to remove moisture, prior to packaging or using the part. A novel single-piece machined aluminum lid has an extension wall from a first surface that fits into the door of the chamber, and an overlying portion of said first surface that sealingly engages the door when the lid is closed.

Lid and door for a vacuum chamber and pretreatment therefor

A chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer, in which the chamber houses a domed pedestal for supporting the wafer inside the chamber and a clamp ring having a seat formed therein. The seat receives and holds down the periphery of the wafer onto the domed pedestal and includes a wafer engaging surface which engages and holds down the periphery of the wafer. In use the wafer engaging surface defines an angle to the horizontal which is greater than or equal to the angle to the horizontal defined by a tangent to the domed pedestal at the point where the periphery of the wafer is held down onto the pedestal. Typically the angle to the horizontal defined by the seat is about 3.degree. greater than the angle of the tangent to the domed pedestal at the point where the wafer is held down onto the pedestal.

Clamp ring for domed heated pedestal in wafer processing chamber

Replaceable parts for a vacuum chamber including an aluminum lid and a quartz door and shield, are treated to clean and roughen their surfaces to increase adhesion of materials deposited thereon during substrate processing in said chamber, thereby reducing downtime of the equipment. The parts can be chemically cleaned, rinsed to remove the chemicals and dried in a first step; subjected to bead blasting to roughen the surface of the part and improve adhesion thereon of deposited material; in a succeeding step the part to be cleaned ultrasonically in order to remove all loose particles; and in a last step the parts rinsed and dried to remove moisture, prior to packaging or using the part. A novel single-piece machined aluminum lid has an extension wall from a first surface that fits into the door of the chamber, and an overlying portion of said first surface that sealingly engages the door when the lid is closed.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Thomas Joseph Banholzer