US5298720A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for contamination control in processing apparatus containing voltage driven electrode
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1990-04-25
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Granted: 1994-03-29
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Expires: 2010-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A process chamber having voltage driven electrodes, e.g. plasma chamber, can be made self cleaning of particle contamination by appropriate design of the workpiece or electrode surface to provide protuberances, grooves or tapers thereon which result in a predetermined pattern in the electrostatic potential within the process chamber which can trap particulate contamination in preselected regions within the plasma chamber. These particles can then be channeled out of the process chamber through a pump port.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome J. Cuomo
- 👤 Michael V. Grazioso
- 👤 Charles R. Guarnieri
- 👤 Kurt L. Haller
- 👤 John E. Heidenreich, III
- 👤 Gary S. Selwyn
- 👤 Stanley J. Whitehair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32532; H01J37/32541; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/56; C23C14/564; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/02; H01J2237/022; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
38 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said process chamber is selected from the group of a plasma chamber, a reactive ion chamber, an RF induction chamber an electron cyclotron resonance chamber and a magnetron reactor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus contains a grounded electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for extracting said particles is a port in said process chamber out from which said particles are drawn.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for providing an electrostatic potential provides an irregular electrostatic potential.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
63 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one of which is a voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations; and said means for providing an electrostatic potential is a predetermined topographic pattern at the surface of at least one of said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
63 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one of which is a voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations; and said means for providing an electrostatic potential is a predetermined topographic pattern at the surface of at least one of said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said predetermined topographic pattern is a pattern of raised regions at said least one electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein raised region is a circular ring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said ring is a dielectric material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said ring is an electric conductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said means predetermined topographic pattern is a pattern of recessed regions in said at least one electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said topographic pattern is a tapering in said at least one electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said ring is a semiconductor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said raised regions have varied height.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said recessed regions have varied depth.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
62 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one of which is a voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations; and said means for providing an electrostatic potential is a predetermined irregularity in a surface of at least one of said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
62 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one of which is a voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations; and said means for providing an electrostatic potential is a predetermined irregularity in a surface of at least one of said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
72 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; said chamber contains a plurality of electrodes, there being a workpiece on at least one of said electrodes, said means for providing an electrostatic potential being a predetermined irregular surface pattern on said workpiece.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
72 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated within said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; said chamber contains a plurality of electrodes, there being a workpiece on at least one of said electrodes, said means for providing an electrostatic potential being a predetermined irregular surface pattern on said workpiece.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said irregular surface pattern is a plurality of recessed regions on said workpiece.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said workpiece is a semiconductor wafer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said workpiece is a semiconductor chip packaging substrate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said irregular surface pattern is a plurality of raised regions on said workpiece.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said raised regions have varied height.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said irregular surface pattern is a taper in said workpiece.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said recessed regions have varied depth.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 23, further including extracting said particles from said predetermined locations to be exterior of said process chamber.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated with said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; said chamber contains a plurality of electrodes, there being a workpiece on at least one of said electrodes, said means for providing an electrostatic potential being a predetermined irregular surface pattern on at least one of said electrodes and said workpiece.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at least one voltage driven electrode; means for providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing particles generated with said chamber to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; said chamber contains a plurality of electrodes, there being a workpiece on at least one of said electrodes, said means for providing an electrostatic potential being a predetermined irregular surface pattern on at least one of said electrodes and said workpiece.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least a part of said irregular surface pattern is filled with a material.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for processing a workpiece comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one being a voltage driven electrode; said workpiece being disposed on one of said electrodes; means for directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations within said chamber not over said workpiece to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; and said means for directing said particles being a predetermined topographic pattern on least one of said electrodes in the vicinity of said workpiece.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for processing a workpiece comprising: a process chamber having a plurality of electrodes, at least one being a voltage driven electrode; said workpiece being disposed on one of said electrodes; means for directing particles generated within said chamber to predetermined locations within said chamber not over said workpiece to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber; and said means for directing said particles being a predetermined topographic pattern on least one of said electrodes in the vicinity of said workpiece.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
31 words
A method for collecting particles in predetermined locations in a process chamber having a voltage driven electrode comprising: providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing said particles to said predetermined locations.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
31 words
A method for collecting particles in predetermined locations in a process chamber having a voltage driven electrode comprising: providing an electrostatic potential capable of directing said particles to said predetermined locations.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
46 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at plurality of electric potential generating electrodes; and means for generating at least one electric potential channel capable of directing particles within said chamber to a predetermined location to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
46 words
An apparatus comprising: a process chamber having at plurality of electric potential generating electrodes; and means for generating at least one electric potential channel capable of directing particles within said chamber to a predetermined location to a means for extracting said particles from said process chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-28 | 1997-09-27 | 1998-03-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-28 | 2001-09-27 | 2002-03-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-28 | 2005-09-27 | 2006-03-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |