Quartz component with protective coating

Abstract

A quartz structure includes a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide. The quartz structure may be fabricated by: (a) receiving a quartz structure; and (b) coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide to form a part to be used in the plasma reactor. The part has a size and shape adapted for forming a window or injector in a plasma reactor. The protective layer does not substantially change the size or shape of the quartz structure. The part may be installed in the plasma reactor at a location where, during operation, a plasma will contact or be proximate to the part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 (a) receiving a quartz structure; and   (b) coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide to form a quartz component for a plasma reactor,   wherein the quartz component has a size and shape adapted for forming a part to be used in the plasma reactor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer does not substantially change the size or shape of the quartz structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing the quartz component in the plasma reactor at a location where, during operation, a plasma will contact or be proximate to the quartz component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma reactor is an etching tool, an ashing tool, and/or a deposition tool. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quartz component has a size and shape to serve as a window between a plasma source located exterior to the plasma reactor and an interior region of the plasma reactor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide comprises depositing the protective layer by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the ALD process is a plasma-enhanced process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the quartz structure, prior to coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide, has a hydroxyl-terminated surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the ALD process comprises one or more cycles of:
 exposing the quartz structure to a yttrium-containing species; and   exposing the quartz structure to an oxygen-containing species.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the oxygen-containing species is water. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide is performed at a temperature between about 150° C. and about 500° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating the quartz structure with a protective layer comprising yttrium oxide is performed at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 450° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising roughening the protective layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein roughening the protective layer comprises:
 exposing the protective layer to deionized water.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the deionized water has a temperature of between about 50° C. and 100° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the part to be used in the plasma reactor is a window or an injector. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of between about 10 nm and 10 μm, wherein the thickness is an average thickness over a surface of the quartz structure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of between about 100 nm and 5 μm, wherein the thickness is an average thickness over a surface of the quartz structure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quartz structure has a surface roughness, R a , of between about 0.01 μm and 2 μm, wherein the surface roughness is an average surface roughness over a surface of the quartz structure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is at least about 99% by mass yttrium oxide.