Patent ID: 8900403

Claim:
A semiconductor substrate processing system, comprising: a chamber having a top structure, a bottom structure, and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom structures, the chamber including a processing region; a substrate support disposed within the chamber, the substrate support having a top surface defined to support a substrate in exposure to the processing region; a top plate assembly disposed within the chamber above the substrate support, the top plate assembly having a lower surface exposed to the processing region and opposite the top surface of the substrate support, the top plate assembly including: a first set of plasma microchambers each formed into the lower surface of the top plate assembly, a first network of gas supply channels formed to flow a first process gas to each of the first set of plasma microchambers, each of the first set of plasma microchambers defined to transform the first process gas into a first plasma in exposure to the processing region, a set of exhaust channels formed through the lower surface of the top plate assembly to provide for removal of exhaust gases from the processing region, a second set of plasma microchambers respectively formed inside the set of exhaust channels, and a second network of gas supply channels formed to flow a second process gas to each of the second set of plasma microchambers, each of the second set of plasma microchambers defined to transform the second process gas into a second plasma in exposure to the processing region.