US5716484A — Contaminant reduction improvements for plasma etc…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

An apparatus for processing substrates in a plasma and transporting contaminants away from the substrates in a plasma and transporting contaminants away from the substrates, comprising: a sealable chamber capable of being evacuated for substrate processing; a gas supply and exhaust in communication with said sealable chamber; an electric field generator for establishing an electric field in said chamber capable of supporting gas in said chamber as a plasma; and a pressure controller for increasing and decreasing the pressure in said chamber during etch processing, said pressure controller being programmed to reduce said chamber pressure at a first specific moment prior to deenergization of said electric field generator and towards the completion of a substrate operation and programmed to increase said chamber pressure at a second specific moment prior to said first specific moment.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 134 words

An apparatus for processing substrates in a plasma and transporting contaminants away from the substrates in a plasma and transporting contaminants away from the substrates, comprising: a sealable chamber capable of being evacuated for substrate processing; a gas supply and exhaust in communication with said sealable chamber; an electric field generator for establishing an electric field in said chamber capable of supporting gas in said chamber as a plasma; and a pressure controller for increasing and decreasing the pressure in said chamber during etch processing, said pressure controller being programmed to reduce said chamber pressure at a first specific moment prior to deenergization of said electric field generator and towards the completion of a substrate operation and programmed to increase said chamber pressure at a second specific moment prior to said first specific moment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure controller changes the chamber pressure by adjusting said exhaust.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure controller changes the chamber pressure by adjusting said gas supply.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one gas tube received in said chamber and supplied with gas from said gas supply and having at least one aperture therein to direct gas against an inner wall of said chamber.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure controller includes a microprocessor controller.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 113 words

A plasma etch chamber, comprising: a sealable housing having an outer wall and a cover which form an anode, said outer wall and said cover each having an inner surface; a cathode received in said sealable housing and including at least one pedestal located on a face thereof for receiving substrates for etching in the chamber; and a diffuser disposed on said cathode to direct a gas against the inner surface of said cover and to thereby prevent the formation of polymer on the inner surfaces of said outer wall and cover and to flush contaminants away from said inner surfaces of said outer wall and cover during the etching of the substrates.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 113 words

A plasma etch chamber, comprising: a sealable housing having an outer wall and a cover which form an anode, said outer wall and said cover each having an inner surface; a cathode received in said sealable housing and including at least one pedestal located on a face thereof for receiving substrates for etching in the chamber; and a diffuser disposed on said cathode to direct a gas against the inner surface of said cover and to thereby prevent the formation of polymer on the inner surfaces of said outer wall and cover and to flush contaminants away from said inner surfaces of said outer wall and cover during the etching of the substrates.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

The chamber of claim 6, wherein said gas is a non-reactive purge gas.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 13 words

The chamber of claim 6, wherein said gas is a reactive process gas.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 1, further including a process gas supply and at least one gas tube received in said chamber and supplied with process gas from said process gas supply and having at least one aperture therein to direct process gas against an inner wall of said chamber.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second specific moment occurs between five and ten seconds before the completion of the substrate processing operation.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure controller is programmed to increase and then decrease said chamber pressure periodically during said substrate operation.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said diffuser contains an outwardly tapered portion for creating a venturi as the gas received through said cathode exits said diffuser.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 147 words

A plasma etch chamber, comprising: a sealable housing having an outer wall and a cover which form an anode, said outer wall and said cover each having an inner surface; a multi-sided upwardly extending cathode received in said sealable housing and including at least one pedestal located on a side thereof for receiving substrates for etching in the chamber; an upwardly extending tube located between the outer wall of said housing and said cathode for delivering a process gas required for etching the substrates; and a diffuser disposed on top of said cathode to direct a gas received through said cathode against the inner surface of said cover and to thereby prevent the formation of polymer on the inner surface of said outer wall and cover and to flush contaminants away from said inner surface of said outer wall and cover during the etching of the substrates.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 147 words

A plasma etch chamber, comprising: a sealable housing having an outer wall and a cover which form an anode, said outer wall and said cover each having an inner surface; a multi-sided upwardly extending cathode received in said sealable housing and including at least one pedestal located on a side thereof for receiving substrates for etching in the chamber; an upwardly extending tube located between the outer wall of said housing and said cathode for delivering a process gas required for etching the substrates; and a diffuser disposed on top of said cathode to direct a gas received through said cathode against the inner surface of said cover and to thereby prevent the formation of polymer on the inner surface of said outer wall and cover and to flush contaminants away from said inner surface of said outer wall and cover during the etching of the substrates.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The chamber of claim 13, wherein the gas directed by the diffuser is a non-reactive purge gas.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The chamber of claim 13, wherein the gas directed by the diffuser is a process gas.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The chamber of claim 13, wherein the tube has at least one aperture for directing the process gas against the inner surface of said outer wall.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 154 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; a structure having one or more faces including a particular face on which a substrate to be etched is placed; and a gas tube configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, the gas tube having first and second sets of apertures wherein: the first set of apertures is configured to direct a first portion of the process gas toward the structure, the first set of apertures including one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the particular face of the structure; the second set of apertures is configured to direct substantially the entire remaining portion of gas flowing in the tube against the inner surface of the chamber wall; and apertures in the second set are disposed approximately 180 degrees from the one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the particular face of the structure.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 154 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; a structure having one or more faces including a particular face on which a substrate to be etched is placed; and a gas tube configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, the gas tube having first and second sets of apertures wherein: the first set of apertures is configured to direct a first portion of the process gas toward the structure, the first set of apertures including one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the particular face of the structure; the second set of apertures is configured to direct substantially the entire remaining portion of gas flowing in the tube against the inner surface of the chamber wall; and apertures in the second set are disposed approximately 180 degrees from the one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the particular face of the structure.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 95 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; and a plurality of gas tubes configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, each of the gas tubes having a respective aperture, each of the apertures being at the same vertical height and positioned so as to direct the process gas in the same rotational direction obliquely against the inner surface of the chamber wall, thereby creating a rotational current of plasma about the inner surface of the chamber wall at the vertical height during an etching operation of said substrates.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 95 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; and a plurality of gas tubes configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, each of the gas tubes having a respective aperture, each of the apertures being at the same vertical height and positioned so as to direct the process gas in the same rotational direction obliquely against the inner surface of the chamber wall, thereby creating a rotational current of plasma about the inner surface of the chamber wall at the vertical height during an etching operation of said substrates.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 165 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; a structure having a face on which a substrate to be etched is placed; and a gas tube configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, the gas tube being located between the structure and the inner surface of the wall, the gas tube having a first set of apertures and a second set of apertures wherein: the first set of apertures is configured to direct a first portion of the process gas toward the structure, the first set of apertures including one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the face of the structure; and the second set of apertures is configured to direct substantially the entire remaining portion of gas flowing in the tube at an acute angle to a plane that extends from the gas tube to the inner surface of the chamber wall and intersects the inner surface of the chamber wall at a right angle.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 165 words

A plasma etch chamber comprising: a chamber wall having an inner surface; a structure having a face on which a substrate to be etched is placed; and a gas tube configured to deliver a process gas into the chamber, the gas tube being located between the structure and the inner surface of the wall, the gas tube having a first set of apertures and a second set of apertures wherein: the first set of apertures is configured to direct a first portion of the process gas toward the structure, the first set of apertures including one or more apertures for directing the process gas across the face of the structure; and the second set of apertures is configured to direct substantially the entire remaining portion of gas flowing in the tube at an acute angle to a plane that extends from the gas tube to the inner surface of the chamber wall and intersects the inner surface of the chamber wall at a right angle.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-02-09	2001-08-11	2002-02-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-02-09	2005-08-11	2006-02-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-02-09	2009-08-11	2010-02-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Contaminant reduction improvements for plasma etch chambers

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