Processing chamber having labyrinth seal

Abstract

An edge area of the substrate processing device is disclosed. The edge area being processed is isolated from the remainder of the substrate by directing a flow of an inert gas through a plenum near the area to be processed thus forming a barrier while directing a flow of reactive species at an angle relative to the top surface of the substrate towards the substrate edge area thus processing the substrate edge area. A flow of oxygen containing gas into the processing chamber together with a negative exhaust pressure may contribute to the biasing of reactive species and other gases away from the non-processing areas of the substrate. A seal arrangement is provided for the processing chamber.

1 . A wafer processing system comprising: 
 a means for processing the wafer;    a wafer movement system having a spindle configured to move the wafer in R, Z and θ directions;    an isolative chamber disposed about a portion of the wafer movement system, said chamber having a wall defining an aperture and having a first bearing surface;    a sealing plate having a second bearing surface, said sealing plate defining an bore annularly disposed about the spindle, a first vacuum chamber being defined between the first and second bearing surfaces; and    a vacuum source coupled to the first vacuum chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the first bearing surface defines a first groove, and wherein the first vacuum chamber is defined between the first groove and the second bearing surface.  
   
   
       3 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the second bearing surface defines a first groove, and wherein the first vacuum chamber is defined between the first groove and the first bearing surface.  
   
   
       4 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the bore defines a second groove, and wherein a second vacuum chamber is defined between the second groove and the spindle.  
   
   
       5 . The wafer processing system according the  claim 4  wherein the second vacuum chamber coupled to the vacuum source.  
   
   
       6 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the wafer movement system comprises a wafer supporting chuck.  
   
   
       7 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the wafer movement system is configured to move the wafer from a first installation position to a second processing position.  
   
   
       8 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the means for processing the wafer comprises one of a plasma nozzle, a flame nozzle, a fluid processing nozzle and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  further comprising a laser micrometer operably coupled to the wafer movement system.  
   
   
       10 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 9  wherein the laser micrometer is positioned within the chamber to detect an edge of the wafer.  
   
   
       11 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 1  wherein the aperture is an elongated aperture.  
   
   
       12 . A wafer processing system comprising: 
 a wafer processing mechanism;    a wafer movement system having a spindle configured to move the wafer in a plurality of directions from a loading location to a processing location;    an isolative chamber disposed about a portion of the wafer movement system, said chamber having a wall defining a bore, said wall having a first bearing surface;    a sealing plate having a second bearing surface slidably engaged with the first bearing surface, the second bearing surface defining a first groove, and wherein a first vacuum chamber is defined between the first groove and the first bearing surface, said sealing plate defining an aperture annularly disposed about the spindle, said aperture and spindle defining a second vacuum chamber; and    a vacuum source coupled to the first and second vacuum chambers.    
   
   
       13 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the seal plate and wall form a seal which has a helium leak rate less than about 1.0×10 −6  atm-cc/s.  
   
   
       14 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the wafer movement system comprises a wafer supply chuck.  
   
   
       15 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the wafer movement system is configured to move the wafer from the first installation position to the wafer processing position.  
   
   
       16 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the means for processing the wafer comprises one of a plasma nozzle, a flame nozzle, a fluid processing nozzle and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the isolative chamber encloses a corrosive atmosphere.  
   
   
       18 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 12  wherein the wafer movement system is configured to move the wafer in x,y,z and θ directions.  
   
   
       19 . A wafer substrate processing system comprising: 
 a wafer movement system having a spindle configured to move the wafer in a plurality of directions;    a processing chamber for receiving the substrate and for confining an environment for the combustion flame of hydrogen and the non-oxygen oxidizer, wherein the processing chamber maintains a substantially atmospheric pressure, said processing chamber being disposed about a portion of the wafer movement system, said processing chamber having a wall defining an aperture and having a first bearing surface;    a source for hydrogen and the non-oxygen oxidizer operationally attached to the processing chamber; and    a nozzle assembly within the processing chamber for directing the combustion flame onto the substrate;    a sealing plate having a second bearing surface slidably engaged with the first bearing surface, the second bearing surface defining a first groove, and wherein a first vacuum chamber is defined between the first groove and the first bearing surface, said sealing plate defining an aperture annularly disposed about the spindle, said aperture and spindle defining a second vacuum chamber, and a vacuum source coupled to the first and second vacuum chambers.    
   
   
       20 . The wafer substrate processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises two or more nozzles.  
   
   
       21 . The wafer substrate processing system of  claim 20  wherein the two or more nozzles are made of sapphire.  
   
   
       22 . The wafer substrate processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises two or more nozzles and wherein the two or more nozzles are retained at an angle from a top surface of a substrate to be processed.  
   
   
       23 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 19  wherein the wafer movement system comprises a chuck.  
   
   
       24 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 19  wherein the wafer movement system is configured to move the wafer substrate from a first installation position to a second processing position.  
   
   
       25 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 19  wherein the means for processing the wafer comprises one of a plasma nozzle, a flame nozzle, a fluid processing nozzle and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 19  further comprising a laser micrometer operably coupled to the wafer movement system.  
   
   
       27 . The wafer processing system according to  claim 26  wherein the laser micrometer is positioned within the chamber to detect an edge of the wafer.