IP Library Granted Patent US 12,398,462
Granted Patent B2
US 12,398,462 · App. 18/305,750 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Process chamber

Inventor: Zhepeng Cong (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
C23C16/4405C23C16/455C23C16/463
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,398,462
App. No.
18/305,750
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process chamber is provided including a chamber body enclosing an interior volume and a substrate support assembly in the interior volume. The substrate support assembly includes a substrate support having a substrate receiving surface, an upper plate, and a lower plate, the upper plate positioned over the substrate support. The substrate support is positioned over and spaced apart from the lower plate.

Claims (34)

1. A process chamber comprising:

a chamber body enclosing an interior volume;

a substrate support assembly in the interior volume, the substrate support assembly comprising a substrate receiving surface, an upper plate, and a lower plate, wherein the upper plate is positioned over the substrate receiving surface, and wherein the substrate receiving surface is positioned over and spaced apart from the lower plate;

a first gas inlet line positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in a first position, the first gas inlet line positioned above the lower plate and above the upper plate when the substrate support is in a second position, wherein the vertical position of the lower plate in a first position is lower than the vertical position of the lower plate in the second position;

a first gas outlet line positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position, the first gas outlet line positioned above the lower plate and above the upper plate when the substrate is in the second position;

a second gas inlet line positioned below the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position; and

a second gas outlet line positioned below the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position.

2. The process chamber of claim 1 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate each have a larger cross-sectional area in a horizontal plane than a cross-sectional area of the substrate support in a horizontal plane.

3. The process chamber of claim 1 , further comprising an upper liner and a lower liner, the upper liner and the lower liner each disposed around an outer portion of the interior volume, wherein the upper liner is formed of a different material than the lower liner.

4. The process chamber of claim 3 , wherein the lower liner has a thermal conductivity that is at least 100% greater than the thermal conductivity of the upper liner.

5. The process chamber of claim 4 , wherein the lower liner extends to an exterior of the process chamber.

6. The process chamber of claim 3 , wherein the substrate support assembly is configured to move from the first position to the second position, wherein the upper plate is positioned from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm from the upper liner in the first position.

7. The process chamber of claim 6 , wherein the upper plate is positioned from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm from the lower liner when the substrate support assembly is in the second position.

8. The process chamber of claim 6 , wherein the lower plate is positioned from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm from the upper liner when the substrate support assembly is in the first position.

9. The process chamber of claim 6 , further comprising a slit valve positioned below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the second position.

10. A process chamber comprising:

a chamber body enclosing an interior volume;

a substrate support assembly in the interior volume, the substrate support assembly comprising a substrate receiving surface, an upper plate, and a lower plate, the upper plate positioned over the substrate receiving surface, wherein the substrate receiving surface is positioned over and spaced apart from the lower plate;

a first ring positioned above the lower plate of the substrate support assembly, wherein a portion of the upper plate of the substrate support assembly extends over the first ring;

a first gas inlet line positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in a first position, wherein the first gas inlet line is positioned above the lower plate and above the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in a second position; and

a first gas outlet line positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position, wherein the first gas outlet line is positioned above the lower plate and above the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the second position.

11. The process chamber of claim 10 , further comprising an outer ring extending upward from the lower plate.

12. The process chamber of claim 11 , wherein

the first ring includes a body and an inner extension having a ring shape, and

the outer ring underlies a portion of the body of the first ring.

13. The process chamber of claim 12 , further comprising an upper liner and a lower liner, the upper liner and the lower liner each disposed around an outer portion of the interior volume, wherein the upper liner is formed of a different material than the lower liner.

14. The process chamber of claim 13 , wherein the lower liner has a thermal conductivity that is at least 100% greater than the thermal conductivity of the upper liner.

15. The process chamber of claim 14 , wherein the lower liner extends to an exterior of the process chamber.

16. The process chamber of claim 13 , wherein the substrate support assembly is configured to move from the first position to the second position, wherein the upper plate is positioned from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm from the upper liner in the first position.

17. The process chamber of claim 16 , wherein the upper liner is configured to be supported by the first ring when the substrate support assembly is in the second position.

18. The process chamber of claim 17 , wherein the upper plate is spaced apart from the substrate support by a greater distance in the second position than in the first position.

19. The process chamber of claim 10 , further comprising:

a second gas inlet line positioned below the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position, wherein the second gas inlet line is positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the second position; and

a second gas outlet line positioned below the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the first position, wherein the second gas outlet line is positioned above the lower plate and below the upper plate when the substrate support assembly is in the second position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: CONG, ZHEPENG
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064873/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240352579A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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