Metal fusion bonding – Process – With shaping
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-20
2003-05-06
Dunn, Tom (Department: 1725)
Metal fusion bonding
Process
With shaping
C228S184000, C228S206000, C228S235100, C428S544000, C428S650000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06557747
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hermetically sealed chamber and a method of manufacturing same, in particular, relates to a hermetically sealed substrate holder of a semiconductor fabrication equipment or a flat panel display fabrication equipment in which internally packaged parts such as a heater, a thermocouple, an electrode, different metals, different materials and the like are hermetically enclosed by aluminum or aluminum alloy material in such manner as not to cause a pressure leakage, and the method of manufacturing same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, the substrate holder of the semiconductor fabrication equipment and the like is formed by aluminum or aluminum alloy material. The internally packaged parts such as a heater, a thermocouple, an electrode, different metals, different materials or the like is hermetically enclosed therein in such manner as not to cause a pressure leakage. There is known substrate holders of the semiconductor fabrication equipment as shown in
FIGS. 16
to
18
as a conventional substrate holder of the semiconductor fabrication equipment.
FIG. 16
shows a substrate holder which is formed by the steps of receiving a heater and a thermocouple (
7
), different metals or different materials (
8
) as the internally packaged parts in the recessed portion formed by two aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
), and then welding the outer peripheral portions (
13
) of the aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
). In the lower portion of the substrate holder, there is provided a terminal (
9
) of the heater and thermocouple.
FIG. 17
shows another substrate holder which is formed by the step of casting aluminum material into a prescribed mold so as to hermetically enclose internally packaged parts such as a heater and a thermocouple (
7
), different metals or different materials (
8
) and the like in an aluminum material member (
14
).
FIG. 18
shows other substrate holder which is formed by the steps of receiving a heater and a thermocouple (
7
), different metals or different materials (
8
) as internally packaged parts in the recessed portion formed by two aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
); providing an O-ring (
15
) on the surfaces to be contacted of the aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
); and bolting the aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
) with bolts (
16
).
The conventional substrate holder in which the outer peripheral portions of the aluminum material members (
11
), (
12
) are welded, as shown in
FIG. 16
, has such a problem that the manufacturing cost is expensive, since the outer peripheral portions have to be welded all around. In addition, since pin holes are produced during the welding and the gas is involved during the welding, when the substrate holder of the semiconductor fabrication equipment is used within the chamber under highly reduced pressure (high degree of vacuum), the leakage from the pin holes lowers the degree of vacuum, and the gas contaminates the chamber, thus deteriorating the reliability of the function of the fabricated semiconductor to lead a lower productivity.
The conventional substrate holder formed by casting to enclose the internally packaged parts, as shown in
FIG. 17
, has such a problem that the internally packaged parts are possibly damaged, since molten aluminum or aluminum alloy is used. In addition, since pin holes are produced during the casting and the gas is involved during the casting, when the substrate holder of the semiconductor fabrication equipment is used within the chamber under highly reduced pressure (high degree of vacuum), the leakage from the pin holes lowers the degree of vacuum, and the gas contaminates the chamber, thus deteriorating the reliability of the function of the fabricated semiconductor to lead a lower productivity.
The conventional substrate holder formed by applying the O-ring as a sealing material, and bolting the aluminum material members, as shown in
FIG. 18
, has such a problem that the heat resistance of the sealing material affects the substrate holder, thus at the temperature over 300 degrees centigrade the substrate holder is not sustainable. In addition, there is required to have the space to accommodate the grooves for receiving the sealing material and the bolt holes for bolting, thus not enabling the substrate holder to be compact.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hermetically sealed chamber, in particular, the substrate holder of the semiconductor fabrication equipment or the flat panel display fabrication equipment, which has higher reliability even used under such high degree of vacuum as 10
−8
to 10
−10
Torr, and at high temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventors have studied so as to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional substrate holder. As a result, it was found that a hermetically sealed chamber which can be used even under high vacuum and at high temperature can be obtained by the following steps: forming an extending groove portion on the surface to be bonded of one aluminum material body, forming a corresponding extending protruding portion on the surface to be bonded of the other aluminum material body, fitting the protruding portion into the groove portion, and causing the protruding portion and the groove portion to be metal-bonded by press-forging.
The present invention was made on the basis of the above finding. The first embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises steps of:
(a) preparing two aluminum or aluminum alloy material members which face each other;
(b) forming at least one extending groove portions on a surface to be metal-bonded of one of said two aluminum or aluminum alloy material members, which groove portion extends in a manner to make an enclosure;
(c) forming at least one corresponding extending protruding portions on a surface to be metal-bonded of the other of said two aluminum or aluminum alloy material members, which protruding portion extends in a manner to make a corresponding enclosure; and
(d) receiving internally packaged parts therebetween, inserting said at least one extending protruding portions into said at least one corresponding extending groove portions so as to be fitted, and causing said at least one extending protruding portions and said at least one extending groove portions to be metal-bonded by press-forging.
The second embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises the method, wherein a volume of said extending protruding portion is larger than a capacity of said extending groove portion.
The third embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises the method, wherein in preparing said aluminum or aluminum alloy material members, each surface of said aluminum or aluminum alloy material members is washed by alkali and acid solution to be neutralized.
The fourth embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises the method, wherein said press-forging is carried out by applying a stress of at least a hot flow stress of said aluminum or aluminum alloy material member on said surfaces of said aluminum or aluminum alloy material members to be press-forged at a temperature within a range of 300 to 500 degree centigrade.
The fifth embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises the method, wherein said aluminum or aluminum alloy material members receiving the internally packaged parts comprise the same materials.
The sixth embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises the method, wherein said aluminum or aluminum alloy material members receiving the internally packaged parts comprise different materials.
The seventh embodiment of the method of manufacturing the hermetically sealed chamber of the present invention comprises steps o
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Dunn Tom
Stoner Kiley
The Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
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