# US 12,435,418 B2 · Removable showerhead faceplate for semiconductor processing tools

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- Number: US 12,435,418 B2
- Document ID: US12435418B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/000,635
- Filed: 2021-06-04
- Published: 2023-09-07
- Granted: 2025-10-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-06
- Assignees: Lam Research Corporation
- Applicants: Lam Research Corporation
- Inventors: Manjesh Shankarnarayana; Bin Luo; Eric H. Lenz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12435418B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32605: {Removable or replaceable electrodes or electrode systems}
- 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

Showerheads for semiconductor processing operations are disclosed that have removable faceplates and various features that provide additional benefit in the context of removable faceplates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a showerhead faceplate, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate is configured to removably mate with a showerhead backplate,
the showerhead faceplate has a plate region having a plurality of gas distribution ports located therein,
each gas distribution port extends through the showerhead faceplate,
the showerhead faceplate includes one or more first planar thermal contact surfaces, each first planar thermal contact surface configured to contact a corresponding second planar thermal contact surface on the showerhead backplate when the showerhead faceplate is mated to the showerhead backplate,
the one or more first planar thermal contact surfaces include an annular planar thermal contact surface that has an outer diameter of between 12″ and 18″ and that encircles the plate region when viewed along a first axis that is perpendicular to the annular planar thermal contact surface, and
the annular planar thermal contact surface has a flatness less than or equal to a value between 800 μin and 1200 μin and a surface roughness Ra less than or equal to a value between 24 μin to 40 μin.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further including a plurality of posts located within the plate region and extending away from the plate region, wherein the one or more first planar thermal contact surfaces includes, for each of the posts, an endpost thermal contact surface that is parallel to the annular planar thermal contact surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first planar thermal contact surfaces have flatness values less than or equal to 1000 μin and average surface roughness Ra greater than or equal to 24 μin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first planar thermal contact surfaces have flatness values less than or equal to 1000 μin and average surface roughness Ra greater than or equal to 30 μin.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first planar thermal contact surfaces have flatness values less than or equal to 1000 μin and average surface roughness Ra equal to 40 μin.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the showerhead faceplate is made of an aluminum alloy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate includes a plurality of first threaded holes distributed around the plate region and located in the annular planar thermal contact surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the first threaded holes are arranged in a circular array with an angular spacing of at most 20° in between adjacent first threaded holes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate further includes a first thermal interference fit feature that is configured to interface with a second thermal interference fit feature on the showerhead backplate when the showerhead faceplate is mated to the showerhead backplate,
the first thermal interference fit feature includes a first axially symmetric surface that faces radially outwards and is located in between the plate region and the first threaded holes, and
the first axially symmetric surface has a first cross-sectional profile that is dimensioned so as to be within 0.01″ to 0.014″ of a corresponding second cross-sectional profile of the second thermal interference fit feature on the showerhead backplate when the showerhead faceplate is mated to the showerhead backplate such that the showerhead faceplate is centered with respect to the showerhead backplate and the showerhead faceplate and the showerhead backplate are both at 20° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
the first thermal interference fit feature is a first cylindrical surface having a first diameter,
the second thermal interference fit feature on the showerhead backplate with which the first thermal interference fit feature is configured to interface when the showerhead faceplate is mounted to the showerhead backplate is a second cylindrical surface having a second diameter, and
the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter and within 0.02″ of the second diameter when the showerhead faceplate and the showerhead backplate are both at 20° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate includes an inner wall that extends around the plate region and is interposed between the first threaded holes and the plate region,
the inner wall extends away from the annular planar thermal contact surface, and
the first thermal interference fit feature is provided by an outward-facing surface of the inner wall.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
a plurality of first threaded fasteners equal in number to the number of first threaded holes;
a plurality of washers at least equal in number to the number of first threaded holes; and
a plurality of conical spring washers at least equal in number to the number of first threaded holes, wherein the apparatus is a kit configured to facilitate replacement of an expired showerhead faceplate attached to the showerhead backplate of a semiconductor processing tool.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate is made of a first material,
the first threaded fasteners are made of a second material,
the conical spring washers are made of a first alloy,
the washers are made of a second alloy,
the first material and the second material are each selected from the group consisting of: an aluminum alloy, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, and alumina,
the first alloy and the second alloy are each selected from the group consisting of: a nickel alloy, an aluminum alloy, and 6061-T6 aluminum alloy,
the second material is selected from the group consisting of the first material and a material other than the first material, and
the second alloy is selected from the group consisting of the first alloy and an alloy other than the first alloy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
the showerhead backplate having a plurality of through-holes equal in number to the number of first threaded holes;
a plurality of first threaded fasteners equal in number to the number of first threaded holes;
a plurality of washers at least equal in number to the number of first threaded holes; and
a plurality of conical spring washers at least equal in number to the number of first threaded holes, wherein:
each first threaded fastener of the plurality of first threaded fasteners is inserted through at least one of the washers, one of the conical spring washers, one of the through-holes, and screwed into a corresponding one of the first threaded holes, and
at least one washer is interposed between each of the conical spring washers and the showerhead backplate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:
one or more of the through-holes in the showerhead backplate are threaded holes having an inner thread diameter large enough that the first threaded fastener inserted therethrough is able to be inserted therethrough without engagement of the threads of the first threaded fastener with the threads of the threaded hole.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:
the showerhead faceplate is made of a first material,
the showerhead backplate is made of a second material,
the threaded fasteners are made of a third material,
the conical spring washers are made of a first alloy,
the washers are made of a second alloy,
the first material, the second material, and the third material are each selected from the group consisting of: an aluminum alloy, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, and alumina,
the first alloy and the second alloy are each selected from the group consisting of: a nickel alloy, an aluminum alloy, and 6061-T6 aluminum alloy,
the second material is selected from the group consisting of the first material, the third material, and a material other than the first material and the third material,
the third material is selected from the group consisting of the first material, the second material, and a material other than the first material and the second material, and
the second alloy is selected from the group consisting of the first alloy and an alloy other than the first alloy.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each first threaded fastener is torqued to between 6 inch-pounds and 8 inch-pounds.