# US 2015/0144263 A1 · Substrate heating pedestal having ceramic balls > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0144263 A1 - Document ID: US20150144263A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/613,219 - Filed: 2015-02-03 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-19 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Martin RIKER; Wei W. WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150144263A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream} - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H01J 37/32477: {characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings} - H01J 37/32871: {Means for trapping or directing unwanted particles} - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/0468: {comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process} - H01J 2237/0213: Avoiding deleterious effects due to interactions between particles and tube elements - H01J 2237/0268: Liner tubes - H01J 2237/2001: Maintaining constant desired temperature - H01J 2237/335: Cleaning - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - 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 substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates is described. The pedestal comprises an annular plate comprising a surface having an array of recesses. A plurality of ceramic balls are each positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface. A heating element is embedded in the annular plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising: (a) an annular plate comprising a surface having an array of recesses; (b) a plurality of ceramic balls, each ceramic ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and (c) a heating element embedded in the annular plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the annular plate comprises a first disk having the surface, and a second disk having a channel shaped to receive the heating element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic balls are composed of alumina oxide, quartz, sapphire, silicon nitride, synthetic corundum, zirconium oxide, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic balls are embedded in the pedestal such that a top region of each ball is above the plane of the pedestal surface to define a raised substrate receiving surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein ceramic balls comprise a diameter of from about 1 to about 3 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic balls are spherical. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A multi-chamber apparatus suitable for processing substrates, the apparatus comprising: (a) a process chamber that is a substrate cleaning chamber, the substrate cleaning chamber comprising a process zone to hold a substrate to clean the substrate in an energized cleaning gas, the process zone having (i) a gas inlet for providing the energized cleaning gas, (ii) an exhaust port to exhaust gases, and (iii) a substrate heating pedestal according to claim 1; and (b) a remote chamber comprising a remote gas energizer for remotely energizing a cleaning gas by coupling energy to a cleaning gas in a gas energizer zone, the remote chamber having a gas outlet channel connected to the gas inlet channel of the substrate cleaning chamber. ### Claim 12 A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising: (a) an annular plate comprising a first disk having a surface with an array of recesses, and a second disk having a channel to receive a heating element; (b) a plurality of ceramic balls, each ceramic ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and (c) a heating element embedded in the channel of the second disk of the annular plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A pedestal according to claim 12 wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A pedestal according to claim 12 wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum, and a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A pedestal according to claim 12 wherein the ceramic balls are composed of alumina oxide, quartz, sapphire, silicon nitride, synthetic corundum, zirconium oxide, or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A pedestal according to claim 12 wherein the ceramic balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm. ### Claim 17 A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising: (a) an annular plate comprising a first disk having a surface with an array of recesses, and a second disk having a channel to receive a heating element; (b) a plurality of quartz balls, each quartz ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and (c) a heating element embedded in the channel of the second disk of the annular plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A pedestal according to claim 17 wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A pedestal according to claim 17 wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum, and a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A pedestal according to claim 17 wherein the quartz balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm.