Split channel gas showerhead test fixture
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsFrank Wing-Fung Cheng, Dien-Yeh Wu, Yuji Murayama, Sam Kim, Scott Lin, Ai Ching Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are showerhead assembly test fixtures and methods for testing leakage between multi-channel showerhead channels. The leak test fixture comprises a fixture base with a plurality of compression elements, a seal plate with a plurality of protrusions, a gasket on the seal plate, and a clamp configured to secure the showerhead assembly so that the front surface of the faceplate is in contact with the gasket and the plurality of protrusions on the seal plate block the openings in the front surface of the faceplate.
Claims20
A showerhead assembly leak test fixture comprising:
- a fixture base having a top surface;
- a plurality of compression elements extending from the top surface of the fixture base;
- a seal plate having a top surface and a bottom surface with a plurality of protrusions extending from the top surface;
- a gasket having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface in contact with the plurality of protrusions extending from the seal plate;
- and
- a clamp configured to secure the showerhead assembly so that a front surface of a faceplate of the showerhead assembly contacts the gasket and the plurality of protrusions on the seal plate to block openings in the front surface of the faceplate.
A method of testing a multi-channel showerhead assembly for leaks, the method comprising:
- sealing a plurality of openings in a front surface of a faceplate of the showerhead assembly using a showerhead assembly leak test fixture, each of the plurality of openings in fluid communication with one channel of the showerhead assembly, the showerhead assembly leak test fixture comprising a fixture base with a plurality of compression elements extending from a top surface thereof, a seal plate on the compression elements, the seal plate having a plurality of protrusions extending from a top surface thereof, and a gasket positioned on a top surface of the plurality of protrusions, the front surface of the faceplate of the showerhead assembly in contact with the gasket;
- pressurizing one of the channels in the showerhead assembly;
- and
- measuring gas leaking through another of the channels in the showerhead assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.