1. An assembly comprising:
a panel comprising a first surface;
a first active circuit coupled to the first surface of the panel;
a cold plate having a first bore and comprising a first inner surface exposed by the first bore; and
a first thermally conductive material in contact with the first inner surface of the cold plate and the first active circuit.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cold plate has a second bore and the cold plate comprises a second inner surface exposed by the second bore, and further comprising:
a second active circuit coupled to the first surface of the panel; and
a second thermally conductive material in contact with the second inner surface of the cold plate and the first active circuit.
3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first active circuit and the second active circuit differ in thickness by more than 1 mil.
4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first thermally conductive material and the second thermally conductive material are composed of the same elements.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the first thermally conductive material comprises one of lead and tin.
6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the first thermally conductive material comprises a thermally conductive epoxy.
7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a gold layer attached to the first inner surface and a second surface of the cold plate opposite the first surface of the cold plate.
8. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a first standoff member in contact with the panel and the cold plate; and
a first fastener extending through the standoff and configured to secure the cold plate to the panel.
9. The assembly of claim 8, further comprising:
a second standoff member in contact with the panel and the cold plate; and
a second fastener extending through the standoff and configured to secure the cold plate to the panel;
a third standoff member in contact with the panel and the cold plate; and
a third fastener extending through the standoff and configured to secure the cold plate to the panel.
10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a mask layer attached to a second surface of the cold plate opposite the first surface of the cold plate, the mask layer being resistant to bonding to the thermally conductive material.
11. A method to provide thermal cooling to active circuits, comprising:
disposing a thermally conductive material in bores of a cold plate;
enabling the thermally conductive material to cover a substantial portion of top surfaces of the active circuits; and
providing a thermal path from the top surfaces of the active circuits to inner surfaces of the cold plate formed by the bores using the thermally conductive material.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein enabling the thermally conductive material to cover a substantial portion of top surfaces of the active circuits comprises heating the thermally conductive material.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the active circuits wherein at least two active circuits have different thicknesses.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein a first active circuit and a second active circuit differ in thickness by more than 1 mil.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the first thermally conductive material comprises one of lead and tin.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
disposing standoff members in contact with the panel and the cold plate; and
securing the cold plate to the panel using a fasteners extending through the standoffs.
17. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching a mask layer to a second surface of the cold plate opposite the first surface of the cold plate, the mask layer being resistant to bonding to the thermally conductive material.
18. An active, electronically scanned array (AESA) panel architecture system comprising:
an antenna panel;
an active panel coupled to the antenna panel and comprising a first surface;
active circuits coupled to the first surface of the active panel;
a cold plate comprising:
bores; and
inner surfaces exposed by the bores; and
thermally conductive material in contact with the inner surfaces of the cold plate and the active circuits,
wherein a first active circuit of the active circuits and a second active circuit of the active circuits differ in thickness by more than 1 mil.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the thermally conductive material comprises one of lead and tin.
20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a gold layer attached to the inner surfaces of the cold plate opposite the first surface of the cold plate.
21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:
standoff members in contact with the active panel and the cold plate; and
fasteners extending through the standoff and configured to secure the cold plate to the active panel.
22. The system of claim 18, further comprising a mask layer attached to a second surface of the cold plate opposite the first surface of the cold plate, the mask layer being resistant to bonding to the thermally conductive material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
providing a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between a substrate support and a chamber body, wherein at least a portion of the curtain is positioned inward of a perimeter of the substrate support;
providing RF power to a showerhead disposed over the substrate support; and
plasma processing a substrate disposed on the substrate support.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
actuating lift pins to separate the substrate from the substrate support.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein actuating further comprises:
moving the lift pins through a hole formed in the curtain.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein actuating further comprises:
contacting a lower end of the lift pins to a lift plate.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein actuating further comprises:
contacting a lower end of the lift pins to a bottom of the chamber body.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
lowering the substrate support, wherein lower further comprises flexing the curtain around a bend.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
lowering the substrate support, wherein lower further comprises flexing the curtain around a plurality of bends.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the curtain extends along substantially an entire first side of the substrate support.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
at least a second curtain extending along substantially an entire second side of the substrate support.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
a third curtain extending along substantially an entire third side of the substrate support; and
a fourth curtain extending along substantially an entire fourth side of the substrate support.
11. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
disposing a substrate on a plurality of lift pins extending from a substrate support, the substrate support having a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between the substrate support and a chamber body;
lowering the substrate onto the substrate support by moving at least one lift pin through the curtain; and
plasma processing the substrate disposed on the substrate support.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
actuating the lift pins to move the substrate towards the substrate support.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
lifting a lower end of the lift pins off of a chamber bottom.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein lowering further comprises:
flexing the curtain around a bend.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein lowering further comprises:
flexing the curtain around a plurality of bends.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the curtain extends along substantially an entire first side of the substrate support.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
flexing a second curtain extending along substantially an entire second side of the substrate support;
flexing a third curtain extending along substantially an entire third side of the substrate support; and
flexing a fourth curtain extending along substantially an entire fourth side of the substrate support.
18. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
providing a substrate disposed on a substrate support in a plasma processing chamber;
coupling RF power to a plasma formed above the substrate;
grounding the substrate support through a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between the substrate support and a chamber body, wherein the curtain extends inwards of a perimeter of the substrate support; and
plasma processing the substrate disposed on the substrate support.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
flexing the curtain into an accordion configuration.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
moving a lift pin through a hole formed in the curtain.