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US 6,772,827 B2Granted
Suspended gas distribution manifold for plasma chamber
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsErnst Keller, Quanyuan Shang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas inlet manifold for a plasma chamber having a perforated gas distribution plate suspended by a side wall comprising one or more sheets. The sheets preferably provide flexibility to alleviate stress in the gas distribution plate due to thermal expansion and contraction. In another aspect, the side wall provides thermal isolation between the gas distribution plate and other components of the chamber.
Claims24
A method of minimizing thermal stress on a gas distribution plate through which gas is dispensed into the interior of a plasma chamber, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plasma chamber having an interior;
- mounting an inlet manifold top wall within the chamber;
- providing one or more inlet manifold side wall segments, wherein each side wall segment includes an upper portion, a lower flange, and a sheet extending between the upper portion of that side wall segment and the lower flange of that side wall segment;
- mounting the upper portion of each segment of the inlet manifold side wall to the inlet manifold top wall so as to position the segments of the inlet manifold side wall so that they collectively encircle an inlet manifold region within the plasma chamber;
- providing a gas distribution plate perforated by a number of gas outlet orifices;
- mounting the lower flange of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the gas distribution plate is spaced away from the inlet manifold top wall, wherein the inlet manifold top wall, the inlet manifold side wall segments, and the gas distribution plate collectively enclose said inlet manifold region;
- and
- supplying a gas through a gas inlet orifice in the inlet manifold top wall so that the gas flows into the inlet manifold region and then flows through the gas outlet orifices into the interior of the plasma chamber.
5 more elements
A method of minimizing spatial variation in temperature of a gas distribution plate through which gas is dispensed into the interior of a plasma chamber, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plasma chamber having an interior;
- mounting an inlet manifold top wall within the chamber;
- providing an inlet manifold side wall including one or more side wall segments, wherein each side wall segment includes an upper portion, a lower flange, and a sheet extending between the upper portion of that side wall segment and the lower flange of that side wall segment;
- mounting the upper portion of each side wall segment to the inlet manifold top wall so as to position the side wall segments so that they collectively encircle an inlet manifold region within the plasma chamber;
- providing a gas distribution plate perforated by a number of gas outlet orifices;
- mounting the lower flange of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the gas distribution plate is spaced away from the top wall, wherein the inlet manifold top wall, the inlet manifold side wall segments, and the gas distribution plate collectively enclose said inlet manifold region;
- and
- supplying a gas through a gas inlet orifice in the inlet manifold top wall so that the gas flows into the inlet manifold region and then flows through the gas outlet orifices into the interior of the plasma chamber;
- and
- providing a plasma within the chamber;
- wherein the inlet manifold side wall interposes a sufficiently high thermal resistance between the inlet manifold top wall and the gas distribution plate so that, during operation of the plasma chamber, the gas distribution plate has a spatial variation in temperature no greater than 50 degrees C.
8 more elements
A method of minimizing the difference in temperature between a workpiece support pedestal and a gas distribution plate through which gas is dispensed into the interior of a plasma chamber, comprising the steps of:
- supporting a substrate on a pedestal within the plasma chamber;
- heating the pedestal;
- mounting an inlet manifold top wall within the chamber;
- providing an inlet manifold side wall including one or more side wall segments, wherein each side wall segment includes an upper portion, a lower flange, and a sheet extending between the upper portion of that side wall segment and the lower flange of that side wall segment;
- mounting the upper portion of each side wall segment to the inlet manifold top wall so as to position the side wall segments so that they collectively encircle an inlet manifold region within the plasma chamber;
- providing a gas distribution plate perforated by a number of gas outlet oriflces;
- mounting the lower flange of each side wall segment to the gas distribution plate so that the gas distribution plate is spaced away from the top wall, wherein the inlet manifold top wall, the inlet manifold side wall segments, and the gas distribution plate collectively enclose said inlet manifold region;
- and
- supplying a gas through a gas inlet orifice in the inlet manifold top wall so that the gas flows into the inlet manifold region and then flows through the gas outlet orifices into the interior of the plasma chamber;
- and
- providing a plasma within the chamber;
- wherein the inlet manifold side wall interposes a sufficiently high thermal resistance between the inlet manifold top wall and the gas distribution plate so that, during the steps of heating the pedestal and providing a plasma within the chamber, there is a temperature difference between the pedestal and the upper surface of the substrate no greater than 50 degrees C.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.