Patent · US Expired

Silicon carbide composite article particularly useful for plasma reactors

US5904778A · kind A · utility

85Cited by
8References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 1996
Grant dateMay 18, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S156/914
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A composite silicon carbide article and its method of making in which a surface layer or film of silicon carbide is deposited, for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), over a free standing silicon carbide substrate, as is formed by bulk methods such as sintering and hot pressing. The article is advantageously used in a plasma reactor, especially an oxide etcher for semiconductor fabrication, and may be any of several parts including the chamber wall, chamber roof, or collar around the wafer. The bulk SiC provides an inexpensive and strong support structure of perhaps a complex shape while the CVD SiC film has advantages for plasma processing and may be tailored to particular uses. The composite SiC structure is particularly useful in that the electrical conductivities of the bulk SiC and film SiC may be separately controlled so as to provide, among many possibilities, a grounding plane, a window for RF electromagnetic radiation, or both. The ultra-high purity achieved in CVD silicon carbide also benefits the control of micro-contamination inside the reactor chamber, a key factor for increased device yield.

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