Plasma processing apparatus with insulated gas inlet pore
First Claim
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1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a reaction chamber;
two electrodes provided inside the reaction chamber for generating a plasma therebetween, wherein one of the electrodes is a showerhead comprised of a top plate, a shower plate, and a space formed between the top plate and the shower plate, said top plate having at least one gas inlet pore for introducing a gas into the space therethrough, said shower plate having multiple holes for introducing the gas included inside the space into the reaction chamber therethrough; and
a gas inlet pipe coupled to the gas inlet pore for introducing the gas into the space, said gas inlet pipe being insulated from the gas inlet pore at a boundary between the gas inlet pipe and the top plate,wherein an insulation member is placed inside the gas inlet pipe upstream of the boundary and inside the gas inlet pore downstream of the boundary,wherein the gas inlet pipe is grounded whereas the top plate having the gas inlet pore has a potential voltage such as would generate an arc discharge between the top plate at the gas inlet pore and the gas inlet pipe without the insulation member, andwherein the insulation member covers an area continuously from a portion of the inside of the gas inlet pipe, through the boundary, to a portion of the inside of the gas inlet pore so as to suppress generation of an arc discharge between the gas inlet pipe and the top plate at the gas inlet pore.
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Abstract
A plasma processing apparatus includes: a reaction chamber; two electrodes provided inside the reaction chamber for generating a plasma therebetween, wherein at least one of the electrodes has at least one gas inlet pore through which a gas is introduced into the reaction chamber; and a gas inlet pipe coupled to the gas inlet pore for introducing the gas into the reaction chamber. The gas inlet pipe is grounded and insulated from the gas inlet pore, wherein an insulation member is placed inside the gas inlet pipe and the gas inlet pore.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a reaction chamber; two electrodes provided inside the reaction chamber for generating a plasma therebetween, wherein one of the electrodes is a showerhead comprised of a top plate, a shower plate, and a space formed between the top plate and the shower plate, said top plate having at least one gas inlet pore for introducing a gas into the space therethrough, said shower plate having multiple holes for introducing the gas included inside the space into the reaction chamber therethrough; and a gas inlet pipe coupled to the gas inlet pore for introducing the gas into the space, said gas inlet pipe being insulated from the gas inlet pore at a boundary between the gas inlet pipe and the top plate, wherein an insulation member is placed inside the gas inlet pipe upstream of the boundary and inside the gas inlet pore downstream of the boundary, wherein the gas inlet pipe is grounded whereas the top plate having the gas inlet pore has a potential voltage such as would generate an arc discharge between the top plate at the gas inlet pore and the gas inlet pipe without the insulation member, and wherein the insulation member covers an area continuously from a portion of the inside of the gas inlet pipe, through the boundary, to a portion of the inside of the gas inlet pore so as to suppress generation of an arc discharge between the gas inlet pipe and the top plate at the gas inlet pore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 24)
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10. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a reaction chamber; two electrodes provided inside the reaction chamber for generating a plasma therebetween, wherein one of the electrodes is a showerhead comprised of a top plate, a shower plate, and a space formed between the top plate and the shower plate, said top plate having at least one gas inlet pore for introducing a gas into the space therethrough, said shower plate having multiple holes for introducing the gas included inside the space into the reaction chamber therethrough; a gas inlet pipe coupled to the gas inlet pore for introducing the gas into the space; and an insulator having a through-hole connected between the gas inlet pipe and the gas inlet pore of the top plate, wherein the gas inlet pipe, the insulator, and the gas inlet pore are connected to form a gas passage inner surface constituted by an inner wall of the gas inlet pipe, an inner periphery of the through-hole of the insulator, and an inner periphery of the gas inlet pore, wherein said gas inlet pipe is grounded whereas the top plate having said gas inlet pore has a potential voltage such as would generate an arc discharge between the top plate at the gas inlet pore and the gas inlet pipe without the insulator, and wherein said inner wall of the gas inlet pipe, said inner periphery of the through-hole of the insulator, and said inner periphery of the gas inlet pore of the top plate are continuously covered by an insulation material so as to suppress generation of an arc discharge between the gas inlet pipe and the top plate at the gas inlet pore. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
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Original AssigneeASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
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InventorsYoshizaki, Yu, Nakano, Ryu
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Primary Examiner(s)Zervigon; Rudy
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Application NumberUS11/237,997Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,686 DaysField of Search118/723.E, 118/715, 156/345.33, 156/345.34, 156/345.43, 156/345.45US Class Current118/723.00ECPC Class CodesC23C 16/325 Silicon carbideC23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatusH01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy ...H01J 37/3244 Gas supply meansH01J 37/32559 Protection means, e.g. coat...
