IP Library Granted Patent US 12,334,341
Granted Patent B2
US 12,334,341 · App. 17/579,762 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Chamber body feedthrough for in chamber resistive heating element

Inventors: Brian Hayes Burrows (San Jose, CA); Ala Moradian (Sunnyvale, CA); Zuoming Zhu (Sunnyvale, CA); Chia Cheng Chin (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01L21/02658C23C16/4586H01L21/67103
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,334,341
App. No.
17/579,762
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing uniform heating of substrates disposed within a processing chamber is provided. The apparatus includes one or more heating coils disposed in the processing chamber. The one or more heating coils are electrically coupled to a power source using heater rods. The heater rods are coupled to a socket on a distal end opposite the connection to the heating coils. The socket includes a feedthrough and a cooling plate configured to remove contaminants, such as methane, from the area surrounding the heater rod.

Claims (51)

1. A heating system for substrate processing comprising:

a first heater comprising a continuous heating coil;

a first heater rod coupled to a first connection point of the first heater;

a second heater rod coupled to a second connection point of the first heater, wherein each of the first heater rod and the second heater rod are configured to be screwed onto the first heater and comprise a passage disposed therethrough;

a socket coupled to one of the first heater rod or the second heater rod at a distal end opposite the first heater, the socket comprising:

a feedthrough coupled to the first heater rod or the second heater rod and comprising a feedthrough inert gas passage fluidly coupled to the passage disposed through the first heater rod or the second heater rod; and

a cooling plate disposed around at least a portion of the feedthrough.

2. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein the socket is a first socket coupled to the first heater rod and a second socket is coupled to the second heater rod.

3. The heating system of claim 2 , wherein the second socket comprises:

a second feedthrough coupled to the second heater rod and comprising a second feedthrough inert gas passage fluidly coupled to a passage disposed through the second heater rod; and

a second cooling plate disposed around at least a portion of the second feedthrough.

4. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling plate further comprises:

a cooling plate inert gas passage formed between a first surface adjacent the feedthrough and a second surface;

a connection channel disposed in the first surface of the cooling plate and fluidly connecting the cooling plate inert gas passage and the feedthrough inert gas passage; and

a cooling channel disposed through the cooling plate.

5. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein the first heater rod further comprises:

a first threaded section on a first distal end configured to engage the first heater;

a second threaded section on a second distal end; and

a fastening section disposed between a central shaft of the first heater rod and the first threaded section.

6. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein the socket further comprises:

a power line coupled to the feedthrough; and

a purge gas source fluidly coupled to the feedthrough inert gas passage.

7. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein the feedthrough is a nickel feedthrough.

8. The heating system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first heater rod and the second heater rod are a carbon based material.

9. A socket assembly for coupling to a heater rod in a substrate processing chamber comprising:

a feedthrough comprising:

a cavity containing a female threaded section and configured to receive a heater rod; and

a feedthrough inert gas passage fluidly coupled to the cavity; and

a cooling plate disposed around at least a portion of the feedthrough and comprising:

a cooling plate inert gas passage;

a connection channel disposed in a surface of the cooling plate and fluidly connecting the cooling plate inert gas passage and the feedthrough inert gas passage; and

a cooling channel disposed through the cooling plate.

10. The socket assembly of claim 9 , wherein the feedthrough comprises a metal or a metal alloy.

11. The socket assembly of claim 10 , wherein the feedthrough comprises a nickel material.

12. The socket assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:

a power line coupled to the feedthrough; and

a purge gas source fluidly coupled to the feedthrough inert gas passage.

13. The socket assembly of claim 12 , wherein the power line is coupled to the feedthrough by a cap disposed around a protrusion on the feedthrough.

14. The socket assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a feedthrough insulator disposed adjacent a surface of the feedthrough.

15. The socket assembly of claim 14 , wherein the feedthrough insulator comprises a quartz, a glass, or a ceramic material.

16. The socket assembly of claim 14 , wherein the feedthrough insulator comprises a heater rod sealing ring disposed on an inside surface of the feedthrough insulator.

17. The socket assembly of claim 9 , wherein a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring are disposed on opposite sides of the connection channel and form a seal between the feedthrough and the cooling plate.

18. A heating system for substrate processing comprising:

a first heater comprising a continuous heating coil;

a first heater rod coupled to a first connection point of the first heater;

a second heater rod coupled to a second connection point of the first heater, wherein each of the first heater rod and the second heater rod comprise a passage disposed therethrough;

a socket coupled to one of the first heater rod or the second heater rod, the socket comprising:

a feedthrough coupled to the first heater rod or the second heater rod and comprising a feedthrough inert gas passage fluidly coupled to the passage disposed through the first heater rod or the second heater rod; and

a cooling plate disposed around at least a portion of the feedthrough, the cooling plate comprising a cooling plate inert gas passage fluidly coupled to the feedthrough inert gas passage and a cooling channel disposed through the cooling plate.

19. The heating system of claim 18 , wherein the first heater and at least a portion of the first heater rod and the second heater rod include a coating disposed thereon.

20. The heating system of claim 19 , wherein the coating comprises a silicon carbide (SiC) coating or a Pyrolytic Boron Nitride (pBN) coating.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2022
From: BURROWS, BRIAN HAYES; MORADIAN, ALA; ZHU, ZUOMING; CHIN, CHIA CHENG
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058743/0341 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63148273 · Feb 11, 2021
Related Publication 20220254634A1 · Aug 11, 2022
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