Showerhead assembly
First Claim
1. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate and the gas holes are arranged in a Vogel pattern.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A face plate of a showerhead assembly of a deposition apparatus in which semiconductor substrates are processed includes gas holes arranged in an asymmetric pattern with a hole density which is substantially uniform or varies across the face plate. The face plate can include a lower wall and an outer wall extending vertically upwardly from an outer periphery of the lower wall. The outer wall is sealed to an outer periphery of a back plate such that an inner plenum is formed between the face plate and the back plate. The gas hole pattern in the face plate avoids symmetry which can cause defects on processed substrates.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate and the gas holes are arranged in a Vogel pattern.
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5. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate, the gas holes located at intersections of the curved lines wherein the curved lines extend outwardly in clockwise and counterclockwise directions around the center of the face plate, the clockwise lines intersecting the counterclockwise lines at single locations along the counterclockwise lines, wherein (a) distances between adjacent gas holes located along the clockwise curved lines are about equal to distances between adjacent gas holes located along the counterclockwise curved lines or (b) the total number of clockwise curved lines of gas holes and the total number of counterclockwise curved lines of gas holes are consecutive members of the Fibonacci sequence.
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6. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate, the gas holes located at intersections of the curved lines wherein the curved lines extend outwardly in clockwise and counterclockwise directions around the center of the face plate, the clockwise lines intersecting the counterclockwise lines at single locations along the counterclockwise lines, wherein (a) a ratio of total number of the clockwise curved lines of gas holes to total number of counterclockwise curved lines of holes approaches the golden ratio (1.6180) or (b) a ratio of total number of the counterclockwise curved lines of gas holes to total number of clockwise curved lines of holes approaches the golden ratio (1.6180).
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7. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate, the gas holes located at intersections of the curved lines wherein the curved lines extend outwardly in clockwise and counterclockwise directions around the center of the face plate, the clockwise lines intersecting the counterclockwise lines at single locations along the counterclockwise lines, wherein (a) at an outer periphery of the gas hole pattern there are less than 100 counterclockwise curved lines of gas holes and at least 140 clockwise curved lines of gas holes or (b) at an outer periphery of the gas hole pattern there are less than 100 clockwise curved lines of gas holes and at least 140 counterclockwise curved lines of gas holes.
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11. A face plate of a showerhead useful in a deposition apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the face plate having an asymmetric gas hole pattern of gas holes, wherein the gas holes are spaced apart along curved lines which intersect at locations outwardly of a center of the face plate, the gas hole pattern having a non-radial and non-concentric distribution of gas holes extending through the face plate, the gas holes are located at intersections of the curved lines wherein the curved lines extend outwardly in clockwise and counterclockwise directions around the center of the face plate, the clockwise lines intersecting the counterclockwise lines at single locations along the counterclockwise lines, wherein each of the gas holes has a radial position defined by polar coordinates rn and θ
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n according to the formulas;
θ
=c1*n and rn=c2√
{square root over (θ
n)}wherein c1 and c2 are constants, and c1/2pi is an irrational number. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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n according to the formulas;
Specification