Patent ID: 7438765

Claim:
An apparatus for adjusting an etching edge area of a semiconductor wafer in an etching process, the apparatus comprising: an adjustable shielding plate comprising a plurality of shielding members configured to shield adjacent an edge of the wafer, each of the plurality of shielding members being movable between a first position configured to shield a portion of a semiconductor wafer from an etching gas and a second position configured to expose an unshielded etching portion of the semiconductor wafer to the etching gas, wherein the shielding members comprise an insulation material, a driving member connected to the adjustable shielding plate, the driving member configured to move the plurality of shielding members between the first position and the second position; wherein the plurality of shielding members includes a plurality of rings having different diameters from each other, the rings being sequentially arranged from an innermost ring to an outermost ring along the radial direction of the wafer, wherein the driving member independently moves each of the rings in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the wafer to adjust an area of the etching portion adjacent the edge of the wafer to shield the central portion of the wafer so that a center portion of the wafer is prevented from etching, wherein one of the shielding members comprises a primary plate positioned in an interior area of the innermost ring and the primary plate is configured to shield the central portion of the wafer.