Energizing gas for substrate processing with shockwaves
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsHongqing Shan, Joseph Bach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate processing chamber has a substrate support to support a substrate in the housing. A shockwave gas energizer is provided to generate shockwaves to at least partially energize a process gas and provide the energized process gas into the housing. In one version, the shockwave gas energizer comprises a gas nozzle adapted to accelerate the process gas and a gas flow blocker to obstruct the accelerated flow of the process gas emanating from the gas nozzle to generate the shockwaves. The chamber also has an exhaust to exhaust the process gas from the housing.
Claims33
A substrate processing chamber comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a substrate support to support a substrate in the housing;
- (c) a shockwave gas energizer to generate shockwaves in a process gas to at least partially energize the process gas, and provide the energized process gas into the housing to process the substrate;
- and
- (d) a gas exhaust to exhaust the process gas from the housing.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) placing a substrate in a process zone;
- (b) generating shockwaves in a process gas to at least partially energize the process gas and providing the energized process gas to the process zone to process the substrate;
- and
- (c) exhausting the process gas from the process zone.
A substrate processing chamber comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a substrate support to support a substrate in the housing;
- (c) a shockwave gas energizer comprising:
- (i) a gas nozzle to provide an accelerated flow of process gas, the gas nozzle comprising a gas inlet to receive a process gas, a gas outlet to eject the process gas, and a flow constricting throat between the gas inlet and the gas outlet;
- (ii) a gas flow blocker to obstruct the accelerated flow of the process gas to generate shockwaves in the process gas that at least partially energize the process gas;
- and
- (iii) an aperture to provide the energized process gas into the housing;
- and
- (d) a gas exhaust to exhaust the process gas from the housing.
A substrate processing chamber comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a substrate support to support a substrate in the housing;
- (c) means for generating shockwaves in a process gas to at least partially energize the process gas, and provide the energized process gas into the housing to process the substrate;
- and
- (d) an exhaust to exhaust the process gas.
A substrate processing chamber comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) a substrate support to support a substrate in the housing;
- (c) two shockwave gas energizers positioned to face each other and direct an energized process gas toward a process zone between the two shockwave gas energizers, each shockwave gas energizer comprising:
- (i) a gas nozzle to provide an accelerated flow of process gas, the gas nozzle comprising a gas inlet to receive a process gas, a gas outlet to eject the process gas, and a flow constricting throat between the gas inlet and the gas outlet;
- (ii) a gas flow blocker to obstruct the accelerated flow of the process gas to generate shockwaves in the process gas that at least partially energize the process gas;
- (iii) a gas guide extending below the gas flow blocker such that solid particles from the gas nozzle fall down onto the gas guide rather than onto the substrate;
- and
- (iv) an aperture to provide the energized process gas into the housing;
- and
- (d) a gas exhaust to exhaust the process gas from the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.