Appeal 2007-0127
Application 09/749,916
1 5. The Applicants’ parallel-plate showerhead electrode is said to be
2 mountable to a support member by an elastomeric conductive joint.
3 (Specification, p. 3, ll. 25-26).
4 6. The Applicants’ parallel-plate showerhead electrode is said to be
5 able to form plasma by energizing process gas via radio frequency
6 electromagnetic (RF) waves. (Specification, p. 4, ll. 26-29).
7 7. A silicon wafer is said to be etched with the plasma.
8 (Specification, p. 4, ll. 26-29).
9 8. The specification teaches that the electrode according to the
10 invention can couple power into the plasma more efficiently and with less
11 heat build up. (Specification, p. 5, ll. 3-4).
12 9. The Applicants’ electrode is said to be clamped to a support
13 member by a plasma confinement ring. (Specification, p. 8, ll. 11-12).
14 10. The Appellants’ confinement ring is said to be fabricated from a
15 dielectric material, ceramic material, dielectric coated metal, or other
16 material. (Specification, p. 8, ll. 21-25).
17 11. The confinement ring is said to cause a pressure differential in the
18 reactor and increase the electrical resistance between the reaction chamber
19 walls and the plasma thereby confining the plasma between the upper and
20 lower electrodes. (Specification, p. 8, ll. 9-30; p. 9, ll. 16-19).
21 Degner
22 12. Degner describes the use of parallel plate plasma reactors for
23 etching (col. 1, ll. 24-25).
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013