Actuator to adjust dynamically showerhead tilt in a semiconductor-processing apparatus

A showerhead adjustment mechanism to adjust a showerhead in a semiconductor substrate-processing apparatus, the showerhead adjustment mechanism comprising:

• at least one actuator assembly that is dynamically operable to adjust parallelism of a faceplate of the showerhead with reference to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal to be positioned adjacent to the faceplate, each of the at least one actuator assemblies including:
• a piezoelectric stack;
• a lever having a first end and a second end, the lever being mechanically coupled on a first end to the piezoelectric stack and including a socket on the second end to the showerhead to displace the showerhead in at least one direction of tilt, the lever being operable to mechanically amplify a displacement of the piezoelectric stack;
• a socket in the second end of the lever to act on a ball joint coupled to the showerhead dynamically to move the showerhead in at least one direction of tilt;
• and
• a blade flexure to act as a frictionless fulcrum based on elastic deformation of a solid material, the blade flexure being coupled to the lever and located between the first end and the second end of the lever.

A showerhead adjustment mechanism to adjust a showerhead in a semiconductor substrate-processing apparatus, the showerhead adjustment mechanism comprising:

• at least one actuator assembly that is dynamically operable to adjust parallelism of a faceplate of the showerhead with reference to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal to be positioned adjacent to the faceplate, each of the at least one actuator assemblies including:
• a piezoelectric stack;
• a lever having a first end and a second end, the lever being mechanically coupled on the first end to the piezoelectric stack and on the second end to the showerhead to displace the showerhead in at least one direction of tilt, the lever being operable to mechanically amplify a displacement of the piezoelectric stack;
• a socket in the second end of the lever to act on a ball joint coupled to the showerhead dynamically to move the showerhead in at least one direction of tilt;
• and
• a lever pivot coupled to the lever and located between the first end and the second end of the lever;
• and
• at least one in-situ sensor to measure a gap distance and the parallelism of the faceplate with reference to the upper surface of the substrate pedestal.