Dual gas faceplate for a showerhead in a semiconductor wafer processing system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsSalvador P. Umotoy, Lawrence C. Lei, Anh N. Nguyen, Steve H. Chiao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A faceplate for a showerhead of a semiconductor wafer processing system having a plurality of gas passageways to provide a plurality of gases to the process region without commingling those gases before they reach the process region within a reaction chamber. The showerhead contains faceplate and a gas distribution manifold assembly. The faceplate defines a plurality of first gas holes that carry a first gas from the manifold assembly through the faceplate to the process region and a plurality of channels that couple a plurality of second gas holes to a plenum that is fed the second gas from the manifold assembly.
Claims20
A faceplate for a showerhead comprising:
- a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, where said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend through both the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate, a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum, each of the plurality of first gas holes are sealed by a fused joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels.
A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
- a faceplate having a unitary construction, where a plurality of first gas holes extend through the faceplate and the faceplate has an internal gas distribution cavity defined by a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes are sealed by a fused joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to second gas holes formed in said upper gas distribution plate;
- and
- a gas distribution manifold assembly, coupled to said faceplate, for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the second gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate.
A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
- a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, where a plurality of first gas holes extend through both the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate and a plurality of second gas holes the extend through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes are sealed by a fused joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to third gas holes that extend through said upper gas distribution plate;
- and
- a gas distribution manifold assembly, coupled to said faceplate, for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate.
A chemical vapor deposition reactor comprising:
- a vacuum chamber defining a deposition region;
- a wafer support pedestal, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region;
- a showerhead, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region, where said showerhead comprises a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, where said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate and a plurality of second gas holes the extend through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes are sealed by a fused joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum that connects to third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate;
- and
- a gas distribution manifold assembly, coupled to said faceplate, for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.