# US 12,112,972 B2 · Rotating biasable pedestal and electrostatic chuck in semiconductor process chamber

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- Number: US 12,112,972 B2
- Document ID: US12112972B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/221,215
- Filed: 2021-04-02
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-02
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Qiwei Liang; Douglas Arthur Buchberger, Jr.; Gautam Pisharody; Dmitry Lubomirsky; Shekhar Athani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112972B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support}
- C23C 16/4584: {the substrate being rotated}
- C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices}
- C23C 16/463: {Cooling of the substrate}
- C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges
- C23C 16/509: using internal electrodes
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32724: {Temperature}
- H01J 37/32899: {Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks}
- H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins}
- H10P 72/7626: {characterised by the construction of the shaft}
- C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles}
- H01J 37/32183: {Matching circuits}
- H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means}
- H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings}
- H01J 37/32706: {Polarising the substrate}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- 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

Embodiments of substrate supports are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber includes: a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body; a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor; a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union; a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a coolant inlet fluidly coupled to coolant channels disposed in the pedestal via a coolant line; an RF rotary joint coupled to the coolant union and having an RF connector configured to couple the pedestal to an RF bias power source; and an RF conduit that extends from the RF connector to the pedestal through a central opening of the pedestal body to provide RF bias to the pedestal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate support for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, comprising:
a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body;
a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor;
a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union and configured to rotate the rotor to rotate the pedestal;
a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a coolant inlet fluidly coupled to coolant channels disposed in the pedestal via a coolant line;
an RF rotary joint coupled to the coolant union and having a RF connector configured to couple the pedestal to an RF bias power source, wherein the RF connector includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion disposed below the upper portion and configured to rotate with respect to the upper portion;
an RF conduit that extends from the RF connector to the pedestal through a central opening of the pedestal body to provide RF bias to the pedestal, wherein the RF conduit is disposed above the upper portion of the RF connector and in vertical alignment with the upper portion of the RF connector and the lower portion of the RF connector;
an insulator tube disposed about the RF conduit, wherein portions of the insulator tube disposed in the dielectric plate is wider than portions of the insulator tube disposed in the pedestal body; and
a ground tube disposed about the insulator tube and extending from the RF rotary joint to the rotary union, wherein the insulator tube extends vertically above an upper surface of the ground tube.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the dielectric plate includes a monopolar electrode and the RF conduit extends to the dielectric plate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the RF conduit is a solid metal rod that extends through the coolant union and the rotary union.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the dielectric plate includes one or more chucking electrodes disposed in the dielectric plate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the RF conduit comprises a metal tube with a central opening, and further comprising two DC conduits extending through the central opening of the metal tube from the RF rotary joint to the one or more chucking electrodes to provide DC power to the one or more chucking electrodes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the rotary union includes a backside gas inlet, and the substrate support includes a backside gas line that extends from the backside gas inlet to an upper surface of the pedestal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, further comprising a bellows assembly disposed about the pedestal body and a lift assembly coupled to bellows assembly and configured to selectively raise or lower the pedestal within a process chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The substrate support of claim 1, further comprising one or more lift pins that extend through the pedestal and configured to raise the substrate from an upper surface of the pedestal.

### Claim 9

A substrate support for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, comprising:
a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body, wherein the pedestal comprises a monopolar electrode or bipolar electrodes, wherein the pedestal further comprises an insulator plate disposed between the dielectric plate and the pedestal body, wherein the insulator plate substantially covers a lowermost surface of the dielectric plate;
a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor;
a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union and configured to rotate the rotor to rotate the pedestal;
a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a coolant inlet fluidly coupled to coolant channels disposed in the pedestal via a coolant line;
an RF rotary joint coupled to the coolant union and having an RF connector configured to couple the pedestal to an RF bias power source;
an RF conduit that extends from the RF connector to the pedestal through a central opening of the pedestal body; an insulator tube disposed about the RF conduit to insulate the RF conduit, wherein the insulator plate extends radially inward to the insulator tube; and
a ground tube disposed about the insulator tube and extending from the RF rotary joint towards the pedestal, wherein the insulator tube extends vertically above an upper surface of the ground tube.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The substrate support of claim 9, wherein a lower surface of the dielectric plate extends from an outer sidewall of the dielectric plate to the insulator tube, and wherein the insulator plate is in contact with an entire lower surface of the dielectric plate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The substrate support of claim 9, wherein the RF conduit comprises a metal tube with a central opening and the RF rotary joint includes a purge gas inlet fluidly coupled to the central opening of the metal tube and configured to purge the central opening with a purge gas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The substrate support of claim 9, wherein the RF rotary joint includes a fiber optic rotary joint.

### Claim 13

A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process chamber, comprising:
a chamber body defining an interior volume therein;
a showerhead disposed in the interior volume for supplying one or more process gases into the interior volume;
a substrate support disposed in the interior volume opposite the showerhead, wherein the substrate support comprises:
a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body;
a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor;
a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union and configured to rotate the rotor to rotate the pedestal;
a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a coolant inlet fluidly coupled to coolant channels disposed in the pedestal via a coolant line;
an RF rotary joint coupled to the coolant union, wherein the RF rotary joint includes an RF housing, an RF connector disposed in the RF housing, an insulated adapter ring disposed about a lower portion of the coolant union, and a mounting ring coupled to the RF connector and insulated adapter ring, wherein the RF connector includes an upper portion and a lower portion exposed to inner sidewalls of the RF housing, the lower portion configured to rotate with respect to the upper portion;
an RF conduit that extends from the RF connector to the pedestal through a central opening of the pedestal body;
an insulator tube disposed about the RF conduit, wherein portions of the insulator tube disposed in the dielectric plate is wider than portions of the insulator tube disposed in the pedestal body; and
a ground tube disposed about the insulator tube and extending from the RF rotary joint to the rotary union, wherein the insulator tube extends vertically above an upper surface of the ground tube; and
an RF bias power source coupled to the RF conduit and configured to provide RF power to an electrode disposed in the dielectric plate via the RF conduit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The CVD process chamber of claim 13, wherein the electrode includes one or more chucking electrodes disposed in the dielectric plate, and further comprising a DC power source coupled to the one or more chucking electrodes to provide DC power to the one or more chucking electrodes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The CVD process chamber of claim 13, further comprising a lift assembly coupled to the pedestal and configured to selectively raise or lower the pedestal within the interior volume.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The CVD process chamber of claim 13, wherein the RF rotary joint includes an RF elbow connector coupled to the lower portion within the RF housing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The CVD process chamber of claim 13, wherein the coolant line is disposed radially outward of the RF conduit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

A twin CVD process chamber comprising two of the CVD process chambers of claim 13 having a single gas flow controller for supplying one or more process gases into each of the two CVD process chambers.