METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING A UNIFORM SILICON FILM WITH FLOW GRADIENT DESIGNS
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus having a flow gradient created from a gas distribution plate are provided. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus are particularly useful for, but not limited to, depositing a silicon film for solar cell applications. The apparatus for depositing a uniform film for solar cell applications includes a processing chamber, and a quadrilateral gas distribution plate disposed in the processing chamber and having at least four corners separated by four sides. The gas distribution plate further includes a first plurality of chokes formed through the gas distribution plate, the first plurality of chokes located in the corners, and a second plurality of chokes formed through the gas distribution plate, the second plurality of chokes located along the sides of the gas distribution plate between the corner regions, wherein the first plurality of chokes have a greater flow resistance than that of the second plurality of chokes.
399 Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
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a processing chamber having a bottom, side walls, and a chamber lid defining a process volume; a substrate support disposed within the process volume of the processing chamber; a quadrilateral gas distribution plate having an upstream side and a downstream side disposed within the processing chamber, wherein the quadrilateral gas distribution plate has corner regions with a first plurality of orifices extending from the upstream side to the downstream side and edge regions with a second plurality of orifices extending from the upstream side to the downstream side, and wherein each of the first plurality of orifices has a greater flow resistance than each of the second plurality of orifices. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
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a processing chamber having a bottom, side walls, and a chamber lid defining a process volume; a substrate support disposed within the process volume of the processing chamber; a quadrilateral gas distribution plate having an upstream side and a downstream side disposed within the processing chamber, wherein the quadrilateral gas distribution plate has corner regions with a first plurality of chokes, edge regions with a second plurality of chokes, and a central region with a third plurality of chokes, wherein each of the first plurality of chokes has a greater flow resistance than each of the second plurality of chokes, and wherein each of the second plurality of chokes has a greater flow resistance than each of the third plurality of chokes. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for depositing a film on a substrate in a process chamber, comprising:
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placing a substrate onto a substrate support assembly in the process chamber having a gas distribution plate facing the substrate support assembly; flowing process gas through corner regions of the gas distribution plate toward the substrate at a rate less than a rate of process gas flowing through edge regions of the gas distribution plate; and depositing a film on the substrate from the process gas. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification