# US 8,740,206 B2 · Life enhancement of ring assembly in semiconductor manufacturing chambers

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- Number: US 8,740,206 B2
- Document ID: US8740206B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/013,772
- Filed: 2011-01-25
- Published: 2011-07-28
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2010-01-27
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Sandhya Arun; Prashanth Kodigepalli; Padma Gopalakrishnan; Ashish Bhatnagar; Dan Martin; Christopher Heath John Hossack
- Inventors: Sandhya Arun; Prashanth Kodigepalli; Padma Gopalakrishnan; Ashish Bhatnagar; Dan Martin; Christopher Heath John Hossack
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740206B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32798: {Further details of plasma apparatus not provided for in groups H01J37/3244 - H01J37/32788; special provisions for cleaning or maintenance of the apparatus}
- H01J 37/32495: {Means for protecting the vessel against plasma}
- H01J 37/32623: {Mechanical discharge control means}
- H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile}
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 14/50: Substrate holders
- H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks
- 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
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a ring assembly that may be used in an etching or other plasma processing chamber. The ring assembly generally includes an inner ring and an outer ring disposed radially outward of the inner ring. The inner ring will correspond to the location where the majority of erosion occurs during use. This inner ring can be flipped and reused until both sides have eroded beyond their service life. Collectively, the two rings generally have the shape of a single piece ring, but the service life of the ring assembly is longer than a conventional single piece ring.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ring assembly, comprising:
an outer ring body having a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, and an inside surface that extends between the top surface and the bottom surface, the inside surface having a notch, and the notch having a roof projecting from an upper portion of the outer ring body, wherein the outer ring body further comprises:
an outside surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
a first annular extension extending from the bottom surface in a direction away from the top surface and from a location spaced from an edge of the outside surface;
a second annular extension extending from the bottom surface in a direction away from the top surface, the second annular extension abutting the inside surface; and
a third annular extension extending from the outer ring body in a direction away from the outside surface, the third annular extension forming part of the inside surface and having a surface slanted relative to the top surface and the bottom surface of the outer ring body at an angle of between about 100 degrees and about 120 degrees; and
an inner ring body nestable in the notch of the outer ring body when either a top surface or a bottom surface of the inner ring body is disposed adjacent the roof, the ring assembly with either top surface or the bottom surface of the inner ring body nested in the notch of the outer ring body is configured to interface with a substrate support of a plasma processing chamber,
wherein before the top surface is eroded, the inner ring body can be flipped over along an axis that is parallel to the top surface of the outer ring body so that a top surface of a profile of the ring assembly does not change regardless of the bottom surface or top surface of the inner ring body being disposed against the outer ring body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the outside surface has a generally curved surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ring assembly of claim 2, wherein the roof of the outer ring body partially covers the top surface of the inner ring body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The ring assembly of claim 3, wherein an outside diameter surface of the inner ring body conforms with the notch when either the top surface or the bottom surface is disposed against the roof.

### Claim 5

A ring assembly, comprising:
an outer ring body, comprising:
a top surface and a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface;
an outside surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
an inside surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the inside surface having a notch, and the notch having a roof projecting from an upper portion of the outer ring body;
a first and second annular extensions extending from the bottom surface of the outer ring body, wherein the first and second annular extensions are parallel and radially spaced from each other, and the second annular extension abutting the inside surface;
a third annular extension extending from the outer ring body in a direction perpendicular to the first and second annular extensions, the third annular extension forming part of the inside surface and having a surface slanted relative to the top surface and the bottom surface of the outer ring body at an angle of between about 100 degrees and about 120 degrees; and
an inner ring body disposed radially inward of the outer ring body, the inner ring body comprising:
a top surface abutting and projecting inward of the third annular extension; and
an outside diameter surface disposed below the third annular extension and abutting the outer ring body, wherein before the top surface is eroded, the inner ring body can be flipped over along an axis that is parallel to the top surface of the outer ring body so that a top surface of a profile of the ring assembly does not change regardless of the bottom surface or top surface of the inner ring body being disposed against the outer ring body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The ring assembly of claim 5, wherein the inner ring body is nestable in the notch in two flipped orientations, the nested inner ring body and outer ring body having the same combined sectional profile when the inner ring body is in either flipped orientation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The ring assembly of claim 6, wherein the third annular extension partially covers the top surface of the inner ring body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The ring assembly of claim 5, wherein the first annular extension and the second annular extension extend different distances from the bottom surface of the outer ring body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The ring assembly of claim 5, wherein the outer ring body comprises quartz or clear fused quartz.

### Claim 10

A ring assembly, comprising:
an outer ring body having a top surface, a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, an inside surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces, and an outside surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the outer ring body further comprises:
a notch having a roof projecting from an upper portion of the inside surface of the outer ring body; and
an annular extension extending from the outer ring body in a direction away from the outside surface, the annular extension forming part of the inside surface and having a surface slanted relative to the top surface and the bottom surface of the outer ring body at an angle of between about 100 degrees and about 120 degrees; and
an inner ring body disposed radially inward of the outer ring body, wherein the inner ring body is symmetrically nestable in the notch of the outer ring body, and the ring assembly with either top surface or the bottom surface of the inner ring body nested in the notch of the outer ring body is configured to interface with a substrate support of a plasma processing chamber, and the inner ring body can be flipped over along an axis that is parallel to the top surface of the outer ring body, the inner ring body and outer ring body having the same combined sectional profile when the inner ring body is in either flipped orientation and nested within the outer ring body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The ring assembly of claim 10, wherein the inner and outer ring bodies comprise quartz.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The ring assembly of claim 10, wherein the inner and outer ring bodies comprise non-conducting materials.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The ring assembly of claim 10, wherein the outer ring body comprises:
a first annular extension extending from the bottom surface in a direction away from the top surface and from a location adjacent to an edge of the outside surface; and
a second annular extension extending from the bottom surface in a direction away from the top surface, the second annular extension abutting the inside surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The ring assembly of claim 10, wherein the surface of the annular extension is slanted relative to the inside surface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The ring assembly of claim 13, wherein the first annular extension and the second annular extension extend different distances from the bottom surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The ring assembly of claim 10, wherein the annular extension radially extends a distance to partially cover an upper surface of the inner ring body.