# US 10,246,777 B2 · Heater block having continuous concavity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,777 B2 - Document ID: US10246777B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/620,454 - Filed: 2017-06-12 - Published: 2018-12-13 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-12 - Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V. - Applicants: Asm IP Holding B.V. - Inventors: Hiroshi Kondo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246777B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields} - C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus} - C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence) - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H01J 2237/3321: CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition] - H01J 2237/334: Etching - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A heater block adapted to be installed in a plasma deposition or plasma etching apparatus that includes a showerhead and a reaction chamber, the heater block being adapted to be arranged in the reaction chamber to support a substrate and includes: at least one through-hole passing through the heater block, and on its upper face a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity; and the continuous concavity including: a plurality of main concaves or depressions, a plurality of concave channels connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions, and a concave or depression, at the center of the heater block, of a different shape or size from the plurality of main concaves or depressions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heater block adapted to be installed in a plasma deposition or plasma etching apparatus comprising a showerhead and a reaction chamber, the heater block adapted to be arranged in the reaction chamber to support a substrate and comprising: at least one through-hole passing through the heater block, and on its upper face, a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity, the continuous concavity comprising: a plurality of first convexes at least partly defining a plurality of main concaves or depressions, a concave channel connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions, a plurality of second convexes at least partly defining a concave or depression, at the center of the heater block, of a different shape or size from the plurality of main concaves or depressions, wherein at least one first convex has a different shape from at least one second convex. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block has a cylindrical shape, a reversed cone shape without a tip or a polygonal columnar shape when viewed in three dimensions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block has a cylindrical shape with a diameter selected from the range of about 2 millimeters to about 20 millimeters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block is defined by inner sidewalls of the plurality of second convexes, and the contour of outer sidewalls of the plurality of second convexes has a circular or a polygonal shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the plurality of main concaves or depressions and a plurality of the concave channels are defined by sidewalls of the plurality of first convexes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the pluralities of first and second convexes have sidewalls whose edges are rounded or chamfered with a radius selected from the range of about 0.1 millimeters to about 2 millimeters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block is connected with adjacent main concaves or depressions via concave channels of a different shape or size from the concave channel connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein each of the main concaves or depressions has substantially the same shape and size. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heater block of claim 1, wherein the at least one through-hole includes at least one through-hole used for a substrate lift pin. ### Claim 10 A heater block adapted to be installed in a plasma deposition or plasma etching apparatus comprising a showerhead and a reaction chamber, the heater block adapted to be arranged in the reaction chamber to support a substrate and comprising: at least one through-hole passing through the heater block, and on its upper face, a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity, the continuous concavity comprising: a plurality of first convexes at least partly defining a plurality of main concaves or depressions, and a concave channel connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions, wherein a concave or depression at the center of the heater block is at least partly defined by inner sidewalls of a plurality of second convexes, and the contour of outer sidewalls of the plurality of second convexes has a circular or a polygonal shape, and wherein at least one first convex has a different shape from at least one second convex. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A substrate processing apparatus comprising the heater block of claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate is supported substantially by the top face of the plurality of first and second convexes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heater block comprises a susceptor and a heater. ### Claim 14 A processing apparatus comprising: a showerhead; a reaction chamber; and a heater block arranged in the reaction chamber, the heat block comprising: at least one through-hole passing through the heater block, and on its upper face, a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity, the continuous concavity comprising: a plurality of first convexes at least partly defining a plurality of main concaves or depressions, a concave channel connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions, and a plurality of second convexes at least partly defining a concave or depression, at the center of the heater block, of a different shape or size from the plurality of main concaves or depressions, wherein at least one first convex has a different shape from at least one second convex. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block has a cylindrical shape, a reversed cone shape without a tip or a polygonal columnar shape when viewed in three dimensions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block has a cylindrical shape with a diameter selected from the range of about 2 millimeters to about 20 millimeters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block is defined by inner sidewalls of the plurality of second convexes, and the contour of outer sidewalls of the plurality of second convexes has a circular or a polygonal shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of main concaves or depressions and a plurality of the concave channels are defined by sidewalls of the plurality of first convexes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processing apparatus is configured for deposition or etching of a material on a substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the concave or depression at the center of the heater block is connected with adjacent main concaves or depressions via concave channels of a different shape or size from the concave channel connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions.