Granted Patent B2

US 12,354,855 · App. 17/871,505 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Inventors: Zhepeng Cong (San Jose, CA); Ala Moradian (Sunnyvale, CA); Tao Sheng (Santa Clara, CA); Nimrod Smith (Cupertino, CA); Ashur J. Atanos (San Jose, CA); Vinh N. Tran (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.

H01J37/32834C23C14/564C23C16/4585C30B25/10C30B25/12C30B25/14H01J37/32477H01L21/02057H01L21/67051H01L21/68735

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A process chamber including a flow guide, the flow guide comprising:

a plate having:

a first face and a second face opposing the first face; and

a first end and a second end opposite of the first end;

a first fin set extending from the second face, the first fin set having:

a plurality of linear sections, the plurality of linear sections having a first outer linear section, a second outer linear section, and a plurality of middle linear sections disposed between the first outer linear section and the second outer linear section, the first outer linear section disposed at a first distance relative to the first end of the plate and the second outer linear section disposed at a second distance relative to the second end of the plate, wherein the second distance is equal to or larger than the first distance; and

a plurality of arcuate sections, the plurality of arcuate sections having a first outer arcuate section, a second outer arcuate section, and a plurality of middle arcuate sections disposed between the first outer arcuate section and the second outer arcuate section, wherein the plurality of linear sections intersects the plurality of arcuate sections;

a second fin set extending from the second face, the second fin set having:

a plurality of linear sections, the plurality of linear sections having a first outer linear section, a second outer linear section, and a plurality of middle linear sections disposed between the first outer linear section and the second outer linear section; and

a plurality of arcuate sections, the plurality of arcuate sections comprises a first outer arcuate section, a second outer arcuate section, and a plurality of middle arcuate sections disposed between the first outer arcuate section and the second outer arcuate sections, the plurality of linear sections intersecting the plurality of arcuate sections; and

wherein the second fin set is spaced from the first fin set to define a flow path between the first fin set and the second fin set, the flow path disposed between the first outer linear section of the first fin set and the first outer linear section of the second fin set and the second outer linear section of the first fin set and the second outer linear section of the second fin set, the flow path having a serpentine pattern therebetween.

2. The process chamber including a flow guide of claim 1 , wherein the first fin set are interleaved with the second fin set such that the plurality of linear sections of the first fin set are disposed in an alternating arrangement with the plurality of linear sections of the second fin set.

3. The process chamber including a flow guide of claim 2 , wherein for each of the first fin set and the second fin set:

the plurality of arcuate sections have a radius gradient that decreases in a direction extending from a first side of the plate and to a second side of the plate.

4. The process chamber including a flow guide of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of flow openings extending through the plate and to the flow path.

5. The flow guide of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first fin set and the second fin set:

the first outer linear section intersects an end of the first outer arcuate section; and

the second outer linear section intersects an end of the second outer arcuate section.

6. The flow guide of claim 5 , wherein for each of the first fin set and the second fin set:

each of the plurality of middle linear sections intersects two respective ends of two of the plurality of arcuate sections.

7. The flow guide of claim 1 , wherein the first outer linear section of the first fin set and the second outer linear section of the second fin set have a first length, and each of the first outer linear section of the second fin set and the second outer linear section of the first fin set has a length that is longer than the first length.

8. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first fin set and the second fin set:

the plurality of arcuate sections have a radius gradient that decreases in a direction extending from a first side of the plate and to a second side of the plate.

9. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 8 , wherein the direction extends from the first end of the plate and to the second end of the plate.

10. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 1 , wherein the flow path includes a plurality of linear paths and a plurality of arcuate paths interleaved with the plurality of linear paths.

11. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 1 , wherein the flow path has a width gradient that decreases in a direction extending from a first side of the plate and to a second side of the plate.

12. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 11 , wherein the direction extends from the first end of the plate and to the second end of the plate.

13. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 1 , wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance.

14. A process chamber including a flow guide, the flow guide comprising:

a plate having a first face and a second face opposing the first face, and a first end and second end, the second end opposite of the first end;

a first fin set extending from the second face, the first fin set having a plurality of first fins spaced from each other to define a first set of flow paths, the first set of flow paths defined by:

a plurality of linear sections having a first outer linear section, a second outer linear section, and a plurality of middle linear sections disposed between the first outer linear section and the second outer linear section, the first outer linear section disposed at a first distance relative to the first end of the plate and the second outer linear section disposed at a second distance relative to the second end of the plate, wherein the second distance is equal to or larger than the first distance; and

a plurality of arcuate sections, the plurality of arcuate sections having a first outer arcuate section, a second outer arcuate section, and a plurality of middle arcuate sections disposed between the first outer arcuate section and the second outer arcuate section, wherein the plurality of linear sections intersects the plurality of arcuate sections;

a second fin set extending from the second face, the second fin set having a plurality of second fins spaced from each other to define a second set of flow paths, the second set of flow paths defined by;

a plurality of linear sections, the plurality of linear sections having a first outer linear section, a second outer linear section, and a plurality of middle linear sections disposed between the first outer linear section and the second outer linear section; and

a plurality of arcuate sections, the plurality of arcuate sections comprises a first outer arcuate section, a second outer arcuate section, and a plurality of middle arcuate sections disposed between the first outer arcuate section and the second outer arcuate sections, the plurality of linear sections intersecting the plurality of arcuate sections; and

wherein the second fin set is spaced from the first fin set to define a flow path between the first fin set and the second fin set, the flow path disposed between the first outer linear section of the first fin set and the first outer linear section of the second fin set and the second outer linear section of the first fin set and the second outer linear section of the second fin set, the flow path having a serpentine pattern therebetween.

15. The flow guide of claim 14 , wherein each of the first plurality of fins and the second plurality of fins is arcuate.

16. The flow guide of claim 15 , wherein:

the first fin set comprises a first outer fin disposed outwardly of the plurality of first fins; and

the second fin set comprises a second outer fin disposed outwardly of the plurality of second fins, wherein each of the first outer fin and the second outer fin has a length that is longer than lengths of the plurality of first fins and the plurality of second fins.

17. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 14 , wherein for each of the first fin set and the second fin set:

the plurality of arcuate sections have a radius gradient that decreases in a direction extending from a first side of the plate and to a second side of the plate.

18. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 17 , wherein the direction extends from the first end of the plate and to the second end of the plate.

19. The process chamber including the flow guide of claim 14 , wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (77)