# US 2014/0197227 A1 · Method For Manufacture Of A Multi-Layer Plate Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197227 A1 - Document ID: US20140197227A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/682,171 - Filed: 2012-11-20 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-30 - Assignees: Component Re-Engineering Company, Inc. - Applicants: Component Re-Engineering Company, Inc. - Inventors: Alfred Grant Elliot; Brent Donald Alfred Elliot; Frank Balma; Richard Erich Schuster; Dennis George Rex; Alexander Veytser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197227A1 ## CPC - B23K 1/0008: {specially adapted for particular articles or work} - B23K 1/0016: {Soldering of electronic components} - B23K 1/19: taking account of the properties of the materials to be soldered - B23K 1/20: Preliminary treatment of work or areas to be soldered, e.g. in respect of a galvanic coating - B23K 35/005: {at least one of the workpieces being of a refractory metal} - B23K 35/286: {Al as the principal constituent} - B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)} - B32B 7/14: applied in spaced arrangements, e.g. in stripes - B32B 9/005: {comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile (layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00)} - B32B 9/04: comprising such {particular} substance as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a glass layer B32B17/06; layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00)} - B32B 9/041: {of metal} - B32B 15/20: comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)} - B32B 18/00: Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products - C04B 35/645: Pressure sintering - C04B 37/001: {directly with other burned ceramic articles} - C04B 37/006: {consisting of metals or metal salts} - F16B 9/01: {Welded or bonded connections} - H05B 1/00: Details of electric heating devices - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks - B23K 2103/10: Aluminium or alloys thereof - C04B 2235/6562: Heating rate - C04B 2235/6565: Cooling rate - C04B 2235/6567: Treatment time - C04B 2235/6581: Total pressure below 1 atmosphere, e.g. vacuum - C04B 2235/6582: Hydrogen containing atmosphere - C04B 2235/945: Products containing grooves, cuts, recesses or protusions - C04B 2237/121: based on aluminium - C04B 2237/122: based on refractory metals - C04B 2237/126: wherein the active component for bonding is not the largest fraction of the interlayer - C04B 2237/127: The active component for bonding being a refractory metal - C04B 2237/34: Oxidic - C04B 2237/343: Alumina or aluminates - C04B 2237/348: Zirconia, hafnia, zirconates or hafnates - C04B 2237/36: Non-oxidic - C04B 2237/365: Silicon carbide - C04B 2237/366: Aluminium nitride - C04B 2237/368: Silicon nitride - C04B 2237/592: whereby the interlayer is not continuous, e.g. not the whole surface of the smallest substrate is covered by the interlayer - C04B 2237/61: Joining two substrates of which at least one is porous by infiltrating the porous substrate with a liquid, such as a molten metal, causing bonding of the two substrates, e.g. joining two porous carbon substrates by infiltrating with molten silicon - C04B 2237/64: Forming laminates or joined articles comprising grooves or cuts - C04B 2237/66: Forming laminates or joined articles showing high dimensional accuracy, e.g. indicated by the warpage - C04B 2237/68: Forming laminates or joining articles wherein at least one substrate contains at least two different parts of macro-size, e.g. one ceramic substrate layer containing an embedded conductor or electrode - C04B 2237/704: of one or more of the ceramic layers or articles - C04B 2237/708: of one or more of the interlayers - C04B 2237/72: Forming laminates or joined articles comprising at least two interlayers directly next to each other - C04B 2237/76: Forming laminates or joined articles comprising at least one member in the form other than a sheet or disc, e.g. two tubes or a tube and a sheet or disc - C04B 2237/765: at least one member being a tube - C04B 2237/80: Joining the largest surface of one substrate with a smaller surface of the other substrate, e.g. butt joining or forming a T-joint - C04B 2237/84: Joining of a first substrate with a second substrate at least partially inside the first substrate, where the bonding area is at the inside of the first substrate, e.g. one tube inside another tube - Y10T 403/46: Rod end to transverse side of member - Y10T 428/31504: Composite [nonstructural laminate] - Y10T 428/31678: Of metal - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a continuous layer of joining material between the two pieces. The wetting and flow of the joining material is controlled by the selection of the joining material, the joining temperature, the time at temperature, the joining atmosphere, and other factors. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride and the pieces may be brazed with an aluminum alloy under controlled atmosphere. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the shaft of a heater or electrostatic chuck. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for the manufacture of a multi-layer plate device used in semiconductor processing, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of plate components into a stack, wherein said plurality of plate components comprise an upper plate layer, a lower plate layer, and a brazing layer disposed between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer; joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer, wherein said step of joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer comprises the steps of: applying pressure between said upper plate layer and lower plate layer across said brazing element; and heating the stack of plate components, thereby joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer with a hermetically sealed joint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-4. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-5. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said upper plate layer comprises aluminum nitride. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said lower plate layer comprises a ceramic. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said lower plate layer comprises aluminum nitride. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said brazing element comprises aluminum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein said brazing element comprises aluminum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components prior to the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-4. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-5. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber, wherein said step of removing oxygen comprises purging and re-filling the chamber with pure, dehydrated inert gas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber, wherein said step of removing oxygen comprises purging and re-filling the chamber with purified hydrogen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said brazing element comprises at least 89% aluminum by weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said brazing element comprises at least 99% aluminum by weight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components comprises heating the pressurized stack of plate components to a first temperature between 800 C and 1200 C. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components comprises heating the pressurized stack of plate components to a first temperature between 800 C and 1300 C. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components comprises heating the pressurized stack of plate components to a first temperature between 800 C and 1200 C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components comprises heating the pressurized stack of plate components to a first temperature between 800 C and 1300 C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-4. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-5. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components to said first temperature comprises heating the stack of plate components to said first temperature for a duration of between 10 minutes and 2 hours. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components comprises heating the stack of plate components to a temperature between 800° C. and 1200° C. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said step of heating the pressurized stack of plate components comprises heating the stack of plate components to a temperature between 800° C. and 1300° C. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said step of heating the stack of plate components to said first temperature comprises heating the stack of plate components to said first temperature for a duration of between 10 minutes and 2 hours. ### Claim 25 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said step of applying pressure between said top plate layer and said lower plate layer comprises applying between 1 and 500 psi between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said step of applying pressure between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer comprises applying between 2 and 40 psi between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said step of applying pressure between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer comprises applying between 1 and 500 psi between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said step of applying pressure between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer comprises applying between 2 and 40 psi between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components during the heating of said stack of plate components, wherein said pressure is lower than 1×10E-4. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of applying vacuum to said stack of plate components prior to heating said stack of plate components, wherein said vacuum is greater than 1×10E-5. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: heating the multi-layer plate device to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the bonding material; and disjoining the joint between said top plate layer and said lower plate layer. ### Claim 32 A method for the manufacture of a multi-layer plate device used in semiconductor processing, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of plate components into a stack, wherein said plurality of plate components comprise an upper plate layer, a lower plate layer, and a brazing layer disposed between said upper plate layer and said lower plate layer; and joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer, wherein said step of joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer comprises the steps of: placing said stack in a process chamber; removing oxygen from said process chamber; heating the stack of plate components while in the process chamber with the oxygen removed; and joining said upper plate layer to said lower plate layer while maintaining a minimum joint thickness. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein said upper plate layer comprises aluminum nitride. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33 wherein said lower plate layer comprises ceramic. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33 wherein said lower plate layer comprises aluminum nitride. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein said brazing element comprises aluminum. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises applying a pressure of lower than 5×10E-5 Torr to said process chamber. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises applying a pressure of lower than 1×10E-4 Torr to said process chamber. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises purging and re-filling the chamber with pure, dehydrated argon. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the step of removing oxygen from said process chamber comprises purging and re-filling the chamber with purified hydrogen. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38 wherein said step of heating said stack of plate components comprises heating to a temperature between 800 C and 1200 C. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38 wherein said step of heating said stack of plate components comprises heating to a temperature between 800 C and 1300 C. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein said step of heating said stack of plate components comprises heating for a duration of between 10 minutes and 2 hours.