Lam Research Corporation

Ian J Kenworthy

Daniel Arthur Brown

Michael C Kellogg

Leonard John Sharpless

John Patrick Holland

Alex Paterson

Zhigang Chen

James E Tappan

Darrell Ehrlich

Jerrel Kent Antolik

Michael S Kang

Theo Panagopoulos

Kelly Fong

Duane Outka

Fangli J Hao

Yijun Du

Jeff A Bogart

Jeffrey A Bogart

An apparatus for use in a processing chamber is provided. A consumable is within the processing chamber. A scale is positioned to measure a mass of the consumable.

Sensor and adjuster for a consumable

A plasma chamber is provided to increase conductance within the plasma chamber and to increase uniformity of the conductance. A radio frequency (RF) path for supplying power to the plasma chamber is symmetric with respect to a center axis of the plasma chamber. Moreover, pumps used to remove materials from the plasma chamber are located symmetric with respect to the center axis. The symmetric arrangements of the RF paths and the pumps facilitate an increase in conductance uniformity within the plasma chamber.

Chamber with vertical support stem for symmetric conductance and RF delivery

A compression member for use in a showerhead electrode assembly of a capacitively coupled plasma chamber. The member applies a compression force to a portion of a film heater adjacent a power supply boot on an upper surface of a thermal control plate and is located between the thermal control plate and a temperature-controlled top plate. The member is composed of an electrically insulating elastomeric material which can work over a large range of compressions and temperatures.

Compression member for use in showerhead electrode assembly

An upper chamber section of a plasma reaction chamber includes a ceramic window with blind bores in an upper surface for receipt of a thermal couple and a resistance temperature detector, a top chamber interface which comprises an upper surface which vacuum seals against the bottom of the window and a gas injection system comprising 8 side injectors mounted in the sidewall of the top chamber interface and a gas delivery system comprising tubing which provides symmetric gas flow to the 8 injectors from a single gas feed connection.

Replaceable upper chamber parts of plasma processing apparatus

A two piece ceramic showerhead includes upper and lower plates which deliver process gas to an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber. The upper plate overlies the lower plate and includes radially extending gas passages which extend inwardly from an outer periphery of the upper plate, axially extending gas passages in fluid communication with the radially extending gas passages and an annular recess forming a plenum between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate includes axially extending gas holes in fluid communication with the plenum. The upper plate can include eight radially extending gas passages evenly spaced around the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate can include inner and outer rows of gas holes. The two piece ceramic showerhead forms a dielectric window of the chamber through which radiofrequency energy generated by an antenna is coupled into the chamber. A gas delivery system delivers process gas to a plenum between the upper and lower plates having a gas volume of no greater than 500 cm. The gas holes in the lower plate extend between the plenum and a plasma exposed yttria coated surface of the lower plate. The gas delivery system is operable to supply an etching gas and a deposition gas into the processing chamber such that the etching gas in the plenum can be replaced with the deposition gas within about 200 milliseconds and vice versa.

Gas distribution showerhead for inductively coupled plasma etch reactor

A gas delivery system for a plasma process system such as a plasma etching system wherein inner surfaces of gas passages are coated with a corrosion-resistant material coating formed by curing a layer of fluidic precursor deposited on the inner surfaces. The coating can be formed by (a) flowing a fluidic precursor of a corrosion-resistant material through the gas passages and depositing a layer of the fluidic precursor to completely coat the inner surfaces of the gas passages; (b) removing excess fluidic precursor from the inner surfaces; (c) curing the deposited layer of the fluidic precursor to form a corrosion-resistant material coating.

Coating method for gas delivery system

A two piece ceramic showerhead includes upper and lower plates which deliver process gas to an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber. The upper plate overlies the lower plate and includes radially extending gas passages which extend inwardly from an outer periphery of the upper plate, axially extending gas passages in fluid communication with the radially extending gas passages and an annular recess forming a plenum between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate includes axially extending gas holes in fluid communication with the plenum. The two piece ceramic showerhead forms a dielectric window of the chamber through which radiofrequency energy generated by an antenna is coupled into the chamber. The gas delivery system is operable to supply an etching gas and a deposition gas into the processing chamber such that the etching gas in the plenum can be replaced with the deposition gas.

A method of coating the inner surfaces of gas passages of a gas delivery system for a plasma process system such as a plasma etching system includes (a) flowing a fluidic precursor of a corrosion-resistant material through the gas passages and depositing a layer of the fluidic precursor to completely coat the inner surfaces of the gas passages; (b) removing excess fluidic precursor from the inner surfaces; (c) curing the deposited layer of the fluidic precursor to form a corrosion-resistant material coating.

A disclosed device for use with an electrostatic chuck configured to hold a substrate in a plasma environment comprises an edge ring configured to be placed either in contact with portions of only a ceramic top piece, a base plate, or coupled to the base plate through a plurality of pins and pin slots. The edge ring is further configured to be concentric with the ceramic top piece. In one embodiment, the edge ring includes an inner edge having an edge step arranged to provide mechanical coupling between the edge ring and the outer periphery of the ceramic top piece. The edge ring further includes an outer edge and a flat portion located between the inner edge and the outer edge. The flat portion is arranged to be both horizontal when the edge ring is placed around the outer periphery of the ceramic top piece and parallel to the substrate.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Ian J Kenworthy