US 12,139,791 B2
Showerhead faceplates with angled gas distribution passages for semiconductor processing tools
Pratik Mankidy, Fremont, CA (US); John Holland, San Jose, CA (US); Anthony de la Llera, Fremont, CA (US); and Rajesh Dorai, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/001,697
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 14, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/037247
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/257462, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/705,192, filed on Jun. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0243034 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
Int. Cl. C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); C23C 2/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/45565 (2013.01) [H01J 37/32449 (2013.01); C23C 2/003 (2013.01); C23C 16/4558 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01L 21/02002 (2013.01); H01L 21/02104 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a showerhead faceplate having a plurality of gas distribution passages extending from a first side of the showerhead faceplate to a second side of the showerhead faceplate opposite the first side, wherein:
the first side and the second side define an average midplane of the showerhead faceplate,
the second side of the showerhead faceplate is configured to face towards a wafer support located within a semiconductor processing chamber and to be exposed to plasma,
the gas distribution passages in a first subset of gas distribution passages of the plurality of gas distribution passages extend at least partially along axes that are at a first oblique angle to a center axis perpendicular to the average midplane of the showerhead faceplate,
the gas distribution passages in a second subset of gas distribution passages of the plurality of gas distribution passages extend along directions parallel to the center axis and are arranged in an outermost circular pattern of gas distribution passages,
the gas distribution passages in the first subset of gas distribution passages are arranged in a first circular pattern of gas distribution passages that is smaller than the outermost circular pattern of gas distribution passages and contained within the outermost circular pattern of gas distribution passages, and
each gas distribution passage in the first subset of gas distribution passages intersects the first side of the showerhead faceplate at a location closer to the center axis than a location at which that gas distribution passage intersects the second side of the showerhead faceplate.