Wafer heater assembly

A wafer heater assembly for a deposition/etch chamber comprising:

• a base comprising an opening;
• a wafer support comprising a wafer-chucking surface;
• a circumferential barrier support having a wafer end at the wafer support and a base end at the base;
• a heater sub-assembly mounted to the wafer support;
• a guide tube, having an end, extending from the opening in the base away from the heater sub-assembly;
• an electric conductor passing from the heater sub-assembly through the opening and through the guide tube;
• a gas tube fluidly coupled to the wafer support and extending through the opening and through the guide tube;
• quick-disconnected connectors for the gas tube and electric conductor external of the guide tube;
• a fluid seal positioned between the base end of the barrier support and the base;
• a user-accessible attachment element securing the base to the wafer support with the barrier support therebetween thereby pressing the base end of the barrier support against the base with the fluid seal captured therebetween;
• and
• barrier support including means for restricting heat transfer from the wafer end to the base end thereby maintaining the temperature of the fluid seal substantially lower than the temperature of the wafer-chucking surface of the wafer support to create a temperature drop between the wafer-chucking surface and the base end of the barrier support of at least about 50.degree.-70.degree. C. when the temperature of the wafer end of the barrier support is about 200.degree.-300.degree. C.

A wafer heater assembly for a deposition/etch chamber comprising:

• a base comprising an opening;
• a wafer support comprising a wafer-chucking surface;
• a circumferential barrier support having a wafer end at the wafer support and a base end at the base;
• a heater sub-assembly thermally coupled to the wafer support, the heater sub-assembly being rigidly mounted to the wafer support using mechanical mounting elements;
• an electric conductor passing from the heater sub-assembly through the opening in the base;
• a fluid seal positioned between the base end of the barrier support and the base;
• and
• an attachment element securing the base to the wafer support with the barrier support therebetween thereby pressing the base end of the barrier support against the base with the fluid seal captured therebetween.

A wafer heater assembly for a deposition/etch chamber comprising:

• a base;
• a wafer support comprising an electrostatically chargeable wafer-chucking surface;
• a circumferential barrier support having a wafer end at the wafer support and a base end at the base;
• a heater sub-assembly thermally coupled to the wafer support;
• a fluid seal positioned between the base end of the barrier support and the base;
• and
• an attachment element securing the base to the wafer support with the barrier support therebetween thereby pressing the base end of the barrier support against the base with the fluid seal captured therebetween.

A wafer heater assembly for a deposition/etch chamber comprising:

• a base;
• a wafer support comprising a wafer-chucking surface;
• a circumferential barrier support having a wafer end at the wafer support and a base end at the base;
• a heater sub-assembly thermally coupled to the wafer support;
• a fluid seal positioned between the base end of the barrier support and the base;
• the barrier support comprising means for restricting heat transfer from the wafer end to the base end thereby maintaining the temperature of the fluid seal substantially lower than the temperature of the wafer-chucking surface of the wafer support;
• and
• an attachment element securing the base to the wafer support with the barrier support therebetween thereby pressing the base end of the barrier support against the base with the fluid seal captured therebetween.

A wafer heater assembly for a deposition/etch chamber comprising:

• a base;
• a wafer support comprising a wafer-chucking surface;
• a circumferential barrier support having a wafer end at the wafer support and a base end at the base;
• a heater sub-assembly thermally coupled to the wafer support;
• a fluid seal positioned between the base end of the barrier support and the base;
• and
• an attachment element securing the base to the wafer support with the barrier support therebetween thereby pressing the base end of the barrier support against the base with the fluid seal captured therebetween.