Pre-loaded bowl mechanism for providing a symmetric radio frequency return path

A substrate processing system, comprising:

• a chamber body that defines a processing region and a transfer region;
• a lid plate seated on the chamber body;
• a liner positioned atop the lid plate;
• a faceplate that is positioned atop the liner;
• a substrate support disposed within the chamber body, the substrate support being vertically translatable within the chamber body between a process position and a transfer position, wherein the substrate support comprises:
• a support plate comprising a heater;
• a shaft that is coupled with a bottom of the support plate;
• a bowl disposed about the shaft and spaced a distance below the support plate, wherein a peripheral edge of the bowl is in vertical alignment with at least a portion of a bottom surface of the liner;
• a plurality of springs that push the bowl upward as the substrate support is translated to the process position;
• a plurality of metallic straps that couple the bottom of the support plate with the bowl, and at least one hard stop extending downward from the bottom of the support plate, wherein:
• a top surface of the peripheral edge of the bowl contacts the bottom surface of the liner when the substrate support is in the process position;
• and
• the top surface of the peripheral edge of the bowl is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the liner and a distal end of the at least one hard stop contacts the bowl when the substrate support is in the transfer position;
• and
• a radio frequency source coupled with the substrate support, wherein in the process position, a closed radio frequency circuit is formed between the radio frequency source, the substrate support, the plurality metallic of straps, the liner, and the faceplate.