IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,548,742
Granted Patent B2
US 12,548,742 · App. 18/067,632 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Corrosion resistant ground shield of processing chamber

Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky (Cupertino, CA); Xiao Ming He (Fremont, CA); Jennifer Y. Sun (Mountain View, CA); Xiaowei Wu (San Jose, CA); Laksheswar Kalita (San Jose, CA); Soonam Park (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01J37/32697C23C16/4581C23C16/4583C23C16/46H01J37/32724H01J2237/2001H01J2237/3323
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,548,742
App. No.
18/067,632
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ground shield of a processing chamber includes a ceramic body including a ground shield plate, a raised edge extending from an upper surface of the ground shield plate, and a hollow shaft that extends from a lower surface of the ground shield plate. An electrically conductive layer is formed on and conforms to at least the upper surface of the ground shield plate and an interior surface of the hollow shaft. A first protective layer is formed on at least the electrically conductive layer. A heater plate of a heater first within the raised edge and on the ground shield plate such that the heater plate is disposed on top of the first protective layer, the electrically conductive layer, and the upper surface of the ground shield plate.

Claims (41)

1 . A ground shield of a processing chamber, comprising:

a ceramic body comprising a ground shield plate, a raised edge extending from an upper surface of the ground shield plate, and a hollow shaft that extends from a lower surface of the ground shield plate;

an electrically conductive layer continuously formed on and conforming to at least the upper surface and the raised edge of the ground shield plate and at least one of an exterior surface or an interior surface of the hollow shaft, wherein the electrically conductive layer is connected to ground at one or more points; and

a first protective layer formed on at least the electrically conductive layer,

wherein a heater plate of a heater fits within the raised edge and on the ground shield plate such that the heater plate is disposed on top of the first protective layer, the electrically conductive layer, and the upper surface of the ground shield plate.

2 . The ground shield of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second protective layer deposited on the first protective layer, wherein the second protective layer is conformal, has a thickness of approximately 50.00 nm-2.00 mm, and has a porosity of less than 0.1%.

3 . The ground shield of claim 2 , wherein the second protective layer comprises at least one yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, tantalum oxide, yttrium fluoride, alumina, aluminum fluoride, zirconium dioxide, a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof.

4 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is further formed on a lower surface of the ground shield plate.

5 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer comprises at least one of alumina, Y 2 SiO 5 , Y 2 Si 2 O 7 , Y 5 O 4 F 7 , tantalum, silicon carbide, yttria, erbium oxide, a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof.

6 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein the first protective layer has a thickness of approximately 1.00 μm-2.00 mm, and has a porosity of 0.1-10.0%.

7 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein:

the ceramic body comprises at least one of alumina, aluminum nitride, silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon nitride; and

the electrically conductive layer comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, tantalum, an alloy comprising nickel, molybdenum, titanium, and chromium, an alloy comprising nickel, chromium and iron, or indium tin oxide.

8 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the first protective layer has a second CTE value, wherein the second CTE value is within 2.5×10 −6 /° C. of the first CTE value.

9 . The ground shield of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic body further comprises a plurality of holes drilled into the ground shield plate, and wherein one or more of the plurality of holes are filled with an electrically conductive plug.

10 . A substrate support assembly of a processing chamber, comprising:

a heater comprising a heater plate; and

a ground shield comprising:

a ceramic body comprising a ground shield plate, a raised edge extending from an upper surface of the ground shield plate, and a hollow shaft that extends from a lower surface of the ground shield plate;

an electrically conductive layer continuously formed on and conforming to at least the upper surface and the raised edge of the ground shield plate and at least one of an exterior surface or an interior surface of the hollow shaft, wherein the electrically conductive layer is connected to ground at one or more points; and

a first protective layer formed on at least the electrically conductive layer, and wherein the heater plate of a heater fits within the raised edge and on the ground shield plate such that the heater plate is disposed on top of the first protective layer, the electrically conductive layer, and the upper surface of the ground shield plate.

11 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the ground shield further comprises:

a second protective layer deposited on the first protective layer, wherein the second protective layer is conformal, has a thickness of approximately 50.00 nm-2.00 mm, and has a porosity of less than 0.1%.

12 . The substrate support assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second protective layer comprises at least one yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, tantalum oxide, yttrium fluoride, alumina, aluminum fluoride, zirconium dioxide, a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof.

13 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is further formed on at least one of one or more surfaces of the raised edge, a lower surface of the ground shield plate, or an exterior surface of the hollow shaft.

14 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first protective layer comprises at least one of alumina, Y 2 SiO 5 , Y 2 Si 2 O 7 , Y 5 O 4 F 7 , tantalum, silicon carbide, yttria, erbium oxide, a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof.

15 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first protective layer has a thickness of approximately 1.00 μm-2.00 mm, and has a porosity of 0.1-10.0%.

16 . The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein:

the ceramic body comprises at least one of alumina, aluminum nitride, silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon nitride; and

the electrically conductive layer comprises at least one of molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, tantalum, an alloy comprising nickel, molybdenum, titanium, and chromium, an alloy comprising nickel, chromium and iron, or indium tin oxide.

17 . A ground shield of a processing chamber, comprising:

an electrically conductive body comprising a ground shield plate, a raised edge extending from an upper surface of the ground shield plate, and a hollow shaft that extends form a lower surface of the ground shield plate, wherein the electrically conductive body conforms to the ground shield plate and the raised edge and is connected to ground at one or more points;

a first protective layer formed on at least the upper surface of the ground shield plate and an interior surface of the hollow shaft; and

a second protective layer formed on at least the first protective layer,

wherein a heater plate of a heater fits within the raised edge and on ground shield plate such that the heater plate is disposed on top of the second protective layer.

18 . The ground shield of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive body has a first CTE and the first protective layer has a second CTE value, wherein the second CTE value is the same as the first CTE value.

19 . The ground shield of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive body has a first CTE value and the first protective layer has a second CTE value, wherein the second CTE value is within 2.5×10 −6 /° C. of the first CTE value.

20 . The ground shield of claim 17 , wherein:

the first protective layer has a thickness of approximately 1.00 μm-2.00 mm, has a porosity of 0.1-10.0%, and comprises at least one of alumina, Y 2 SiO 5 , Y 2 Si 5 O 7 , Y 5 O 4 F 7 , tantalum, silicon carbide, yttria, erbium oxide, a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof, and

the second protective layer is a conformal layer, has a thickness of approximately 50.00 nm-5.00 μm, has a porosity of less than 0.1%, and comprises at least one of yttrium oxide, erbium oxide, tantalum oxide, yttrium fluoride, alumina, aluminum fluoride, zirconium dioxide a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, a material comprising Y 4 Al 2 O 9 and a Y 2 O 3 —ZrO 2 solid solution, or a combination thereof.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2022
From: LUBOMIRSKY, DMIRTY; HE, XING MING; SUN, JENNIFER Y.; WU, XIAOWEI; KALITA, LAKSHESWAR; PARK, SOONAM
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062140/0267 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16212580 · Dec 6, 2018
Related Publication 20230122695A1 · Apr 20, 2023
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