Continuous gas plasma etching apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for continuous plasma etching of generally planar workpieces, said apparatus comprising:
- a substantially airtight enclosed processing chamber;
means for substantially evacuating said processing chamber;
means for introducing predetermined types and quantities of gases into said processing chamber;
means for introducing workpieces into said processing chamber while maintaining substantial evacuation of said processing chamber;
means for supporting and moving said workpieces along a predetermined path within said processing chamber;
means for generating within said processing chamber an electrically charged plasma such that said plasma substantially surrounds said workpieces while maintaining said workpieces within an electrically neutral field; and
means for removing workpieces from said processing chamber while maintaining substantial evacuation of said processing chamber.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for continuous plasma etching of generally planar workpieces in which the workpieces are introduced into an evacuated chamber containing the plasma, are carried along a continuous processing path and are removed therefrom. The plasma is generated within the chamber and the workpieces are supported within an electrically neutral field within the processing plasma.
32 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for continuous plasma etching of generally planar workpieces, said apparatus comprising:
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a substantially airtight enclosed processing chamber; means for substantially evacuating said processing chamber; means for introducing predetermined types and quantities of gases into said processing chamber; means for introducing workpieces into said processing chamber while maintaining substantial evacuation of said processing chamber; means for supporting and moving said workpieces along a predetermined path within said processing chamber; means for generating within said processing chamber an electrically charged plasma such that said plasma substantially surrounds said workpieces while maintaining said workpieces within an electrically neutral field; and means for removing workpieces from said processing chamber while maintaining substantial evacuation of said processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of continuous plasma etching of workpieces within a processing chamber, comprising the steps of:
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evacuating said processing chamber and maintaining said processing chamber at a predetermined low pressure; introducing predetermined types and quantities of processing gases into said processing chamber; introducing workpieces into said processing chamber while maintaining said processing chamber substantially at said predetermined low pressure; supporting and moving said workpieces along a predetermined path within said processing chamber; generating an electrically charged plasma within said processing chamber and surrounding said workpieces while maintaining said workpieces within an electrically neutral field; and removing said workpieces from said processing chamber to an ambient pressure exterior location while maintaining the interior or said processing chamber substantially at said predetermined low pressure. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification