Apparatus and methods for alignment of a susceptor
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsEdric Tong, James Francis Mack, Paul Brillhart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The embodiments described herein generally relate to a stem assembly for coupling a susceptor to a process chamber. The stem assembly includes a pivot mechanism, a first flexible seal coupled to the pivot mechanism, a second flexible seal coupled to a plate on a first side of the plate, the plate having a second side coupled to the first flexible seal, a housing coupled to the second flexible seal, and a motion assembly adapted to move the housing in an X axis and a Y axis, and position the susceptor angularly relative to an X-Y plane of the process chamber.
Claims16
A thermal processing chamber comprising:
- a chamber body;
- a base ring coupled to the chamber body;
- a susceptor positioned between an upper dome and a lower dome, the chamber body surrounding the lower dome, wherein the lower dome is rigidly fixed to the base ring and comprises a pivot mechanism coupled to the chamber body;
- a stem coupled to the susceptor;
- and
- a motion assembly coupled to the stem outside of the lower dome, the motion assembly comprising a lateral adjustment device and a tilt adjustment mechanism, both adapted to position a major surface of the susceptor in plane that is parallel to an X-Y plane of the chamber and position the stem along a longitudinal axis of the chamber, and the motion assembly comprises a rotary stage to rotate the susceptor, wherein the pivot mechanism is configured to provide angular movement of the motion assembly relative to the lower dome.
A thermal processing chamber comprising:
- a chamber body;
- a base ring coupled to the chamber body;
- a susceptor positioned between an upper dome and a lower dome, the lower dome rigidly fixed to the base ring, wherein the lower dome is positioned within the chamber body, and the lower dome comprises a pivot mechanism coupled to the chamber body;
- a stem coupled to the susceptor, the stem extending at least partially through the pivot mechanism;
- and
- a motion assembly coupled to the stem outside of the lower dome, the motion assembly comprising:
- a rotary stage coupled to a tube that receives a portion of the stem;
- and
- a lateral adjustment device and a tilt adjustment mechanism, both adapted to position a major surface of the susceptor in plane that is parallel to an X-Y plane of the chamber and position the stem along a longitudinal axis of the chamber, wherein the motion assembly comprises at least two flexible seals, and wherein the lateral adjustment device comprises an X adjustment plate and a Y adjustment plate that are coupled to adjacent sides of a base plate disposed adjacent to one of the at least two flexible seals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.