IP Library Granted Patent US 12665172
Granted Patent B2
US 12665172 · App. 17/896,075 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Gas cooled high power connection rod

Inventors: Kumaresan Nagarajan (Bengaluru, IN); Yue Guo (Redwood City, CA); Vijay Singh (Bangalore, IN); Adarsh Balareddy (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
H01J37/32577H01B5/00H01J37/32082H01J2237/334H01R4/4881H01R4/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12665172
App. No.
17/896,075
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of radio frequency (RF) power connection rods are provided herein. In some embodiments, an RF power connection rod includes a first connection rod having a first connection end, a first socket end opposite the first connection end, and a first hollow portion extending from the first connection end to the first socket end; a second connection rod having a second connection end, a second socket end opposite the second connection end, and a second hollow portion extending from the second connection end to the second socket end, wherein the second connection end is adjustably coupled to the first connection end along an axial direction of the second connection rod, and wherein a gas flow path extends from one or more gas inlets of the first connection rod, through the first hollow portion to the second hollow portion, to one or more gas outlets disposed through the second connection rod; a first plug coupled to the first socket end; and a second plug coupled to the second socket end.

Claims (40)

1 . A radio frequency (RF) power connection rod, comprising:

a first connection rod having a first connection end, a first socket end opposite the first connection end, and a first hollow portion extending from the first connection end to the first socket end, wherein the first socket end is a closed end and comprises a cylindrical shaped body having a central axis extending orthogonal to a central axis of a cylindrical shaped body of the first connection end;

a second connection rod having a second connection end, a second socket end opposite the second connection end, and a second hollow portion extending from the second connection end to the second socket end, wherein the second connection end is adjustably coupled to the first connection end along an axial direction of the second connection rod, wherein the second socket end is a closed end, and wherein a gas flow path extends from one or more gas inlets of the first connection rod, through the first hollow portion to the second hollow portion, to one or more gas outlets disposed through the second connection rod;

a first plug coupled to the first socket end via an opening through the cylindrical shaped body along the central axis of the first socket end; and

a second plug coupled to the second socket end via an opening through the second socket end extending along an axis orthogonal to the axial direction of the second connection rod.

2 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , wherein the second connection end comprises a tubular body disposed in the first hollow portion to couple the first connection rod to the second connection rod via the tubular body.

3 . The RF power connection rod of claim 2 , further comprising a conductive member disposed between a radially inner surface of the first connection rod and a radially outer surface of the second connection rod to facilitate coupling the first connection rod to the second connection rod.

4 . The RF power connection rod of claim 2 , wherein the first hollow portion includes a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed between the second part and the first socket end, and wherein the second part has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the first part.

5 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , further comprising a housing coupled to the first socket end, the housing made of an insulator and configured to facilitate coupling the RF power connection rod to a process chamber, wherein the first socket end is rotatably coupled to the housing.

6 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , further comprising a housing coupled to the first socket end via the first plug, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate and a wall extending from the bottom plate.

7 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , wherein the first connection end comprises a first hollow tube and the second connection end comprises a second hollow tube, wherein the gas flow path extends along an inner surface of the second hollow tube.

8 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , wherein the first connection rod and the second connection rod are made of copper or brass.

9 . The RF power connection rod of claim 1 , further comprising one or more first retainer rings disposed between the first plug and the first socket end and one or more second retainer rings disposed between the second plug and the second socket end, wherein the one or more first retainer rings have a line of sight to the one or more second retainer rings.

10 . A radio frequency (RF) power connection rod for use with a process chamber, comprising:

a first connection rod having a first connection end, a first socket end opposite the first connection end, and a first hollow portion extending from the first connection end to the first socket end, wherein an inner diameter of the first hollow portion is larger than a wall thickness of the first hollow portion throughout the first hollow portion;

a second connection rod having a second connection end, a second socket end opposite the second connection end, and a second hollow portion extending from the second connection end to the second socket end, wherein the second connection end is adjustably coupled to the first connection end along an axial direction of the second connection rod, and wherein an inner diameter of the first connection end is substantially constant and an outer diameter of the second connection end is substantially constant;

a first plug rotatably coupled to the first socket end about an axis orthogonal to the axial direction of the second connection rod via an opening in the first socket end; and

a second plug rotatably coupled to the second socket end about an axis orthogonal to the axial direction of the second connection rod via a second opening in the second socket end.

11 . The RF power connection rod of claim 10 , wherein a gas flow path extends from one or more gas inlets of the first connection rod, through the first hollow portion to the second hollow portion, to one or more gas outlets disposed through the second connection rod.

12 . The RF power connection rod of claim 10 , wherein the second connection end extends into the first hollow portion.

13 . The RF power connection rod of claim 10 , wherein the second plug includes a second plate and a second tube extending from the second plate.

14 . The RF power connection rod of claim 10 , wherein a first end of the first plug extends through the first socket end and a second end of the first plug is coupled to a housing configured to facilitate coupling the RF power connection rod to a process chamber.

15 . The RF power connection rod of claim 10 , further comprising:

one or more first retainer rings disposed between the first plug and the first socket end;

one or more second retainer rings disposed between the second plug and the second socket end; and

a biasable conductive member disposed between the first connection rod and the second connection rod to facilitate coupling the first connection rod to the second connection rod.

16 . A process chamber, comprising:

a chamber body having an interior volume therein;

a substrate support disposed in the interior volume;

an RF power supply coupled to the chamber body; and

an RF power connection rod coupled to the RF power supply to provide RF power to the substrate support, the RF power connection rod, comprising:

a first connection rod having a first connection end, a first socket end opposite the first connection end, and a first hollow portion extending from the first connection end to the first socket end;

a second connection rod having a second connection end, a second socket end opposite the second connection end, and a second hollow portion extending from the second connection end to the second socket end, wherein the second connection end is adjustably coupled to the first connection end along an axial direction of the second connection rod, and wherein a gas flow path extends from one or more gas inlets of the first connection rod, through the first hollow portion to the second hollow portion, to one or more gas outlets disposed through the second connection rod;

a first plug rotatably coupled to the first socket end via an opening through the first socket end, wherein a central axis of the opening extends along an axis orthogonal to the axial direction of the second connection rod;

a second plug rotatably coupled to the second socket end via an opening through the second socket end, wherein a central axis of the opening extends along an axis orthogonal to the axial direction of the second connection rod; and

a housing coupled to the first socket end via the first plug, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate and a wall extending from the bottom plate.

17 . The process chamber of claim 16 , wherein the RF power connection rod is coupled to the RF power supply via an RF match.

18 . The process chamber of claim 16 , wherein the second connection end is disposed in the first hollow portion to couple the first connection rod to the second connection rod.

19 . The process chamber of claim 16 , wherein the RF power connection rod is disposed in an enclosure.

20 . The process chamber of claim 16 , further comprising an output sensor coupled to the second connection rod.