Spacer for preventing shorting between conductive plates
US4491606A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1983 |
| Grant date | Jan 1, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/3321
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An improved spacer means for separating and inhibiting the shorting together of conductive plates in an RF plasma reactor used in Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) processing of semiconductor devices. The improved spacer means inhibits the accumulation of conductive films on the surface of the separating means by substantially precluding the plasma field, and hence, inhibiting depositions in areas where recessed grooves are in the surface of the separating means. Accordingly, a direct electrical path on the spacer means between the multiple conductive plates of the RF plasma reactor is inhibited. As a result, the reactors can run for longer periods of time and deposit greater thicknesses of conductive films without the conductive plates shorting together causing shutdown of the process.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.