# US 12,110,590 B2 · Faceplate having a curved surface

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- Number: US 12,110,590 B2
- Document ID: US12110590B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/381,534
- Filed: 2023-10-18
- Published: 2024-02-08
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-07
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Shailendra Srivastava; Sai Susmita Addepalli; Nikhil Sudhindrarao Jorapur; Daemian Raj Benjamin Raj; Amit Kumar Bansal; Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez; Gregory Eugene Chichkanoff; Xinhai Han; Masaki Ogata; Kristopher Enslow; Wenjiao Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110590B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles}
- C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields}
- C23C 16/4583: {the substrate being supported substantially horizontally}
- C23C 16/50: using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)}
- C23C 16/5096: {Flat-bed apparatus}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32458: {Vessel}
- H01J 2237/3321: CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition]
- 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)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A faceplate for a substrate process chamber comprises a first and second surface. The second surface is shaped such that the second surface includes a peak and a distance between the first and second surface varies across the width of the faceplate. The second surface of the faceplate is exposed to a processing volume of the process chamber. Further, the faceplate may be part of a lid assembly for the process chamber. The lid assembly may include a blocker plate facing the first surface of the faceplate. A distance between the blocker plate and the first surface is constant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A faceplate for a process chamber, the faceplate comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface configured to be exposed to a processing volume of the process chamber, the second surface including a first curved region having a first peak centered at and symmetric with respect to a vertical centerline of the faceplate; and
a plurality of apertures comprising first and second apertures extending through the faceplate from the first surface to the first curved region of the second surface,
wherein the first curved region has a non-negative slope from an outermost edge of the faceplate to a center of the faceplate, and the second apertures are radially outward of the first apertures with respect to the vertical centerline of the faceplate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The faceplate of claim 1, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The faceplate of claim 1, wherein the second surface further includes:
a second curved region adjacent to the first curved region; and
a linear region radially outward of the second curved region, wherein
the second curved region has a slope increasing towards the first peak, and
the linear region has a positive slope.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The faceplate of claim 3, further comprising:
a circular mounting ring configured to mount the faceplate within the process chamber,
wherein the linear region extends across the entirety of the second surface radially inward from the circular mounting ring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The faceplate of claim 1, wherein a height of the first peak is in a range of 10 mils to 20 mils.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The faceplate of claim 1, wherein a shape of the second surface is axial symmetric about vertical centerline of the faceplate.

### Claim 7

A faceplate for a process chamber, the faceplate comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface configured to be exposed to a processing volume of the process chamber, the second surface having a slope that is continuous for the entirety of the second surface, and including a first curved region having a first peak at a vertical centerline of the faceplate, and one or more second curved regions each having a second peak radially outward of the first peak, wherein:
a radially inward side and an radially outward side of the second peak of the second peak are co-planar with an outermost edge of the second surface in the vertical direction, and
the second peak has slopes symmetric with respect to a center of the second peak;
a plurality of apertures comprising:
first and second apertures extending through the faceplate from the first surface to the first curved region of the second surface, wherein the second apertures are radially outward of the first apertures; and
third and fourth apertures extending through the faceplate from the first surface to each of the one or more second curved regions of the
second surface, wherein the fourth apertures are radially outward of the third apertures.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, further comprising:
a circular mounting ring configured to mount the faceplate within the process chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein the first peak is centered at and symmetric with respect to the vertical centerline of the faceplate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein the first peak has an increasing slope towards the center of the first peak.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein a height of the first peak is in a range of 10 mils to 20 mils.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein a height of the first peak is larger than a height of the second peaks.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The faceplate of claim 7, wherein a shape of the second surface is axial symmetric about vertical centerline of the faceplate.

### Claim 15

A faceplate for a process chamber, the faceplate comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface configured to be exposed to a processing volume of the process chamber, the second surface having a non-negative slope from an outermost edge of the faceplate to a center of the faceplate. and including a first curved region having a first peak centered at and symmetric with respect to a vertical centerline of the faceplate; and
a plurality of apertures comprising first and second apertures extending through the faceplate from the first surface to the first curved region of the second surface,
wherein the first curved region has a non-negative slope from an outermost edge of the faceplate to a center of the faceplate, and the second apertures are radially outward of the first apertures with respect to the vertical centerline of the faceplate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The faceplate of claim 15, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The faceplate of claim 15, wherein a height of the first peak is in a range of 10 mils to 20 mils.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The faceplate of claim 15, further comprising:
a circular mounting ring configured to mount the faceplate within the process chamber.