GAS INJECTION METHOD FOR UNIFORMLY PROCESSING A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE IN A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method of uniformly processing an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus including a showerhead including gas outlets in discrete sectors of a process exposed surface thereof;
- the method comprising;
processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a first discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead; and
processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a second discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead;
wherein the flow of gas through the first discrete sector and the second discrete sector of the showerhead is time averaged such that the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is uniformly processed.
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Abstract
A method of uniformly processing an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing apparatus including a showerhead including gas outlets in discrete sectors of a process exposed surface thereof comprises processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a first discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead, and processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a second discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead. The flow of gas through the first discrete sector and the second discrete sector of the showerhead is time averaged such that the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is uniformly processed.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of uniformly processing an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus including a showerhead including gas outlets in discrete sectors of a process exposed surface thereof;
- the method comprising;
processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a first discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead; and processing the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate by flowing gas through a second discrete sector of the showerhead while preventing gas from flowing through an adjacent discrete sector of the showerhead; wherein the flow of gas through the first discrete sector and the second discrete sector of the showerhead is time averaged such that the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is uniformly processed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- the method comprising;
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13. A method of uniformly processing an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus including a showerhead including gas outlets in discrete sectors of a process exposed surface thereof;
- the method comprising;
sequentially flowing gas through one or more of the discrete sectors while preventing the flow of gas through at least one other discrete sector wherein the gas flowed through the discrete sectors is time averaged such that the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate is uniformly processed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the method comprising;
Specification