Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Differential fluid etching apparatus – With measuring – sensing – detection or process control means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-20
2002-09-17
Mills, Gregory (Department: 1763)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Differential fluid etching apparatus
With measuring, sensing, detection or process control means
C118S7230AN, C118S712000, C156S345240, C204S298030, C204S298320
Reexamination Certificate
active
06451159
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the vacuum chambers used for manufacturing. More particularly, the present invention relates to plasma vacuum chambers used for manufacturing.
In the fabrication of semiconductor-based devices (e.g., integrated circuits, or flat panel displays) layers of material may alternately be deposited onto and etched from a substrate surface (e.g., the semiconductor wafer or the glass panel) in a vacuum chamber. To help maintain a constant pressure in the vacuum chamber, a manometer with an elastic diaphragm may be used. Processes in the vacuum chamber may create substances, which may coat the elastic diaphragm, which may change the elastic properties of the diaphragm. A change in the elastic properties of the diaphragm may affect the readings of the manometer.
To facilitate discussion,
FIG. 1
is a schematic view of plasma processing chamber
100
, which may be used in the prior art. The plasma processing chamber
100
which may be a vacuum chamber that contains a chuck
104
, representing the workpiece holder on which a substrate
106
is positioned, plasma generation equipment, which may be an upper electrode
124
and an RF source
126
, a gas source
120
, and an exhaust port
128
. Chuck
104
may be implemented by any suitable chucking technique, e.g., electrostatic, mechanical clamping, vacuum, or the like. A manometer
140
is in fluid connection with the plasma processing chamber
100
through a manometer pipe
142
. The manometer pipe
142
allows the pressure in the plasma processing chamber
100
to reach a diaphragm
144
in the manometer
140
, so that a change in shape of the manometer diaphragm
144
may be used to measure pressure in the plasma processing chamber
100
. A manometer pipe joint
148
allows for a detachable connection between the manometer
140
and the plasma processing chamber
100
.
FIG. 2
is an enlarged exploded view of the manometer pipe joint
148
, such as a KF fitting used it the prior art. The manometer pipe joint
148
, comprises a first pipe end
150
, a second pipe e end
152
, a centering ring
154
, an O-ring
156
, a first weld flange
158
, a second weld flange
160
, and a hinged clamp
170
(only the cross-sectional parts of the hinged clamp is shown for clarity). The first weld flange
158
is welded to the first pipe end
150
, as shown. Likewise, the second weld flange
160
is welded to the second pipe end
152
. The O-ring
156
is placed to fit around the centering ring
154
. The centering ring
154
fits between and within the first weld flange
158
and the second weld flange
160
. The centering ring
154
holds the O-ring
156
between a first flange
164
surrounding the first weld flange
158
on the first pipe end
150
and a second flange
166
surrounding the second weld flange
160
on the second pipe end
152
. The O-ring
156
is compressed between the first flange
164
and the second flange
166
. The hinged clamp
170
presses the first flange
164
and the second flange
166
together so that they compress the O-ring
156
.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the centering ring
154
within the O-ring
156
. A large aperture
304
in the centering of the centering ring
154
allows plasma to pass from the first pipe end
150
to the second pipe end
152
.
It is desirable to reduce the coating of substances on the diaphragm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a plasma processing device with a manometer with a diaphragm is provided. The plasma processing device has a plasma processing chamber with a passageway, which provides a fluid connection between the plasma processing chamber and the diaphragm. An electrically conductive grid is placed across the cross-section of the passageway.
In addition a method for measuring pressure in a plasma device is provided: Generally, a plasma chamber is provided. A manometer is also provided. A passageway in fluid connection between the plasma chamber and the manometer is also provided. An electrically conductive grid is placed across the passage way.
These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5871813 (1999-02-01), Pham
patent: 5948169 (1999-09-01), Wu
patent: 6132513 (2000-10-01), Kadkhodayan et al.
Lombardi Joe A.
Schutz Roger
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Lam Research Corporation
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