Method and apparatus for directing constituents through a processing chamber

Claim 1

A method for directing gas flow through a processing chamber comprising: introducing a supply of first gas through holes in a perforated face plate to form a first linear flow region over a wafer within the processing chamber; distributing a second gas in the processing chamber radially about a second portion of the processing chamber to form a second flow region wherein said second flow region is in communication with a pumping channel through first and second openings; establishing a static pressure difference between the first linear flow region and the second flow region throughout the chamber, and flowing a purge gas from a second zone into the first linear flow region through a gap between a susceptor and an annular shaped pumping plate.

Claim 2

A method for directing gas flow through a processing chamber comprising: introducing a supply of first gas through holes in a perforated face plate to form a first linear flow region over a wafer within the processing chamber; distributing a second gas in the processing chamber radially about a second portion of the processing chamber to form a second flow region wherein said second flow region is in communication with a pumping channel through first and second openings; establishing a static pressure difference between the first linear flow region and the second flow region throughout the chamber, and flowing a purge gas from a second zone into the first linear flow region through a gap between a susceptor and an annular shaped pumping plate.

Claim 4

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: loading a wafer onto a susceptor within a processing chamber; introducing a supply of process gas through a gas inlet, directing gas through a blocker plate and a perforated face plate to form a first flow region over the wafer; introducing a supply of purge gas from a second zone through a gap between the susceptor and a pumping plate into the first flow region; distributing the process gas and the purge gas into the pumping plate circumscribing the wafer, the pumping plate having an annular body-with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along longitudinal component, wherein the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region and wherein said second flow region is in communication with a pumping channel through a first and second opening through said lateral component.

Claim 5

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: loading a wafer onto a susceptor within a processing chamber; introducing a supply of process gas through a gas inlet, directing gas through a blocker plate and a perforated face plate to form a first flow region over the wafer; introducing a supply of purge gas from a second zone through a gap between the susceptor and a pumping plate into the first flow region; distributing the process gas and the purge gas into the pumping plate circumscribing the wafer, the pumping plate having an annular body-with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along longitudinal component, wherein the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region and wherein said second flow region is in communication with a pumping channel through a first and second opening through said lateral component.

Claim 7

An apparatus comprising: a pumping plate for a processing chamber having an annular body member wherein said body member has a first portion and a second portion defining a circumferential edge and a central opening, wherein the first portion comprises a sidewall of the circumferential edge having a plurality of circumferentially spaced through holes and the second portion has a lateral portion that protrudes from the circumferential edge, such that, in a processing chamber, the first portion defines a first region comprising the central opening and a second region comprising the lateral portion of the second portion, and wherein the second portion comprises two lateral flanges, each lateral flange having an area in proportion to an arc defined between two radii on the annular body member, a susceptor positioned within the pumping plate during processing wherein a gap between the pumping plate and the susceptor allows for a flow of a purge gas into the first region.

Claim 8

An apparatus comprising: a pumping plate for a processing chamber having an annular body member wherein said body member has a first portion and a second portion defining a circumferential edge and a central opening, wherein the first portion comprises a sidewall of the circumferential edge having a plurality of circumferentially spaced through holes and the second portion has a lateral portion that protrudes from the circumferential edge, such that, in a processing chamber, the first portion defines a first region comprising the central opening and a second region comprising the lateral portion of the second portion, and wherein the second portion comprises two lateral flanges, each lateral flange having an area in proportion to an arc defined between two radii on the annular body member, a susceptor positioned within the pumping plate during processing wherein a gap between the pumping plate and the susceptor allows for a flow of a purge gas into the first region.

Claim 12

An apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: an enclosure housing a processing chamber, the enclosure defining a gas inlet in communication with the processing chamber for receiving processing gas and a gas outlet for discharging the processing gas; a susceptor disposed within the processing chamber for supporting a wafer thereon; a pumping plate having an annular body with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along longitudinal component and said lateral component having two openings formed therein, and the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that an area through the opening in the pumping plate defines a first flow region over a surface of the susceptor and the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region wherein during processing, a gap exists between the susceptor and the pumping plate to allow a flow of a gas from a second zone beneath the susceptor into the first flow region.

Claim 13

An apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: an enclosure housing a processing chamber, the enclosure defining a gas inlet in communication with the processing chamber for receiving processing gas and a gas outlet for discharging the processing gas; a susceptor disposed within the processing chamber for supporting a wafer thereon; a pumping plate having an annular body with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along longitudinal component and said lateral component having two openings formed therein, and the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that an area through the opening in the pumping plate defines a first flow region over a surface of the susceptor and the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region wherein during processing, a gap exists between the susceptor and the pumping plate to allow a flow of a gas from a second zone beneath the susceptor into the first flow region.

Claim 19

An apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: an enclosure housing a processing chamber, the enclosure defining a gas inlet in communication with the processing chamber for receiving processing gas and a gas outlet for discharging the processing gas; a susceptor disposed within the processing chamber for supporting a wafer thereon; and a pumping plate having an annular body with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along the longitudinal component and wherein the lateral component comprises two lateral langes, wherein the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that an area through the opening in the pumping plate defines a first flow region over a surface of the susceptor and the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region, the enclosure has a superior surface that defines a superior surface of the chamber, the gas inlet communicating with the chamber through the superior surface, the apparatus further comprising: a source plate coupled adjacent the superior surface and having a perforated area corresponding with the area defined by the opening in the annular body of the pumping plate, and the source plate is a first source plate having a first surface adjacent the superior surface of the chamber and an opposing second surface, the apparatus further comprising a second source plate coupled adjacent the second surface of the first source plate, the second source plate having a perforated area corresponding with the area defined by the opening in the annular body of the pumping plate, wherein openings of the perforated area of the second source plate comprise a smaller diameter than openings of the perforated area of the first source plate.

Claim 20

An apparatus for fabricating an integrated circuit device comprising: an enclosure housing a processing chamber, the enclosure defining a gas inlet in communication with the processing chamber for receiving processing gas and a gas outlet for discharging the processing gas; a susceptor disposed within the processing chamber for supporting a wafer thereon; and a pumping plate having an annular body with an opening therethrough with a longitudinal component and a lateral component extending away from the opening and having a plurality of through holes circumferentially spaced about an axis along the longitudinal component and wherein the lateral component comprises two lateral langes, wherein the pumping plate is displaced in the chamber such that an area through the opening in the pumping plate defines a first flow region over a surface of the susceptor and the longitudinal component and the wall of the chamber define a channel of a second flow region, the enclosure has a superior surface that defines a superior surface of the chamber, the gas inlet communicating with the chamber through the superior surface, the apparatus further comprising: a source plate coupled adjacent the superior surface and having a perforated area corresponding with the area defined by the opening in the annular body of the pumping plate, and the source plate is a first source plate having a first surface adjacent the superior surface of the chamber and an opposing second surface, the apparatus further comprising a second source plate coupled adjacent the second surface of the first source plate, the second source plate having a perforated area corresponding with the area defined by the opening in the annular body of the pumping plate, wherein openings of the perforated area of the second source plate comprise a smaller diameter than openings of the perforated area of the first source plate.