Cerium oxide containing ceramic components and coatings in semiconductor processing equipment and methods of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A corrosion resistant component of semiconductor processing equipment such as a plasma chamber comprises a cerium oxide containing ceramic material as an outermost surface of the component. The cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof. The component can be made entirely of the cerium oxide containing ceramic material or, alternatively, the cerium oxide containing ceramic can be provided as a layer on a substrate such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a ceramic material, stainless steel, or a refractory metal. The cerium oxide containing ceramic layer can be provided as a coating by a technique such as plasma spraying. One or more intermediate layers may be provided between the component and the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating. To promote adhesion of the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating, the component surface or the intermediate layer surface may be subjected to a surface roughening treatment prior to depositing the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating.

1 . A process for coating a surface of a component of semiconductor processing equipment, the process comprising: 
 depositing a cerium oxide containing ceramic layer on a surface of a component of semiconductor processing equipment, wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic layer comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof and wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic layer forms an outermost surface of the component.    
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cerium oxide comprises Ce(III) oxide and/or Ce(IV) oxide.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic layer is applied by a technique selected from the group consisting of sputtering, sputter deposition, immersion coating, chemical vapor deposition, electron beam evaporation and condensation, physical vapor deposition, hot isostatic pressing, cold isostatic pressing, compression molding, casting, compacting and sintering, plasma spraying, and thermal spraying.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a plasma chamber wall, a chamber liner, a gas distribution plate, a gas ring, a pedestal, a dielectric window, an electrostatic chuck and a focus ring.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic layer is deposited to a thickness ranging from about 0.001 to about 0.050 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising depositing an intermediate layer on the surface of the component and depositing the ceramic layer on the intermediate layer.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the surface to a surface roughening treatment prior to depositing the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer being deposited on the roughened surface.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the surface is aluminum, the process further comprising anodizing the roughened surface before depositing the ceramic layer.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising subjecting the anodized surface to a surface roughening treatment prior to depositing the ceramic layer  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a metal surface.  
     
     
         11 - 19 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         20 . A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in a plasma chamber containing the component of claim  11 , the method comprising contacting an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate with plasma.  
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing a component of semiconductor processing equipment constructed from a cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry comprising a cerium oxide containing ceramic material;    forming a green compact from the slurry in the desired shape; and    sintering the green compact to form a cerium oxide containing ceramic component;    wherein the cerium oxide containing ceramic component comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof.    
     
     
         22 . A component of semiconductor processing equipment manufactured by the method of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the cerium oxide comprises Ce(III) oxide and/or Ce(IV) oxide.