US-20260125795-A1 - BAFFLE FOR A REACTOR SYSTEM

US20260125795A1US 20260125795 A1US20260125795 A1US 20260125795A1US-20260125795-A1

Abstract

A baffle for use in a reaction chamber may comprise a baffle first end, a baffle second end, and a baffle space enclosed by a baffle wall system and the reaction chamber floor, wherein the baffle first end may comprise a baffle aperture disposed therethrough configured to allow a fluid to flow from the reaction chamber volume into the baffle space through the baffle aperture and exit the baffle space through a vacuum aperture in the reaction chamber floor toward a vacuum source.

Inventors

Thomas Fitzgerald
Ruchik Bhatt

Assignees

ASM IP HOLDING B.V.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260107

Claims (7)

1 . A baffle configured for use in a reaction chamber, comprising: a baffle wall system spanning between a baffle first end and a baffle second end; a baffle aperture disposed through the baffle first end of the baffle wall system; and a baffle space at least partially defined and surrounded by the baffle wall system, wherein the baffle space is exposed through an open side of the baffle, wherein the baffle space is in fluid communication with the baffle aperture, wherein a bottom surface of the baffle wall system is configured to couple to a reaction chamber floor to further enclose the baffle space.
2 . The baffle of claim 1 , wherein the baffle wall system comprises a baffle sidewall system surrounding the baffle space and a baffle upper wall configured to face a reaction chamber volume of the reaction chamber, wherein the baffle aperture is disposed in at least one of the baffle upper wall and the baffle sidewall system.
3 . The baffle of claim 1 , further comprising a tab protruding from the baffle second end, wherein the tab comprises a coupling hole disposed therethrough configured to receive a fastener to couple the baffle to the reaction chamber floor.
4 . The baffle of claim 1 , wherein the baffle first end comprises a distal portion that is furthest from the baffle second end, wherein the baffle aperture is disposed in the distal portion.
5 . The baffle of claim 4 , wherein the baffle first end comprises a perimeter shape comprising the distal portion, wherein the distal portion of the perimeter shape is a quarter, a third, or a half of the perimeter shape that is disposed furthest from the baffle second end.
6 . The baffle of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of baffle apertures disposed through the baffle wall system on the baffle first end, wherein a majority of the baffle apertures are disposed on the distal portion of the baffle first end.
7 . The baffle of claim 1 , wherein the baffle first end comprises a baffle first end void configured to receive a susceptor shaft in the reaction chamber.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/896,557, filed Aug. 26, 2022 and entitled “BAFFLE FOR A REACTOR SYSTEM,” which is a nonprovisional of, and claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/238,969, filed Aug. 31, 2021 and entitled “BAFFLE FOR A REACTOR SYSTEM,” all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to a semiconductor processing or reactor systems, and particularly to a baffle for use in a reaction chamber to direct fluid flow. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Reaction chambers may be used for a variety of processes during formation of electronic devices. For example, reaction chambers can be used for depositing various material layers onto semiconductor substrates, etching materials, and/or cleaning surfaces. A substrate may be placed on a susceptor inside a reaction chamber. Both the substrate and the susceptor may be heated to a desired substrate temperature set point. In an example process, one or more reactant gases may be passed over a heated substrate, causing the deposition of a thin film of material on the substrate surface. Before, during, and/or after processing of a substrate, to evacuate fluids from the reaction chamber, a vacuum source may be in fluid communication with the reaction chamber volume, causing fluids in the reaction chamber to flow out of the reaction chamber toward the vacuum source. The fluids will choose the path of least resistance to exit the reaction chamber toward the vacuum source. However, if a vacuum source is in a position that is offset from the center of the reaction chamber, susceptor, substrate, and/or the like, the vacuum source may cause more fluid to flow within one portion of the reaction chamber (and over one portion of the substrate) relative to other portions. Thus, deposition upon the substrate being processed may be unevenly distributed, with more deposition occurring on the portion over which more fluid flowed. However, greater deposition uniformity may be desired. Any discussion of problems and solutions involved in the related art has been included in this disclosure solely for the purposes of providing a context for the present disclosure, and should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussion was known at the time the invention was made. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are described in further detail in the detailed description of example embodiments of the disclosure below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. In various embodiments, a reaction chamber may comprise a sidewall system; a fluid distribution system; a reaction chamber floor; a reaction chamber volume at least partially enclosed by the sidewall system, the fluid distribution system, and the reaction chamber floor; a susceptor disposed within the reaction chamber volume configured to support a substrate; a susceptor shaft coupled to and supporting the susceptor, wherein the susceptor shaft may be disposed through the reaction chamber floor; a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber volume via a vacuum aperture disposed through the reaction chamber floor; and/or a baffle coupled to the reaction chamber floor. The baffle may comprise a baffle first end at least partially surrounding the susceptor shaft and a baffle second end disposed over the vacuum aperture. The baffle may comprise a baffle space enclosed by a baffle wall system and the reaction chamber floor, wherein the baffle first end may comprise a baffle aperture disposed therethrough configured to allow a fluid to flow from the reaction chamber volume into the baffle space through the baffle aperture and exit the baffle space through the vacuum aperture in the reaction chamber floor. In various embodiments, the baffle first end may comprise a baffle first end void, through which the susceptor shaft is disposed. In various embodiments, the baffle first end may be disposed completely around the susceptor shaft. In various embodiments, the reaction chamber volume may be in fluid communication with the vacuum source via the baffle aperture and the baffle space in the baffle. In various embodiments, the baffle wall system may form at least a partial seal with the reaction chamber floor. In various embodiments, the baffle wall system may comprise a baffle sidewall system surrounding the baffle space and a baffle upper wall facing the reaction chamber volume, wherein the baffle aperture may be disposed in at least one of the baffle upper wall and the baffle sidewall system. In various embodiments, the baffle first end may comprise a dista