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US 11,145,492 B2Granted
Local dry etching apparatus
AssigneeSpeedfam Corporation
InventorYasushi Obara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A local dry etching apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin, a nozzle including a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber, a discharge tube including a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle, a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube, an electromagnetic wave irradiation part configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via the electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator, and a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube.
Claims8
A local dry etching apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin;
- a nozzle comprising a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber;
- a discharge tube comprising a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle;
- a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube and configured to generate plasma in the discharge tube;
- an electromagnetic wave oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via an electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator;
- and
- a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube,
- wherein each of the second end of the nozzle and the first end of the discharge tube comprises a connection surface,
- wherein the spacer comprises connection surfaces at positions facing the connection surface of the nozzle and facing the connection surface of the discharge tube, respectively,
- wherein the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube are parallel to each other,
- wherein the spacer is a flat plate, and
- wherein at least one of the connection surfaces of the spacer that faces at least one of the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube is formed as a rougher surface than the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube.
9 more elements
A local dry etching apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin;
- a nozzle comprising a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber;
- a discharge tube comprising a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle;
- a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube and configured to generate plasma in the discharge tube;
- an electromagnetic wave oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via an electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator;
- and
- a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube,
- wherein each of the second end of the nozzle and the first end of the discharge tube comprises a connection surface,
- wherein the spacer comprises connection surfaces at positions facing the connection surface of the nozzle and facing the connection surface of the discharge tube, respectively,
- wherein the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube are parallel to each other,
- wherein the spacer is a flat plate, and
- wherein at least one of the connection surfaces of the spacer that faces at least one of the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube is formed as an uneven surface.
9 more elements
A local dry etching apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin;
- a nozzle comprising a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber;
- a discharge tube comprising a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle;
- a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube and configured to generate plasma in the discharge tube;
- an electromagnetic wave oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via an electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator;
- and
- a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube,
- wherein each of the second end of the nozzle and the first end of the discharge tube comprises a connection surface,
- wherein the spacer comprises connection surfaces at positions facing the connection surface of the nozzle and facing the connection surface of the discharge tube, respectively,
- wherein the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube are parallel to each other,
- wherein the spacer is a flat plate, and
- wherein the spacer is one of a plurality of spacers disposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube.
9 more elements
A local dry etching apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin;
- a nozzle comprising a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber;
- a discharge tube comprising a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle;
- a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube and configured to generate plasma in the discharge tube;
- an electromagnetic wave oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via an electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator;
- and
- a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube,
- wherein each of the second end of the nozzle and the first end of the discharge tube comprises a connection surface,
- wherein the spacer comprises connection surfaces at positions facing the connection surface of the nozzle and facing the connection surface of the discharge tube, respectively,
- wherein the connection surface of the nozzle and the connection surface of the discharge tube are parallel to each other,
- wherein the spacer is a flat plate, and
- wherein the connection surface of the spacer is parallel to the connection surfaces of the nozzle and the discharge tube.
9 more elements
A local dry etching apparatus comprising:
- a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin;
- a nozzle comprising a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber;
- a discharge tube comprising a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle;
- a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube and configured to generate plasma in the discharge tube;
- an electromagnetic wave oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via an electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator;
- a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube;
- and
- a bracket with an opening for receiving the first end of the discharge tube,
- wherein each of the second end of the nozzle and the first end of the discharge tube comprises a connection surface,
- wherein the spacer comprises connection surfaces at positions facing the connection surface of the nozzle and facing the connection surface of the discharge tube, respectively,
- wherein the second end of the nozzle comprises a flange, and the connection surface of the nozzle is provided on the flange,
- and wherein the spacer is interposed between the bracket and the flange.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.