Fasteners for coupling components of showerhead assemblies
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsCarlaton Wong, Reyn Tetsuro Wakabayashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of showerhead assemblies and fasteners for use in coupling components of showerhead assemblies are provided herein. More particularly, the fasteners described herein can advantageously be used to connect a gas distribution plate to a backing plate of the showerhead assembly. The fasteners described herein can further advantageously be used to robustly connect components together where the components have different coefficients of thermal expansion.
Claims8
A fastener assembly for coupling components in a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
- a threaded insert having a threaded inner bore, wherein the threaded insert includes an upper cylindrical portion, a radially extending flange, and a non-circular lower portion, wherein the threaded inner bore is disposed in a central opening of the upper cylindrical portion;
- and
- a compliant jacket surrounding the threaded insert and having one or more protruding features extending radially outward from the compliant jacket, wherein an upper end of the threaded insert does not extend beyond an upper end of the compliant jacket, and wherein the compliant jacket includes a threaded outer wall.
A showerhead for use in a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
- a backing plate;
- a gas distribution plate;
- and
- a plurality of fasteners coupling the backing plate to the gas distribution plate, wherein at least one fastener of the plurality of fasteners is a fastener assembly comprising:
- a threaded insert having a threaded inner bore;
- and
- a compliant jacket surrounding the threaded insert and having one or more protruding features extending radially outward from the compliant jacket;
- wherein the threaded insert and the compliant jacket are disposed in a hole disposed in the gas distribution plate, wherein the hole includes at least one recess configured to receive and mate with the one or more protruding features of the compliant jacket such that the fastener assembly cannot rotate within the hole, wherein the hole includes a sidewall having a threaded portion and either:
- a recess disposed below the threaded portion of the hole;
- or
- a non-circular bottom portion disposed below the threaded portion of the hole.
A showerhead for use in a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
- a backing plate;
- a gas distribution plate;
- a plurality of fasteners coupling the backing plate to the gas distribution plate, wherein at least one fastener of the plurality of fasteners is a fastener assembly comprising:
- a threaded insert having a threaded inner bore;
- and
- a compliant jacket surrounding the threaded insert and having one or more protruding features extending radially outward from the compliant jacket;
- wherein the threaded insert and the compliant jacket are disposed in a hole disposed in the gas distribution plate, wherein the hole is a blind hole only partially disposed in the gas distribution plate, and wherein the hole includes at least one recess configured to receive and mate with the one or more protruding features of the compliant jacket such that the fastener assembly cannot rotate within the hole;
- and
- a bolt disposed through an opening in the backing plate and engaging with the threaded inner bore of the threaded insert to fasten the backing plate to the gas distribution plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.