Watkins- Johnson Company

Applied Materials, Inc.

Eric D Ross

Ron Van Os

Richard H Matthiesen

Dennis C Fenske

William J Durbin

Alexandre De Chambrier

Jae Park

An apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a processing chamber and a substrate support system comprising an electrostatic chuck having a body portion and a substrate support surface and one or more arms extending from the body portion to mount the electrostatic chuck to a side wall portion of the processing chamber is provided.

Plasma enhanced chemical processing reactor and method

A plasma enhance chemical processing reactor and method. The reactor includes a plasma chamber and a source of electromagnetic energy. The plasma chamber is in communication with a process chamber which includes a wager support and a gas manifold. The plasma generated in the plasma chamber extends into the process chamber and interacts with the reactive gases to deposit a layer of material on the wafer. The reactor also includes a vacuum system for exhausting the reactor. The method includes the steps of generating a plasma within the plasma chamber, introducing at least one gaseous chemical into the process chamber proximate to the wafer support and applying r.f. gradient to induce diffusion of the plasma to the area proximate the wafer support.

Plasma enhanced chemical processing reactor

A plasma enhanced chemical processing reactor and method. The reactor includes a plasma chamber including a first gas injection manifold and a source of electromagnetic energy. The plasma chamber is in communication with a process chamber which includes a wafer support and a second gas manifold. The reactor also includes a vacuum system for exhausting the reactor. The method includes the steps of generating a plasma within the plasma chamber, introducing at least one gaseous chemical into the process chamber proximate to the wafer support, applying r.f. gradient to induce diffusion of the plasma to the area proximate the wafer support, and exhausting the reactor in a substantially symmetrical manner.

Plasma enchanced chemical method

An electrostatic support assembly for supporting a substrate. The support assembly includes a non-metallic body having a support surface for supporting the substrate and an integral peripheral outer portion extending outwardly from and substantially surrounding the support surface of the substrate. The support assembly also includes at least one electrode carried by the non-metallic body for electrostatically coupling a substrate to the support surface of the non-metallic body and a base coupled to the underside of the non-metallic body for the transfer of heat between the non-metallic body and the base.

Electrostatic support assembly having an integral ion focus ring

An electrostatic support system for retaining a wafer. The support system generally includes a support body having a support surface for retaining said wafer, a voltage source coupled to the support body for electrostatically coupling the wafer to the support surface, and a cooling system for cooling the wafer. A plurality of arm members extend from the support body to a carriage assembly for releasably mounting the support body to the processing chamber with the support body and the arm members separated from the chamber floor. This invention also includes the method of supporting a wafer in a processing chamber which includes the steps of positioning the wafer on a wafer supporting surface, applying a voltage to an electrode assembly to electrostatically attract the wafer to the support surface and, after processing the wafer, substantially grounding the electrode assembly to sufficiently deactivate the electrostatic charge for release of the wafer from the support surface.

Electrostatic chuck assembly

A plasma enhanced chemical processing reactor and method. The reactor includes a plasma chamber including a first gas injection manifold and a source of electromagnetic energy. The plasma chamber is in communication with a process chamber which includes a wafer support and a second gas manifold. The plasma generated in the plasma chamber extends into the process chamber and interacts with the reactive gases to deposit a layer of material on the wafer. The reactor also includes a vacuum system for exhausting the reactor. The method includes the steps of generating a plasma within the plasma chamber, introducing at least one gaseous chemical into the process chamber proximate to the wafer support and applying r.f. gradient to induce diffusion of the plasma to the area proximate the wafer support.

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Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Eric D Ross