Patent ID: 7641762

Claim:
A gas inlet manifold for a process chamber, comprising: a chamber wall comprising a chamber top wall and a chamber side wall, wherein the chamber wall includes one or more one gas inlet passageways; a showerhead including: (i) an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface; (ii) a plurality of gas outlet passageways extending between the upward-facing surface and the downward-facing surface; and (iii) one or more grooves in the upward-facing surface, wherein the grooves are located between the gas outlet passageways and the perimeter of the upward-facing surface; a suspension connected between the chamber wall and the showerhead so as to suspend the showerhead at a distance below the top wall; and a gas sealing skirt including: (i) an upper portion that is connected to the chamber wall, and (ii) a lower portion that extends into one or more of said grooves and is not connected to the showerhead; wherein the chamber wall, the showerhead and the gas sealing skirt collectively enclose a volume through which gas can flow from the gas inlet passageways to the gas outlet passageways.