# US 11,111,582 B2 · Porous showerhead for a processing chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,582 B2 - Document ID: US11111582B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/808,046 - Filed: 2020-03-03 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Sumit Agarwal; Chad Peterson; Marc Shull - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111582B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45568: {Porous nozzles} - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - 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) ## Abstract A showerhead assembly includes a support structure and a porous plate. The support structure includes a support feature. The porous plate has a thermal conductivity of at least about 50 W/(mK) and includes a plurality of pores having an average diameter of less than about 100 um, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter of the porous plate rests on the support feature. The showerhead may be included within a processing chamber that is utilized to process a substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A showerhead assembly for a processing chamber, the showerhead assembly comprising: a support structure comprising a support feature; and a porous plate having a thermal conductivity of at least 50 W/(mK) and comprising a plurality of pores having an average diameter of less than about 100 μm, wherein at least a portion of an edge of the porous plate rests on the support feature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pores form a plurality of continuous paths that extend from a first surface to a second surface of the porous plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the porous plate has a circular shape having a diameter of at least about 200 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of pores is at least about 60 pores per cubic inch of the porous plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductivity of the porous plate is at least about 75 W/(mK). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pores has an average diameter of less than about 50 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the support structure further comprises a clamping plate, and wherein the at least a portion of the edge of the porous plate is held between the clamping plate and the support feature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the porous plate includes one of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, and molybdenum. ### Claim 9 A processing chamber comprising: a substrate support configured to support a substrate; a showerhead assembly configured to flow a gas into an interior portion of the processing chamber, the showerhead assembly comprising: a support structure comprising a support feature; and a porous plate having a thermal conductivity of at least 50 W/(mK) and comprising a plurality of pores having a diameter of less than about 100 μm, wherein at least a portion of an edge of the porous plate rests on the support feature; and a gas supply source configured to provide a process gas to the showerhead assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the plurality of pores form a plurality of continuous paths that extend from a first surface to a second surface of the porous plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the porous plate has a circular shape having a diameter of at least about 200 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein a number of the plurality of pores is at least about 60 pores per cubic inch of the porous plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the thermal conductivity of the porous plate is at least about 75 W/(mK). ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the plurality of pores has an average diameter of less than about 50 μm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the support structure further comprises a clamping plate, and wherein the at least a portion of the edge of the porous plate is held between the clamping plate and the support feature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The processing chamber of claim 9, wherein the porous plate includes one of silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, and molybdenum. ### Claim 17 A porous plate for a showerhead assembly of a processing chamber, the porous plate comprising: a plurality of pores arranged according to an irregular pattern; and a plurality of continuous paths formed from the plurality of pores, wherein each of the plurality of continuous paths extend from a first surface of the porous plate to a second surface of the porous plate, wherein the porous plate has a thermal conductivity of at least 50 W/(mK). ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The porous plate of claim 17, wherein the plurality of pores have an average diameter of less than about 100 μm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The porous plate of claim 17, wherein a number of the plurality of continuous paths is at least about 60 pores per cubic inch of the porous plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The porous plate of claim 17, wherein the plurality of pores has an average diameter of less than about 50 μm.