Semiconductor process chamber having improved gas distributor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
- (a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor adapted to introduce process gas into the process chamber at an inclined angle relative to the surface of the support to direct a flow of process gas against a surface of the chamber;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust, whereby the substrate held on the support may be processed by process gas introduced into the process chamber by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process chamber 25 for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprises a support for supporting a substrate 50. A gas distributor 90 provided for introducing process gas into the chamber 25, comprises a gas nozzle for injecting process gas at an inclined angle relative to a plane of the substrate 50, into the chamber 25. Optionally, a gas flow controller 100 controls and pulses the flow of process gas through one or more gas nozzles 140. An exhaust is used to exhaust the process gas from the chamber 25.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor adapted to introduce process gas into the process chamber at an inclined angle relative to the surface of the support to direct a flow of process gas against a surface of the chamber;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust, whereby the substrate held on the support may be processed by process gas introduced into the process chamber by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21)
-
-
8. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor comprising a plurality of outlets to provide gas into the process chamber and a gas flow controller that alternates the flow of gas between the outlets;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust, whereby the substrate on the support is processed by gas provided in the process chamber by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23)
-
-
13. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor comprising first and second outlets that are adapted to introduce gas into the process chamber;
(c) a gas flow controller comprising a computer controller system and computer-usable medium comprising computer program code that operates the gas distributor to (1) flow process gas through the first outlet for a time period, and thereafter, stop the flow of gas through the first outlet, and (2) flow gas through the second outlet for another time period, and thereafter, stop the flow of gas through the second outlet;
(d) a gas energizer; and
(e) an exhaust, whereby the substrate on the support is processed by the gas provided in the process chamber by the first and second outlets, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 24, 25)
-
-
16. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor comprising outlets capable of introducing gas into the process chamber at an inclined angle relative to the surface of the support, the inclined angle being sufficiently large to allow two streams of gas to impinge against one another;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust capable of exhausting the gas from the process chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor comprising a first and a second outlet adapted to introduce gas into the process chamber, wherein the first outlet is inclined relative to the second outlet and wherein one of the outlets is substantially parallel to the surface of the support;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust, whereby the substrate on the support may be processed by gas introduced into the process chamber by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) an enclosure around the substrate support;
(c) a gas distributor adapted to introduce gas into the process chamber, the gas distributor comprising an opening through the enclosure, wherein the opening is angled relative to the surface of the support. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
-
38. A process chamber capable of processing a substrate, the process chamber comprising:
-
(a) a support having a surface capable of supporting the substrate;
(b) a gas distributor comprising an outlet above the support, the gas distributor being adapted to introduce gas into the process chamber at an inclined angle relative to the surface of the support;
(c) a gas energizer; and
(d) an exhaust, whereby the substrate on the support may be processed by gas introduced into the process chamber by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification