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:
Nov. 11, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 05, 1994
Graham W Hills, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Yuh-Jia Su, Cupertino, CA (US);
Yoshiaki Tanase, Campbell, CA (US);
Robert E Ryan, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
In one aspect, the invention is embodied in a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, the reactor having a pedestal focus ring surrounding the periphery of the wafer for reducing the process etch rate near the wafer periphery, and plural openings through the pedestal focus ring which permit passage therethrough of particulate contamination, thereby reducing accumulation of particulate contamination near the wafer periphery. In another aspect, in order to reduce corrosive wear of the chamber walls, a removable gas distribution focus ring shields the side walls of the plasma reactor from reactive gases associated with processing of the semiconductor wafer.