Appeal No. 2005-1711
Application No. 10/217,370
17. A gas distribution plate assembly for a
process chamber, comprising;
a gas distribution plate;
a plurality of central openings extending through
a central area of said plate;
first, second and third sets of peripheral
openings extending through a peripheral area of said
plate, said peripheral openings being variable in
diameter between said first, second and third sets of
peripheral openings and
a plurality of middle openings extending through
a middle area of said plate between said central area
and said peripheral area.
20. A gas distribution plate assembly for a
process chamber, comprising:
a nozzle plate having a central nozzle opening;
an upper gas distribution plate disposed beneath
said nozzle plate and having a plurality of plasma
flow openings;
a lower gas distribution plate disposed beneath
said upper gas distribution plate;
a plurality of central openings extending through
a central area of said lower gas distribution plate;
a plurality of peripheral openings extending
through a peripheral are of said lower gas
distribution plate, each of said peripheral openings
having a diameter larger than a diameter of said
central openings, respectively, and said plurality of
peripheral openings being variable in diameter; and
a plurality of middle openings extending through
a middle area of said lower gas distribution plate
between said central area and said peripheral area,
each of said middle openings having a diameter between
said diameter of said central openings and said
diameter of said peripheral openings.
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence unpatentability:
Ballance et al. (Ballance) 6,090,210 Jul. 18, 2000
Srivastava 6,225,745 May 01, 2001
Nogami JP 04-237123 Aug. 25, 1992
(Japanese Patent Publication; English translation used)
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