# US 12,112,927 B2 · Substrate processing apparatus and method

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- Number: US 12,112,927 B2
- Document ID: US12112927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/734,572
- Filed: 2022-05-02
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-10
- Assignees: Picosun Oy
- Applicants: Picosun Oy
- Inventors: Väinö Kilpi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112927B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- C23C 16/4409: {characterised by sealing means}
- C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields}
- C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus}
- C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices}
- H01J 37/32577: {Electrical connecting means}
- H01J 37/32816: {Pressure}
- H01J 37/32834: {Exhausting}
- H01J 37/3288: {Maintenance}
- H01J 37/32899: {Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools}
- H01J 37/3222: {Antennas}
- H01J 2237/20235: Z movement or adjustment
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- H01J 2237/3321: CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition]
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J 2237/3341: Reactive etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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 substrate processing apparatus (100), comprising a reaction chamber (50), an outer chamber (80) at least partly surrounding the reaction chamber (50) and forming an intermediate volume (70) therebetween, and a substrate support (40) within the reaction chamber (50), comprising a hollow inner volume (42), wherein the hollow inner volume (42) and the intermediate volume (70) are in fluid communication through a channel (45) extending from the hollow inner volume (42) to the intermediate volume (70).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a reaction chamber;
an outer chamber at least partly surrounding the reaction chamber and forming an intermediate volume therebetween; and
a substrate support within the reaction chamber, comprising a hollow inner volume,
wherein the hollow inner volume and the intermediate volume are in fluid communication through a channel extending from the hollow inner volume to the intermediate volume,
and wherein the channel houses wirings which wirings extend within the channel from the substrate support to the intermediate volume.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wirings exit the outer chamber through at least one feedthrough at the bottom of the outer chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one feedthrough part is detachably attached to a connection flange attached to an assembly comprising at least a lower part of the reaction chamber and the substrate support.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the connection flange is detachably attached to a bottom flange of the outer chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, comprising an actuator configured to lower and raise the reaction chamber, and a longitudinally extensional tubular part in a reaction chamber exhaust line allowing a vertical movement.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to adjust a vertical position of the substrate support by extending a length of the channel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, comprising an actuator configured to lower and raise a level of a substrate table of the substrate support by changing a longitudinal dimension of a longitudinally extensional part that forms part of the channel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, comprising antennas for plasma formation positioned within the reaction chamber above the substrate support.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, comprising precursor pipes extending into spaces in between the antennas and further within the reaction chamber to discharge non-plasma gas at points downstream from the antennas.

### Claim 10

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a reaction chamber;
an outer chamber at least partly surrounding the reaction chamber and forming an intermediate volume therebetween; and
a substrate support within the reaction chamber, comprising a hollow inner volume,
wherein the hollow inner volume and the intermediate volume are in fluid communication through a channel extending from the hollow inner volume to the intermediate volume;
an actuator configured to lower and raise the reaction chamber, and a longitudinally extensional tubular part in a reaction chamber exhaust line allowing a vertical movement; and
wirings wound around the longitudinally extensional tubular part.