System for controlling a plenum output flow geometry
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a reactive flow into a process chamber comprising:
- generating the reactive flow from a remote plasma generator;
channeling the reactive flow to a chamber inlet leading to the process chamber;
disrupting the reactive flow in the chamber inlet; and
flowing the disrupted reactive flow from the chamber inlet into the process chamber.
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Abstract
A flow control system disrupts a reactive flow into a process chamber in order to shape the flow geometry issuing into a substrate processing chamber. In one embodiment, gas is injected into a chamber inlet in a direction which disrupts the reactive flow traveling through the chamber inlet. In another embodiment, an insert in the chamber inlet disrupts the reactive flow traveling through the chamber inlet into the process chamber.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a reactive flow into a process chamber comprising:
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generating the reactive flow from a remote plasma generator;
channeling the reactive flow to a chamber inlet leading to the process chamber;
disrupting the reactive flow in the chamber inlet; and
flowing the disrupted reactive flow from the chamber inlet into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A process chamber flow control system comprising:
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a remote plasma generator configured to produce a reactive flow;
a process chamber;
a channeling duct connecting the remote plasma generator to the process chamber, the duct being configured to channel the reactive flow from the remote plasma generator to the process chamber;
an inlet plenum between the channeling duct and the process chamber;
a gas source; and
a gas injector configured to inject into the inlet plenum a gas from the gas source in a direction which disrupts the reactive flow. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of controlling a reactive flow into a substrate process chamber comprising:
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generating a reactive flow from a remote plasma generator;
channeling the reactive flow to an inlet plenum leading to a substrate process chamber;
injecting a gas into the inlet plenum at an angle selected to disrupt the reactive flow moving through the inlet plenum; and
flowing the reactive flow from the inlet plenum into the substrate process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of fabricating a substrate comprising:
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channeling a plasma generator product to a process chamber;
injecting a gas in a direction which is non-parallel to a direction the plasma generator product would otherwise enter the process chamber without the non-parallel injection of the gas; and
flowing a combined flow of the plasma generator product and the gas into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of controlling a reactive flow into a substrate processing chamber comprising:
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generating a plasma generator product;
channeling the plasma generator product to an inlet mouth which is joined to the substrate processing chamber;
injecting inert gas upstream from the inlet mouth non-parallel to the plasma generator product and at a flow rate of less than the flow rate of the plasma generator product; and
flowing a combined flow of the plasma generator product and the inert gas into the substrate processing chamber.
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48. A process chamber flow control system comprising:
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a process chamber;
an inlet leading into the process chamber;
a channeling duct configured to channel a plasma generator product to the inlet; and
an inlet insert located in the inlet, the inlet insert being configured to disrupt a reactive flow flowing through the inlet into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of controlling a reactive flow into a process chamber comprising:
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inserting a flow guide into a process chamber inlet;
channeling a reactive flow from a remote plasma generator into the process chamber inlet; and
disrupting the reactive flow as the reactive flow flows through the flow guide into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63)
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64. An apparatus for use in a process chamber flow control system having a process chamber, an inlet leading to the process chamber, and a channeling duct configured to channel a reactive flow to the inlet, comprising:
an inlet plate configured to disrupt a reactive flow flowing through the inlet into the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (65)
Specification