Substrate heating pedestal having ceramic balls

Abstract

A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates is described. The pedestal comprises an annular plate comprising a surface having an array of recesses. A plurality of ceramic balls are each positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface. A heating element is embedded in the annular plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising:
 (a) an annular plate comprising a surface having an array of recesses;   (b) a plurality of ceramic balls, each ceramic ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and   (c) a heating element embedded in the annular plate.   
     
     
         2 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the annular plate comprises a first disk having the surface, and a second disk having a channel shaped to receive the heating element. 
     
     
         3 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. 
     
     
         4 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum. 
     
     
         5 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. 
     
     
         6 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the ceramic balls are composed of alumina oxide, quartz, sapphire, silicon nitride, synthetic corundum, zirconium oxide, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the ceramic balls are embedded in the pedestal such that a top region of each ball is above the plane of the pedestal surface to define a raised substrate receiving surface. 
     
     
         8 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein ceramic balls comprise a diameter of from about 1 to about 3 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the ceramic balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the ceramic balls are spherical. 
     
     
         11 . A multi-chamber apparatus suitable for processing substrates, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a process chamber that is a substrate cleaning chamber, the substrate cleaning chamber comprising a process zone to hold a substrate to clean the substrate in an energized cleaning gas, the process zone having (i) a gas inlet for providing the energized cleaning gas, (ii) an exhaust port to exhaust gases, and (iii) a substrate heating pedestal according to  claim 1 ; and   (b) a remote chamber comprising a remote gas energizer for remotely energizing a cleaning gas by coupling energy to a cleaning gas in a gas energizer zone, the remote chamber having a gas outlet channel connected to the gas inlet channel of the substrate cleaning chamber.   
     
     
         12 . A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising:
 (a) an annular plate comprising a first disk having a surface with an array of recesses, and a second disk having a channel to receive a heating element;   (b) a plurality of ceramic balls, each ceramic ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and   (c) a heating element embedded in the channel of the second disk of the annular plate.   
     
     
         13 . A pedestal according to  claim 12  wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. 
     
     
         14 . A pedestal according to  claim 12  wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum, and a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. 
     
     
         15 . A pedestal according to  claim 12  wherein the ceramic balls are composed of alumina oxide, quartz, sapphire, silicon nitride, synthetic corundum, zirconium oxide, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A pedestal according to  claim 12  wherein the ceramic balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A substrate heating pedestal for a process chamber for processing substrates, the substrate heating pedestal comprising:
 (a) an annular plate comprising a first disk having a surface with an array of recesses, and a second disk having a channel to receive a heating element;   (b) a plurality of quartz balls, each quartz ball being positioned in a recess on the surface of the annular plate to define a substrate receiving surface; and   (c) a heating element embedded in the channel of the second disk of the annular plate.   
     
     
         18 . A pedestal according to  claim 17  wherein the channel of the second disk comprises a serpentine channel. 
     
     
         19 . A pedestal according to  claim 17  wherein the first and second disks comprise aluminum, and a brazed bond joins the first and second disks. 
     
     
         20 . A pedestal according to  claim 17  wherein the quartz balls comprise a diameter that is sufficiently large to define a substrate receiving surface that is higher than the surface of the annular plate by from about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm.