Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for electrically isolating an electrode in a PECVD process chamber

US6302057A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
24References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 15, 1998
Grant dateOct 16, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 15, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/32577
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate utilizing a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process comprises a process chamber having an electrically grounded element therein and an RF biased electrode positioned in the process chamber proximate a substrate. An insulative element is coupled between the electrode and the grounded element other than the grounded substrates, and is formed of an electrically insulative material and has an insulative surface for effectively electrically isolating the electrode from the grounded element within the process chamber. The insulative element includes at least one feature formed in the insulative surface, wherein the feature has a high effective aspect ratio for inhibiting the deposition of a film therein to thereby create an electrical discontinuity in a film which may form on the insulative surface during the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.

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