Single substrate vacuum processing apparatus having improved exhaust system

Abstract

In a single substrate vacuum processing chamber for processing large glass substrates, a novel vacuum exhaust system is built into the lid of the chamber. A plenum chamber which is connected to a continuous vacuum pump is mounted around a gas dispersion plate, also built into the lid, and has continuous access to the reaction region of the chamber by means of a restricted access passage. The plenum chamber is large with respect to the access passage which provides uniform and continuous evacuation of process gases and particulates from the full periphery of the processing region. This design minimizes the deposition of particulates onto the large area substrate and onto the port by which the substrate enters and leaves the chamber and, by the same design, creates a chamber which has a small volume in relation to the size of the substrate is can process. The close proximity of the plenum chamber and the access passage to the plasma region facilitates the use of a periodic dry etch-clean plasma to help keep these exhaust regions clean between periodic manual cleanings. A further advantage of this design is that when the chamber is to be manually cleaned periodically, the lid is easily swung open, giving ready access to the plenum chamber in which particulates have accumulated, and without disturbing gas delivery and exhaust lines which are all built into the lid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.