Method of forming an electrically insulating sealing structure for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the present invention, an insulating sealing structure useful in physical vapor deposition apparatus is provided. The insulating sealing structure is capable of functioning under high vacuum and high temperature conditions. The apparatus is a three dimensional structure having a specifically defined range of electrical, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties enabling the structure to function adequately as an insulator which does not break down at voltages ranging between about 1,500 V and about 3,000 V, which provides a seal against a vacuum of at least about 10−6 Torr, and which can function at a continuous operating temperature of about 300° F. (148.9° C.) or greater. The insulating sealing structure may be fabricated solely from particular polymeric materials or may comprise a center reinforcing member having at least one layer applied to its exterior surface, where the at least one surface layer provides at least a portion of the insulating properties and provides the surface finish necessary to make an adequate seal with a mating surface. A first preferred embodiment comprises an aluminum center reinforcing member having at least one layer of a polymeric insulator applied to provide an insulating, sealing surface. A second preferred embodiment comprises an anodized aluminum center reinforcing member having an inorganic insulator such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or aluminum nitride applied to provide the insulating, sealing surface. A third preferred embodiment comprises a graphite, silica or glass fiber-reinforced member having at least one layer of a polymeric insulator applied thereover, to provide an insulating sealing surface. A fourth preferred embodiment comprises a silicon nitride or graphic fiber-reinforced member having an inorganic, non-metallic insulating sealing surface thereover.

INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to an electrically insulating structural component of a semiconductor processing apparatus. The structural component is three dimensional, and is typically used as the main insulator in a sputtering process apparatus, insulating the cathode portion of the apparatus from the anode portion of the apparatus.

The insulating structure (insulating apparatus) is typically used in high vacuum systems where the base pressure vacuum exceeds 10−6 Torr. Due to the degree of vacuum involved, sealing of the sputtering process apparatus from ambient atmosphere is a significant problem. The insulating structure must perform adequately as a sealing structure as well as an insulating structure when used in the manner illustrated in FIG. .

The important electrical, chemical, mechanical, thermal and surface properties which should be provided by the combination of the materials of construction and the structure into which they have been fabricated are as follows:

1) The apparatus comprising the insulating sealing structure should not decompose under vacuum and any outgassing of water, other volatiles, and absorbed gases must be sufficiently small to sustain a base pressure of at least 10−6 Torr, and preferably 10−8 to 10−9 Torr. This means at least the exterior surface material of the insulating sealing structure should not decompose under vacuum and all materials which make up the structure should not contain elements or compounds which will outgas in amounts which cause problems under operational conditions to which the insulating sealing structure will be exposed. For example, the materials must not contain water or oxygen, for example, in excessive amounts as originally fabricated, and must resist the absorption of water during storage and use, for example. In the present instance, water absorption for a polymeric material, determined using ASTM D-570 should not exceed about 0.25% in 24 hrs @ 73° F. (22.8° C.). ASTM D-570 is one of many testing standards promulgated by the American Society for Testing and Materials of Philadelphia, Pa.

2) The sealing surface of the insulating sealing structure should be capable of being polished to a roughness height value of about 16 μin (0.40 μm), preferably 8 μin (0.20 μm) in the direction perpendicular to the seal. The ability of a polymeric material or an inorganic material to be polished to a roughness height value in the range of 0.40 μm or lower is of particular importance, as it affects the ability to obtain a seal adequate to enable establishment of a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr.

3) The insulating sealing structure should show adequate maintenance of dielectric properties and of dimensional and mechanical stability, to continue to function adequately at continuous exposure to at least about 10−6 Torr and at a continuous operating temperature of about 300° F. (148.9° C.) or greater, for a time period adequate to meet production needs, preferably for at least several weeks. The dielectric properties and dimensional and mechanical properties known to provide an adequate insulating sealing structure are those listed below, as an insulating sealing structure having such properties has performed satisfactorily under continuous operating conditions of about 10−6 Torr and at 300° F. (148.9° C.) or greater.

a) Dielectric strength in air (of a {fraction (1/16)} in. (1.7 mm) thick sample) of at least 50 KV/in. (1.96 MV/m), as measured using ASTM D-149; or volume resistivity at 73° F. (22.8° C.) of at least 1010 Ω-m, as measured using ASTM D-257.

b) a linear coefficient of expansion of less than about 50×10−6 in/in/° F. (90×10−6 mm/mm/° C.), as measured using ASTM E-228.

c) a deflection temperature @ 264 PSI (1.82 MPa) of at least 300° F. (148.9° C.).

d) an ultimate compressive strength greater than about 15,000 PSI (103.4 MPa), as measured using ASTM D-695.

When the insulating sealing structure is constructed from pieces which are joined together, this joining may be by mechanical fastening means, by physical means such as diffusion bonding or solvent bonding, by chemical means such as covalent or ionic bonding using an adhesive, or by other appropriate method. However, a one piece structure is preferable, due to the high vacuum conditions under which the sealing performance must occur.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a sputtering process apparatus , of the kind used to produce flat panel display semiconductor devices. The sputtering process apparatus includes a main insulator which-provides electrical insulation between target assembly (which acts as a cathode) and sputtering process chamber (which acts as an anode). The voltage across main insulator typically ranges from about 200 to about 800 volts. The amount of vacuum present at the location of main insulator is minimally 10−6 Torr, and preferably ranges between about 10−8 and 10−9 Torr. In addition, the continuous operational temperature present at the location of main insulator is minimally about 100° F. (37.8° C.) and may rise as high as about 550° F. (287.8° C.). The compressive pressure exerted on the surface of main insulator is typically about 75 lb./lineal inch, (13.1 N/lineal mm), but can rise to at least 2 to 3 times that amount, depending on the size of the sputtering process apparatus and process conditions utilized

Main insulator has been constructed from alumina and quartz in the past. The preferred alumina is 99.5% minimum purity and has a density of about 2.2 to 2.4 g./cc. This material of construction provides an outgas rate of less than about 2.0×10−7 Torr-liter/sec/cm2 under sputtering process conditions. The water absorption of fired alumina of the kind used to fabricate insulators has been observed to be particularly low upon exposure to ambient atmosphere, so this is not a factor. The surface of the main insulator structure constructed from alumina can be polished to a roughness height value of 8 μin (0.20 μm) in the direction perpendicular to seal. The dielectric strength for the alumina material in air is about 250 kV/in. (9.8 MV/m). The volume resistivity of the alumina material is at typically 1012 to 1014 Ω-cm. The linear coefficient of expansion for the alumina material is 9×10−6 in./in./° F. (16.2 mm/mm/° C.). The ultimate compressive strength for the alumina material can range from about 15,000 to about 60,000 PSI (103-414 MPa). One skilled in the art can see that the alumina material can meet the electrical and vacuum performance criteria previously specified for an electrical insulating material to be used for main insulator .

However, as the technology in flat panel display has developed so successfully, as previously described, there has been an increasing desire to produce larger display panels, leading to the desire for larger dimensional sputtering capability. As dimensions of sputtering chamber (FIG. 1) have increased, the perimeter dimensions of main insulator have increased in proportion. As a result, it is presently desired to have a rectangular-shaped main insulator about one inch (0.0254 m) in width and about one half inch (0.0127 m) in thickness and having a length of about 48 inches (1.2 m) on each of its four sides. Construction of a main insulator of these dimensions would require use of a sheet of “green” alumina approximately 48 inches (1.2 m) square and one half inch (13 mm) thick, which would enable machining of a continuous (jointless) structure. Alternatively, the structure would have to be cast directly to dimension by the alumina manufacturer. The jointless structure is required due to the inability to join pieces of alumina together in a manner which will not leak across the joint upon application of a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr across the joint while maintaining electrical insulation. Either of these methods of construction of an alumina main insulator are extremely expensive. In fact, the cost of a main insulator fabricated to these dimensions would be about 2.5 to 3 times higher than the same insulator fabricated from the polymeric materials of the present invention.

In addition, the alumina is a very brittle, crystalline material, increasing the possibility of damage to main insulator upon handling during sputtering process operations. For example, the Tensile Strength for alumina ranges from about 700 to about 3,000 PSI (4.8-20.7 MPa) and Impact Strength (unnotched) ranges from about 0.17 to about 0.25 ft-lb (0.34 J); ½ in. (13 mm) rod. This compares with Tensile Strength for the polymeric materials of the present invention ranging from about 5,000 to about 15,200 PSI (34-105 MPa), and an unnotched Izod Impact Strength ranging from about 25 to about 30 ft-lb/in. (1,300-1,600 J/m).

It is highly desirable to use an insulating material which has the necessary dielectric properties and adequate mechanical properties to function in the application, while providing ease in fabrication and handling. For this reason, outer insulator and upper insulator of sputtering process apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 are typically constructed from a plastic material such as, for example, acrylic or polycarbonate. However, these materials cannot be used for fabrication of main insulator because of creep and poor compressive strength at elevated temperature and poor high vacuum performance.

High temperature, high performance engineering plastics such as Vespel® polyimide (available from DuPont); Arlon® polyetheretherketone (available from Greene, Tweed & Co.); and, Ultem® polyetherimide (available from General Electric) have been used in high temperature semiconductor applications for construction of a number of small structures such as bearing surface coatings, bushings, washers and spacers. However, these materials have not been used to construct a part like the main insulator of the present invention, because of the large size sheet required, and possibly because of the numerous foreseeable problems in such an application.

The more significant barriers to use of these kinds of materials in fabrication of main insulator relate to outgassing characteristics of the materials under process operational conditions, and to the ability to seal against the 10−8 to 10−9 Torr operational vacuum, particularly at continuous operational temperatures in the range of 400° F. (204.4° C.) to 550° F. (287.8° C.).

The Table, below, shows particularly important physical and mechanical properties for Ultem® 1000 polyetherimide, Vespel® SP-1 polyimide, Arlon® 1000 polyetheretherketone. These high temperature, high performance engineering plastics, and others demonstrating equivalent performance properties to those shown in the Table, can be used as the sole material of construction for the insulating sealing apparatus of the present invention or as a surface layer applied over an interior rigidizing structure.

Other additional high performance engineering plastics useful in fabrication of the insulating sealing apparatus include: G-3 grade fiberglass-reinforced phenolic which meets the military specification Mil-I-24768/18-GPG; G-10 and G-11 grade fiberglass-reinforced epoxies which meet the military specifications Mil-I-2476812/27-GEE, GEE-F and Mil-I-24768/3-GEE, respectively. These materials have previously been used as an ablative material in aerospace applications. These engineering plastics or an equivalent epoxy or phenolic-based material, the surface of which has been polished to a surface roughness of about 16 μin (40 μm) or less can be used.

EXAMPLE

A rectangular main insulator was fabricated using ULTEM® 1000 to the dimensions described below, with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, which show the top view of the main insulator and a side view of one member, respectively. Two members, and of rectangular main insulator were fabricated to a dimension A of 26.7 inches (0.678 m) in length. The remaining two members and were fabricated to a dimension B of 23.2 inches (0.589 m) in length. The four members , , , and were fastened together using a flush lap joint at each end of each member. The flush lap joints are illustrated in FIG. A. Lap joint has a dimension C of 1.5 inches (38 mm) and is symmetrical so that this dimension applies to the length of the joint in the principal direction of each member it joins. The external radius of lap joint is approximately 0.75 inches (19 mm), while the internal radius is about 0.50 inches (13 mm). The flush lap joints were prepared using standard solvent bonding techniques. Methylene chloride was used to swell (partially solvate) each surface to be bonded, such as surface of member , illustrated in FIG. B. The surfaces to be bonded were then pressed together at a pressure of at least 20 PSI (0.138 MPa), exposed to ambient atmosphere, permitting the methylene chloride to evaporate. The width D of main insulator members , , , and was 1.0 inches (25.4 mm), and the thickness E was 0.5 inches (13 mm).

Upon completion of assembly of the four members of main insulator , the upper and lower surfaces, shown in FIG. 3B as and , respectively, were polished to a finish of 8 μin. (0.20 μm) in the direction perpendicular to seal. The 8 μin. (0.20 μm) finish provided a sealing surface for mating with the O-rings (not shown, but located in O-ring grooves and ) used to create a seal between target assembly backing plate and main insulator , and between the top flange of sputtering chamber and main insulator , as illustrated in FIG. .

The main insulator , fabricated from ULTEM® 1000, was then evaluated in a sputtering apparatus of the kind shown in FIG. . The operational voltage applied to main insulator was about 1.0 kV/in. (0.039 MV/m); the vacuum across sealing surfaces of the insulator was 6.7×10−7 Torr; the maximum temperature of the insulator during evaluation was approximately 300° F. (148.9° C.). Pressure leaks were detected at some of the flush lap joints.

Leaks at the flush lap joints were repaired by modifying the lap joints to include a wedge of ULTEM® 1000 overlaying a portion of the joint nearest the sealing surface, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A shows a side view of flush lap joint having a wedge of ULTEM 1000® solvent-bonded/pressed into place. Wedge overage is subsequently machined to provide a flush surface as shown in the FIG. 4B top view. The solvent bonding of wedge was carried out in the same manner as previously described for solvent bonding of the flush lap joints. The flush upper surface of each modified joint was repolished to the 8 μin. (0.20 μm) finish.

Upon reexposure of main insulator to the evaluation conditions described above, satisfactory performance was achieved.

It was observed that there was some outgassing from the ULTEM® 1000. This outgassing should be reduced to provide optimum performance of the insulating sealing structure.

ARLON® 1000 and VESPEL® SP-1 are presently under investigation for performance characteristics. Should these materials provide improved outgassing performance, preparation of a main insulator from sheet stock of these materials will require a different means of joint bonding, since these materials are not known to bond well using solvent bonding. There are a number of adhesives recommended by the manufacturer of each material and these adhesives are under present evaluation. The preferred adhesive appears to be an epoxy-resin-based, glass-filled adhesive available from American Cyanamid Co. under the trademark of CYBOND 4537B or CYBOND 4537BHT (a higher Tg cured product).

Other, more complex types of joints may provide better vacuum seals, but to date the lap joint has performed as well or better than other joint designs evaluated.

It would be preferable to form the insulating sealing structure as a single, continuous piece having no joints. This can be done by drying the polymeric material in pellet or powdered form to remove potential outgassing contaminants, followed by melt compression or injection molding into the desired insulating sealing structure.

One preferred embodiment of the insulating sealing structure comprises a groove machined on at least one surface of the structure which enables the structure to be used in combination with an elastomeric O-ring, to achieve an adequate seal at minimal contact pressures between the insulating sealing structure and any other surface with which a seal is to be formed. FIG. 5 illustrates main insulator having an upper sealing surface with O-ring groove machined therein. FIG. 6A shows a cross sectional view of an O-ring groove of the kind depicted in FIG. 5, which groove is machined into upper sealing surface and lower sealing surface of main insulator . FIG. 6B shows a cross sectional view of an alternative O-ring groove of the kind depicted in FIG. 5, which O-ring groove is machined into upper sealing surface and lover sealing surface of main insulator . An elastomeric O-ring of a high temperature material such as Viton®, for example, is shown in position in O-ring groove . FIG. 6C shows a cross sectional view of an alternative groove structure which could be machined along the exterior edge of a main insulator . Alternative groove structure is fitted with a capping structure preferably comprised of a high temperature elastomeric material able to function at 300° F. (148.9° C.) or higher, which provides a sealing surface for main insulator .

A second preferred embodiment of the insulating sealing structure comprises a continuous contacting bead or molding which has been machined upon or formed on at least one surface of the structure. FIG. 7A shows a cross sectional view of a sealing bead or molding machined upon upper sealing surface and lower sealing surface of main insulator . FIG. 7B shows a cross sectional view of an alternative form of sealing bead machined upon upper sealing surface and lower sealing surface of main insulator . The continuous contacting bead or molding eliminates the need for an O-ring to provide a seal with a mating surface.

A third preferred embodiment of the insulating sealing structure comprises the insulating sealing structure having on at least one of its surfaces a continuous coating of an elastomeric material which assists the insulating sealing structure in making an adequate seal with a mating surface. FIG. 7C shows a cross sectional view of a layer of sealing material, preferably a high temperature elastomeric material such as Viton®, for example deposited upon upper sealing surface and lower sealing surface of main insulator . FIG. 7D shows a cross sectional view of a bead of sealing material , preferably a high temperature elastomeric material, deposited upon upper sealing surface and lower sealing surface of main insulator .

In a fourth preferred embodiment, Shown in FIG. 8A, the main insulator sealing structure has a rigid central portion or member with an electrically insulating exterior surface layer applied over rigid central portion . The surface of insulator sealing structure is polished to a desired roughness height of less than about 0.40 μm, to enable sealing against a mating surface, where the seal must withstand a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr. Preferably, the surface is polished to a roughness height of less than about 0.20 μm to enable a seal against a vacuum of between about 10−8 and 10−9 Torr. Surface roughness is a critical factor necessary to enable sealing under extreme vacuum conditions. Not all materials are capable of being cast or polished to meet this requirement while having the desired dielectric properties and operational temperature range needed to function in the intended application as previously described.

The rigid central portion is fabricated from materials such as metal; graphite, glass or polymeric fiber reinforced polymeric materials; and, polymeric materials having particular structural characteristics. In one preferred embodiment, the metal is aluminum. In another preferred embodiment, the rigid central portion is a graphite fiber or glass fiber reinforced polymeric material. In each case, the material of construction of rigid central portion must not outgas in a manner which is detrimental to performance of the insulating sealing structure and must be thermally and dimensionally stable under operational conditions previously described for the insulating at sealing structure . The rigid central portion inhibits deformation of the structure . Inhibition of deformation is important both in terms of handling of the structure and to ensure that the sealing capability of the structure is not impaired under extreme vacuum conditions and pressure applied by mating surfaces.

Electrically insulating exterior surface layer provides at least a portion of the required dielectric capability necessary to prevent voltage breakdown under the operating conditions (typically in the range of about 1,500 V to about 3,000 V). The required dielectric strength of surface layer is at least 1.96 MV/m in air. Exterior surface layer is comprised of an insulating material selected from the group consisting of phenolic, polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof. The overall thickness of surface layer varies according to the electrical resistivity and dielectric strength of the insulative material used to form the insulator. Preferably the insulative material has a volume resistivity of at least 1012 Ω-cm, and more preferably a volume resistivity of at least 1014 Ω-cm, and a dielectric constant of at least about 2. When the insulative material has a dielectric constant of about 3.5, surface layer typically ranges from about 10 μm to about 500 μm in thickness, and more typically from about 100 μm to about 300 μm in thickness.

When a polyimide is used as the surface layer , the polyimide has a dielectric breakdown strength of at least about 100 V/mil (3.9 V/μm). Polyimides which are known to perform in the application include Vespel® SP-1, previously described herein, and UPILEX®, particularly UPILEX® S, manufactured by Ube Industries Ltd., Japan. Optionally, an uncured or partially cured polyimide may be used as an adhesive to bond a surface layer which is a precured or partially precured polyimide film to rigid central portion .

Epoxy and phenolic materials are also exhibit an acceptable dielectric breakdown strength, are capable of performing at temperatures in excess of about 200° C. and can be cast or cast and polished to provide a surface finish having the smoothness necessary to provide the required seal. For example, fiberglass-reinforced epoxies of the kind used to produce G-3 fiberglass-reinforced epoxy or fiberglass-reinforced phenolics of the kind used to produce G-10 and G-11 fiberglass-reinforced phenolic are capable of performing at operational temperatures to which they would be exposed in physical vapor deposition processes and can be polished to provide the surface finish required.

A polymeric surface layer may be applied using injection molding, extrusion, pultrusion, and casting/curing techniques. Polymeric surface layer may be a precured film which is applied using an adhesive which is cured in a manner so that the cured adhesive will not outgas under the process-operational conditions at which insulating sealing structure must perform.

When the insulating surface layer is comprised of an inorganic material such as aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide, a preferred method of application of surface layer over rigid central portion is by physical vapor deposition, preferably by sputtering. Sputtering of aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide can be accomplished using standard sputtering techniques and a target comprised of the desired compound. The target may also be aluminum or silicon, with the compound being formed by the addition of nitrogen or oxygen as a reactive gas during the sputtering process. Reactive sputtering techniques are well known in the art.

When insulating surface layer is comprised of one of the inorganic materials listed above, a preferred material for rigid central portion is aluminum, and more preferably aluminum having a layer of aluminum oxide on its surface.

FIG. 8B shows a preferred embodiment in which the main insulator sealing structure has a rigid central portion comprised of aluminum. The surface of the hi aluminum has been anodized to produce aluminum oxide layer , and finally, a finishing insulating layer of silicon nitride has been applied over the-surface of aluminum oxide layer .

Aluminum oxide layer serves three purposes: It provides a portion of the required dielectric strength; it provides a continuous coating underlying finishing insulating layer , to compensate for any pinholes in finishing insulating layer ; and, it provides a good bonding surface for attachment of finishing insulating layer .

The surface of the silicon nitride layer has been lapp polished to a surface finish having a roughness height of less than about 0.40 μm in the direction perpendicular to the seal to enable sealing against a mating surface against a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr. Preferably, the surface is polished to a roughness height of less than about 0.20 μm to enable a seal against a vacuum of between about 10−8 and 10−9 Torr. Although the finishing insulating layer for this particular embodiment is silicon nitride, aluminum nitride and silicon oxide would be expected to perform as well.

Finishing insulating layer , in combination with aluminum oxide layer provides the required dielectric capability necessary to prevent voltage breakdown under the operating conditions previously specified. Silicon nitride exhibits a volume resistivity of about 1015 Ω-cm, and has a dielectric strength of about 3.6 to 9.6 V/mil, depending on thickness and method of fabrication. The thickness required for the silicon nitride finishing insulating layer is at least about 20-25 Å, presuming no electrical insulation contribution from the aluminum oxide layer.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention, as described above and shown in the Figures are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as demonstrated by the claims which follow, since one skilled in the art can, with minimal experimentation, extend the scope of the embodiments to match that of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a sputtering process chamber of the kind used to produce flat panel display semiconductor devices.

FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view of an assembled sputtering process chamber of the kind shown in FIG. 1, with particular definition in the area of the main insulator, upper insulator, and lower insulator.

FIG. 2B shows a cross sectional detail view of the area of the main insulator, upper insulator, and lower insulator defined in FIG. A.

FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a rectangular-shaped main insulator of the kind typically used in sputtering apparatus for flat panel displays. In particular, the rectangular shaped structure is formed from four pieces of sheet stock which are joined together using a flush lap joint at each of the four corners of the rectangle.

FIG. 3B shows the side view of one of the four members used to fabricate the rectangular-shaped main insulator of FIG. A.

FIG. 4A shows a side view of a flush lap joint of the main insulator illustrated in FIG. A. In particular, the flush lap joint has been modified using a triangular-shaped insert to stop leakage which occurred at the lap joint upon exposure to sputtering operational conditions.

FIG. 4B shows a top view of the modified lap joint of FIG. A. Excess insert material is removed to provide a flush top surface.

FIG. 5 shows a main insulator for use in a sputtering process chamber of the kind shown in FIG. . This main insulator has an O-ring groove machined into its sealing surface.

FIG. 6A shows a cross sectional view of an O-ring groove of the kind depicted in FIG. 5, which is machined into the sealing surface of a main insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 6B shows a cross sectional view of a second O-ring groove of the kind depicted in FIG. 5, with an O-ring, preferably elastomeric, in place.

FIG. 6C shows a cross sectional view of an alternative groove structure which could be machined along the edge of a main insulator and fitted with a capping structure, preferably elastomeric, which provides a sealing surface for the main insulator.

FIG. 7A shows a cross sectional view of a sealing bead machined upon the sealing surfaces of a main insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 7B shows a cross sectional view of an alternative sealing bead machined upon the sealing surfaces of a main insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 7C shows a cross sectional view of a layer of sealing material, preferably a dielectric and/or elastomeric material, deposited upon the sealing surfaces of a main insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 7D shows a cross sectional view of an enclosing sealing material, preferably a dielectric and/or elastomeric material, deposited upon the major surfaces of a main insulator of the present invention.

FIG. 8A shows a cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the main insulator of the present invention having a rigid composite center member with an exterior surface sealing layer or coating.

FIG. 8B shows a cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the main insulator of the present invention having a rigid center member which has been treated to create an overlying first layer which provides particular insulating and bonding characteristics, followed by application of a second layer which provides the desired sealing surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 09/478,940, filed on Jan. 6, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,509, which is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/899,685 filed on Jul. 24, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,483, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/268,480 filed on Jun. 30, 1994, now abandoned.

CLAIMS

1. A method of forming an electrically insulating sealing structure for use between a first chamber wall housing a cathode and a second chamber wall housing an anode of a physical vapor deposition apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a rigid central member of said insulating sealing structure; and, b) applying an electrically insulating coating over and adhering to at least a portion of said rigid central member.

2. The method of claim 1, including the additional step: c) polishing a surface of said electrically insulating coating to a finish having a roughness height of less than about 0.40 μm to enable said surface to seal with a mating surface against a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said rigid central member comprises aluminum.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said aluminum is treated to create an aluminum oxide layer thereon prior to application of said electrically insulating coating.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said rigid central member comprises aluminum.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said aluminum is treated to create an aluminum oxide layer thereon prior to application of said electrically insulating coating.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

11. A method of providing an electrically insulating sealing surface between housing sections of a semiconductor processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a sealing structure having a rigid central member; b) applying an electrically insulating coating over and adhering to at least a portion of a surface of said rigid central member; and c) finishing sealing surfaces of said sealing structure, whereby said semiconductor processing chamber is sealed against a vacuum of at least 10−6 Torr.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said finishing includes polishing a surface of said electrically insulating coating to a finish having a roughness height of less than about 0.40 μm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said rigid central member comprises aluminum.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

15. The method claim 13, wherein said aluminum is treated to create an aluminum oxide layer thereon prior to application of said electrically insulating coating.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said rigid central member comprises aluminum.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said aluminum is treated to create an aluminum oxide layer thereon prior to application of said electrically insulating coating.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said electrically insulating coating is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polyimide, polyketone, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, epoxy, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and combinations thereof.

COPYRIGHT

User acknowledges that Fairview Research and its third party providers retain all right, title and interest in and to this xml under applicable copyright laws. User acquires no ownership rights to this xml including but not limited to its format. User hereby accepts the terms and conditions of the License Agreement.