Focus ring for semiconductor wafer processing in a plasma reactor
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsGraham W. Hills, Yuh-Jia Su, Yoshiaki Tanase, Robert E. Ryan
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Abstract
In one aspect, the invention is embodied in a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, the reactor having a pedestal focus ring surrounding the periphery of the wafer for reducing the process etch rate near the wafer periphery, and plural openings through the pedestal focus ring which permit passage therethrough of particulate contamination, thereby reducing accumulation of particulate contamination near the wafer periphery. In another aspect, in order to reduce corrosive wear of the chamber walls, a removable gas distribution focus ring shields the side walls of the plasma reactor from reactive gases associated with processing of the semiconductor wafer.
Claims19
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, said reactor having a pedestal focus ring comprising:
- a base annulus surrounding the periphery of the wafer;
- a cylindrical ring wall extending upwardly near the base annulus;
- and
- a passageway for permitting passage therethrough of particulate contamination during wafer processing operations, said passageway comprising plural openings extending through the base annulus.
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, said reactor having a pedestal focus ring surrounding the periphery of the wafer and an external wafer transfer slit valve, said pedestal focus ring having a slit opening therethrough in registration with said slit valve of said reactor.
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, said reactor comprising:
- a pedestal focus ring surrounding the periphery of the wafer, said pedestal focus ring comprising a passageway for permitting passage therethrough of particulate contamination during wafer processing operations;
- a gas distribution plate near a ceiling of said reactor having gas injection orifices therein;
- means extending between said gas distribution plate and said pedestal focus ring for shielding side walls of the plasma reactor from reactive gases associated with processing of said semiconductor wafer, said means for shielding comprising,
- a focus plate overlying said wafer over a top edge of said pedestal focus ring, said focus plate having gas flow passages therethrough, and
- a gas distribution focus ring extending from said gas distribution plate toward said focus plate;
- and wherein,
- said gas distribution plate, said focus plate and said pedestal focus ring all have circular cross-sections, while said gas distribution focus ring has an inverted truncated conical shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.