Deposition apparatus and related method with controllable edge exclusion
First Claim
1. A deposition apparatus comprising:
- a deposition chamber;
a support for supporting a wafer in the deposition chamber;
a controllable edge exclusion assembly for excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of the wafer based upon fluid flow and comprising a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer, and a flow controller adjacent the fluid passageways of said ring-shaped body for controlling fluid flow therethrough.
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Abstract
A deposition apparatus includes a controllable edge exclusion assembly for controllably excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of a wafer within a deposition chamber and based upon fluid flow. The controllable edge exclusion assembly includes a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer. The ring-shaped body has fluid passageways so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer. The assembly also includes a flow controller associated with the fluid passageways for controlling fluid flow therethrough. The flow controller may include a control body having a plurality of fluid passageways therein, and which is relatively movable with respect to the ring-shaped body. This relative movement provides a selectable amount of alignment between the fluid passageways of the control body and the ring-shaped body to thereby control fluid flow. In another embodiment, the flow controller includes respective iris diaphragms for the fluid passageways.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A deposition apparatus comprising:
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a deposition chamber;
a support for supporting a wafer in the deposition chamber;
a controllable edge exclusion assembly for excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of the wafer based upon fluid flow and comprising a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer, and a flow controller adjacent the fluid passageways of said ring-shaped body for controlling fluid flow therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A controllable edge exclusion assembly for controllably excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of a wafer within a deposition chamber and based upon fluid flow, the controllable edge exclusion assembly comprising:
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a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer; and
a flow controller adjacent the fluid passageways of said ring-shaped body for controlling fluid flow therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A controllable edge exclusion assembly for controllably excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of a wafer within a deposition chamber and based upon fluid flow, the controllable edge exclusion assembly comprising:
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a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer, and a control body having a plurality of fluid passageways therein and being relatively movable with respect to said ring-shaped body. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A controllable edge exclusion assembly for controllably excluding deposition adjacent a peripheral edge of a wafer within a deposition chamber and based upon fluid flow, the controllable edge exclusion assembly comprising:
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a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough so that fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer passes over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer; and
an iris diaphragm associated with each of the fluid passageways of said ring-shaped body for controlling fluid flow therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for deposition exclusion adjacent a peripheral edge of a wafer within a deposition chamber and based upon fluid flow, the method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a ring-shaped body extending inwardly from the peripheral edge of the wafer and spaced above an adjacent front surface of the wafer, the ring-shaped body having a plurality of fluid passageways extending therethrough;
setting a flow controller adjacent the fluid passageways of the ring-shaped body for a desired fluid flow therethrough; and
generating a fluid flow from adjacent a back surface of the wafer to pass over the peripheral edge of the wafer and through the fluid passageways of the ring-shaped body to thereby exclude deposition adjacent the peripheral edge of the wafer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification