Faceplate thermal choke in a CVD plasma reactor
US5882411A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 21, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3244
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A reactor for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition having a showerhead electrode facing the wafer being CVD deposited, the showerhead having a large number of jetting holes for jetting processing gas towards the wafer. Two deep grooves are formed around the area of the showerhead containing the jetting holes. The grooves are formed from opposite sides of the showerhead and are radially offset from each other, thereby forming a thin wall between the grooves in the body of the showerhead. The thin wall acts as a thermal choke, thus reducing the heat flow to the support of the showerhead and also rendering the temperature distribution more uniform across the face of the showerhead. The thin wall further acts as a mechanical bellows to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the showerhead and its support.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.