Tunable gas distribution plate assembly

• US 20040129211A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: White, John M., Blonigan, Wendell T., Bagley, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45591 Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow

Abstract

A gas distribution plate assembly and a method for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a gas distribution plate assembly includes a tuning plate coupled to a diffuser plate. The tuning plate has a plurality of orifice holes formed therethrough that align with a plurality of apertures formed through the diffuser plate, where the apertures each have a greater sectional area than the holes in the tuning plate. Each aperture is aligned with a respective hole to define gas passages through the gas distribution plate assembly. The tuning plate may be interchanged with a replacement tuning plate to change the gas flow characteristics through the gas distribution plate assembly.

Claims