Controlling showerhead heating via resistive thermal measurements
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsNick Ray LINEBARGER, JR., Curtis W. BAILEY, Easwar SRINIVASAN, Devon PELKEY
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Abstract
A showerhead for a plasma chamber comprises a resistive heater configured to receive power to heat the showerhead of the plasma chamber, and a resistive element thermally bonded to the showerhead of the plasma chamber. The resistive element changes resistance in response to a change in temperature of the showerhead. The resistive element is encapsulated in an insulating material to electrically insulate the resistive element from the showerhead. The insulating material is a good conductor of heat. The power to the resistive heater is received based on the resistance of the resistive element.
Claims28
A system for measuring a temperature of a showerhead of a plasma chamber and controlling heating of the showerhead based on the temperature, the system comprising:
- a resistive heater to heat the showerhead of the plasma chamber;
- a resistive element thermally bonded to the showerhead of the plasma chamber, wherein the resistive element includes a single metal that changes resistance in response to a change in temperature of the single metal;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- supply power to the resistive heater to heat the showerhead;
- supply voltage to the resistive element;
- measure current through the resistive element;
- determine resistance of the resistive element based on the voltage supplied to the resistive element and the current measured through the resistive element;
- determine the temperature of the showerhead based on the resistance of the resistive element;
- compare the temperature to a setpoint temperature for the showerhead;
- and
- control the supply of power to the resistive heater based on the comparison to control the heating of the showerhead.
A showerhead for a plasma chamber, the showerhead comprising:
- a resistive heater configured to receive power to heat the showerhead of the plasma chamber;
- and
- a resistive element thermally bonded to the showerhead of the plasma chamber,
- wherein the resistive element changes resistance in response to a change in temperature of the showerhead,
- wherein the resistive element is encapsulated in an insulating material to electrically insulate the resistive element from the showerhead,
- wherein the insulating material is a good conductor of heat, and
- wherein the power to the resistive heater is received based on the resistance of the resistive element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.