Patent US1846178A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4820370A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4820370A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Particle shielded R. F. connector for a plasma enhanced chemical vapor processor boat
Assignee: Pacific Western Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1986-12-12
•
Granted: 1989-04-11
•
Expires: 2006-12-12
Abstract
Abstract The wafer processing boat of a plasma enhanced chemical vapor processor includes an R.F. connector at the inner end of its interleaved electrodes. The R.F. electrical connector includes slidably mated male and female portions for making R.F. electrical connection to the boat through the end wall of the evacuable furnace tube. A particle shield surrounds the mated male and female R.F. connector portions for confinement of particulates released during the mating of the connector. The shield includes an open end which faces downstream of the flow of processing gases to reduce backstreaming of particulates onto the wafers. The electrical male conductors of the connector are covered by a quartz sheath.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles E. Ellenberger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32532; H01J37/32577
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
In a plasma enhanced chemical vapor processing boat for processing workpieces within an evacuable envelope containing the plasma enhanced chemical vapor and workpieces at substmospheric pressure: first and second sets of electrode means for disposition within the envelope, one set of said electrode means being electrically insulated from the other and said first and second sets of electrode means being interleaved with each other for establishing, when energized with electrical potential, an electrical plasma discharge within said evacuable envelope in the processing gaps between adjacent ones of said interleaved electrode means; electrical connector means for disposition within said evacuable envelope for making electrical connection to said electrode means and having slidably mating male and female portions disposed within said envelope; and shield means disposed surrrounding said mating male and female portions for at least partially containing particulates released from the slidably mating male and female portions, whereby particulate contamination of said workpieces is reduced in use.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a plasma enhanced chemical vapor processing boat for processing workpieces within an evacuable envelope containing the plasma enhanced chemical vapor and workpieces at substmospheric pressure: first and second sets of electrode means for disposition within the envelope, one set of said electrode means being electrically insulated from the other and said first and second sets of electrode means being interleaved with each other for establishing, when energized with electrical potential, an electrical plasma discharge within said evacuable envelope in the processing gaps between adjacent ones of said interleaved electrode means; electrical connector means for disposition within said evacuable envelope for making electrical connection to said electrode means and having slidably mating male and female portions disposed within said envelope; and shield means disposed surrrounding said mating male and female portions for at least partially containing particulates released from the slidably mating male and female portions, whereby particulate contamination of said workpieces is reduced in use.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of c1aim 1 wherein said shield means is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and carbon.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of c1aim 1 wherein said shield means is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and carbon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including manifold means for flowing vapor through said evacuable envelope and serially through said interleaved electrode means and over said electrical connector means in that order for replenishing vapor depleted by the chemical vapor processing of the workpieces; and wherein said shield means includes an open end portion facing downstream of the flow of vapor over said electrical connector means, whereby particulates released by said mating connector portions tend to be restrained from flowing upstream to contaminate the workpieces within said interleaved electrode means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said evacuable envelope is elongated and closed off at its downstream end by an end wall portion and further including, electrical feedthrough means for feeding a pair of electrical conductors through said end wall portion in a gastight manner, said pair of electrical conductors as fed through said envelope being elongated to define said male portions of said electrical connector means, and wherein said female portion of said connector means is carried from and movable with said first and second electrode means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 4 including a pair of elongated quartz sheaths, one enclosing a portion of each of said elongated electrical conductors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said particle shield means is disposed to receive therewithin a portion of said elongated quartz sheaths.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2228237A
Cited
US2877437A
Cited
US3588789A
Cited
US4223048A
Cited
US4625678A
Cited
JPS5946022A
Cited
US4448149A
Cited
US4508053A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-04-10 | 1992-10-10 | 1993-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-04-10 | 1996-10-10 | 1997-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-04-10 | 2000-10-10 | 2001-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |