Plasma processing chamber with dual axial gas injection and exhaust
First Claim
1. A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, comprising:
- a chuck including an electrode exposed to a plasma generation volume, the electrode defined to transmit radiofrequency (RF) power to the plasma generation volume, the electrode having an upper surface defined to hold a substrate in exposure to the plasma generation volume, the chuck having a top surface that circumscribes a perimeter of a top surface of the electrode; and
a gas distribution unit disposed above the plasma generation volume and in a substantially parallel orientation with respect to the electrode, the gas distribution unit defined to include an arrangement of gas supply ports defined to direct an input flow of a plasma process gas into the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode, the gas distribution unit further defined to include an arrangement of through-holes that each extend through the gas distribution unit to fluidly connect the plasma generation volume to an exhaust region, wherein each of the through-holes is defined to direct an exhaust flow of the plasma process gas from the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode, andwherein the gas distribution unit is defined as a plate formed to separate the plasma generation volume from the exhaust region, and wherein each gas supply port in the arrangement of gas supply ports is defined at a lower surface of the plate to provide for distribution of plasma process gas to the plasma generation volume;
an outer peripheral structure having a top surface and a bottom surface and formed to extend in a solid form between its top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface of the outer peripheral structure disposed on the top surface of the chuck, the gas distribution unit disposed on the top surface of the outer peripheral structure, the outer peripheral structure defined to surround and enclose a perimeter of the plasma generation volume such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the bottom surface of the outer peripheral structure and the top surface of the chuck around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume, and such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the top surface of the outer peripheral structure and the gas distribution unit around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrode is exposed to a plasma generation volume and is defined to transmit radiofrequency power to the plasma generation volume, and includes an upper surface for holding a substrate in exposure to the plasma generation volume. A gas distribution unit is disposed above the plasma generation volume and in a substantially parallel orientation to the electrode. The gas distribution unit includes an arrangement of gas supply ports for directing an input flow of a plasma process gas into the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode. The gas distribution unit also includes an arrangement of through-holes that each extend through the gas distribution unit to fluidly connect the plasma generation volume to an exhaust region. Each of the through-holes directs an exhaust flow from the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, comprising:
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a chuck including an electrode exposed to a plasma generation volume, the electrode defined to transmit radiofrequency (RF) power to the plasma generation volume, the electrode having an upper surface defined to hold a substrate in exposure to the plasma generation volume, the chuck having a top surface that circumscribes a perimeter of a top surface of the electrode; and a gas distribution unit disposed above the plasma generation volume and in a substantially parallel orientation with respect to the electrode, the gas distribution unit defined to include an arrangement of gas supply ports defined to direct an input flow of a plasma process gas into the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode, the gas distribution unit further defined to include an arrangement of through-holes that each extend through the gas distribution unit to fluidly connect the plasma generation volume to an exhaust region, wherein each of the through-holes is defined to direct an exhaust flow of the plasma process gas from the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode, and wherein the gas distribution unit is defined as a plate formed to separate the plasma generation volume from the exhaust region, and wherein each gas supply port in the arrangement of gas supply ports is defined at a lower surface of the plate to provide for distribution of plasma process gas to the plasma generation volume; an outer peripheral structure having a top surface and a bottom surface and formed to extend in a solid form between its top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface of the outer peripheral structure disposed on the top surface of the chuck, the gas distribution unit disposed on the top surface of the outer peripheral structure, the outer peripheral structure defined to surround and enclose a perimeter of the plasma generation volume such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the bottom surface of the outer peripheral structure and the top surface of the chuck around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume, and such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the top surface of the outer peripheral structure and the gas distribution unit around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 21)
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7. A system for semiconductor wafer processing, comprising:
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a chamber defined to have an interior cavity; a chuck disposed within the interior cavity of the chamber, the chuck having an upper surface defined to hold a substrate in exposure to a plasma generation volume, the chuck defined to supply radiofrequency (RF) power to the plasma generation volume; an outer peripheral structure disposed on the chuck and defined to surround and enclose a perimeter of the plasma generation volume such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the outer peripheral structure and the chuck around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume; a gas distribution unit disposed on the outer peripheral structure such that an uninterrupted fluid seal is present between the outer peripheral structure and the gas distribution unit around the perimeter of the plasma generation volume, the gas distribution unit defined to extend across the plasma generation volume in a substantially parallel relationship to the upper surface of the chuck, the gas distribution unit defined to include an arrangement of gas supply ports defined to direct an input flow of a plasma process gas into the plasma generation volume, the gas distribution unit further defined to include an arrangement of through-holes; an exhaust region defined within the chamber above the gas distribution unit such that each of the through-holes extends through the gas distribution unit to fluidly connect the plasma generation volume to the exhaust region, wherein the arrangement of through-holes is an only means for exhausting gases from the plasma generation volume; and a pump fluidly connected to the exhaust region to remove gases from the exhaust region. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification