Showerhead insulator and etch chamber liner

Abstract

The present invention generally comprises a showerhead insulator for electrically isolating a showerhead assembly from a processing chamber wall, a chamber liner assembly for lining a processing chamber, a lower chamber liner for lining an evacuation area of a processing chamber, and a flow equalizer for ensuring a uniform evacuation of a processing chamber. When processing a substrate within an etching chamber, the showerhead needs to be electrically isolated from ground. A showerhead insulator may insulate the showerhead from ground while also preventing plasma from entering the volume that it occupies. A chamber liner may protect the chamber walls from contamination and reduce chamber cleaning. A flow equalizer will permit processing gases to be evenly pulled into the evacuation channel rather than a disproportionate flow into the evacuation channel. A lower liner can aid in uniformly drawing the vacuum and protecting the chamber walls from contamination.

1 . A chamber liner, comprising:
 a body having a flange portion, a slit valve portion, and a ledge portion, the flange portion comprising:
 a first top surface, a first outside surface, a first inside surface, and a first bottom surface, wherein the first inside surface is substantially parallel to the first outside surface, the first bottom surface is substantially parallel to the first top surface, and the first top surface is coupled with the first inside surface by a first slanted surface that is slanted relative to the first top surface, the first inside surface, the first outside surface, and the first bottom surface; 
   the ledge portion comprising:
 a second top surface coupled to the first inside surface of the flange portion, a second outside surface parallel to the first outside surface of the flange portion, a second bottom surface, a second inside surface, a third inside surface, and a third bottom surface, wherein the second inside surface is disposed radially inward of the third inside surface; and 
   the slit valve portion comprises:
 a third outside surface, a fourth inside surface, and a fourth bottom surface, wherein the fourth inside surface is coupled to the fourth bottom surface by a second slanted surface, wherein the second slanted surface is slanted relative to the third outside surface, the fourth inside surface, and the fourth bottom surface. 
   
   
   
       2 . The liner of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a metal. 
   
   
       3 . The liner of  claim 2 , wherein the metal comprises aluminum. 
   
   
       4 . The liner of  claim 1 , wherein the slit valve portion has a slit valve opening carved therethrough. 
   
   
       5 . The liner of  claim 1 , wherein the third outside surface has a diameter between about 21.5 inches and 22.5 inches. 
   
   
       6 . The liner of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a height between about 5 inches and about 5.5 inches. 
   
   
       7 . A liner assembly, comprising:
 a liner body having a flange portion, a slit valve portion, and a ledge portion, wherein the slit valve portion is coupled to the ledge portion and the ledge portion is coupled to the flange portion, wherein the ledge portion comprises: a first top surface coupled to the flange portion, a first outside surface, a first bottom surface, a first inside surface, a second inside surface, and a second bottom surface, wherein the first inside surface is disposed radially inward of the second inside surface; and   a ring body coupled with the liner body, the ring body comprising a second top surface, a second outside surface, a third bottom surface, and a third top surface, wherein the second top surface is coupled to the third top surface by a first slanted surface that is slanted relative to the second top surface, the second outside surface, the third bottom surface, and the third top surface, wherein the second outer surface is coupled with the second inside surface and the second top surface is coupled with the first bottom surface.   
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the liner body and the ring body comprise different material. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the ring body comprises silicon carbide. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the flange portion comprises a fourth top surface, a third outside surface, a third inside surface, and a fourth bottom surface, wherein the third inside surface is substantially parallel to the third outside surface, the fourth bottom surface is substantially parallel to the fourth top surface, and the fourth top surface is coupled with the third inside surface by a second slanted surface that is slanted relative to the fourth top surface, the third inside surface, the third outside surface, and the fourth bottom surface. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the slit valve portion comprises a fourth outside surface, a fourth inside surface, and a fifth bottom surface, wherein the fourth inside surface is coupled to the fifth bottom surface by a third slanted surface, wherein the third slanted surface is slanted relative to the fourth outside surface, the fourth inside surface, and the fifth bottom surface. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the slit valve portion has a slit valve opening carved therethrough. 
   
   
       13 . A showerhead insulating ring, comprising:
 a ring body having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface and spaced from the first surface by a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface arranged at a first angle relative to the first and second surfaces between about 75 degrees and about 80 degrees, the fourth surface having at least one stepped portion and arranged at a second angle relative to the first surface and a third angle relative to the second surface.   
   
   
       14 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein a coupling between the third surface and the first surface with a substantially curved surface. 
   
   
       15 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the first angle is between about 72 degrees and about 76 degrees. 
   
   
       16 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the second angle is between about 75 degrees and about 85 degrees. 
   
   
       17 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the third angle is between about 70 degrees and about 80 degrees. 
   
   
       18 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the ring body comprises a top ring bonded to a bottom ring such that an inner surface of both the top ring and the bottom ring collectively comprise the third surface. 
   
   
       19 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the ring body comprises quartz. 
   
   
       20 . The ring of  claim 13 , wherein the ring body comprises a plurality of rounded corners.