Shadow frame support

Abstract

The present invention generally provides a processing chamber having shadow frame supports that direct cleaning gas flow to the corners of the chamber. The shadow frame supports are disposed along part of the chamber walls, thus leaving the corners unoccupied. During cleaning, the shadow frame is disposed in a way that it rests on both the substrate support and the shadow frame supports. Therefore, the cleaning gas flowing along the chamber walls is blocked by the shadow frame supports and the cleaning gas is forced to the corners since the shadow frame supports do not extend to the corners.

1 . A processing apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber body having a plurality of walls; and   a plurality of shadow frame supports, wherein each of the plurality of shadow frame supports extends from a corresponding wall of the plurality of walls, wherein each of the plurality of shadow frame supports includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein a first gap is formed between the first end and a first adjacent wall and a second gap is formed between the second end and a second adjacent wall, and wherein each of the first gap and second gap is smaller than a length of each of the plurality of shadow frame supports.   
     
     
         2 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls comprises a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall. 
     
     
         3 . The processing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of shadow frame supports comprises a first shadow frame support, a second shadow frame support, a third shadow frame support, and a fourth shadow frame support. 
     
     
         4 . The processing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first shadow frame support extends from the first wall, the second shadow frame support extends from the second wall, the third shadow frame support extends from the third wall, and the fourth shadow frame support extends from the fourth wall. 
     
     
         5 . The process apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the first wall, the second shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the second wall, the third shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the third wall, and the fourth shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the fourth wall. 
     
     
         6 . The processing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first wall is adjacent to the fourth wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         7 . The processing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the second wall is adjacent to the first wall and the third wall. 
     
     
         8 . The processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the third wall is adjacent to the second wall and the fourth wall. 
     
     
         9 . The processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth wall is adjacent to the third wall and the first wall. 
     
     
         10 . A processing apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber body having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall;   a first shadow frame support extending from the first wall, wherein the first shadow frame support has a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a second shadow frame support extending from the second wall, wherein the second shadow frame support has a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end;   a third shadow frame support extending from the third wall, wherein the third shadow frame support has a fifth end and a sixth end opposite the fifth end; and   a fourth shadow frame support extending from the fourth wall, wherein the fourth shadow frame support has a seventh end and an eighth end opposite the seventh end, and wherein:
 the second end, the third end, the first wall and the second wall define a first gap; 
 the fourth end, the fifth end, the second wall and the third wall define a second gap; 
 the sixth end, the seventh end, the third wall and the fourth wall define a third gap; and 
 the eighth end, the first end, the fourth wall and the first wall define a fourth gap. 
   
     
     
         11 . The processing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first wall is adjacent to the fourth wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         12 . The processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second wall is adjacent to the first wall and the third wall. 
     
     
         13 . The processing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the third wall is adjacent to the second wall and the fourth wall. 
     
     
         14 . The processing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the fourth wall is adjacent to the third wall and the first wall. 
     
     
         15 . The processing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first shadow frame support has a length that is less than a length of the first wall, the second shadow frame support has a length that is less than a length of the second wall, the third shadow frame support has a length that is less than a length of the third wall, and the fourth shadow frame support has a length that is less than a length of the fourth wall. 
     
     
         16 . The process apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the first wall, the second shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the second wall, the third shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the third wall, and the fourth shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the fourth wall. 
     
     
         17 . A processing apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber body having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall, wherein the first wall is adjacent to the fourth wall and the second wall, the second wall is adjacent to the first wall and the third wall, the third wall is adjacent to the second wall and the fourth wall, and the fourth wall is adjacent to the third wall and the first wall;   a first shadow frame support extending from the first wall, wherein the first shadow frame support has a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a second shadow frame support extending from the second wall, wherein the second shadow frame support has a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end;   a third shadow frame support extending from the third wall, wherein the third shadow frame support has a fifth end and a sixth end opposite the fifth end; and   a fourth shadow frame support extending from the fourth wall, wherein the fourth shadow frame support has a seventh end and an eighth end opposite the seventh end, and wherein:
 the second end and the second wall define a first gap; 
 the third end and the first wall define a second gap; 
 the fourth end and the third wall define a third gap; 
 the fifth end and the second wall define a fourth gap; 
 the sixth end and the fourth wall define a fifth gap; 
 the seventh end and the third wall define a sixth gap; 
 the eight end and the first wall define a seventh gap; and 
 the first end and the fourth wall define an eighth gap, and wherein each of the first gap and eighth gap is smaller than a length of the first shadow frame support, each of the second gap and third gap is smaller than a length of the second shadow frame support, each of the fourth gap and fifth gap is smaller than a length of the third shadow frame support, and each of the sixth gap and seventh gap is smaller than a length of the fourth shadow frame support. 
   
     
     
         18 . The process apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the first wall, the second shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the second wall, the third shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the third wall, and the fourth shadow frame support is centrally positioned along the fourth wall.