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:
Oct. 17, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 20, 2013
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Rajinder Dhindsa, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Sang Ki Nam, Danville, CA (US);
Alexei Marakhtanov, Albany, CA (US);
Eric A. Hudson, Berkeley, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
The disclosed techniques relate to methods and apparatus for etching a substrate. A plate assembly divides a reaction chamber into a lower and upper sub-chamber. The plate assembly includes an upper and lower plate having apertures therethrough. When the apertures in the upper and lower plates are aligned, ions and neutral species may travel through the plate assembly into the lower sub-chamber. When the apertures are not aligned, ions are prevented from passing through the assembly while neutral species are much less affected. Thus, the ratio of ion flux:neutral flux may be tuned by controlling the amount of area over which the apertures are aligned. In certain embodiments, one plate of the plate assembly is implemented as a series of concentric, independently movable injection control rings. Further, in some embodiments, the upper sub-chamber is implemented as a series of concentric plasma zones separated by walls of insulating material.