IP Library Granted Patent US 9,384,959
Granted Patent B2
US 9,384,959 · App. 14/260,897 · Granted Jul 5, 2016

Purging of porogen from UV cure chamber

Inventors: Eugene Smargiassi (Tualatin, OR); Stephen Yu-Hong Lau (Lake Oswego, OR); George D. Kamian (Scotts Valley, CA); Ming Xi (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
H01L21/02041H01L21/67017H01L21/02203H01L21/02348
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,384,959
App. No.
14/260,897
Granted
Jul 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A purge ring for providing a gas to a wafer processing chamber includes an inlet ring wall defining a ring hole space. An outer perimeter of the inlet ring wall is elliptical. An outer perimeter of the ring hole space is circular. The inlet ring wall is a continuous structure surrounding the ring hole space. An inlet baffle formed within the inlet ring wall surrounds at least 180 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space. An inlet plenum arranged in a first end of the inlet ring wall provides the gas to the ring hole space through the inlet baffle. An exhaust channel is formed within the inlet ring wall in a second end of the inlet ring wall. An exhaust outlet hole arranged in the second end of the inlet ring wall exhausts the gas out of the ring hole space via the exhaust channel.

Claims (18)

1. A purge ring for providing a gas to a wafer processing chamber, the purge ring comprising:

an inlet ring wall defining a ring hole space, wherein an outer perimeter of the inlet ring wall is elliptical and an outer perimeter of the ring hole space is circular, and wherein the inlet ring wall corresponds to a continuous structure surrounding the ring hole space;

an inlet baffle formed within the inlet ring wall and surrounding at least 180 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space;

an inlet plenum arranged in a first end of the inlet ring wall, the inlet plenum arranged to provide the gas received via a gas inlet hole to the ring hole space through the inlet baffle;

an exhaust channel formed within the inlet ring wall in a second end of the inlet ring wall opposite the first end; and

an exhaust outlet hole arranged in the second end of the inlet ring wall to exhaust the gas out of the ring hole space via the exhaust channel,

wherein the inlet baffle surrounds at least 270 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space.

2. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein the inlet plenum is arranged to receive the gas and the exhaust outlet hole is arranged to exhaust the gas in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction of flow of the gas from the inlet plenum to the exhaust outlet hole.

3. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein a width of the inlet plenum increases from the gas inlet hole to the inlet baffle.

4. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein a width of the exhaust channel decreases from the ring hole space to the exhaust outlet hole.

5. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein the inlet baffle includes a continuous slit surrounding at least 270 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space.

6. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein the inlet baffle includes a slit that fluidly connects the inlet plenum to the ring hole space.

7. The purge ring of claim 6 , wherein the slit slants upward from the inlet plenum to the ring hole space.

8. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein the inlet baffle includes a plurality of slots surrounding at least 270 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space.

9. The purge ring of claim 1 , wherein the purge ring further comprises:

a lower part including separate first and second recessed portions; and

an upper part including the gas inlet hole and the exhaust outlet hole,

wherein the upper part is arranged on top of the lower part, the first recessed portion and the upper part define the inlet plenum, and the second recessed portion and the upper part define the exhaust channel.

Continuity (7)
Continuation 13944421 · Jul 17, 2013
Continuation 13562421 · Jul 31, 2012
Continuation 12586175 · Sep 18, 2009
Division 11391134 · Mar 28, 2006
Continuation In Part 11115576 · Apr 26, 2005
Provisional Application 60742844 · Dec 5, 2005
Related Publication 20140230861A1 · Aug 21, 2014