IP Library Granted Patent US 12,492,464
Granted Patent B2
US 12,492,464 · App. 18/093,442 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Protective metal oxy-fluoride coatings

Inventors: David Fenwick (Los Altos, CA); Chengtsin Lee (Union City, CA); Jennifer Y. Sun (Mountain View, CA); Yikai Chen (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
C23C14/0694C23C14/0021C23C14/06C23C14/08C23C14/081C23C14/082C23C14/083C23C14/46C23C16/4404H01J37/32477H01J37/32495H01J37/32559H01J37/3441C23C14/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,492,464
App. No.
18/093,442
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article has a body having a protective coating. The protective coating is a thin film that includes a metal oxy-fluoride. The metal oxy-fluoride has an empirical formula of M x O y F z , where M is a metal, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x. The protective coating has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%.

Claims (26)

1 . A thin film comprising:

a metal oxy-fluoride having an empirical formula of M x O y F z , where M is a metal comprising at least one of aluminum, calcium, or strontium, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x;

wherein the thin film has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%, and

wherein one of:

the metal has a valence of 2 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 37-48 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-43 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-53 at. % fluorine,

the metal has a valence of 3 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 27-38 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-52 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-63 at. % fluorine, or

the metal has a valence of 4 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 22-32 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-58 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-68 at. % fluorine.

2 . The thin film of claim 1 , wherein the thin film coats at least one surface of a chamber component for semiconductor processing equipment.

3 . The thin film of claim 1 , wherein the metal has the valence of 2 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 37-48 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-43 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-53 at. % fluorine.

4 . The thin film of claim 1 , wherein the metal has the valence of 3 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 27-38 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-52 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-63 at. % fluorine.

5 . The thin film of claim 1 , wherein the metal has valence of 4 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 22-32 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-58 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-68 at. % fluorine.

6 . An article comprising:

a body comprising a thin film on at least a portion of the body;

the thin film comprising:

a metal oxy-fluoride having an empirical formula of M x O y F z , where M is a metal comprising at least one of aluminum, calcium, or strontium, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x;

wherein the thin film has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%.

7 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the metal has a valence of 2 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 37-48 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-43 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-53 at. % fluorine.

8 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the metal has a valence of 3 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 27-38 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-52 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-63 at. % fluorine.

9 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the metal has a valence of 4 and the metal oxy-fluoride comprises approximately 22-32 at. % of the metal, approximately 10-58 at. % oxygen, and approximately 10-68 at. % fluorine.

10 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the thin film is at least one of a sputtered thin film, an evaporated thin film, amorphous or at least partially crystalline.

11 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the article is a chamber component.

12 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the chamber component is selected from the group consisting of a substrate support assembly, an electrostatic chuck, a ring, a chamber wall, a base, a gas distribution plate, a showerhead, a liner, a liner kit, a shield, a plasma screen, a flow equalizer, a cooling base, a chamber viewport, a chamber lid, a face plate and a selectivity modulation device, or

wherein the chamber component is a showerhead comprising holes and wherein the thin film is thin enough not to block the holes.

13 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the chamber component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Y 203 , yttrium aluminum garnet, Y 4 Al 2 O 9 , a solid-solution of Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 , SiC, AlN, TIO, TiN and AlF.

14 . The article of claim 11 , wherein the chamber component is composed at least partially of a material selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Al, stainless steel, Y 2 O 3 , AlN and SiC.

15 . The article of claim 6 , wherein the thin film conforms to surface features of the body.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2023
From: FENWICK, DAVID; LEE, CHENGTSIN; SUN, JENNIFER Y.; CHEN, YIKAI
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062283/0627 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15498383 · Apr 26, 2017
Provisional Application 62331326 · May 3, 2016
Related Publication 20230141782A1 · May 11, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,630,479