Clamped monolithic showerhead electrode
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsRoger Patrick, Gregory R. Bettencourt, Michael C. Kellogg
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Abstract
An electrode assembly for a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The assembly includes an upper showerhead electrode which is mechanically attached to a backing plate by a series of spaced apart cam locks. A guard ring surrounds the backing plate and is movable to positions at which openings in the guard ring align with openings in the backing plate so that the cam locks can be rotated with a tool to release locking pins extending from the upper face of the electrode.
Claims14
A monolithic showerhead electrode for use in a plasma reaction chamber, said electrode comprising:
- a central portion and a peripheral portion defined by upper and lower faces of the showerhead electrode, the upper face including a planar surface extending across the central portion, the lower face defined by an inner planar surface extending across the central portion and a stepped outer surface extending across the peripheral portion, the stepped outer surface including an annular planar surface defining an area of increased thickness of the showerhead electrode;
- a plurality of gas outlets in the central portion of the electrode through which process gas can be delivered to a gap between the showerhead electrode and a lower electrode on which a wafer is supported;
- a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets in the upper face in the peripheral portion, the pockets configured to received cam locks therein adapted to clamp the showerhead electrode to a backing plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.