Plasma etching reactor with reduced plasma potential
US4600464A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 1, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32633
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An improved plasma reactor for uniformly etching a large number of semiconductor wafers at a reduced plasma potential includes, in one embodiment, a grounded plate mounted intermediate the cathode and the top plate of a reactor chamber, the top plate and the chamber walls forming the reactor anode. The grounded plate is spaced apart from the chamber top plate a distance sufficient to allow a plasma to be established between the grounded plate and the top plate, and the distance between the grounded plate and the cathode is large enough not to disturb the field in the proximity of the wafers being etched. The plate can be apertured to facilitate etchant gas flow. According to another embodiment of the invention at least two grounded plates are employed, spaced apart from each other and from the upper surface of the reactor plasma chamber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.