Flexibly suspended gas distribution manifold for plasma chamber

• US 6,823,589 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: White, John M., Blonigan, Wendell T., Keller, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSENBAUM, IRENE CUDA
• Application Number:
  US10/293,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 294/28, 298/901.4, 118/723.E, 118/715, 156/345.34
• US Class Current: 29/890.14
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49428 Gas and water specific plumbing component making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method of flexibly mounting a gas distribution plate to the back wall of a gas inlet manifold for a plasma chamber. A perforated gas distribution plate is suspended from the back wall by flexible side walls. The flexible suspension minimizes mechanical stress due to thermal expansion of the gas distribution plate.

Claims

1. A method of mounting a gas distribution plate to the back wall of a gas inlet manifold, comprising the steps of:

providing a back wall perforated by a gas inlet orifice;

providing a gas distribution plate perforated by a number of gas outlet orifices;

providing a suspension comprising a number of side wall segments, wherein each side wall segment includes a first end, a second end, and a flexible portion extending between the first end and the second end;

attaching the first end of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the flexible portion of each side wall segment abuts the gas distribution plate; and

attaching the second end of each side wall segment to the back wall so that the flexible portion of each side wall segment abuts the back wall.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attaching the second end of each side wall segment further comprises the step of:

positioning the side wall segments so that the side wall segments collectively encircle a region within the gas inlet manifold extending between the back wall and the gas distribution plate, so that the gas inlet orifice and the gas outlet orifices are in fluid communication with said region.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein each side wall segment is a sheet.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment further comprises:

attaching the first end of each side wall segment so that the flexible portion of each side wall segment is vertically oriented.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of providing the gas distribution plate further comprises providing the gas distribution plate with a surface facing the back wall that is generally rectangular;

the number of said side wall segments is four; and

each side wall segment is a generally rectangular sheet.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

the rectangular surface of the gas distribution plate has four sides; and

the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment further comprises attaching the first end of each of the four respective side wall segments adjacent to a respective one of the four sides of the gas distribution plate.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of providing the gas distribution plate further comprises providing the gas distribution plate with a surface facing the back wall that is generally circular;

the number of said side wall segments is one; and

the side wall segment is a generally cylindrical sheet.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a cover having an inner member and an outer member joined together along an elongated junction that bisects both the inner member and the outer member;

wherein the step of providing a suspension includes providing at least a first side wall segment and a second side wall segment;

wherein the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment further comprises the step of attaching the first end of the first and second side wall segments to the gas distribution plate so that the first and second side wall segments are separated by a gap; and

wherein the method further comprises the step of positioning the cover so that the junction of the cover is within said gap and so that portions of the first and second side wall segments of the suspension are between the inner and outer members of the cover.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a cover having first and second parallel members joined by a transverse member;

wherein the step of providing a suspension includes providing at least a first side wall segment and a second side wall segment wherein the first side wall segment has a first edge extending between the first and second ends of the first side wall segment, and wherein the second side wall segment has a second edge extending between the first and second ends of the second side wall segment;

wherein the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment further comprises the step of positioning the first edge adjacent to the second edge so that the first and second edges are separated by a gap; and

wherein the method further comprises the step of positioning the cover so that said gap is between the first and second parallel members of the cover, so that each of the first and second parallel members straddles the gap, and so that a portion of the first side wall segment and a portion of the second side wall segment are between the two parallel members.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of positioning the cover further comprises the step of:

positioning the two parallel members of the cover sufficiently close to each other and to the first and second side wall segments so as to impede gas from flowing through said gap.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein

(a) the step of providing the suspension further comprises the steps of:

(i) providing at least a first side wall segment and a second side wall segment, wherein the first side wall segment comprises a first sheet having a first end, a second end, and an edge extending from the first end of the first sheet to the second end of the first sheet, and wherein the second side wall segment comprises a second sheet having a first end, a second end, and an edge extending from the first end of the second sheet to the second end of the second sheet,

(ii) bending the first sheet along a first crease that extends between the first and second ends of the first sheet, so that a portion of the first sheet extends between said edge of the first sheet and the first crease, and

(iii) bending the second sheet along a second crease that extends between the first and second ends of the second sheet, so that a portion of the second sheet extends between said edge of the second sheet and the second crease; and

(b) the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment comprises the steps of;

(i) attaching the first end of each sheet to the gas distribution plate so that the first end of each sheet abuts the gas distribution plate, and

(ii) positioning the first and second sheets so that said portion of the first sheet is coplanar with said portion of the second sheet and so that said edge of the first sheet and said edge of the second sheet are separated by a gap.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein:

the step of bending the first sheet comprises bending the first sheet at an angle of 45 degrees along said first crease; and

the step of bending the second sheet comprises bending the second sheet at an angle of 45 degrees along said second crease.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said number of side wall segments comprises a first side wall segment and a second side wall segment;

the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment comprises attaching the first end of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the first and second side wall segments are separated by a gap; and

the method further comprises the steps of;

providing a cover having an inner member and an outer member joined together along an elongated junction that bisects both the inner member and the outer member; and

positioning the cover so that the junction of the cover is within said gap and so that portions of the first and second segments of the suspension are between the inner and outer members of the cover.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said number of side wall segments comprises a first side wall segment and a second side wall segment;

the step of attaching the first end of each side wall segment comprises attaching the first end of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the first and second side wall segments are separated by a gap; and

the method further comprises the steps of;

providing a cover having first and second parallel members joined by a transverse member;

positioning the cover so that said gap is between the two parallel members, so that each of the two parallel members straddles the gap, and so that portions of each of the first and second side wall segments are between the two parallel members.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of positioning the cover further comprises the step of:

positioning the two parallel members of the cover sufficiently close to each other and to the first and second side wall segments so as to impede gas from flowing through said gap.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the longest dimension of said gap extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the gas distribution plate.