Apparatus for aligning electrodes in a process chamber to protect an exclusion area within an edge environ of a wafer

Apparatus for orienting an upper electrode relative to a desired existing orientation of a lower electrode in a wafer process chamber, each electrode being configured with a reference surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a fixture configured with an upper nest and a lower nest, the upper nest being configured with an upper fixture reference surface and an upper wall, the lower nest being configured with a lower fixture reference surface and a lower wall, the nests orienting the upper electrode relative to the desired existing orientation of the lower electrode by aligning the lower fixture reference surface and the upper fixture reference surface parallel to the lower electrode reference surface;
• a base configured to support the lower electrode with the lower electrode reference surface in the existing orientation, the base being further configured with a frame;
• and
• an adapter between the frame and the upper electrode;
• wherein the lower electrode is in tight contact with the lower fixture reference surface.

A device for aligning a first electrode surface to a second electrode surface in a wafer process chamber, the apparatus comprising:

• a fixture, used in aligning the first and second electrode surfaces, configured with an upper fixture reference surface and a lower fixture reference surface parallel to the upper fixture reference surface,
• the lower fixture reference surface being configured to be supported in tight contact with and on the first electrode surface to orient the lower fixture reference surface and the upper fixture reference surface parallel to the first electrode surface, and
• the upper fixture reference surface being configured to support the second electrode surface to orient the second electrode surface parallel to the upper fixture reference surface and parallel to the first electrode surface;
• wherein the aligning provides an inactive etching zone in a center area between the first electrode surface and the second electrode surface when the first and second electrode surfaces are aligned without the fixture to a separation of between about 0.010 inch and about 0.020 inch, the separation acting to define an edge environ outside of the center area for active etching of edges of the wafer when present.