Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing systems include a processing chamber, a power supply, and a chuck disposed at least partially within the processing chamber. The chuck includes a chuck body defining a vacuum port. The chuck also includes first and second coplanar electrodes embedded in the chuck body and connected to the power supply. In some examples, coplanar electrodes include concentric electrodes defining a concentric gap in between. Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include activating the power supply for the electrostatic chuck to secure a semiconductor substrate on the body of the chuck and/or activating the vacuum port defined by the body of the electrostatic chuck. Some processing can be carried out at increased pressure, while other processing can be carried out at reduced pressure with increased chucking voltage.

Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include forming a plasma of an oxygen-containing precursor within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may house a semiconductor substrate on a substrate support. The methods may include, while maintaining the plasma of the oxygen-containing precursor, flowing a silicon-containing precursor through a faceplate into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The faceplate may have an impedance of at least 5.75 deciohm. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: semiconductor processing chambers include a gasbox. The chambers may include a substrate support. The chambers may include a blocker plate positioned between the gasbox and the substrate support. The blocker plate may define a plurality of apertures. The chambers may include a faceplate positioned between the blocker plate and the substrate support. The faceplate may be characterized by a first surface facing the blocker plate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface and the substrate support may at least partially define a processing region within the chamber. The faceplate may define an inner plurality of apertures. Each of the inner apertures may include a generally cylindrical aperture profile. The faceplate may define an outer plurality of apertures that are positioned radially outward from the inner apertures. Each of the outer apertures may include a conical aperture profile that extends through the second surface.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a chamber body including sidewalls and a base. The chambers may include a substrate support extending through the base of the chamber body. The substrate support may include a support platen configured to support a semiconductor substrate. The substrate support may include a shaft coupled with the support platen. The chambers may include a foreline conduit offset from a center of the base for exhausting a gas from the chamber body, and an exhaust volume coupled to the foreline conduit. The chambers may include a pumping plate comprising a central aperture through which the shaft extends, and further comprising exit apertures for directing at least a portion of the gas from the chamber body to the exhaust volume. The exit apertures may be disposed at locations opposite the foreline conduit so as to reduce nonuniformity in gas flow.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a gasbox. The chambers may include a substrate support. The chambers may include a blocker plate positioned between the gasbox and the substrate support. The blocker plate may define a plurality of apertures through the plate. The chambers may include a faceplate positioned between the blocker plate and the substrate support. The faceplate may be characterized by a first surface facing the blocker plate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The faceplate may be characterized by a central axis. The faceplate may define a plurality of apertures through the faceplate distributed in a number of rings. Each ring of apertures may include a scaled increase in aperture number from a ring radially inward. A radially outermost ring of apertures may be characterized by a number of apertures reduced from the scaled increase in aperture number.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a metal shield to be used in a PECVD chamber. The metal shield includes a substrate support portion and a shaft portion. The shaft portion includes a tubular wall having a wall thickness. The tubular wall has a supply channel of a coolant channel and a return channel of the coolant channel embedded therein. Each of the supply channel and the return channel is a helix in the tubular wall. The helical supply channel and the helical return channel have the same direction of rotation and are parallel to each other. The supply channel and the return channel are interleaved in the tubular wall. With the supply channel and return channel interleaved in the metal shield, the thermal gradient in the metal shield is reduced.