Composite shielding
AssigneeSPTS Technologies Limited
InventorsClive Luca Widdicks, Ian Moncrieff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite shield assembly is for use in deposition apparatus defining a work piece location. The assembly includes a first shield element for position circumjacent the work piece location and a second shield element for extending around and carrying the first element. The thermal conductivity of the first element is greater than that of the second element, and the elements are arranged for intimate thermal contact.
Claims20
A composite shield assembly for use in deposition apparatus defining a workpiece location, the assembly including:
- a first shield element, constituting a shadow shield, for positioning circumjacent the workpiece location;
- and
- a second shield element extending around and carrying the first element, and
- wherein the first shield element consists of aluminium or an alloy thereof and the second shield element consists of stainless steel so that the thermal conductivity of the first element is greater than that of the second element, and
- the first element is disposed within and press or friction fit to the second element to place the first and second elements in contact with one another such that thermal energy will thereby transfer directly from the first element to the second element by conduction.
A deposition chamber comprising:
- support structure defining a workpiece location at which a workpiece is processed;
- and
- a composite shield assembly including a first shield element circumjacent the workpiece location and configured as a shadow shield around the workpiece location, and a second shield element extending around and carrying the first element, and
- wherein the first shield element consists of aluminium or an alloy thereof and the second shield element consists of stainless steel so that the thermal conductivity of the first element is greater than that of the second element, and
- the first element is disposed within and press or friction fit to the second element such that the elements contact one another and thermal energy will transfer from the first element to the second element by conduction.
A composite shield assembly made by a process of:
- providing a first shield element consisting of aluminium or an alloy thereof, as a shadow shield, for positioning circumjacent the workpiece location;
- providing a second shield element consisting of stainless steel so that the thermal conductivity of the first element is greater than that of the second element, and
- wherein the first shield element has a circumferential portion, and the second shield element also has a circumferential portion,
- the circumferential portions have inner and outer diameters, respectively, and
- the outer diameter is greater than the inner diameter by an amount in a range of +0.1 to +0.3 mm;
- and
- forcing the circumferential portions together with the circumferential portion having the outer diameter disposed within the circumferential portion having the inner diameter to press or friction fit the first shield element to the second shield element and thereby place the first and second elements in contact with one another such that thermal energy will transfer directly from the first element to the second element, via the circumferential portions thereof, by conduction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.