US 11,837,443 B2
Showerhead faceplate having flow apertures configured for hollow cathode discharge suppression
Michael John Selep, Portland, OR (US); Patrick G. Breiling, Tigard, OR (US); Karl Frederick Leeser, West Linn, OR (US); Timothy Scott Thomas, Wilsonville, OR (US); David William Kamp, Wilsonville, OR (US); and Sean M. Donnelly, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/071,260.
Application 17/211,256 is a division of application No. 16/156,918, filed on Oct. 10, 2018, granted, now 10,984,987, issued on Apr. 20, 2021.
Application 18/071,260 is a continuation of application No. 17/211,256, filed on Mar. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,515,124, issued on Nov. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0099566 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/3244 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A showerhead of a plasma processing chamber, comprising: a faceplate including a plurality of fluid passages, each of the fluid passages including an upper passage portion extending from a top surface of the faceplate to an interior depth within the faceplate, each of the fluid passages including a lower passage portion extending from a bottom surface of the faceplate to the interior depth within the faceplate such that the lower passage portion is fluidly connected to the upper passage portion, wherein a smallest dimension of a fluid flow cross-section of the lower passage portion is smaller than a hollow cathode discharge suppression size for a given plasma process, wherein a smallest dimension of a fluid flow cross-section of the upper passage portion is larger than the hollow cathode discharge suppression size for the given plasma process, wherein the hollow cathode discharge suppression size for the given plasma process is within a range extending from about 0.005 inch to about 0.04 inch.