The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
May. 12, 1995
John L Cain, Schertz, TX (US);
Michael P Relue, San Antonio, TX (US);
Michael E Costabile, San Antonio, TX (US);
William P Marsh, San Antonio, TX (US);
VLSI Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
An improved fluid distribution head for a plasma processing system characterized by a non-planar dispersion plate provided with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, and a mechanism for flowing a process gas through the apertures of the dispersion plate. The non-planar dispersion plate is preferably provided with a concave, spherical portion having a radius of curvature of at least four feet. The mechanism for flowing the process gas through the apertures includes an enclosure defining a chamber which communicates with the dispersion plate, a gas inlet communicating with the chamber, and a source of process gas coupled to the gas inlet. The fluid distribution head preferably forms a part of a complete plasma processing system including a wafer pedestal and an R.F. generator coupled to the pedestal to form a plasma between the dispersion plate and the wafer from the process gas flowing from the dispersion plate. A method for processing a semiconductor wafer includes the steps of clamping a wafer to a pedestal (thereby imposing a curvature on the wafer) and releasing a process fluid over the wafer through a plurality of apertures provided in a non-planar dispersion plate having a complementary curvature to the curvature of the wafer.