Dual gas faceplate for a showerhead in a semiconductor wafer processing system
First Claim
1. A faceplate for a showerhead comprising a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, wherein:
- each of said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid nickel material; and
said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend in aligned fashion through both the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate, a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and are connected by a plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum, and with each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by brazing relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A faceplate for a showerhead of a semiconductor wafer processing system is provided. The faceplate has a plurality of gas passageways to provide a plurality of gases to the process region without commingling those gases before they reach the processing region within a reaction chamber. The showerhead includes a faceplate and a gas distribution manifold assembly. The faceplate defines a plurality of first gas holes that carry a first gas from the manifold assembly through the faceplate to the process region, and a plurality of channels that couple a plurality of second gas holes to a radial plenum that receives the second gas from the manifold assembly. The faceplate and the manifold assembly are each fabricated from a substantially solid nickel material.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A faceplate for a showerhead comprising a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, wherein:
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each of said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid nickel material; and
said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend in aligned fashion through both the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate, a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and are connected by a plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum, and with each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by brazing relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
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a faceplate having a unitary construction, and fabricated from a solid nickel material;
the faceplate having a plurality of first gas holes that extend through the faceplate, and an internal gas distribution cavity defined by a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by a brazed joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to second gas holes formed in said upper gas distribution plate; and
a gas distribution manifold assembly coupled to said faceplate for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the channels in said lower gas distribution plate. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18)
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13. A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
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a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, wherein;
each of the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid Ni 200 series material; and
the faceplate has a plurality of first gas holes extending through both the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate in an aligned manner, and a plurality of second gas holes extending through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by a brazed joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to third gas holes that extend through the upper gas distribution plate; and
a gas distribution manifold assembly coupled to said faceplate for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes and channels in said lower gas distribution plate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 16)
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17. A chemical vapor deposition reactor comprising:
- a vacuum chamber defining a deposition region;
a wafer support pedestal, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region;
a showerhead, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region, where said showerhead comprises a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, where said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate, and a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum that connects to third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate; and
a gas distribution manifold assembly, coupled to said faceplate, for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate; and
wherein the faceplate is fabricated from a solid Ni 200 series material.
- a vacuum chamber defining a deposition region;
Specification