Apparatus for injecting and modifying gas concentration of a meta-stable species in a downstream plasma reactor
US6553933B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 2, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32357
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
This invention provides an apparatus for injecting gas within a plasma reactor and tailoring the distribution of an active species generated by the remote plasma source over the substrate or wafer. The distribution may be made more or less uniform, wafer-edge concentrated, or wafer-center concentrated. A contoured plate or profiler is provided for modifying the distribution. The profiler is an axially symmetric plate, having a narrow top end and a wider bottom end, shaped to redistribute the gas flow incident upon it. The profiler is situated below an input port within the plasma reactor chamber and above the wafer. The method for tailoring the distribution of the active species over the substrate includes predetermining the profiler diameter and adjusting the profiler height over the substrate.A coaxial injector tube, for the concurrent injection of activated and non-activated gas species, allows gases (or gas mixtures) to be delivered in an axially symmetric manner whereby one gas can be excited in a high density RF plasma, while the other gas can be prevented from excitation and/or dissociation caused by exposure to the plasma or heated surfaces in the source apparatus. The gas …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.