PRESSURE CONTROL ABOVE SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER FOR PLASMA CONFINEMENT Russian patent published in 2006 - IPC H01J37/32 H01L21/3065 

FIELD: process equipment for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

SUBSTANCE: plasma treatment chamber 200 affording improvement in procedures of pressure control above semiconductor wafer 206 is, essentially, vacuum chamber 212, 214, 216 communicating with plasma exciting and holding device. Part of this device is etching-gas source 250 and outlet channel 260. Boundaries of area above semiconductor wafer are controlled by limiting ring. Pressure above semiconductor wafer depends on pressure drop within limiting ring. The latter is part of above-the-wafer pressure controller that provides for controlling more than 100% of pressure control area above semiconductor wafer. Such pressure controller can be made in the form of three adjustable limiting rings 230, 232, 234 and limiting unit 236 on holder 240 that can be used to control pressure above semiconductor wafer.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability of pressure control procedure.

15 cl, 13 dwg