Inventors:
Sudhir Gondhalekar - Fremont CA, US
Robert Duncan - San Jose CA, US
Siamak Salimian - Sunnyvale CA, US
Muhammad M. Rasheed - Fremont CA, US
Harry Smith Whitesell - San Jose CA, US
Bruno Geoffrion - San Jose CA, US
Padmanabhan Krishnaraj - San Francisco CA, US
Rudolf Gujer - Saratoga CA, US
Assignee:
Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA
International Classification:
H01L 21/326
C23C 16/505
US Classification:
15634533, 15634534, 118715
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a gas distribution system which distributes the gas more uniformly into a process chamber. In one embodiment, a gas distribution system comprises a gas ring including an outer surface and an inner surface, and a gas inlet disposed at the outer surface of the gas ring. The gas inlet is fluidicly coupled with a first channel which is disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the gas ring. A plurality of gas outlets are distributed over the inner surface of the gas ring, and are fluidicly coupled with a second channel which is disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the gas ring. A plurality of orifices are fluidicly coupled between the first channel and the second channel. The plurality of orifices are spaced from the gas inlet by a plurality of distances, and have sizes which vary with the distances from the gas inlet as measured along the first channel, such that the size of the orifice increases with an increase in the distance between the orifice and the gas inlet as measured along the first channel.