Plasma reactor overhead source power electrode with low arcing tendency, cylindrical gas outlets and shaped surface
First Claim
1. In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece on a support pedestal in a vacuum chamber of the reactor, a radially extending gas distribution electrode forming at least a portion of the ceiling of the reactor, the electrode being an RF plasma source power applicator of the reactor and having a bottom surface facing a processing zone of the reactor, the electrode comprising:
- a gas supply manifold for receiving process gas at a supply pressure at a top portion of said electrode;
plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to said electrode from said gas supply manifold at one end of each orifice;
a radial gas distribution manifold within said electrode extending radially across said electrode;
plural axially extending high conductance gas flow passages coupling the opposite ends of respective ones of said plural pressure-dropping orifices to said radial gas distribution manifold; and
plural high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes formed in said bottom surface of said electrode and extending axially to said radial gas distribution manifold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An overhead gas distribution electrode forming at least a portion of the ceiling of a plasma reactor has a bottom surface facing a processing zone of the reactor. The electrode includes a gas supply manifold for receiving process gas at a supply pressure at a top portion of the electrode and plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to the electrode from the gas supply manifold at one end of each the orifice. A radial gas distribution manifold within the electrode extends radially across the electrode. Plural axially extending high conductance gas flow passages couple the opposite ends of respective ones of the plural pressure-dropping orifices to the radial gas distribution manifold. Plural high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes are formed in the plasma-facing bottom surface of the electrode and extend axially to the radial gas distribution manifold.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece on a support pedestal in a vacuum chamber of the reactor, a radially extending gas distribution electrode forming at least a portion of the ceiling of the reactor, the electrode being an RF plasma source power applicator of the reactor and having a bottom surface facing a processing zone of the reactor, the electrode comprising:
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a gas supply manifold for receiving process gas at a supply pressure at a top portion of said electrode;
plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to said electrode from said gas supply manifold at one end of each orifice;
a radial gas distribution manifold within said electrode extending radially across said electrode;
plural axially extending high conductance gas flow passages coupling the opposite ends of respective ones of said plural pressure-dropping orifices to said radial gas distribution manifold; and
plural high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes formed in said bottom surface of said electrode and extending axially to said radial gas distribution manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A gas distribution metallic electrode of a plasma reactor, the electrode having a bottom surface facing a low pressure processing zone of the reactor, the electrode comprising:
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plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to the electrode and coupled to receive process gas at a supply pressure at one end of each orifice; and
plural axially extending high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes formed in the bottom surface and coupled to a low pressure side of the pressure dropping orifices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 46)
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33. A plasma reactor comprising:
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a vacuum chamber;
gas distribution metallic electrode forming a ceiling of the chamber and having an electrode reactance, the electrode having a bottom surface facing a low pressure processing zone of the reactor, the electrode comprising;
plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to the electrode and coupled to receive process gas at a supply pressure at one end of each orifice;
plural axially extending high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes formed in the bottom surface and coupled to a low pressure side of the pressure dropping orifices;
a VHF source power generator and a fixed impedance match element coupling the generator to the electrode; and
the VHF electrode having a reactance that forms a resonance with plasma in the chamber at a plasma resonant frequency that is the same as or nearly the same as the frequency of the VHF source power generator. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48)
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Specification