Electrode clamping assembly and method for assembly and use thereof
First Claim
1. An electrode assembly of a plasma reaction chamber for wafer processing, comprising:
- a support member having a lower surface facing a wafer to be processed in the reaction chamber;
an electrode having a lower surface facing the wafer, the electrode having an upper surface of an outer edge thereof facing the lower surface of the support member; and
a clamping member engaging the outer edge of the electrode and resiliently pressing the electrode against the support member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrode clamping assembly for a plasma reaction chamber wherein processing of a single wafer can be carried out. The electrode assembly includes a support member, an electrode such as a silicon showerhead electrode in the form of a disk having uniform thickness and a clamping ring which provides a resilient clamping force pressing against the showerhead electrode. The clamping member can be a ring of elastically deformable material and the clamping member can be tightened by a plurality of elastic spaced-apart bolts such that the clamping member is compressed and provides the resilient clamping force throughout temperature cycling of the electrode assembly during wafer processing. Heat conduction between the showerhead electrode and the support member can be improved by supplying pressurized process gas to a gap therebetween. The clamping member also provides plasma confinement in an area between the electrode and the wafer being processed.
162 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. An electrode assembly of a plasma reaction chamber for wafer processing, comprising:
-
a support member having a lower surface facing a wafer to be processed in the reaction chamber; an electrode having a lower surface facing the wafer, the electrode having an upper surface of an outer edge thereof facing the lower surface of the support member; and a clamping member engaging the outer edge of the electrode and resiliently pressing the electrode against the support member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of assembling a showerhead electrode assembly of a plasma reaction chamber, comprising:
-
arranging a support member having a gas passage supplying a process gas to a lower surface of the support member and a showerhead electrode having an outer edge such that an upper surface of the outer edge of the showerhead electrode faces the lower surface of the support member; and engaging a clamping member with the outer edge of the showerhead electrode and attaching the showerhead electrode to the support member such that the clamping member provides a resilient clamping force pressing against the showerhead electrode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of processing a wafer in a plasma reaction chamber, comprising:
-
supplying a wafer to the plasma reaction chamber; supplying process gas to a gas passage in a support member mounted in the plasma reaction chamber such that the process gas exits a lower surface of the support member and passes through an exposed lower surface of a showerhead electrode; supplying electrical power to the showerhead electrode such that the electrical power passes through a contact zone between an upper surface of an outer edge of the electrode and the lower surface of the support member, the electrical power causing the process gas to form a plasma in contact with an upper surface of the wafer; and confining the plasma in an area above the wafer with a clamping member which engages the outer edge of the showerhead electrode and attaches the showerhead electrode to the support member, the clamping member providing a resilient clamping force pressing against the showerhead electrode during processing of the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification