# US 10,770,269 B2 · Apparatus and methods for reducing particles in semiconductor process chambers

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,770,269 B2
- Document ID: US10770269B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/677,929
- Filed: 2017-08-15
- Published: 2017-11-30
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Andrew Nguyen; Bradley Howard; Shahid Rauf; Ajit Balakrishna; Tom K. Choi; Kenneth S. Collins; Anand Kumar; Michael D. Willwerth; Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770269B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32495: {Means for protecting the vessel against plasma}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/32477: {characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings}
- H01J 37/32871: {Means for trapping or directing unwanted particles}
- B01D 45/08: by impingement against baffle separators
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B32B 1/00: Layered products having a non-planar shape
- B32B 1/08: Tubular products
- Y10T 428/13: Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide various apparatus and methods for reducing particles in a semiconductor processing chamber. One embodiment of present disclosure provides a vacuum screen assembly disposed over a vacuum port to prevent particles generated by the vacuum pump from entering substrate processing regions. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a perforated chamber liner around a processing region of the substrate. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gas distributing chamber liner for distributing a cleaning gas around the substrate support under the substrate supporting surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing apparatus, comprising:
a chamber body and a chamber lid enclosing a processing region;
a substrate support assembly;
a substrate support liner surrounding the substrate support assembly;
a plasma screen disposed below the processing region and above the substrate support liner; and
a chamber liner disposed inside the chamber body, the chamber liner comprising:
a bottom; and
a sidewall extending from a periphery of the bottom, wherein the sidewall forms a closed loop surrounding the substrate support assembly, the sidewall having a first plurality of through holes grouped together and formed through a portion of the sidewall, and a remaining portion of the sidewall free from additional through holes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cylindrical volume around the substrate support assembly is enclosed by the sidewall, the plasma screen, and the substrate support liner.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the chamber liner is substantially circular, and the first plurality of through holes are distributed along the portion of the sidewall non-uniformly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the portion of the sidewall having the first plurality of through holes extends from a first end through a center point to a second end, a number of through holes per length of the sidewall decreases from the first end to the center point and increases from the center point to the second end.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first plurality of through holes are distributed symmetrical about the center point.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, the chamber liner further comprising:
a second plurality of through holes formed through the bottom.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second plurality of through holes are distributed non-uniformly about a center point of the portion of the sidewall.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The processing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a vacuum port, wherein the bottom of the chamber liner comprising the second plurality of through holes overlaps the vacuum port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the vacuum port is laterally offset from the substrate support assembly.