Insulated semiconductor faceplate designs

Abstract

An exemplary faceplate may include a conductive plate defining a plurality of apertures. The faceplate may additionally include a plurality of inserts, and each one of the plurality of inserts may be disposed within one of the plurality of apertures. Each insert may define at least one channel through the insert to provide a flow path through the faceplate.

1 . A faceplate comprising:
 a conductive plate defining a plurality of apertures;   a plurality of inserts, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures contains an insert of the plurality of inserts, wherein each insert defines at least one channel through an interior portion of the insert; and   a plurality of o-rings, wherein each o-ring of the plurality of o-rings is positioned within an annular channel associated with each aperture of the plurality of apertures, wherein each annular channel is at least partially defined by the conductive plate within the aperture of the plurality of apertures.   
     
     
         2 . The faceplate of  claim 1 , wherein each insert defines a plurality of channels, and wherein each channel of the plurality of channels is radially offset from a central axis through the insert defining the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         3 . The faceplate of  claim 2 , wherein each insert defines at least six channels through the insert arranged separate from one another about the insert. 
     
     
         4 . The faceplate of  claim 1 , wherein each annular channel is at least partially defined by an annular groove defined along an exterior region of a corresponding insert of the plurality of inserts positioned within the aperture of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         5 . The faceplate of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of each o-ring of the plurality of o-rings is seated within the annular groove defined along a region of a corresponding insert between a first end and a second end of the insert. 
     
     
         6 . The faceplate of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of o-rings comprise a first plurality of o-rings, wherein the faceplate further comprises a second plurality of o-rings, and wherein each o-ring of the second plurality of o-rings is seated within a second annular groove defined along the region of a corresponding insert between a first end and a second end of the insert within each aperture of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         7 . The faceplate of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of o-rings are disposed with the plurality of inserts, wherein each insert of the plurality of inserts is housed within a respectively defined aperture of the plurality of apertures of the conductive plate and extend radially within each aperture to within at least 50 mils of a radius of each aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The faceplate of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each aperture of the plurality of apertures is defined with a decreasing diameter from an upper region to a lower region to define a tapered region. 
     
     
         9 . The faceplate of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of dielectric material extending across a first surface of the conductive plate, wherein the first surface of the conductive plate is configured to be exposed to a plasma within a semiconductor processing chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The faceplate of  claim 9 , wherein the layer of dielectric material is located on all surfaces of the conductive plate including on all surfaces defining the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         11 . A faceplate comprising:
 a conductive plate defining a plurality of apertures; and   a plurality of inserts, wherein each insert of the plurality of inserts is disposed within a separate aperture of the plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is defined to include an upper portion and a lower portion within the conductive plate, wherein a ledge is defined by the conductive plate at a boundary between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein each insert of the plurality of inserts defines a channel therethrough, wherein each insert is seated on the defined ledge of each corresponding aperture, and wherein each insert occupies at least a portion of both the upper portion and lower portion of each aperture.   
     
     
         12 . The faceplate of  claim 11 , wherein the upper portion of each aperture is characterized by a cylindrical shape characterized by a first diameter extending from a first end of the aperture to the ledge, and wherein the lower portion is characterized by a cylindrical shape characterized by a second diameter extending from the ledge to a second end of the aperture, and wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The faceplate of  claim 12 , wherein each insert occupies only the upper portion of each corresponding aperture. 
     
     
         14 . The faceplate of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of o-rings are individually positioned within respective apertures of the plurality of apertures to form a seal between the inserts and a portion of the plate defining the upper portion of the apertures. 
     
     
         15 . The faceplate of  claim 11 , wherein the upper portion of each aperture comprises less than 10% of a length of the aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The faceplate of  claim 11 , wherein each insert comprises a dielectric material. 
     
     
         17 . The faceplate of  claim 16 , wherein the dielectric material comprises a ceramic including one or more of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ), and yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ). 
     
     
         18 . The faceplate of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of inserts are fixedly coupled with an insert plate, and wherein the inserts extend unidirectionally from a surface of the insert plate. 
     
     
         19 . The faceplate of  claim 18 , wherein the insert plate is configured to be fit with the conductive plate so the surface of the insert plate covers a corresponding surface of the conductive plate, and wherein the plurality of inserts at least partially extend through the corresponding apertures of the plurality of apertures defined by the conductive plate. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a faceplate, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of apertures through a conductive plate;   coating at least a portion of the conductive plate with a dielectric material, wherein the coating additionally covers at least a portion of surfaces of the plate defining the plurality of apertures; and   disposing a plurality of inserts within the plurality of apertures such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures includes at least one insert of the plurality of inserts, wherein each insert of the plurality of inserts defines at least one channel through the insert.