Apparatus and method for fabricating metal paths in semiconductor substrates through high pressure extrusion

Apparatus for applying high pressure to a semiconductor product comprising:

• a reaction frame;
• a high pressure chamber, at least partially housed within the reaction frame, comprising:
• a ring-like body;
• first and second plugs, the first plug at least partially housed within the ring-like body;
• at least one of the first and second plugs being moveable between open and closed positions;
• said first and second plug elements and the ring-like body defining a pressurizable cavity when the plugs are in the closed position;
• thermally insulating filler elements, associated with said first and second plugs, partially filling said pressurizable cavity;
• a heater element positioned to heat the pressurizable cavity;
• said filler elements defining a product chamber therebetween when the plugs are in the closed position;
• whereby the filler elements act to thermally insulate the first and second plugs from the heater element.

Apparatus for applying high pressure to a semiconductor product comprising;

• a reaction frame;
• and
• a high pressure chamber, at least partially housed within the reaction frame comprising:
• a circumferential body;
• first and second plugs, the first plug at least partially housed within the circumferential body and moveable relative to the second plug between open and closed positions;
• the first and second plugs and the circumferential body defining a pressurizable cavity when the plugs are in the closed position;
• a heater element associated with at least one of the first and second plugs and positioned to heat the pressurizable cavity;
• and
• rolling electrical contacts for the heater element moveable with the first and second plugs which engage one another as the plugs assume the closed position, said rolling electrical contacts configured to substantially eliminate sliding contact therebetween as said contacts engage and disengage.

Apparatus for applying high pressure to a semiconductor product comprising:

• a reaction frame;
• and
• a high pressure chamber, at least partially housed within said reaction frame, comprising:
• first and second ring-like bodies having opposed faces and open outer ends;
• first and second plugs at the open outer ends of the first and second ring-like bodies, respectively;
• fluid seals between the first and second ring-like bodies and the first and second plugs;
• the first and second ring-like bodies and the first and second plugs defining a high pressure region;
• a face fluid seal located between said opposed faces;
• and
• the ring-like bodies including design means for configuring said ring-like bodies move radially equal amounts along said opposed faces as the pressure within the high pressure region changes so to effectively eliminate sliding contact between said opposed faces during such pressure changes.

A high pressure chamber, for applying high pressure to a semiconductor product comprising:

• a chamber enclosure defining a pressurizable cavity therein;
• means for supplying heated gas to the pressurizable cavity;
• a semiconductor product region within the pressurizable cavity;
• a heater for heating a semiconductor product within the semiconductor product region;
• and
• the heater being positioned above the semiconductor product and maintained at a temperature at or near the temperature of the semiconductor product to help eliminate convection currents within the semiconductor product region.

A semiconductor product processing assembly comprising:

• a reaction frame;
• and
• a high pressure chamber, at least partially housed within said reaction frame, comprising:
• first and second ring-like bodies having opposed faces and open outer ends;
• first and second plugs at the open outer ends of the first and second ring-like bodies, respectively;
• fluid seals between the first and second ring-like bodies and the first and second plugs respectively;
• the first and second ring-like bodies and the first and second plugs defining a high pressure region;
• a face fluid seal located between said opposed faces;
• and
• means for applying vacuum regions between said fluid seals and the ambient atmosphere and between said face fluid seal and the ambient atmosphere thereby helping to maintain said high pressure region free of contaminants.

Apparatus for applying high pressure to a semiconductor product comprising:

• a reaction frame;
• a high pressure chamber, at least partially housed within the reaction frame, comprising:
• a ring-like body;
• first and second plugs, the first plug at least partially housed within the ring-like body;
• at least said first plug being moveable between closed and open positions;
• and
• said ring-like body and the first and second plugs defining a pressurizable cavity when the first and second plugs are in a closed position;
• and
• a plug mover coupled to the first plug to move the first plug between the closed and open positions, the plug mover comprising a positioning plate, positionable between the reaction frame and the first plug when the plugs are in the closed position to create a hard physical connection between the first plug and the reaction frame when the cavity is pressurized.

An apparatus for performing high pressure filling of apertures, comprising:

• a vacuum containment;
• a pressure containment, at least partially housed within the vacuum containment, defining a pressurizable region;
• a vacuum region defined by the vacuum containment and the pressure containment;
• and
• the vacuum containment comprising means for accommodating a catastrophic leak from the pressurizable region into the vacuum region.

An apparatus for performing high pressure filling of apertures, comprising:

• a vacuum containment;
• a pressure containment, at least partially housed within the vacuum containment, defining a pressurizable region;
• a vacuum region defined by the vacuum containment and the pressure containment;
• the vacuum containment comprising a wall having a slit valve opening therein;
• and
• means, located within the vacuum region, for selectively positioning a protective door over the slit-valve opening while the pressurizable region is pressurized.