Patent ID: 7381291
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A dual-chamber plasma processing apparatus comprising: a first evacuatable chamber; a first radio-frequency (RF) power source; a first shower plate for introducing a gas into the first chamber, said first shower plate being connected to the first RF power source; a second shower plate for passing a gas present in the first chamber therethrough, said second shower plate being insulated from the first shower plate; a first RF matching circuit in an enclosure, said circuit being connected to the first shower plate, said enclosure being connected to the second shower plate, wherein RF power applied from the first RF power source to the first shower plate via the first RF matching circuit returns to the first RF power source via the second shower plate and the enclosure for the first RF matching circuit; a second evacuatable chamber; a second RF power source; a support for supporting an object-to-be-processed thereon, said support being connected to the second RF power source, said support being insulated from the second shower plate, wherein the second shower plate is configured to introduce a gas into the second chamber; and a second RF matching circuit in an enclosure, said circuit being connected to the support, said enclosure being connected to the second shower plate, wherein RF power applied from the second RF power source to the support via the second RF matching circuit returns to the second RF power source via the second shower plate and the enclosure for the second RF matching circuit, wherein the second chamber is mechanically movable to a position for processing and to a position for loading and unloading an object-to-be-processed, wherein the second shower plate has two gas flow paths gaseously separated from each other, one path comprising holes passing through the second shower plate, the other path comprising an enclosed compartment connected to an external gas supply line and having multiple holes on its lower surface, wherein the second shower plate is comprised of an upper shower plate and a lower shower plate, said upper shower plate being fixed to the first chamber, said lower shower plate being fixed to the second chamber, wherein the upper shower plate and the lower shower plate are insulated from each other, and are gas-sealable and -separable from each other by mechanical movement of the second chamber relative to the first chamber.