# US 12,215,420 B2 · Pedestal thermal profile tuning using multiple heated zones and thermal voids > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,420 B2 - Document ID: US12215420B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/008,273 - Filed: 2021-06-04 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-09 - Assignees: Lam Research Corporation - Applicants: Lam Research Corporation - Inventors: Gary B. Lind; Alok Mahadeva - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215420B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus} - H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support} - C23C 16/458: characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence) - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - H05B 3/283: {the insulating material being an inorganic material, e.g. ceramic} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/7626: {characterised by the construction of the shaft} - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H01J 2237/2001: Maintaining constant desired temperature - 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) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A substrate support includes a body and a thermal void. The body is configured to support a substrate during processing of the substrate. The body includes plates including a top plate, a first intermediate plate, a second intermediate plate and a bottom plate. The plates are arranged to form a stack. The first intermediate plate is disposed on the second intermediate plate. The thermal void is defined by an upper surface of the second intermediate plate and at least one of a lower surface of the first intermediate plate or a lower surface of the top plate. The thermal void is annular-shaped. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate support comprising: a body configured to support a substrate during processing of the substrate, wherein the body comprises a plurality of plates comprising a top plate, a first intermediate plate, a second intermediate plate and a bottom plate, wherein the plurality of plates are arranged to form a stack, and wherein the first intermediate plate is disposed on the second intermediate plate; and a thermal void defined by an upper recessed surface of the second intermediate plate and at least one of a lower recessed surface of the first intermediate plate or a lower recessed surface of the top plate, wherein the thermal void is annular-shaped. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the the plurality of plates are bonded together to form a unitary structure with at least partially sealed passages. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the thermal void is defined by the lower recessed surface of the first intermediate plate and the upper recessed surface of the second intermediate plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the thermal void is defined by the lower recessed surface of the top plate and the upper recessed surface of the second intermediate plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the thermal void is a first thermal void; the first thermal void is defined by the lower recessed surface of the first intermediate plate and the upper recessed surface of the second intermediate plate; and the body comprises a second thermal void defined by the lower recessed surface of the top plate and the upper recessed surface of the second intermediate plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the thermal void is a first thermal void; the substrate support comprises one or more thermal voids including the first thermal void; and dimensions of the one or more thermal voids relative to dimensions of at least some of the plurality of plates provides a temperature gradient of greater than 2° C. between a center and an annular outer peripheral area of the body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the thermal void is a first thermal void; the substrate support comprises one or more thermal voids including the first thermal void; and dimensions of the one or more thermal voids relative to dimensions of at least some of the plurality of plates provides a temperature gradient of greater than or equal to 6° C. between a center and an annular outer peripheral area of the body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the thermal void is defined by three of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the thermal void is a first thermal void; the body comprises a second thermal void; and the second thermal void is annular-shaped and defined by a corresponding two or more of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of plates comprise first radially-extending channels and second radially-extending channels; and the thermal void transfers an exclusion gas between the first radially-extending channels and the second radially-extending channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The substrate support of claim 10, wherein the first radially-extending channels and the second radially-extending channels are embedded in the plurality of plates. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of plates comprise radially-extending channels and radially-extending grooves; and the thermal void transfers gas under vacuum between the radially-extending channels and the radially-extending grooves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the thermal void is a first thermal void; the body comprises four annular-shaped thermal voids arranged in a concentric pattern; and the four annular-shaped thermal voids include the first thermal void. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plates comprise two or more concentric heating coils. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The substrate support of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of plates comprise an inner heating element, a middle heating element and an outer heating element; the thermal void is a first thermal void; the body comprises a second thermal void; the first thermal void is disposed above an area between the outer heating element and the middle heating element; and the second thermal void is disposed above an area between the middle heating element and the inner heating element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The substrate support of claim 15, further comprising: a third intermediate plate disposed radially inward of the first intermediate plate; and a fourth intermediate plate disposed between the first intermediate plate and the third intermediate plate, wherein at least one of i) heights of the first thermal void and the second thermal void are different, or ii) widths of the first thermal void and the second thermal void are different, the heights of the first thermal void and the second thermal void are measured from bottoms of the thermal voids to tops of the thermal voids, the width of the first thermal void is a distance between the first intermediate plate and the third intermediate plate, and the width of the second thermal void is a distance between the third intermediate plate and the fourth intermediate plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The substrate support of claim 15, wherein: a height of the first thermal void is defined by three of the plurality of plates; and a height of the second thermal void is defined by two of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The substrate support of claim 15, further comprising: a third intermediate plate disposed radially inward of the first intermediate plate; and a fourth intermediate plate disposed between the first intermediate plate and the third intermediate plate, wherein at least one of i) a height of the first thermal void is greater than a height of the second thermal void, or ii) a width of the second thermal void is greater than a width of the first thermal void, the width of the first thermal void is a distance between the first intermediate plate and the third intermediate plate, and the width of the second thermal void is a distance between the third intermediate plate and the fourth intermediate plate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A system comprising: the substrate support of claim 1, wherein the substrate support comprises two or more heating elements and one or more sensors, and wherein the one or more sensors is configured to generate one or more temperature signals; and a control module configured, based on the one or more temperature signals and a relationship between the thermal void and at least some of the plurality of plates, control supply of at least one of current or power to the two or more heating elements. ### Claim 20 A substrate support comprising: a body configured to support a substrate during processing of the substrate, wherein the body comprises a plurality of plates comprising a top plate, a plurality of intermediate plates, and a bottom plate, and wherein the plurality of plates are arranged to form a stack; and a thermal void defined by the plurality of intermediate plates and extending into each of the plurality of intermediate plates, wherein the thermal void is annular-shaped and concentric with the two or more of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 21 A substrate support comprising: a body configured to support a substrate during processing of the substrate, wherein the body comprises a plurality of plate layers comprising a top plate layer, one or more intermediate plate layers, a bottom plate layer, an annular channel, and a plurality of radially extending channels, wherein the one or more intermediate plate layers comprise a first plate and a second plate, wherein the second plate is concentric with the first plate, wherein the plurality of plate layers are arranged to form a stack, and wherein the annular channel and the plurality of radially extending channels extend at least partially within the one or more intermediate plate layers; and a thermal void defined at least partially by the first plate and the second plate, wherein the thermal void is annular-shaped, wherein the plurality of radially extending channels fluidically couple the annular channel to the thermal void.