Gas distribution plate assembly for large area plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

• US 20040206305A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Shang, Quanyuan, Choi, Soo Young, Hou, Li, Greene, Robert I.
• Granted Patent: US 6,942,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of a gas distribution plate for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a gas distribution plate includes a diffuser plate having a plurality of gas passages passing between an upstream side and a downstream side of the diffuser plate. At least one of the gas passages includes a first hole and a second hole coupled by an orifice hole. The first hole extends from the upstream side of the diffuser plate while the second hole extends from the downstream side. The orifice hole has a diameter less than the respective diameters of the first and second holes.

Claims

1. A gas distribution plate assembly for a processing chamber, comprising:

a diffuser plate having an upstream side and a downstream side; and

a plurality of gas passages passing between the upstream and downstream sides of the diffuser plate, wherein at least one of the gas passages comprises;

a first hole extending from the upstream side and having a first diameter;

a second hole concentric with the first hole extending from the downstream side and having a second diameter; and

an orifice fluidly coupling the first hole and the second hole and having a diameter less than the first and second holes.

2. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the second hole is flared.

3. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 2, wherein the second hole is flared about 22 to at least about 35 degrees.

4. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1, wherein upstream surface non-anodized aluminum and downstream surface is anodized.

5. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the diffuser plate further comprises:

a first plate having at least a portion of the first hole of the gas passage formed therein; and

a second plate coupled to the first plate and having at least a portion of the second hole of the gas passage formed therein.

6. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a hanger plate having a substantially polygonal aperture and adapted to support the diffuser plate in a processing chamber.

7. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 6 further comprising:

a plurality of pins extending between the hanger plate and diffuser plate, at least one of the pins cooperating with a slot formed in one of the hanger plate or diffuser plate in a manner that accommodates differences in thermal expansion.

8. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the diffuser plate is polygonal.

9. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the orifice holes formed through the diffuser plate has a flow restricting attribute different than at least one of the other orifice holes.

10. A gas distribution plate assembly for a processing chamber, comprising:

a diffuser plate assembly having an aluminum upstream side and a downstream side; and

a plurality of gas passages passing between the upstream and downstream sides of the diffuser plate assembly, wherein at least one of the gas passages comprises;

a first hole extending from the upstream side;

an orifice hole fluidly coupled to a bottom of the first hole; and

a flared second hole extending from the orifice hole to the downstream side, wherein a diameter of the orifice hole is less than the first and second holes.

11. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the bottom of the first hole is at least one of tapered, beveled, rounded or chamfered.

12. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the second hole is flared about 22 to at least about 35 degrees.

13. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the downstream surface has an anodized coating and the upstream surface is un-anodized aluminum.

14. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the downstream and upstream surfaces have an anodized coating.

15. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the diffuser plate assembly further comprises:

a first plate having at least a portion of the first hole of the gas passage formed therein;

a second plate coupled to the first plate and having at least a portion of the second hole of the gas passage formed therein.

16. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10 further comprising:

a hanger plate having inwardly extending flange defining a substantially polygonal aperture, wherein the flange of the hanger plate is adapted to support the diffuser plate assembly.

17. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 16 further comprising:

a plurality of pins extending between the hanger plate and diffuser plate, at least one of the pins positioned within a slot formed in one of the hanger plate or diffuser plate.

18. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 10, wherein the diffuser plate is polygonal.

19. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 18, wherein at least one of the orifice holes formed through the diffuser plate has a flow restricting attribute different than at least one of the other orifice holes.

20. A gas distribution plate assembly for a processing chamber, comprising:

a polygonal aluminum diffuser plate having an upstream side and a downstream side; and

a plurality of gas passages passing between the upstream and downstream sides of a center region of the diffuser plate, wherein at least one of the gas passages comprises;

a first hole extending from the upstream side;

a flared second hole concentric with the first hole extending from the downstream side and having a diameter at least about equal to or greater than the diameter of the first hole; and

an orifice hole coupling the first and second holes and having a diameter less than the first hole.

21. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 20, wherein a spacing between flared edges of adjacent second holes is about 25 mils.

22. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 20, wherein the upstream side and the downstream side of the diffuser plate define a thickness about of at least about 1.2 inches.

23. The gas distribution plate assembly of claim 20, wherein the first hole extending from the upstream side of the diffuser plate has a diameter of about 0.093 to about 0.218 inches.