Method to reduce overhead time in an ion metal plasma process

• Main Author: NGAN KENNY KING-TAI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.03.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

The present invention provides a method of reducing the overhead time associated with a high density ion metal plasma process. The method provides flowing a gas at a first flow rate and exhausting the chamber at a constant rate so that the rate at which gases are exhausted from the chamber at a steady state equals the flow rate of gases into the chamber. Another method provides flowing a gas at a first rate and then at a second flow rate which is about equal to the rate at which the gas is exhausted from the chamber at a steady state.