Lam Research Corporation

Christopher Charles Griffin

Mark Taskar

Paul K Shufflebotham

Vernon W Wong

Harry P Wong

A gas distribution system for supplying a gas mixture to a plasma process chamber is provided. A first valve arrangement is connected to upstream ends of a first gas line and a second gas line. A second valve arrangement is connected to downstream ends of the first gas line and the second gas line. A first gas distribution outlet line is connected between a gas supply and the first valve arrangement and a first chamber inlet line connected between the second valve arrangement and the plasma process chamber. A first evacuation line is connected to the first gas line at a location between the first valve arrangement and the second valve arrangement. A second evacuation line is connected to the second gas line at a location between the first valve arrangement and the second valve arrangement. The first evacuation line and second evacuation line are in fluid communication with a vacuum line. A controller is operable to actuate the first valve arrangement and second valve arrangement to selectively flow the gas mixture from the gas supply to the plasma process chamber through the first gas line while the second gas is selectively evacuated by the vacuum line; or to selectively flow the gas mixture from the gas supply to the plasma process chamber through the second gas line while the first gas line is selectively evacuated by the vacuum line.

Alternate gas delivery and evacuation system for plasma processing apparatuses

A lift pin arrangement for use in semiconductor processing apparatus wherein the lift pins are of a shape memory alloy. The lift pins exhibit superelasticity and/or shape memory effects which allows the lift pins to withstand substantial bending forces without permanent deformation thereof, and in the case where the lift pins become deformed it is possible to restraighten the lift pins simply by heating the lift pins to an appropriate temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Christopher Charles Griffin