Patent ID: 8568553

Claim:
An apparatus for plasma etching, comprising: a process chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and a lid; a substrate support pedestal disposed in the process chamber; an RF power source for forming a plasma within the chamber; a shield having a plurality of holes, the shield disposed in the chamber above the pedestal and below a plasma forming region in the chamber, the shield configured to control a distribution of ionic and neutral species of the plasma, wherein the shield has a plurality of legs disposed on the substrate support pedestal; at least one gas inlet disposed in the sidewalls and radially outward of and above the shield for providing a gas flow into the chamber in a direction parallel to the shield; and a deflector plate assembly disposed above the shield, the deflector plate assembly configured to provide a predetermined gas flow pattern between the gas inlet and the shield, wherein the deflector plate has a plurality of legs disposed on the shield, wherein the deflector plate assembly comprises a first plate having an aperture.