Patent US5882411A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5882411A
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Faceplate thermal choke in a CVD plasma reactor
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1996-10-21
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Granted: 1999-03-16
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Expires: 2016-10-21
Abstract
Abstract A reactor for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition having a showerhead electrode facing the wafer being CVD deposited, the showerhead having a large number of jetting holes for jetting processing gas towards the wafer. Two deep grooves are formed around the area of the showerhead containing the jetting holes. The grooves are formed from opposite sides of the showerhead and are radially offset from each other, thereby forming a thin wall between the grooves in the body of the showerhead. The thin wall acts as a thermal choke, thus reducing the heat flow to the support of the showerhead and also rendering the temperature distribution more uniform across the face of the showerhead. The thin wall further acts as a mechanical bellows to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the showerhead and its support.
Inventors
- 👤 Jun Zhao
- 👤 Alex Schreiber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:30
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45563; C23C16/45565; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3244
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A gas faceplate, comprising: a generally circular plate; a plurality of holes passing substantially perpendicularly through said plate in a central circular portion of said plate; and first and second circular grooves formed on opposite sides of said plate surrounding said central circular portion, radially offset from each other, and each penetrating more than half way through said plate so as to form a wall in said plate between said grooves.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A gas faceplate, comprising: a generally circular plate; a plurality of holes passing substantially perpendicularly through said plate in a central circular portion of said plate; and first and second circular grooves formed on opposite sides of said plate surrounding said central circular portion, radially offset from each other, and each penetrating more than half way through said plate so as to form a wall in said plate between said grooves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The faceplate of claim 1, further comprising an annular flange and a wall connecting said flange to a first side of said plate, and wherein said first groove is formed in said first side of said plate and is radially inward of said second groove.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The faceplate of claim 1, wherein widths of said grooves and of said wall are in a range of 1 to 4 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a vacuum chamber; a pedestal holding a substrate within said chamber; a gas faceplate disposed on side of said chamber and having a plurality of jet holes formed therethrough for directing a processing gas toward pedestal; and a gas distribution system disposed on a side faceplate away from said pedestal to supply said processing gas to a back side of said gas faceplate; wherein said gas faceplate includes at least two grooves formed on opposite sides thereof, surrounding said jet holes, offset from each other within a plane of said faceplate, and extending sufficient respective distances through said plate so as to form a wall between said grooves extending along depths of said grooves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
119 words
A substrate processing reactor, comprising: a vacuum chamber; a pedestal holding a substrate within said chamber; a gas faceplate disposed on side of said chamber and having a plurality of jet holes formed therethrough for directing a processing gas toward pedestal; and a gas distribution system disposed on a side faceplate away from said pedestal to supply said processing gas to a back side of said gas faceplate; wherein said gas faceplate includes at least two grooves formed on opposite sides thereof, surrounding said jet holes, offset from each other within a plane of said faceplate, and extending sufficient respective distances through said plate so as to form a wall between said grooves extending along depths of said grooves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The reactor of claim 4, wherein a first one of said grooves is formed in said back side of said faceplate and is disposed between said second groove and said jetting holes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The reactor of claim 4: wherein said vacuum chamber includes a chamber body and a lid releasably sealable to said body; and wherein said faceplate is attached to said lid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The reactor of claim 6, wherein said faceplate includes a flange attachable to said lid and a wall extending from said flange away from said lid toward a portion of said faceplate including said grooves and said jetting holes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The reactor of claim 7, wherein a first one of said grooves is formed in said back side of said faceplate and is disposed between said second groove and said jetting holes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The reactor of claim 4, further comprising an RF power source connectable between said faceplate and said pedestal so as to form a plasma in a processing space between said pedestal and an area of said faceplate including said jetting holes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The reactor of claim 4, wherein said reactor is configured for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The reactor of claim 4, wherein widths of said grooves and of said wall are in a range of 1 to 4 mm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5558717A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-15 | 2002-09-14 | 2003-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-15 | 2006-09-14 | 2007-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-15 | 2010-09-14 | 2011-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |