Electrode cover, plasma apparatus utilizing the cover, and method of fitting the cover onto the plasma electrode
AssigneeKawasaki Microelectronics, Inc.
InventorsTatsuya Morikage, Katsuyoshi Hagiwara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cover for an electrode of a plasma apparatus and the plasma apparatus utilizing the cover. Moreover, a method of fitting the cover onto the electrode. The electrode has a raised central portion surrounded by a sidewall and a peripheral portion. The cover includes a plurality of divided sections. The divided sections are fitted to the peripheral portion of the electrode from the sides. A clearance between the inner wall of the cover and the sidewall of the electrode may be reduced, and the etching of the sidewall of the electrode is suppressed.
Claims27
A cover for covering a peripheral portion of an electrode of a plasma apparatus, the electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion surrounded by a sidewall, and the peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall, the cover comprising:
- a plurality of divided sections,
- wherein the cover, when fitted to the electrode, has an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode and that is formed by combining the divided sections, the divided sections keeping a fixed positional relationship with each other during an operation of the plasma apparatus.
A cover for covering a peripheral portion of an electrode of a plasma apparatus, the electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion surrounded by a sidewall and the peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall, the central portion supporting a back surface of a workpiece during the processing within the plasma apparatus and having a dimension smaller than that of the workpiece, the cover comprising:
- a plurality of divided sections,
- wherein the cover, when fitted to the electrode, has an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode and formed by combining the divided section, the inner edge having an upper surface lower than the back surface of the workpiece supported on the central portion of the electrode.
A cover for covering a peripheral portion of an electrode of a plasma apparatus, the electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion surrounded by a sidewall and the peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall, the cover comprising:
- a plurality of divided sections including a plurality of inner sections and an outer section,
- wherein:
- the cover, when fitted to the electrode, includes an inner portion having an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode and an outer portion;
- the inner edge is formed by combining the inner sections;
- and
- the outer portion is formed by combining the outer section to the combined inner sections.
A plasma apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
- an electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion for supporting the workpiece during the processing, a sidewall that surrounds the central portion and a peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall;
- and
- a cover that covers the peripheral portion of the main surface of the electrode and having an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode, the cover further comprising a plurality of divided sections,
- wherein the inner edge of the cover is formed by combining the divided sections, and the divided sections keep a fixed positional relationship with each other during an operation of the plasma apparatus.
A plasma apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
- an electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion for supporting a back surface of the workpiece, a sidewall that surrounds the central portion and a peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall;
- and
- a cover that covers the peripheral portion of the main surface of the electrode and having an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode, the cover further comprising a plurality of divided sections,
- wherein:
- the central portion of the electrode has a dimension smaller than that of the workpiece;
- and
- the inner edge of the cover is formed by combining the divided sections and the inner edge has an upper surface lower than the back surface of the workpiece supported on the central portion of the electrode.
A plasma apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
- an electrode having a main surface including a raised central portion for supporting the workpiece, a sidewall that surrounds the central portion and a peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall;
- and
- a cover that covers the peripheral portion of the main surface of the electrode and having an inner edge that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode, the cover further comprising a plurality of divided sections including a plurality of inner sections and an outer section,
- wherein the inner edge of the cover is formed by combining the divided inner sections and the outer section is combined to an outside of the combined inner sections.
A method of fitting a cover to an electrode of a plasma apparatus, the electrode having a main surface that includes a raised central portion surrounded by a sidewall and a peripheral portion connected to the central portion by the sidewall, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of divided sections for the cover;
- and
- fitting the cover to the electrode by moving the plurality of divided sections toward the sidewall of the electrode so that the plurality of divided sections arc combined with each other to form an inner edge of the cover that surrounds the sidewall of the electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.