Processing chamber configured for uniform gas flow

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing uniform gas flow in a processing chamber is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus is an edge ring that includes an annular body having an annular seal projecting therefrom is provided. The seal is coupled to a side of the annular body opposite a side adapted to seat on the substrate support. In another embodiment, a processing system is provided that includes a chamber body, a lid, a substrate support and a plurality of flow control orifices. The lid is disposed on the chamber body and defining an interior volume therewith. The substrate support is disposed in the interior volume and at least partially defines a processing region with the lid. The flow control orifices are disposed between the substrate support and the lid. The flow control orifices are adapted to control flow of gases exiting the processing region.

1 . An edge ring for a substrate support, comprising: 
 an annular body having a first side and an opposing second side, the first side adapted to seat on the substrate support; and    an annular seal coupled to the annular body and projecting above the second side.    
     
     
         2 . The edge ring of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body further comprises: 
 a base adapted to seat on the substrate support; and    a cover having the seal coupled thereto.    
     
     
         3 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein the cover is more thermally conductive than the base.  
     
     
         4 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein the base is comprised of stainless steel or ceramic.  
     
     
         5 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein the cover is comprised of aluminum.  
     
     
         6 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein an annular gap is defined between the cover and the base.  
     
     
         7 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein the cover further comprises: 
 an annular disk having a first surface and a second surface;    a lip extending from an inner side of the first surface to the disk, the lip adapted to maintain the disk and the base in a spaced-apart relation; and    a seal retaining feature disposed on the first surface of the disk.    
     
     
         8 . The edge ring of  claim 2 , wherein the base further comprises a lip projecting normally away from a first surface of the base.  
     
     
         9 . The edge ring of  claim 1 , wherein the annular body further comprises: 
 a plurality of flow control orifices formed therein having at least at a portion of flow control orifices pass below the seal.    
     
     
         10 . The edge ring of  claim 1 , wherein the seal further comprises: 
 a first flange coupled to a second flange by an annular center member; and    a plurality of radial slots formed at least through the first flange.    
     
     
         11 . A processing system, comprising: 
 a chamber body;    a lid disposed on the chamber body and defining an interior volume therewith;    a substrate support disposed in the interior volume and at least partially defining a processing region with the lid; and    a plurality of flow control orifices disposed between the substrate support and the lid, the flow control orifices adapted to control flow of gases exiting the processing region.    
     
     
         12 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow control orifices are radially aligned in a polar array.  
     
     
         13 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow control orifices have a total sectional area between about 0.2 to about 0.4 inches.  
     
     
         14 . The processing system of  claim 11  further comprising a seal disposed between the substrate support and the lid, the seal separating the processing region from a pumping region of the interior volume.  
     
     
         15 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow control orifices are formed in the lid.  
     
     
         16 . The processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the flow control orifices are a plurality of grooves formed in the lid having a first end disposed radially inward of a point of contact between the lid and the seal and an outer end disposed radially outward of the point of contact between the lid and the seal.  
     
     
         17 . The processing system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flow control orifices are disposed through the seal.  
     
     
         18 . The processing system of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a seal disposed between the substrate support and the lid, the seal having a first flange adapted to seal against the lid and coupled to a second flange by an annular center member, the second flange adapted to seal against an edge ring supported by the substrate support.  
 
     
     
         19 . The processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the seal further comprises: 
 an embedded spring member adapted to urge the first flange away from the second flange.    
     
     
         20 . The processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the lid further comprises: 
 a seal retaining feature adapted to retain the seal to the lid.    
     
     
         21 . The processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the edge ring further comprises: 
 a seal retaining feature adapted to retain a seal to the edge ring.    
     
     
         22 . The processing system of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 an edge ring disposed on a surface of the substrate support facing the ring.  
 
     
     
         23 . The processing system of  claim 22 , wherein the flow control orifices are formed in the edge ring.  
     
     
         24 . The processing system of  claim 22 , wherein the edge ring further comprises: 
 a base adapted to seat on the substrate support; and    a cover having the seal coupled thereto.    
     
     
         25 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the cover is more thermally conductive than the base.  
     
     
         26 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the cover is comprised of aluminum.  
     
     
         27 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein an annular gap is defined between the cover and the base.  
     
     
         28 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the cover further comprises: 
 an annular disk having a first surface and a second surface;    a lip extending from an inner side of the first surface to the disk, the lip adapted to maintain the disk and the base in a spaced-apart relation; and    a seal retaining feature disposed on the first surface of the disk.    
     
     
         29 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate support is positionable relative to the lid.  
     
     
         30 . A processing system, comprising: 
 a chamber body;    a lid disposed on the chamber body and defining an interior volume therewith;    a substrate support disposed in the interior volume and at least partially defining a processing region with the lid;    a edge ring disposed on a side of the substrate support facing the lid;    a seal disposed between the edge ring and the lid and separating the processing region of the interior volume from a pumping region; and    a plurality of flow control orifices disposed between the processing region and the pumping region of the chamber body.    
     
     
         31 . The processing system of  claim 30 , wherein the substrate support is positionable relative to the lid.  
     
     
         32 . The processing system of  claim 30 , wherein the seal is coupled to at least one of the edge rings or the lid.  
     
     
         33 . The processing system of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of flow control orifices are defined through at least one of the lid or the edge ring.  
     
     
         34 . The processing system of  claim 30 , wherein the seal further comprises: 
 a flange adapted to seal against the lid and coupled to a second flange by an annular center member, the second adapted to seal against the edge ring.    
     
     
         35 . The processing system of  claim 34 , wherein the seal further comprises an embedded spring member adapted to urge the first flange away from the second flange.  
     
     
         36 . A method of flowing gases through a processing chamber, comprising: 
 flowing a process gas into a processing region defined between a substrate support and a lid of the chamber body;    flowing gas from the processing region to a pumping region of the chamber body through a plurality of flow control orifices defined at the perimeter of the substrate support; and    flowing process gas through an exhaust port formed in at least one of the chamber body or the lid.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of radial grooves formed in the lid of the chamber body.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of radially aligned grooves formed in an edge ring supported on the substrate support.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of grooves formed in an annular seal disposed between the lid and the substrate support.    
     
     
         40 . A method of flowing gas through a processing chamber, comprising: 
 elevating a substrate disposed on a substrate support toward a lid of the chamber body;    compressing a seal disposed between the substrate support and the lid of the chamber body to separate a processing region bound by the seal and a pumping region of the chamber body;    flowing process gas into the processing region; and    flowing process gas from the processing region into the pumping region through a plurality of flow control orifices.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of radial grooves formed in the lid of the chamber body.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of radially aligned grooves formed in an edge ring supported on the substrate support.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of flowing gas from the processing region to the pumping region further comprises: 
 flowing gas through a plurality of grooves formed in an annular seal disposed between the lid and the substrate support.