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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Tuqiang Ni, Fremont, CA (US);
Kenji Takeshita, Fremont, CA (US);
Brian K. McMillin, Fremont, CA (US);
Assignee:
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C23F 1/00 ; H01L 2/1306 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C23F 1/00 ; H01L 2/1306 ;
Abstract
A process chamber for a plasma processing apparatus is provided in which etch uniformity is maintained in both chemically driven and ion driven processes. The process chamber utilizes a barrier whose position relative to a wafer may be changed. During chemically driven processes, the barrier may be established so as to substantially prevent the diffusion of neutral reactants from regions outside the perimeter of the wafer. During ion driven processes, the barrier may be moved (e.g., withdrawn) so as to not compromise the ion driven etch.