Showerhead Gas Distribution Plate for Uniform Plasma Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional showerhead assemblies in substrate processing apparatuses fail to uniformly supply gas, leading to non-uniform plasma generation and processing across the substrate surface.
Innovation Solution
The showerhead assembly incorporates a gas distribution plate with channels and pressure regulating portions to distribute gas uniformly, featuring separate channels for different substrate regions and pressure control, ensuring consistent gas supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gas is supplied through conventional showerhead assembly without gas distribution plate, then the structure is simple, but the gas supply speed is non-uniform across different spray holes
Solution Approach 1:
The gas distribution plate divides the gas supply system into multiple independent channels, each serving specific spray holes. This segmentation ensures that gas is distributed uniformly to different regions of the showerhead, resolving the non-uniform gas supply issue while maintaining a modular and manageable structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas distribution plate acts as an intermediary component between the gas inlet and the spray holes. It receives gas from the inlet and distributes it through multiple channels to ensure uniform gas supply to all spray holes, thereby improving gas supply uniformity without significantly complicating the overall showerhead structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If gas is supplied uniformly to all regions, then in-plane substrate uniformity is improved, but separate control for different substrate regions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gas distribution plate is divided into multiple channels that can be independently controlled. Each channel corresponds to a specific region of the substrate, allowing for both uniform gas supply across all regions and selective regional control when needed. This segmentation enables the system to achieve substrate in-plane uniformity while retaining adaptability for different processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a showerhead assembly and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. The showerhead assembly includes an upper plate including a gas inlet hole formed therein, a gas distribution plate disposed beneath the upper plate, and a shower plate disposed beneath the gas distribution plate and including gas spray holes formed therein. The gas distribution plate includes a gas distribution channel formed therein so as to communicate with the gas inlet hole.