Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080213496 | Method of coating semiconductor processing apparatus with protective yttrium-containing coatings - Methods of applying specialty ceramic materials to semiconductor processing apparatus, where the specialty ceramic materials are resistant to halogen-comprising plasmas. The specialty ceramic materials contain at least one yttrium oxide-comprising solid solution. Some embodiments of the specialty ceramic materials have been modified to provide a resistivity which reduces the possibility of arcing within a semiconductor processing chamber. | 09-04-2008 |
20080223725 | Process chamber component having electroplated yttrium containing coating - A component capable of being exposed to a plasma in a process chamber has a structure having an electroplated coating comprising yttrium-containing species. The electroplated coating can include zirconium oxide, or can have an oxide layer thereon. In another embodiment the electroplated coating comprises a first species and is coated with a second electroplated coating comprising a second species that is different from the first species. The electroplated coating is resistant to corrosion in the plasma. In another embodiment, the electroplated coating has an interface having a thickness with a first concentration gradient of an yttrium-containing species and a second concentration gradient of a second species. An electroplated coating having a layer comprising first and second concentration gradients of first and second metals can be formed by varying the concentration of the first and second metal electrolyte species in the electroplating bath to electroplate the coating. | 09-18-2008 |
20080261800 | EROSION RESISTANCE ENHANCED QUARTZ USED IN PLASMA ETCH CHAMBER - A method of fabricating doped quartz component is provided herein. In one embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium doped quartz ring configured to support a substrate. In another embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium and aluminum doped cover ring. In yet another embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium, aluminum and nitrogen containing cover ring. | 10-23-2008 |
20080264564 | Method of reducing the erosion rate of semiconductor processing apparatus exposed to halogen-containing plasmas - A ceramic article useful in semiconductor processing, which is resistant to erosion by halogen-containing plasmas. The ceramic article is formed from a combination of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide. In a first embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 90 mole % to about 70 mole %, and zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 10 mole % to about 30 mole %. In a second embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 96 mole % to about 94 mole %, and yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 4 mole % to about 6 mole %. | 10-30-2008 |
20080264565 | Method and apparatus which reduce the erosion rate of surfaces exposed to halogen-containing plasmas - A ceramic article which is resistant to erosion by halogen-containing plasmas used in semiconductor processing. The ceramic article includes ceramic which is multi-phased, typically including two phase to three phases. The ceramic is formed from yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 50 mole % to about 75 mole %; zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 10 mole % to about 30 mole %; and at least one other component, selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, scandium oxide, neodymium oxide, niobium oxide, samarium oxide, ytterbium oxide, erbium oxide, cerium oxide, and combinations thereof, at a molar concentration ranging from about 10 mole % to about 30 mole %. | 10-30-2008 |
20090025751 | Method of removing contaminants from a coating surface comprising an oxide or fluoride of a group IIIB metal - Disclosed herein is a cleaning method useful in removing contaminants from a surface of a coating which comprises an oxide or fluoride of a Group III B metal. Typically the coating overlies an aluminum substrate which is present as part of a semiconductor processing apparatus. The coating typically comprises an oxide or a fluoride of Y, Sc, La, Ce, Eu, Dy, or the like, or yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG). The coating may further comprise about 20 volume % or less of Al | 01-29-2009 |
20090036292 | Plasma-resistant ceramics with controlled electrical resistivity - Specialty ceramic materials which resist corrosion/erosion under semiconductor processing conditions which employ a corrosive/erosive plasma. The corrosive plasma may be a halogen-containing plasma. The specialty ceramic materials have been modified to provide a controlled electrical resistivity which suppresses plasma arcing potential. | 02-05-2009 |
20090056745 | WET CLEAN PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF ANODIZED CHAMBER PARTS - A cleaning process for recovering an anodized aluminum part is particularly useful when the part has been exposed to a fluorine-containing plasma in etch reactor. The part is bathed in an agitated solution of a fluoride acid, such as ammonium fluoride, which converts aluminum fluoride to a soluble fluoride. The part is rinsed in water. The pores of the cleaned anodization may be resealed by a submerging the part in hot agitated deionized water. | 03-05-2009 |
20090087615 | Corrosion-resistant gas distribution plate for plasma processing chamber - Disclosed herein is a gas distribution plate for use in a gas distribution assembly for a processing chamber, where the gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate, which may also include aluminum oxide. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through-holes, which are typically crescent-shaped. Through-holes which have been formed in the solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate by ultrasonic drilling perform particularly well. The solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate typically comprises at least 99.9% yttrium oxide, and has a density of at least 4.92 g/cm | 04-02-2009 |
20090142247 | Chemical treatment to reduce machining-induced sub-surface damage in semiconductor processing components comprising silicon carbide - Method of removing damaged silicon carbide crystalline structure from the surface of a silicon carbide component. The method comprises at least two liquid chemical treatment processes, where one treatment converts silicon carbide to silicon oxide, and another treatment removes silicon oxide. The liquid chemical treatments are typically carried out at a temperature below about 100° C. The time period required to carry out the method is generally less than about 100 hours. | 06-04-2009 |
20090162647 | Erosion resistant yttrium comprising metal with oxidized coating for plasma chamber components - An article which is resistant to corrosion or erosion by chemically active plasmas and a method of making the article are described. The article is comprised of a metal or metal alloy substrate having on its surface a coating which is an oxide of the metal or metal alloy. The structure of the oxide coating is columnar in nature. The grain size of the crystals which make up the oxide is larger at the surface of the oxide coating than at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate, and wherein the oxide coating is in compression at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate. Typically the metal is selected from the group consisting of yttrium, neodymium, samarium, terbium, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, scandium, hafnium, niobium or combinations thereof. | 06-25-2009 |
20090214825 | Ceramic coating comprising yttrium which is resistant to a reducing plasma - Particulate generation has been a problem in semiconductor device processing in highly corrosive plasma environments. The problem is exacerbated when the plasma is a reducing plasma. Empirically produced data has shown that the formation of a plasma spray coated yttrium-comprising ceramic such as yttrium oxide, Y | 08-27-2009 |
20100119843 | PLASMA RESISTANT COATINGS FOR PLASMA CHAMBER COMPONENTS - Plasma resistant coating materials, plasma resistant coatings and methods of forming such coatings on hardware components. In one embodiment, hardware component is an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and the plasma resistant coating is formed on a surface of the ESC. The plasma resistant coatings are formed by methods other than thermal spraying to provide plasma resistant coatings having advantageous material properties. | 05-13-2010 |
20100160143 | Semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a solid solution ceramic of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide - A solid solution-comprising ceramic article useful in semiconductor processing, which is resistant to erosion by halogen-containing plasmas. The solid solution-comprising ceramic article is formed from a combination of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide. In a first embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 90 mole % to about 70 mole %, and zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 10 mole % to about 30 mole %. In a second embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 96 mole % to about 94 mole %, and yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 4 mole % to about 6 mole %. | 06-24-2010 |
20110036874 | Solid yttrium oxide-containing substrate which has been cleaned to remove impurities - Disclosed herein is a gas distribution plate for use in a gas distribution assembly for a processing chamber, where the gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate, which may also include aluminum oxide. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through-holes, which are typically crescent-shaped. Through-holes which have been formed in the solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate by ultrasonic drilling perform particularly well. The solid yttrium oxide-comprising substrate typically comprises at least 99.9% yttrium oxide, and has a density of at least 4.92 g/cm | 02-17-2011 |
20120034469 | Semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a coating formed from a solid solution of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide - A ceramic article useful in semiconductor processing, which is resistant to erosion by halogen-containing plasmas. The ceramic article is formed from a combination of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide. In a first embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 90 mole % to about 70 mole %, and zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 10 mole % to about 30 mole %. In a second embodiment, the ceramic article includes ceramic which is formed from zirconium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 96 mole % to about 94 mole %, and yttrium oxide at a molar concentration ranging from about 4 mole % to about 6 mole %. | 02-09-2012 |
20120125488 | Method of producing a plasma-resistant thermal oxide coating - A method of creating a plasma-resistant thermal oxide coating on a surface of an article, where the article is comprised of a metal or metal alloy which is typically selected from the group consisting of yttrium, neodymium, samarium, terbium, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, scandium, hafnium, niobium or combinations thereof. The oxide coating is formed using a time-temperature profile which includes an initial rapid heating rage, followed by a gradual decrease in heating rate, to produce an oxide coating structure which is columnar in nature. The grain size of the crystals which make up the oxide coating is larger at the surface of the oxide coating than at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate, and the oxide coating is in compression at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate. | 05-24-2012 |
20120138472 | METHOD OF FORMING A PROCESS CHAMBER COMPONENT HAVING ELECTROPLATED YTTRIUM CONTAINING COATING - Methods of fabricating a chamber component capable of being exposed to a plasma in a process chamber includes: providing a component structure composed of metal; immersing the surface of the component structure in an electroplating bath comprising first metal electrolyte species and second metal electrolyte species; forming a cathode by connecting the component structure to a negative terminal of a voltage source; immersing in the electroplating bath, an anode comprising an inert material or material to be electroplated, and connecting the anode to a positive terminal of the voltage source; and electroplating a layer having a concentration gradient of the first metal, second metal, or both. | 06-07-2012 |
20130022838 | Method of reducing plasma arcing on surfaces of semiconductor processing apparatus components in a plasma processing chamber - Specialty ceramic materials which resist corrosion/erosion under semiconductor processing conditions which employ a corrosive/erosive plasma. The corrosive plasma may be a halogen-containing plasma. The specialty ceramic materials have been modified to provide a controlled electrical resistivity which suppresses plasma arcing potential. | 01-24-2013 |
20130224498 | Semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a solid solution ceramic formed from yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, and aluminum oxide - A solid solution-comprising ceramic article useful in semiconductor processing, which is resistant to erosion by halogen-containing plasmas. The solid solution-comprising ceramic article is formed from a combination of yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, and aluminum oxide. In a first embodiment, the solid solution-comprising ceramic article is a solid, sintered body of the solid solution ceramic material. In a second embodiment, the solid solution-comprising article comprises a substrate underlying a solid solution-comprising coating. | 08-29-2013 |