Patent · US Expired

Control of particle generation within a reaction chamber

US5456796A · kind A · utility

47Cited by
3References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 2, 1993
Grant dateOct 10, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 2, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/905
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An RF signal is rapidly brought to a high power level prior to the introduction of a wafer into the reaction chamber to initiate a plasma that agitates and circulates any particles within the reaction chamber, thereby allowing effective reaction chamber cleaning; and an RF signal is slowly brought to a high power level to initiate a plasma prior to or during wafer processing to avoid disturbing and circulating such particles during wafer processing, thereby preventing particle induced contamination. A magnetic field may be applied to the reaction chamber to move particles from a plasma sheath/glow region interface to a reaction chamber exhaust line, and thereby prevent such particles from falling onto a processed wafer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.