Back to results
US 8,409,354 B2Granted
Vapor based combinatorial processing
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsTony P. Chiang, Chi-l Lang, Sunil Shanker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combinatorial processing chamber and method are provided. In the method a fluid volume flows over a surface of a substrate with differing portions of the fluid volume having different constituent components to concurrently expose segregated regions of the substrate to a mixture of the constituent components that differ from constituent components to which adjacent regions are exposed. Differently processed segregated regions are generated through the multiple flowings.
Claims13
A chamber for combinatorially processing a substrate, comprising;
- a showerhead in flow communication with a fluid source, the showerhead having multiple inlets for receiving a plurality of fluid flows, each fluid flow having different constituent components, the showerhead further comprising a fluid separator for maintaining segregation of the plurality of fluid flows;
- a support pedestal;
- a peripheral flow channel surrounding the support pedestal;
- a pump channel connected to a vacuum source, wherein the dimensions of the peripheral flow channel are defined to provide a conductance of the plurality of fluid flows passing a periphery of the support pedestal such that a conductance of the plurality of fluid flows through the pump channel is at least 5 times greater than the conductance of the plurality of fluid flows through the peripheral flow channel, and thereby facilitating uniform axisymmetric flow of the plurality of fluid flows above the support pedestal.
1 more element
A semiconductor processing system, comprising:
- a fluid supply, the fluid supply comprising a plurality of constituent components, the constituent components comprising carrier fluids and precursors, the fluid supply stores and delivers different mixtures of the plurality of constituent components;
- and a chamber attached to a central frame about which multiple other chambers are oriented, the chamber comprising:
- a showerhead in flow communication with a fluid source, the showerhead having multiple inlets for receiving a plurality of fluid flows, each fluid flow having different constituent components, the showerhead further comprising a fluid separator for maintaining segregation of the plurality of fluid flows;
- a support pedestal;
- a peripheral flow channel surrounding the support pedestal;
- a pump channel connected to a vacuum source, wherein the dimensions of the peripheral flow channel are defined to provide a conductance of the plurality of fluid flows passing a periphery of the support pedestal such that a conductance of the plurality of fluid flows through the pump channel is at least 5 times greater than a conductance of the plurality of fluid flows through the peripheral flow channel, and thereby facilitating uniform axisymmetric flow of the plurality of fluid flows above the support pedestal.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.