An apparatus including a multi-station processing chamber with a top plate and a bottom portion encloses stations each including a pedestal assembly. A spindle centrally located between the stations is configured to rotate about a central axis, and is electrically connected to the bottom portion. An actuator controls movement of the spindle in the Z-direction. An indexer connected to the spindle rotates with the spindle, and includes extensions each configured to interface with a corresponding substrate for substrate transfer. An electrically conductive interface movably connected to the top plate provides an RF return path. Another actuator coupled to the grounding interface controls movement of the electrically conductive interface in the Z-direction. The electrically conductive interface moves downwards in the Z-direction to make contact with the indexer when each of the plurality of extensions is parked and the spindle is moved to a lower position during plasma processing.

Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a chamber body defining a transfer region. The systems may include a lid plate seated on the chamber body. The lid plate may define a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures. The systems may include a plurality of lid stacks equal to a number of the first plurality of apertures. Each lid stack may include a choke plate seated on the lid plate along a first surface of the choke plate. The choke plate may define a first aperture axially aligned with an associated aperture of the first plurality of apertures. The choke plate may define a second aperture axially aligned with an associated aperture of the second plurality of apertures. The choke plate may define protrusions extending from each of a top and bottom surface of the choke plate that are arranged substantially symmetrically about the first aperture.

The present disclosure relates to methods of correlating zones of processing chambers, and related systems and methods. In one implementation, a method of correlating zones of a processing chamber includes partitioning the processing volume into a plurality of zones along a first direction of the processing volume and a second direction of the processing volume. The second direction intersects the first direction. The plurality of zones have a first zone number (m), and a second zone number (n). The method includes determining a group number. The determining of the group number includes multiplying a first value by a second value. The first value correlates to a first zone number (m) of a plurality of zones and the second value correlates to a second zone number (n) of the plurality of zones. The method includes grouping the zones into groups having a number that is equal to the group number.

Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. A spatial deposition tool comprises a plurality of substrate support surfaces on a substrate support assembly and a plurality of spatially separated and isolated processing stations. The spatially separated isolated processing stations have independently controlled temperature, processing gas types, and gas flows. In some embodiments, the processing gases on one or multiple processing stations are activated using plasma sources. The operation of the spatial tool comprises rotating the substrate assembly in a first direction, and rotating the substrate assembly in a second direction, and repeating the rotations in the first direction and the second direction until a predetermined thickness is deposited on the substrate surface(s).

A top lid capable of minimizing thermal deformation when a substrate processing temperature increases includes a support for supporting the top lid, the support protruding integrally from one surface of the top lid.

A method for calibration including determining a temperature induced offset in a pedestal of a process module under a temperature condition for a process. The method includes delivering a wafer to the pedestal of the process module by a robot, and detecting an entry offset. The method includes rotating the wafer over the pedestal by an angle. The method includes removing the wafer from the pedestal by the robot and measuring an exit offset. The method includes determining a magnitude and direction of the temperature induced offset using the entry offset and exit offset.

A batch mode SiC (Silicon Carbide) epitaxial reactor comprising an inlet gas manifold, an inlet heat exchanger coupled to the inlet gas manifold, a plurality of removable vertical susceptors configured to couple to the inlet heat exchanger, a plurality of exhaust heat exchangers coupled to the plurality of removable vertical susceptors, and a scrubber coupled to the plurality of exhaust heat exchangers. Each removable vertical susceptor is configured to hold at least two SiC wafers tilted in a vertical fixed position relative to a flow of heated gases output by the inlet heat exchanger. The plurality of exhaust heat exchangers are configured to heat hydrogen gas. The heated hydrogen gas is configured to couple to the inlet heat exchanger to heat gases provided through the inlet gas manifold to grow SiC on the plurality of SiC wafers in the plurality of removable vertical susceptors thereby reducing energy consumption.

A batch processing chamber and a process kit for use therein are provided. The process kit includes an outer liner having an upper outer liner and a lower outer liner, an inner liner, and a top plate and a bottom plate attached to an inner surface of the inner liner. The top plate and the bottom plate form an enclosure together with the inner liner, and a cassette is disposed within the enclosure. The cassette including shelves configured to retain a plurality of substrates thereon. The inner liner has inlet openings disposed on an injection side of the inner liner and configured to be in fluid communication with a gas injection assembly of a processing chamber, and outlet openings disposed on an exhaust side of the inner liner and configured to be in fluid communication with a gas exhaust assembly of the processing chamber. The inner surfaces of the enclosure comprise material configured to cause black-body radiation within the enclosure.

A system includes a plurality of spindle arms located above a plurality of stations in a processing chamber to transport a semiconductor substrate between the stations. The spindle arms reside in the processing chamber during processing of the semiconductor substrate. The system comprises first gas lines arranged below the stations to supply a purge gas. The system comprises second gas lines extending upwards from the first gas lines to supply the purge gas to the spindle arms during the processing of the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber.