RF plasma reactor having a distribution chamber with at least one grid

• US 7,306,829 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TEL Solar AG (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Original Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG (Oerlikon USA, Inc. (Florida))
• Inventors: Turlot, Emmanuel, Schmitt, Jacques, Barreiro, Jean, Chevrier, Jean-Baptiste
• Primary Examiner(s): Meeks; Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUROCY, DAVID P
• Application Number:
  US10/300,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 427/569, 427/248.1, 216/71, 118/723.R, 118/723.E, 156/345.33, 156/345.34
• US Class Current: 427/569
• 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 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32697 Electrostatic control

Abstract

A plasma reactor has a reactor vessel and a pair of electrodes in the form of spaced apart and oppositely disposed metallic surfaces defining therebetween a plasma discharge space. At least one of the metallic surfaces is the surface of a metallic plate having a plurality of gas feed openings extending through the metallic surface towards said discharge space and from a distribution chamber extending along the plate opposite the discharge space. The distribution chamber has a wall opposite and distant from the plate and includes a gas inlet arrangement with a plurality of gas inlet openings distributed along the wall and connected to one or more gas feed lines to the reactor. A gas flow resistant coefficient between the one or more gas feed lines and at least a predominant portion of the connected inlet openings are at least substantially equal.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a plasma treated workpiece, comprising

providing a plasma reactor with a plasma discharge space;

providing a gas distribution chamber between a plate with a multitude of gas feed openings therethrough and abutting into said plasma discharge space, and a wall distant from and opposite said plate, said wall having a multitude of gas inlet openings distributed along said wall into said distribution chamber and communicating with at least one gas feed line;

providing at least one grid within said distribution chamber so as to be spaced from end faces of said wall and said plate and electrically isolated from said wall and said plate;

exposing a workpiece to be treated to said plasma discharge space;

generating in said plasma discharge space a plasma

feeding a gas first through said gas feed line, then said gas inlet openings and said distribution chamber with said grid member, and finally through said gas feed openings directly into said discharge space

providing said plate with a metallic surface; and

operating said wall and said plate at different electrical potentials.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one grid member operates in an electrically floating manner.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the multitude of gas inlet openings in a cascaded pattern with branched portions to divide a gas flow fed thereto into sub-flows.

2. A method of manufacturing a plasma treated workpiece, comprising

providing a plasma reactor with a plasma discharge space;

providing a gas distribution chamber between a plate with a multitude of gas feed openings therethrough and towards said plasma discharge space and a wall distant from and opposite said plate, said wall having a multitude of gas inlet openings distributed along said wall into said distribution chamber and communicating with at least one gas feed line to said reactor;

providing a grid member within said distribution chamber spaced from and arranged along said wall and said plate;

exposing a workpiece to be treated to said plasma discharge space;

generating a plasma in said plasma discharge space, and

feeding a gas through said gas feed line, said gas feed openings, said distribution chamber with said grid member, and said gas inlet openings toward said discharge space, further comprising providing said wall and said plate with a metallic surface respectively, operating said surfaces at different electrical potentials, providing said at least one grid member to be made of an electroconductive material, said grid member electrically isolated from said metallic surfaces, and operating said grid member in an electrically floating manner.

4. A method of manufacturing a plasma treated workpiece, comprising

providing a plasma reactor with a plasma discharge space;

providing a gas distribution chamber between a plate with a multitude of gas feed openings therethrough and abutting into said plasma discharge space, and a wall distant from and opposite said plate, said wall having a multitude of gas inlet openings distributed along said wall into said distribution chamber and communicating with at least one gas feed line;

providing a plurality of grid members within said distribution chamber so as to be spaced from each other as well as from end faces of said wall and said plate,

exposing a workpiece to be treated to said plasma discharge space;

generating in said plasma discharge space a plasma, and

feeding a gas first through said gas feed line, then said gas inlet openings and said distribution chamber with said grid member, and finally through said gas feed openings directly into said discharge space

wherein said grid members are electrically isolated from said wall and said plate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said grid members operate in an electrically floating manner.