阅读说明：本技术 用于可替换的灯的适配器
(Adapter for replaceable lamp
) 是由 约瑟夫·M·拉内什
欧勒格·V·塞雷布里安诺夫 于 2014-11-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的实施方式大体关于一种改进的适配器,所述适配器用于在快速热处理(RTP)腔室中用作热辐射源的简化灯。在一个实施方式中,提供有灯组件。灯元件包含具有灯丝设在所述舱体中的舱体；按压密封件,耦接至舱体；及适配器,具有插座,所述插座经调整轮廓以接收所述按压密封件的至少一部分,其中所述按压密封件可移除地与所述适配器啮合。(Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an improved adapter for a simplified lamp used as a source of thermal radiation in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) chamber. In one embodiment, a lamp assembly is provided. The lamp component comprises a cabin body with a filament arranged in the cabin body; a compression seal coupled to the chamber; and an adapter having a receptacle contoured to receive at least a portion of the press seal, wherein the press seal is removably engaged with the adapter.)
1. A lamp assembly, comprising:
a light element including a first engagement feature;
a first electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
a second electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
an adapter including a second engagement feature operable to engage or disengage with the first engagement feature, the adapter having a socket contoured to receive a portion of the light element, the socket having:
a first channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the first wire lead to pass through the first channel; and
a second channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the second wire lead to pass through the second channel; and
a first insulating sleeve having a first end attached to the first conductive lead and a second end attached to the first conductive pin, the first insulating sleeve extending through the first passage and having a first metal trace deposited along a first side of an inner surface of the first insulating sleeve.
2. The lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a second insulative sleeve having a first end attached to the second conductive lead and a second end attached to a second conductive pin, the second insulative sleeve extending through the second channel and having a second metal trace deposited along a first side of an inner surface of the second insulative sleeve.
3. The lamp assembly of claim 2, further comprising:
a third metal trace deposited along a second side of the inner surface of the first insulative sleeve.
4. The lamp assembly of claim 3, further comprising:
a fourth metal trace deposited along a second side of the inner surface of the second insulative sleeve.
5. The lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein the lamp element comprises:
the lamp filament is arranged in the capsule body and is respectively and electrically connected with the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead; and
a compression seal extending from the chamber.
6. The lamp assembly of claim 5, wherein the first engagement feature is disposed on the press seal.
7. The lamp assembly of claim 5, wherein the socket has an interior surface coated with a light reflecting material.
8. The lamp assembly of claim 7, further comprising:
a gas gap disposed between the press seal and the interior surface of the socket.
9. The lamp assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second insulative sleeves are filled with low melting glass beads or insulative particles.
10. A lamp assembly, comprising:
a light element including a first engagement feature;
a first electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
a second electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
an adapter including a second engagement feature operable to engage or disengage with the first engagement feature, the adapter having a socket contoured to receive a portion of the light element, the socket having:
a first channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the first wire lead to pass through the first channel; and
a second channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the second wire lead to pass through the second channel; a first conductive pin coupled to the first conductive lead, the first conductive pin extending through the first channel; an insulative sleeve having a first end attached to the second conductive lead and a second end attached to the second conductive pin, the insulative sleeve extending through the second channel; and
a wire fuse disposed in the second channel, the wire fuse connecting the second conductive lead to the second conductive pin.
11. The lamp assembly of claim 10, wherein the lamp assembly comprises:
the lamp filament is arranged in the capsule body and is respectively and electrically connected with the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead; and
a compression seal extending from the chamber.
12. The lamp assembly of claim 11, wherein the first engagement feature is disposed on the press seal.
13. The lamp assembly of claim 10, wherein the socket has an interior surface coated with a light reflecting material.
14. The lamp assembly of claim 10, wherein the insulative sleeve is filled with low melting glass beads or insulative particles.
15. A processing chamber, comprising:
a housing enclosing a processing region;
a substrate support disposed in the processing region; and
a lamp assembly comprising
A plurality of light elements, each of the light elements comprising a first engagement feature;
a first electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
a second electrically conductive lead extending from the lamp element;
an adapter including a second engagement feature operable to engage or disengage with the first engagement feature, the adapter having a socket contoured to receive a portion of the light element, the socket having:
a first channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the first wire lead to pass through the first channel; and
a second channel extending through the adapter and sized to allow the second wire lead to pass through the second channel;
a first conductive pin coupled to the first conductive lead, the first conductive pin extending through the first channel;
an insulative sleeve having a first end attached to the second conductive lead and a second end attached to the second conductive pin, the insulative sleeve extending through the second channel; and
a wire fuse disposed in the second channel and connecting the second conductive lead to the second conductive pin.
16. The processing chamber of claim 15, further comprising:
a window disposed between the substrate support and the lamp assembly.
17. The process chamber of claim 15, wherein each light element of the plurality of light elements comprises:
the lamp filament is arranged in the capsule body and is respectively and electrically connected with the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead; and
a compression seal extending from the chamber.
18. The processing chamber of claim 17, wherein the first engagement feature is disposed on the press seal.
19. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein the receptacle has an interior surface coated with a light reflective material.
20. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein the insulating sleeve is filled with low melting glass beads or insulating particles.
Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus for thermally processing a substrate. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to an adapter for a lamp used as a source of thermal radiation in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) chamber.
Background
During rapid thermal processing of substrates, thermal radiation is typically used to rapidly heat the substrate in a controlled environment to a maximum temperature of up to about 1350 ℃. This maximum temperature is maintained for a specific time, which ranges from less than 1 second to several minutes, depending on the particular process. The substrate is then cooled to room temperature for further processing.
High voltage (e.g., about 40 volts to 130 volts) tungsten halogen lamps are commonly used as the source of thermal radiation in RTP chambers. Current lamp assembly designs include a lamp body, a bulb, and a base coupled to the lamp body. The lamp base mates with a socket on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) structure to facilitate easy removal and replacement of the lamp assembly. When the bulb fails, the entire lamp assembly including the base coupled to the lamp body is replaced even though the base itself is functioning properly. Replacing a functioning base with a failed bulb results in unnecessary waste and expense.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved lamp design to reduce costs and provide the ability to adjust the height of the lamp as needed.
Disclosure of Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an improved adapter for a lamp used as a source of heat radiation in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) chamber. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a lamp assembly is provided. The lamp assembly includes: the lamp body is provided with a lamp filament and is arranged in the lamp body; a compression seal extending from the enclosure; and an adapter having a receptacle contoured to receive at least a portion of the press seal, wherein the press seal is removably engaged with the adapter.
In another embodiment, a lamp assembly for use in a thermal processing chamber is provided. The lamp assembly includes a lamp element comprising: a chamber having a filament disposed therein; a compression seal extending from the enclosure; first and second filament leads extending from the filament to first and second metal foils disposed within the press seal, respectively; and first and second electrically conductive leads electrically connecting the first and second metal foils to respective electrically conductive sockets formed within a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) structure external to the lamp assembly; and an adapter having an opening at a first end and a second end of the adapter, wherein the opening at the first end has a socket contoured to receive at least a portion of the press seal, and the socket is removably engaged with the press seal.
In yet another embodiment, an adapter for a light element is provided. The adapter includes: an elongated body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the opening at the first end has a socket contoured to receive at least a sealing portion of a lamp element removably engaged with the elongated body, wherein the sealing portion is encapsulated around a metal foil connected to a filament of the lamp element and creates a hermetic seal.
Drawings
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
Figure 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a thermal processing chamber having an array of lamp assemblies.
Figure 2 is a schematic, top view of an array of lamp assemblies in a cooling chamber of a thermal processing chamber.
FIG. 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a lamp assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Fig. 4A-4F are schematic diagrams of exemplary light element designs that may be engaged with an adapter according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a front schematic, cross-sectional view of an exemplary lamp assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Fig. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary lamp assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Fig. 6B is a schematic perspective view of fig. 6A.
Detailed Description
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an improved adapter for a lamp used as a source of heat radiation in a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) chamber. The improved adapter allows for easy, quick replacement of the light element by removably engaging the light element with the adapter such that the light element and/or the adapter can be replaced separately. In some aspects of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the adapter may be permanently fixed (brazed, welded, interference fit or glued, etc.) in the lamp head assembly. The light element is configured to provide sufficient rigidity to handle the compressive forces of inserting the light assembly into the PCB structure. The adapter optionally provides a fuse (and/or electrical socket for the light element) that can be replaced from the side, top or bottom end of the adapter. The adapter provides a socket that receives a portion of the light element. The socket is contoured and may be coated to help direct thermal radiation to a target in a controlled manner. The adapter may provide heat conduction features and cooling paths to facilitate the transfer of heat from the light element to the environment. Thus, the lamp may be operated such that critical components are at a sufficiently low temperature to allow for a longer lamp life. Details of various embodiments are discussed below.
Exemplary Chamber hardware
Fig. 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an RTP chamber 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure are used. The RTP chamber 100 is capable of providing controlled thermal cycles that heat the substrate 164 for various processes, such as, for example, thermal annealing, thermal cleaning, thermal chemical vapor deposition, thermal oxidation, and thermal nitridation. It is contemplated that embodiments of the present disclosure may also be used with epitaxial deposition chambers heated from the bottom, top, or both, and other RTP chambers that may be heated from the bottom. The RTP chamber 100 includes chamber walls 136 that surround a processing region 138. For example, the chamber walls 136 surrounding the processing region 138 may include sidewalls 140 and a bottom wall 144 formed by a body 152 and a top wall 148 formed by a window 156 placed over the body 152. The body 152 may be made of stainless steel, however aluminum or other suitable materials may be used. The window 156 is made of a material transparent to infrared light, such as transparent fused silica quartz.
The substrate support 160 holds a substrate 164 in the processing region 138 during processing. The substrate support 160 may include a rotatable structure that rotates the substrate 164 during processing. For example, the support 160 may include a magnetically levitated rotor 168 disposed within a channel 172 in the body 152. The magnetically levitated rotor 168 supports a quartz support cylinder 176 with a support ring 180 at the top end of the quartz support cylinder 176 to support the substrate 164. A magnetic stator 184, which houses the rotor 168 and is disposed outside of the channel 172, is used to magnetically induce rotation of the rotor 168 in the channel 172, which in turn causes rotation of the substrate 164 on the support ring 180. The base plate 164 may rotate, for example, at about 100 to about 250 revolutions per minute.
A radiation source 188 directs radiation onto the substrate 164, and the radiation source 188 may be positioned above the substrate 164, such as in a chamber top (ceiling)192 of the RTP chamber 100, the chamber top 192 being above the radiation transparent window 156 at the top of the processing region 138. The radiation source 188 generates radiation at a variety of wavelengths that is used to heat the substrate 164, such as radiation having a wavelength from about 200nm to about 4500 nm. In one embodiment, radiation source 188 may comprise a honeycomb array 196 of lamp assemblies 20. The array 196 may include one or more approximately radial heating zones that may be independently adjusted to control the temperature across the substrate 164. For example, in one aspect, the radiation source 188 may include 409 lamps divided into 15 radially symmetric regions. Each zone can be independently controlled to provide fine control of the radial profile of heat delivered to the substrate 164. The radiation source 188 is capable of rapidly heating the substrate 164 for thermal processing, for example, at a rate of from about 50 ℃/sec to about 280 ℃/sec.
Each lamp assembly 20 in the array 196 of lamp assemblies 20 is enclosed in a tubular lamp assembly housing 204. One end of the lamp assembly housing 204 is adjacent the transmission window 156. The lamp assembly housing 204 may have a reflective inner surface 208 to increase the efficiency of transferring light and heat from the lamp assembly 20 to the base plate 164. The lamp assembly housing 204 may be enclosed in a fluid cooling chamber 212, the fluid cooling chamber 212 being defined by upper and lower fluid chamber walls 216, 220 and a cylindrical fluid chamber sidewall 224. The clamp 256 secures the body 152, the window 156, and the cooling chamber 212 together. O-rings 260 are located between window 156 and cooling chamber 212 and between window 156 and body 152 to provide a vacuum seal at these interfaces. For example, a cooling fluid (such as water) may be introduced into the cooling chamber 212 through the cooling fluid inlet 228 and removed from the cooling chamber 212 through the cooling fluid outlet 232. Fig. 2 shows a top view of the array 196 of lamp assemblies 20 in the lamp assembly housing 204 in the cooling chamber 212. The cooling fluid travels in the spaces 236 between the lamp assembly housings 204 and may be directed by baffles 240 to ensure efficient fluid flow to transfer heat from the lamp assemblies 20 in the lamp assembly housings 204. A vacuum pump 248 is provided to reduce the pressure in lamp assembly housing 204. Vacuum pump 248 is coupled to lamp assembly housing 204 through a conduit 252 in cylindrical sidewall 224 and a groove in bottom wall 220 of cooling chamber 212.
In some embodiments, a pressurized source (not shown) of a thermally conductive gas, such as helium, may be provided and configured to cool the lamp assembly housing 204 using the thermally conductive gas, thereby facilitating heat transfer between the lamp assembly 20 and the cooling chamber 212. The pressurized source may be connected to the lamp assembly housing 204 through a port and valve. The thermally conductive gas may be introduced in a manner such that the lamp assembly housing 204 (and thus the lamp assembly 20 disposed therein) operates at a reduced pressure of the thermally conductive gas.
The bottom wall 144 of the body 152 may include a reflective plate 264 disposed below the base plate 164. One or more temperature sensors 268 (such as a pyrometer with fiber optic probes) may also be provided to detect the temperature of the substrate 164 during processing. The sensor 268 is connected to a chamber controller 272, which chamber controller 272 can use the output of the sensor 268 to determine the level of power supplied to individual lamp assemblies 20 and groups of lamp assemblies 20 in a zone. Each group of lamp assemblies 20 may be separately powered and controlled by a multi-zone lamp driver 276, which multi-zone lamp driver 276 is then controlled by the controller 272.
The gas supply 280 may provide a processing gas into the processing region 138 and control the atmosphere in the RTP chamber 100. The gas supply 280 includes a process gas source 284 and a conduit 288 having a flow control valve 292, the conduit 288 connecting the source 284 to a gas inlet (not shown) in the RTP chamber 100 to provide gas in the RTP chamber 100. The exhaust 202 controls the gas pressure in the RTP chamber 100 and exhausts the process gases from the RTP chamber 100. The exhaust 202 may include one or more exhaust ports 206, the one or more exhaust ports 206 receiving used process gases and delivering the used gases to an exhaust conduit 210, the exhaust conduit 210 feeding one or more exhaust pumps 211. A throttle valve 213 in the exhaust conduit 210 controls the gas pressure in the RTP chamber 100.
The RTP chamber 100 may further include a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) structure 297 on top of the upper chamber wall 216. The PCB structure 297 may include a plurality of sockets 299, the plurality of sockets 299 being configured to receive electrical connectors of the lamp assembly 20. The PCB structure 297 may also include electrical traces (electrical trace) and other electronics to communicate power and signals to the lamp assembly 20 from the multi-zone lamp driver 276 and the controller 272. Each of the plurality of lamp assemblies 20 is embedded in the PCB structure 297 to be electrically connected to a power supply (not shown) through the driver 276.
Exemplary Lamp Assembly
Figure 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a lamp assembly 300 used in an RTP chamber, such as the RTP chamber 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lamp assembly 300 may be used in the position of the lamp assembly 20 shown in figure 1. It should be noted that the concepts and features described in fig. 3 apply equally to the various embodiments discussed in the disclosure herein. Generally, the lamp assembly 300 includes a lamp element 302 and an adapter 306. The adapter 306 is configured to removably engage the light element 302. The lamp elements 302 and the adapter 306 in each lamp assembly 20 in the array 196 (fig. 1) of lamp assemblies 20 are individually replaceable. When a light bulb fails, only the light element of the lamp assembly containing the failed light bulb is replaced, rather than replacing the entire lamp assembly. Thus, the adapter can be reused. Having the adapter and the lamp element removable from each other and exchangeable in the lamp assembly reduces the cost of lamp replacement once the adapter is purchased.
The adapter 306 may have a generally tubular or cylindrical body, or an elongated body, some portion of the cross-sectional edge of which matches the cross-sectional edge of the lamp base where the lamp is typically embedded. The adapter 306 has a first end 304 and a second end 314 opposite the first end 304. The first end 304 of the adapter 306 has a socket 324 that is contoured to receive the bottom of the light element 302, e.g., to press the seal 312. The lamp component 302 generally includes a light-transmitting capsule 308, the light-transmitting capsule 308 including a filament 310, and a press seal 312, the press seal 312 being coupled to the light-transmitting capsule 308 or extending from the light-transmitting capsule 308. The filament 310 is electrically connected to metal foils 318a, 318b disposed within the press seal 312 by filament leads 316a, 316b, respectively. The press seal 312 is encapsulated around the metal foils 318a, 318b and creates a hermetic seal. The metallic foils 318a, 318b may extend beyond the press seal 312. The metallic foils 318a, 318b are in electrical communication with the optional electrical connectors 320a, 320b via electrically conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b that extend through the adapter 306. The adapter 306 has channels 332a, 332b, the plurality of channels 332a, 332b configured to allow passage of the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322 b. The channels 332a, 332b may extend from the receptacle 324 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 303 of the adapter. In some cases where the electrical conductors are sufficiently insulated and no additional cooling is required, the channels 332a, 332b may be connected to form one channel.
In some embodiments, the second end 314 of the adapter 306 may be sealed with a plug 330. The electrical connectors 320a, 320b extend through and out of the plug 330 to embed respective electrically conductive sockets 299 formed in the PCB structure 297 to distribute power to the filament 310. In some cases, the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b may be connected to the electrical connectors 320a, 320b as shown in fig. 3. If desired, at least one of the electrically conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b of the lamp element 302 may have an engagement feature configured to engage with an electrically conductive socket 299 formed within the PCB structure 297. Alternatively, the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b may include additional components to provide sufficient rigidity to the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b, as will be discussed in more detail below with reference to fig. 4A-4F. In this case, electrical connectors 320a, 320b may be omitted and conductive wires or leads having enhanced rigidity may be embedded into or engaged with conductive sockets 299 formed within PCB structure 297.
The adapter 306 may have a mating extension 326 formed in the interior surface 317 of the receptacle 324. The light element 302, such as the press seal 312, may have a corresponding groove 328 formed in an exterior surface of the press seal 312. When the light element 302 is engaged with the adapter 306, the mating extension 326 snaps into the groove 328 and locks the mating extension 326 and the groove 328 into a locked position. Once the adapter 306 and the lamp component 302 are engaged, a portion of the press seal 312 or the entire press seal 312 is received within the receptacle 324. Although not discussed herein, it is contemplated that the adapter 306 and the light element 302 can have any other suitable engagement features to allow for easy, quick replacement or installation of the adapter and/or the light element.
The height of the adapter 306 may vary depending on the length of the lamp component 302 (i.e., the capsule 308 and/or the press seal 312) and the configuration of the thermal processing chamber. In certain types of thermal processing chambers, it is desirable to maintain a fixed distance between the lamp assembly and the ceiling of the thermal processing chamber to provide uniform radiant heating of the substrate. In such a case, the adapter 306 may be made in a uniform size and configured to engage the light element 302 at different heights. Alternatively, the adapter 306 may be made at a different height to engage light elements 302 made at the same height. In various embodiments, the adapter 306 may have a height of about 5mm to about 240mm, such as about 8mm to about 100mm, for example about 10mm to about 20mm, about 20mm to about 30mm, about 30mm to about 40mm, about 40mm to about 50mm, about 50mm to about 60mm, about 60mm to about 70mm, about 70mm to about 80mm, about 80mm to about 90mm, about 90mm to about 100 mm.
The adapter 306 may be made of a high thermal conductivity material such as metal (e.g., copper, aluminum, or stainless steel) or ceramic (e.g., aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride) to facilitate heat transfer between the lamp element 302 and the environment. In one embodiment, aluminum is used for the cylindrical body to surround the press seal 312 to increase the thermal conductivity of the adapter 306. In some embodiments, the top surface and/or interior surface 317 of the receptacle 324 may be contoured and coated to help direct radiation to the target in a controlled manner, or to alter the radiant heating of the adapter. For example, the interior surface 317 of the socket 324 may be tapered, cylindrical, hemispherical, or curved and coated with a light reflective material (such as aluminum, protective aluminum, gold, or gold-plated aluminum), or even coated with a scattering reflective material (such as titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, zirconium oxide, or hafnium oxide). The top surface of the socket 324 described herein relates to the surface facing the bulb while the inside surface 317 relates to the surface adjacent the press seal 312. A gas gap 350 may be provided between the press seal 312 and the interior surface 317 of the adapter 306. The gas gap 350 acts as a cooling path to facilitate heat transfer from the lamp element 302 to the ambient. In one example, the gas gap 350 is about 0.005mm to about 1 mm. The wall thickness of the adapter 306, particularly the wall surrounding the press seal 312, may be about 0.5mm to about 30 mm. It should be noted that the wall thickness may vary as a result of the rectangular cross section in the circular cross section adapter pressing against the seal.
To further increase the thermal conductivity of the cylindrical body surrounding the press seal 312, a higher thermal conductivity component may be present between the press seal 312 and the socket 324. In one embodiment, the thermal conductivity composition can have a thermal conductivity of from about 1-2W/(K-m) to about 150W/(m-K) or more, e.g., in excess of 200W/(m-K). Some possible materials include, but are not limited to, MgPO4、ZrSiO4、ZrO2、MgO、Al3N4And SiO2. The same thermal conductivity composition may also be formed on the exposed surfaces of the channels 332a, 332b to aid in cooling of the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b extending through the channels 332a, 332 b. One or more of these ways in combination may greatly facilitate conducting heat away from the bulb and lamp elements to the cooling fluid flowing through the lamp head housing that surrounds the plurality of lamp assemblies. In most cases, the press seal 312 may be maintained below about 350 ℃. Accordingly, the bulb life of the lamp assembly may be improved.
The light element 302 may or may not have a fuse (not shown) in the light transmitting capsule 308 or the press seal 312. Fuses are typically provided to limit arcing or potential explosion in the lamp during lamp failure. A fuse may be provided to the exterior of the light-transmitting capsule 308 and the press seal 312 to prevent unwanted rupture or breakage of the capsule during lamp failure. In those instances where the light element 302 is a simple cabin/fuse type (i.e., the adapter does not contain a fuse and the fuse is contained inside or outside the light element 302), the fuse may be replaced with the light element 302. In the case where the light element 302 is a simple capsule type (i.e., fuses are not used in the light element 302 and may be provided by an adapter), the adapter 306 optionally provides for connecting fuses to the conductive wires or leads 322a, 333 b. In this case, the light element may be electrically connected to the socket inside the adapter, rather than directly to the PCB. Also in this case, the fuse may be made separate from the adapter 306 and may be replaced via the side or second end 314 or even the top end of the adapter 306, as will be discussed in more detail below with reference to fig. 6A and 6B. In the case where a fuse is provided to the light transmitting capsule 308 and outside the press seal 312, the lamp element 302 may include additional components to provide sufficient rigidity to the conductive wires or leads 322a, 322b to absorb the compressive forces applied during embedding of the lamp assembly 300 into the PCB structure 297 (i.e., to prevent the fuse from being compressed). The various components used to enhance the rigidity of the conductive wire or lead are discussed below with reference to fig. 4A-4F. In some embodiments, the fuse may be optionally included in other portions of the circuit, such as a PCB board, and need not be included in the light element 302 or the adapter 306.
Exemplary light element
Fig. 4A-4F are schematic diagrams of exemplary light element designs that may be used to engage with the adapter 306 of embodiments of the present disclosure. The lamp component 400 depicted in each of these figures generally comprises a quartz capsule 402, the quartz capsule 402 enclosing a tungsten filament 404. Tungsten leads 406a, 406b extend from the filament 404 and are each attached (e.g., welded) to molybdenum foils 408a, 408 b. Molybdenum leads 410a, 410b are attached (e.g., welded) to the molybdenum foils 408a, 408b and extend from the molybdenum foils 408a, 408 b. The quartz press seal 412 is encapsulated around the molybdenum foils 408a, 408b and creates a hermetic seal. The molybdenum leads 410a, 410b extend out of the press seal 412.
In each of fig. 4A-4C, a conductive pin 414 is attached (e.g., soldered) to lead 410 b. In addition, an insulating sleeve 416 (e.g., a ceramic or plastic sleeve), a fuse 418, and a conductive pin 420 are attached to the lead 410 a. The fuse 418 composition may be selected from the same group of metals used for lamp fuses, such as nickel, zinc, copper, silver, aluminum, and alloys thereof. Once the light element 400 is engaged with the adapter 306 (or multiple adapter designs shown in fig. 5 and 6A-6B), the conductive pins 414 and the conductive pins 420 extend through the channels 332a, 332B formed in the adapter 306 and are embedded into the conductive sockets 299 formed in the PCB structure 297 or engage the conductive sockets 299 formed in the PCB structure 297 to connect to a power source.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 4A, the insulating sleeve 416 may have a thin metal layer 422 deposited on the inner surface 417 of the sleeve 416. The equivalent cross-section (perpendicular to the current flow) of the metal layer 422 corresponds approximately to the equivalent cross-section of a fuse wire or tape designed for the application. Likewise, the composition of the metal layer 422 can be selected from the same group of metals used for lamp fuses, such as nickel, zinc, copper, silver, aluminum, and alloys thereof. The leads 410a and the conductive pins 420 are electrically connected to the metal layer 422, e.g., soldered, brazed, interference fit, or compression fit. The thin metal layer 422 is configured to act as a fuse 418.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 4B, the insulating sleeve 416 may have a thin metal trace 424 deposited along one side of the inner surface 417 of the sleeve 416. The lead 410a and the conductive pin 420 are secured to the sleeve 416 in electrical connection with traces 424 that function as fuses 418. The lead 410a and the conductive pin 420 may be attached to the sleeve 416, for example using a ceramic composition, a high temperature epoxy, a high temperature phenolic, or a heat shrink tube. The traces 424 may be extended at the top and bottom ends of the insulative sleeve 416 to cover the entire inner diameter and beyond a short axial length to allow the sleeve 416 to be attached to the conductive pin 420 and the lead 410a by soldering or brazing.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 4C, a wire fuse 418 is attached (e.g., welded, soldered) to the lead 410a and extends through the insulative sleeve 416. The fuse 418 is further attached (e.g., welded, soldered) to the conductive pin 420. The lead 410a and the conductive pin 420 may be attached to the sleeve 416, for example using a ceramic composition, a high temperature epoxy, a high temperature phenolic, or a heat shrink tube. For any of the designs shown in fig. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the insulating sleeve 416 may be filled with low-melting glass beads or insulating particles to act as an arc-extinguishing type fuse.
Thus, each of the lamp components 400 shown in fig. 4A-4C provides a connection between the leads 410a, 410b and the conductive pins 414, 420 (to be embedded in the PCB structure 297 or to engage the conductive pins 414, 420 with the PCB structure 297 as shown in fig. 1), without the need for a ceramic potting component or any thermally conductive component in the lamp component 400, relative to prior art high pressure, tungsten halogen lamps. In most cases, the ceramic potting component or thermally conductive component may be removed from the lamp assembly even after the lamp element 400 is engaged with the adapter of the present invention discussed in fig. 3, 5 and 6. Once light element 400 is engaged with an adapter (e.g., adapter 306 or the multiple adapter designs shown in fig. 5 and 6A-6B), the insulated tube structure may provide rigidity to absorb the compressive forces applied during embedding of conductive pins 414, 420 into PCB structure 297.
Although each of fig. 4A-4C shows a conductive pin 414 attached to a lead 410b, in the embodiment shown in fig. 4D-4F, lead 410b is attached to an additional insulative sleeve 416 (e.g., a ceramic or plastic sleeve), an additional fuse 418, and an additional conductive pin 420 in the same manner as that associated with lead 410 a. In addition, each of the pins 414 and 420 may be configured to be compatible with a mating socket 299 formed in the PCB structure 297.
Other suitable light elements that may be used to engage with the adapter 306 (or multiple adapter designs shown in fig. 5 and 6A-6B) are further described in U.S. patent application No. 61/787,805 (attorney docket No. 020542), entitled "SIMPLIFIED LAMP DESIGN (simplified lamp head design"), filed on 3, 15, 2013, applicants are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
Figure 5 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an exemplary lamp assembly 500 used in an RTP chamber, such as the RTP chamber 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lamp assembly 500 may be used at the lamp assembly 20 shown in fig. 1. The lamp assembly 500 generally comprises a lamp element 501 and an adapter 513. The light elements 501 may be of a simple cabin/fuse type (i.e., the adapter 513 does not contain a fuse and the fuse is external to the light elements 501). The lamp component 501 includes a body 502, the body 502 housing the filament 504, and a press seal 512, the press seal 512 being coupled to the body 502 or extending from the body 502. The nacelle 502 can have a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, tubular, conical, spherical, and multi-arcuate. The press seal 512 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the capsule 502, or may be any shape that allows the filament leads 506a, 506b to extend from the filament 504 to the metal foils 508a, 508 b. In one embodiment, press seal 512 is an elongated substantially rectangular shape. Metal leads 510a, 510b are attached (e.g., welded) to the metal foils 508a, 508b and extend from the metal foils 508a, 508b through the press seal 512 and out the outside of the press seal 512. The press seal 512 is encapsulated around the metal foils 508a, 508b and creates a hermetic seal.
The adapter 513 may have a generally tubular or cylindrical body having a first end 523 facing the press seal 512 and a second end 525 opposite the first end 523. The cylindrical body provides for easy manufacturing, however other cross-sectional shapes, such as square, rectangular, triangular and multi-arc are also feasible. The adapter 513 can have channels 527, 529 configured to allow the metal leads 510a, 510b to pass through the plurality of channels 527, 529. Similar to adapter 306 (fig. 3), adapter 513 is configured to removably engage with press seal 512. Adapter 513 has a receptacle 509 that is contoured to receive at least a portion of press seal 512. The socket 509 of the adapter 513 may have mating extensions 517 formed on an inner peripheral surface 507 of the socket 509. Press seal 512 may have a corresponding groove 515 formed in an outer surface 519 of press seal 512 such that when engaged, mating extension 517 snaps into groove 515 and locks mating extension 517 and groove 515 in a locked position.
The adapter 513 may be made of a thermally conductive material, such as a metallic material (e.g., copper, aluminum, or stainless steel) to help conduct heat away from the lamp element 501. A gas gap 550 may be provided between the press seal 512 and the inner peripheral surface 507 of the adapter 513 to facilitate the transfer of heat from the lamp element 501 to the environment. In one example, the gas gap 550 is about 0.005mm to about 1 mm. Increasing the thickness of the cylindrical body without increasing the overall outer diameter of the adapter 513 may also improve the transfer of heat away from the lamp element 501. In a non-limiting example, adapter 513 can have an outer diameter of about 2mm to about 50mm, for example, an inner diameter of about 10mm to about 35mm and about 1mm to about 49mm, for example, about 9mm to about 34 mm. The wall thickness of the adapter 513, particularly the wall surrounding the press seal 512, may be about 0.5mm to about 30 mm. A higher thermally conductive composition may be disposed between the press seal 512 and the socket 509. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive composition can have a thermal conductivity of about 1-2W/(K-m) to about 150W/(m-K) or more, e.g., greater than 200W/(m-K). Some possible materials include, but are not limited to, MgPO4、ZrSiO4、ZrO2、MgO、Al3N4And SiO2. The same thermal conductivity composition may also be formed on the exposed surfaces of the channels 527, 529 to aid in the cooling of the metal leads 510a, 510b extending through the channels 527, 529.
During processing, a majority of the thermal energy is conducted laterally (radially) away from the press seal 512 through the gas gap 550 to the cylindrical body of the adapter 513, and then laterally to the cooling fluid that travels in the space 236 (fig. 2) between the lamp assembly housings 204. In most cases, the press seal 512 may be maintained below about 350 ℃. Accordingly, the bulb life of the lamp assembly may be improved.
The light element 501 may or may not provide a fuse. Fig. 5 shows an embodiment in which a fuse is disposed outside the lamp housing 502. In this embodiment, the metal leads 510a, 510b may include additional components as discussed above in connection with fig. 4A-4F to provide sufficient rigidity to the metal leads 510a, 510b to absorb the compressive forces (i.e., prevent the fuse from being compressed) applied during the embedding of the lamp assembly 500 into the PCB structure 297. For example, metal lead 510b may be connected to a conductive pin 514, the conductive pin 514 extending through adapter 513, the adapter 513 to be embedded in or to engage with a mating socket 299 formed in PCB structure 297. In addition, an insulating sleeve 516 (e.g., a ceramic or plastic sleeve), a fuse 518, and a conductive pin 520 may be attached to the metal lead 510 a. The fuse 518 is provided to limit arcing or potential explosion in the lamp during lamp failure and can be replaced with the capsule 502 and the press seal 512. The composition of the fuse 518 can be selected from the same group of metals used for lamp fuses, such as nickel, zinc, copper, silver, aluminum, and alloys thereof. Once the lamp element 501 is engaged with the adapter 513, the conductive pin 514, the insulating sleeve 516, the fuse 518, and the conductive pin 520 provide a rigid, conductive extension for embedding the lamp assembly 500 into a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) structure 297.
Alternatively, the second end 525 of the adapter 513 may be sealed using a plug 526. The plugs 526 are configured such that the conductive pins 514, 520 may pass through the plugs 526 and engage mating receptacles 299 formed in the PCB structure 297. The plug 526 may be made of a rigid or resilient material. The plug 526 may be fixed or flexibly positioned to allow movement relative to the second end 525 of the adapter 513 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 503 of the adapter 513 to thereby accommodate any misalignment between the lamp assembly and the electrical connectors formed in the PCB structure 297. The material of the plug 526 may be resistant to high temperatures, such as about 150 ℃.
Fig. 6A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary lamp assembly 600 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 6B is a schematic perspective view of fig. 6A. Fig. 6A is generally similar in concept to fig. 3 and 5, except that the adapter 613 is configured to be provided with a fuse that is replaceable from the side or bottom of the adapter 613. The lamp assembly 600 generally includes a lamp element 601 and an adapter 613. The light element 601 may be of a simple cabin type (i.e. the light element 601 does not comprise a fuse and the fuse is provided by the adapter 613). The lamp component 601 includes a body 602 and a press seal 612, the body 602 housing the filament 604, the press seal 612 being coupled to the body 602 or extending from the body 602. Press seal 612 may be any shape that allows the filament legs 606a, 606b to extend from the filament 604 to the metal foils 608a, 608 b. In one embodiment, the press seal 612 is an elongated substantially rectangular shape (best seen in fig. 6B). Metal leads 610a, 610b are attached (e.g., soldered) to the metal foils 608a, 608b and extend from the metal foils 608a, 608b through the press seal 612 and out the outside of the press seal 612. The press seal 612 is encapsulated around the metal foils 608a, 608b and creates a hermetic seal.
The adapter 613 may have a generally tubular or cylindrical body, or an elongated body, some portion of the cross-sectional edge of which matches the cross-sectional edge of the lamp base where the lamp is typically embedded. The adapter 613 has a first end 623 facing the press seal 612 and a second end 625 opposite the first end 623. Similar to adapter 306 (fig. 3), adapter 613 is configured to removably engage press seal 612. The adapter 613 may have a socket 609, the socket 609 being contoured to receive at least a portion of the press seal 612. The adapter 613 can have slots 627, 629, the plurality of slots 627, 629 extending within the adapter 613 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 603 of the adapter 613. The grooves 627, 629 are contoured to allow the insertion of the metal leads 610a, 610 b. In some embodiments, the grooves 627, 629 can contain retention features to engage and disengage corresponding retention features disposed on the metal leads 610a, 610 b. The retention features disclosed in the present disclosure may include lateral operating elements such as contact springs, spring-loaded members, slides, grooves or channels, and the like. The grooves 627, 629 may be electrically connected to respective conductive pins 620, 614 formed through the adapter 613. The socket 609 of the adapter 613 may have a mating extension 617 formed in the inner peripheral surface 607 of the socket 609. The press seal 612 may have a corresponding groove 615 in the outer surface 619 of the press seal 612 such that when engaged, the mating extension 617 snaps into the groove 615 and locks the mating extension 617 and the groove 615 in a locked position.
To improve heat dissipation from the lamp element 601, the adapter 613 may be made of a conductive material similar to the adapter 513. A gas gap 650 may be formed between the press seal 612 and the inner peripheral surface 607 of the adapter 613 to facilitate the transfer of heat from the lamp element 601 to the environment. In one example, the gas gap 650 is about 0.005mm to about 1 mm. Similarly, increasing the thickness of the cylindrical body without increasing the overall outer diameter of the adapter 613 can further improve the transfer of heat away from the lamp element 601. In a non-limiting example, the adapter 613 can have an outer diameter of about 2mm to about 50mm, for example, an inner diameter of about 10mm to about 35mm and about 1mm to about 49mm, for example, about 9mm to about 34 mm. The wall thickness of the adapter 613, particularly the wall surrounding the press seal 612, may be about 0.5mm to about 30 mm. A higher thermally conductive composition may be disposed between the press seal 612 and the socket 609. In one embodiment, the thermally conductive composition can have a thermal conductivity of about 1-2W/(K-m) to about 150W/(m-K) or more, e.g., greater than 200W/(m-K). Some possible materials include, but are not limited to, MgPO4、ZrSiO4、ZrO2、MgO、Al3N4And SiO2. In some instances, such as in electrical socket connections, the same or different thermal conductivity elements may be formed on the exposed surfaces of the grooves 627, 629 to aid in the cooling of the metal leads 610a, 610b extending through the channels 627, 629.
During processing, a majority of the thermal energy is conducted laterally (radially) away from press seal 612 through gas gap 650 to the cylindrical body of adapter 613 and then laterally to the cooling fluid that travels in space 236 (fig. 2) between lamp assembly housings 204. In most cases, the press seal 612 may be maintained below about 350 ℃. Accordingly, the bulb life of the lamp assembly may be improved.
In one embodiment, the fuses 618a, 618b may be electrically attached (e.g., soldered) between the conductive pins 620, 614 and the electrical connectors 620, 622. In another embodiment, either of the fuses 618a, 618b may be replaced with a conductive wire or lead. The adapter 613 may provide one or more cutouts 652, the cutouts 652 being of a size sufficient to allow access to the fuses 618a, 618b, the plurality of fuses 618a, 618b being used to pass through the cutouts 652 of the adapter 613. The notch 652 may be formed in the sidewall 633 of the cylindrical body of the adapter 613. Alternatively, the fuses 618a, 618b may be replaced through the second end 625 of the adapter 613. In some embodiments where the lamp element 601 operates at low voltage (e.g., 12V), both fuses 618a, 618b may be replaced with conductive wires or leads, or the metal leads 610a, 610b may simply extend through an optional plug 626, which plug 626 seals the second end 625 of the adapter 613.
Once the light element 601 is engaged with the adapter 613, the conductive pins 620, 614 (or electrical connectors 620, 622 if used) of the lamp assembly 600 are then inserted into the respective conductive sockets 299 formed in the PCB structure 297 or engaged with the respective conductive sockets 299 formed in the PCB structure 297 to connect to a power source. It should be noted that in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the lamp assembly 300 and the lamp assembly 500 may directly connect the lamp components with the PCB structure, while the lamp assembly 600 may include two sets of electrical connections: (1) PCB structure 297 is connected to the lamp adapter; and (2) the lamp adapter is connected to the lamp element. Alternatively, the lamp assembly may be configured to directly connect the lamp elements with the PCB structure 297.
The embodiments of the lamp assembly discussed in fig. 3, 5, and 6A-6B may be advantageous for certain thermal processing chambers having a modified PCB structure configured to allow for simple, quick replacement of the lamp assembly without moving the entire lamp head assembly or PCB structure. For example, the PCB structure 297 may be provided with a plurality of openings (corresponding to the locations of the lamp assemblies) sized to allow passage of lamp assemblies, such as the lamp assemblies 300, 500, and 600, therethrough for quick lamp replacement and simple use of the lamp head assembly. In this case, the electrical connectors of the lamp assemblies 300, 500, and 600 may have electrical connection features configured to electrically communicate with electrical contact terminals disposed in or around the opening to securely locate and power the lamp in the lamp assembly from a power source.
The PCB structure may be a single flat circuit board, or may be composed of a plurality of concentric circular circuit boards arranged in a stepped manner according to the angle of the chamber ceiling, so that the distance between the lamp and the chamber ceiling is kept constant. In either case, the light elements may have substantially the same dimensions and the height of the adapter may increase in a gradient in a radially outward direction from the center of the PCB structure to the periphery of the PCB structure, or vice versa (i.e., adapters made with substantially the same dimensions and light elements made with different heights). An exemplary PCB structure having an opening and adapter having a plurality of electrical connection features is further described in U.S. patent application No. 61/907,847 (attorney docket No. 020555), filed 11/22/2013, entitled "EASY ACCESS LAMPHEAD (easy access lamp head)", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Advantages of the present disclosure include that the light element can be easily and quickly replaced by removably engaging the light element with the adapter so that the light element and/or the adapter can be independently replaced. Such that the adapter and the lamp element are removable from each other and exchangeable in the lamp assembly, which reduces the cost of lamp replacement once the adapter is purchased. Depending on the type of light element, the adapter may provide an optional fuse that may be replaced from the side or bottom end of the adapter. The adapter may provide a socket that is contoured and coated to help direct the thermal radiation to the target in a controlled manner. The adapter may provide features and cooling paths to facilitate heat transfer from the light element to the environment. Thus, the lamp can be operated with a press seal at a temperature low enough to allow a longer lamp life.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. And the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the following patent application.
