In-situ semiconductor processing chamber temperature apparatus

Abstract

In one implementation, a showerhead assembly is provided. The showerhead assembly comprises a first electrode having a plurality of openings therethrough and a gas distribution faceplate attached to a first lower major surface of the electrode. The gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases to a processing chamber. The gas distribution plate is divided into a plurality of temperature-control regions. The showerhead assembly further comprises a chill plate positioned above the electrode for providing temperature control and a plurality of heat control devices to manage heat transfer within the showerhead assembly. The heat control device comprises a thermoelectric module and a heat pipe assembly coupled with the thermoelectric module. Each of the plurality of heat control devices is associated with a temperature control region and provides independent temperature control to its associated temperature control region.

1 . A showerhead assembly, comprising:
 a first electrode having a plurality of openings therethrough;   a gas distribution faceplate attached to a first lower major surface of the first electrode, wherein the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases to a processing chamber and is divided into a plurality of temperature-control regions;   a chill plate positioned above the first electrode for providing temperature control; and   a plurality of heat control devices to manage heat transfer within the showerhead assembly, comprising:
 a thermoelectric module; and 
 a heat pipe assembly coupled with the thermoelectric module, wherein each of the plurality of heat control devices is associated with a temperature control region and provides independent temperature control to its associated temperature control region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second electrode positioned between the chill plate and the first electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second electrode has a first plurality of through-holes each for accommodating a portion of a heat pipe assembly of the heat control device. 
     
     
         4 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the second electrode has a second plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases into the processing chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first electrode has a plurality of holes each for accommodating a portion of a heat pipe assembly of the heat control device. 
     
     
         6 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first electrode further has a second plurality of holes for delivering process gases into the processing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoelectric module comprises:
 a heat sink plate;   a first conductive layer;   an n-type thermoelectric material;   a p-type thermoelectric material;   a second conductive layer; and   a cooling plate.   
     
     
         8 . The showerhead assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the heat sink plate is positioned adjacent to the chill plate and releases heat into the chill plate and the cooling plate is positioned adjacent to the heat pipe assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A processing chamber, comprising:
 a chamber body having a top wall, sidewall, and bottom wall defining a processing volume;   a substrate support assembly positioned in the processing volume; and   a showerhead assembly positioned opposite the substrate support assembly, comprising:
 a first electrode having a plurality of openings therethrough; 
 a gas distribution faceplate attached to a first lower major surface of the electrode, wherein the gas distribution plate includes a plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases to the processing volume and is divided into a plurality of temperature-control regions; 
 a chill plate positioned above the first electrode for providing temperature control; and 
 a plurality of heat control devices to manage heat transfer within the showerhead assembly, comprising: 
 a thermoelectric module; and 
 a heat pipe assembly coupled with the thermoelectric module, wherein each of the plurality of heat control devices is associated with a temperature control region and provides independent temperature control to its associated temperature control region. 
   
     
     
         10 . The processing chamber of  claim 9 , further comprising a second electrode positioned between the chill plate and the first electrode. 
     
     
         11 . The processing chamber of  claim 10 , wherein the second electrode has:
 a first plurality of through-holes each for accommodating a portion of a heat pipe assembly of the heat control device; and   a second plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases into the processing volume.   
     
     
         12 . The processing chamber of  claim 9 , wherein the first electrode has:
 a plurality of holes each for accommodating a portion of a heat pipe assembly of the heat control device; and   a plurality of through-holes for delivering process gases into the processing volume.   
     
     
         13 . The processing chamber of  claim 9 , wherein the thermoelectric module comprises:
 a heat sink plate;   a first conductive layer;   an n-type thermoelectric material;   a p-type thermoelectric material;   a second conductive layer; and   a cooling plate.   
     
     
         14 . The processing chamber of  claim 13 , wherein the heat sink plate is positioned adjacent to the chill plate and releases heat into the chill plate and the cooling plate is positioned adjacent to the heat pipe assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The processing chamber of  claim 9 , further comprising a temperature-sensing disc positioned in the processing volume and comprising:
 a disc-shaped body having:
 a diameter of 300 millimeters; 
 a front surface; 
 a back surface opposing the front surface; 
   one or more cameras positioned on at least one of the front surface and the back surface, wherein the one or more cameras are configured to perform IR-based imaging.   
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 delivering a temperature-sensing disc into a processing region of a processing chamber without breaking vacuum, wherein the temperature-sensing disc includes one or more cameras configured to perform IR-based imaging;   measuring a temperature of at least one region of at least one chamber surface in the processing region of the processing chamber by imaging the at least one surface using the temperature-sensing disc;   comparing the measured temperature to a desired temperature to determine a temperature difference; and   adjusting a temperature of the at least one chamber surface to compensate for the temperature difference.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one chamber surface is selected from a surface of a showerhead assembly, a wall of the processing chamber, and a surface of the substrate support assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein one or more cameras on a front surface of the temperature-sensing disc image the surface of the showerhead assembly and one or more cameras on a back surface of the temperature-sensing disc image a surface of the substrate support assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein comparing the measured temperature to a desired temperature further comprises:
 identifying the at least one region as a cold spot if the measured temperature is below the desired temperature range; and   identifying the at least one region as a hot spot if the measured temperature is above the desired temperature range.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein adjusting a temperature of the at least one chamber surface to compensate for the temperature difference comprises activating a thermoelectric module associated with a region to either increase or decrease the temperature for each region that has been identified as either a cold spot or a hot spot.