Abstract: Choke plates and semiconductor manufacturing processing chamber incorporating the choke plates are described. The choke plates include an opening extending through the body with a plurality of angled apertures extending from a gas plenum within the body to the inner face of the opening. The plurality of angled apertures are angled from the gas plenum toward the top surface of the body.

Abstract: Gas distribution apparatus comprising a backing plate and faceplate, and methods of use are described. The backing plate has a peripheral channel with a plurality of inwardly angled inlet channels extending from the peripheral channel to the front surface of the backing plate. The plurality of inwardly angled inlet channels are located in an inlet semicircle of the backing plate and spaced to form an inlet zone comprising a minor arc of a semicircle less than 160°. An outlet opening in an outlet semicircle in the range of 30° to 90° is centered opposite the center of the minor arc of the inlet semicircle.

Abstract: Showerhead assemblies for semiconductor manufacturing processing chambers and semiconductor manufacturing processing chambers using the showerhead assemblies are described. The showerhead assemblies comprise a backing plate with an embedded heater and a faceplate. The embedded heater has a radius sufficient to located the heater over a sidewall of the processing chamber and reduces temperature non-uniformity of a wafer during processing.

Abstract: Degas stations for degassing substrates that are conveyed through a substrate processing system on a magnetically levitated carrier and related methods are provided. The degas station includes a housing, a magnetic levitation system coupled to the housing configured to levitate and move a carrier within the housing, a first heater assembly and a second heater assembly. The first heater assembly is disposed in the housing. The first heater assembly includes a first support, a first reflector disposed within the housing by the first support, and a first heat source coupled to reflector. The second heater assembly is disposed in the housing above the first heater assembly. The second heater assembly includes a second support, a second reflector disposed within the housing by the second support, and a second heat source coupled to the second reflector. At least one substrate support member is disposed between the first heater assembly and the second heater assembly.

Abstract: Degas stations for degassing substrates that are conveyed through a substrate processing system on a magnetically levitated carrier and related methods are provided. The method includes magnetically levitating a carrier with a substrate disposed thereon in a first position between a reflector assembly and a heater assembly disposed within a housing of the station. The method further includes moving both the reflector assembly and the heater assembly from a retracted position to an extended position while the carrier is disposed between the reflector assembly and heater assembly. The method further includes degassing the substrate disposed on the carrier with the heater assembly while the reflector assembly and heater assembly are each in the extended position, wherein the degassing includes pumping a purge gas through a gas port formed in at least one of the reflector assembly or the heater assembly towards the substrate.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a showerhead assembly includes a heated showerhead having a heater plate and a gas distribution plate coupled together; an ion filter spaced from the heated showerhead; a spacer ring in contact between the heated showerhead and the ion filter; a remote plasma region between the heated showerhead and the ion filter; an upper isolator spaced from the spacer ring and supported on the ion filter; a sealing ring fastened to the heated showerhead sealing against the upper isolator and pushing the upper isolator against the ion filter; a gap between a bottom of the gas distribution plate and a top of the ion filter, the gap being in fluid communication with the remote plasma region; a first passage extending through the heater plate; and a second passage in communication with the first passage and extending through the gas distribution plate, the second passage extending to the gap.

Abstract: Gas distribution apparatuses described herein include a mixing plate adjacent a back plate of a showerhead. The mixing plate has a back surface and a front surface defining a thickness of the mixing plate. The mixing plate has a mixing channel comprising a top portion and a bottom portion defining a mixing channel length and at least two gas inlets in fluid communication with the top portion of the mixing channel. The gas distribution apparatus also includes a mixer disposed within the thickness of the mixing plate in the top portion of the mixing channel. The mixer has a top plate and a mixer stem extending from the top plate and a plurality of blades positioned along the mixer stem length. Also provided are processing chambers including the gas distribution apparatuses described herein.

Abstract: A heater assembly having a backside purge gap formed between a top plate and a heater of the heater assembly, the top plate having a top plate wall. The top plate wall having an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion, the middle portion forming an incline relative to the top portion.

Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a plurality of bonded plates forming a single component support body and methods of forming the substrate supports are described. The single component support body has an outer peripheral edge, a top surface and a bottom surface. A pocket is formed in the top surface and has a bottom surface, a depth and an outer peripheral edge. A purge ring is spaced a distance from the outer peripheral edge and comprises at least one opening in the top surface in fluid communication with a purge gas line within the body thickness.

Abstract: Dual channel showerhead assemblies are described. In some embodiments, the dual channel showerhead assemblies, which include a showerhead upper plate and a showerhead lower plate, enable delivery of mutually incompatible precursors along separate channels that mix in the process zone above a wafer. The dual channel showerhead assemblies provide at least two separate gas paths. In some embodiments, the hole design and hole distribution are configured for minimal jetting effect and plenum volumes for fast purging. The dual channel showerhead assemblies described herein may have a reduced purge out time compared to single channel showerheads, spiral dual channel showerheads, and bonded dual channel showerheads.

Abstract: Processing chambers, substrate supports and thermal shields are described. A thermal shield comprises a disc-shaped body having a thickness, an outer diameter with a first edge and a second edge at opposite ends of a diameter of the disc-shaped body, a front surface and a back surface defining the thickness. The front surface has a first longitudinal region comprising the first edge and a second longitudinal region comprising the second edge. Coating one or more of the first longitudinal region or the second longitudinal region with an emissivity material (i.e., emissivity) reduces side to side temperature variation. In some embodiments, processing chambers having the thermal shield described herein consume less power than comparative processing chambers that do not include a thermal shield.

Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a top plate positioned on a shaft are described. The top plate including a primary heating element a first depth from the surface of the top plate, a inner zone heating element a second depth from the surface of the top plate and an outer zone heating element a third depth from the surface of the top plate. Substrate support assemblies comprising a plurality of substrate supports and methods of processing a substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a plurality of bonded plates forming a single component support body and methods of forming the substrate supports are described. The single component support body has an outer peripheral edge, a top surface and a bottom surface. A pocket is formed in the top surface and has a bottom surface, a depth and an outer peripheral edge. A purge ring is spaced a distance from the outer peripheral edge and comprises at least one opening in the top surface in fluid communication with a purge gas line within the body thickness.

Abstract: Gas distribution assemblies and methods for providing a flow of gases to a process station are described. The gas distribution assemblies comprise a pumping liner with a showerhead and a gas funnel positioned therein. The pumping liner has an inner wall that slants at a first angle relative to a central axis of the gas distribution assembly so that the inner wall adjacent the bottom wall of the pumping liner is closer to the central axis than the inner wall adjacent the top wall. The gas funnel and pumping liner form a plenum between the outer wall of the gas funnel, a cavity in the bottom wall of the gas funnel and the inner wall of the pumping liner.

Abstract: Methods, software systems and processes to develop surrogate model-based optimizers for controlling and optimizing flow and pressure of purges between a showerhead and a heater having a substrate support to control non-uniformity inherent in a processing chamber due to geometric configuration and process regimes. The flow optimizer process utilizes experimental data from optimal process space coverage models, generated simulation data and statistical machine learning tools (i.e. regression models and global optimizers) to predict optimal flow rates for any user-specified process regime.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing high velocity gas flow showerheads for deposition chambers are described. The showerhead has a faceplate in contact with a backing plate that has a concave portion to provide a plenum between the backing plate and the faceplate. A plurality of thermal elements is within the concave portion of the backing plate and extends to contact the faceplate.

Abstract: Provided are gas distribution apparatus with a showerhead having a front plate and a back plate spaced to form a gas volume, the front plate having an inner surface adjacent the gas volume and an outer surface with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the gas volume having a center region and an outer region; a first inlet in fluid communication with the center region of the gas volume, the inlet having an inside and an outside; and a mixer disposed on the inside of the inlet to increase gas flow temperature. Also provided are processing chamber apparatus and methods of depositing a film.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. A processing chamber comprises a first processing station comprising a first gas injector having a first face, a first emissivity and a first temperature, a second processing station comprising a second gas injector having a second face, a second emissivity and a second temperature, and a substrate support assembly comprising a plurality of substantially coplanar support surfaces, the substrate support assembly configured to move the support surfaces between the first processing station and the second processing station. When a wafer is on the support surfaces, a temperature skew of less than about 0.5° C. is developed upon moving the wafer between the stations in about 0.5 seconds.