Claims
- 1. A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process sequentially comprising:in a first plurality of discrete depositions, plasma enhanced chemical vapor depositing material upon a plurality of semiconductor substrates within a chamber of a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor; disassembling the reactor at least by separating an electrically conductive RF powered showerhead support electrode of the reactor and an electrically conductive gas distributing showerhead of the reactor from one another; sandwiching an electrically conductive material between the electrically conductive RF powered showerhead support electrode and the electrically conductive gas distributing showerhead during a reassembly of the reactor at least including connecting the electrically conductive RF powered showerhead support electrode and an electrically conductive gas distributing showerhead together; and in a second plurality of discrete depositions, plasma enhanced chemical vapor depositing material upon a plurality of semiconductor substrates within the chamber of the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein only a single semiconductor substrate is received within the chamber during each of the discrete depositions of the first plurality.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the material comprises a preformed gasket.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the material comprises a plurality of spaced preformed gasket segments.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the material comprises a preformed gasket, and the sandwiching comprises positioning the gasket against one of the electrically conductive RF powered showerhead support electrode and the electrically conductive gas distributing showerhead.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the material is homogeneous.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the material comprises at least two different material layers.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the showerhead support electrode comprises a mass of material proximate the sandwiched electrically conductive material comprising an average first thermal coefficient of expansion, the showerhead comprises a mass of material proximate the sandwiched electrically conductive material comprising an average second thermal coefficient of expansion which is different from the average first thermal coefficient of expansion, and the sandwiched electrically conductive material comprises an average third thermal coefficient of expansion which is different and intermediate the average first and second thermal coefficients of expansion.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the electrode comprises a mounting surface comprising a first material of a first hardness, the showerhead comprises a mounting surface comprising a second material of a second hardness, the sandwiched electrically conductive material comprising a third material having a third hardness which is different from and greater than at least one of the first and second hardnesses; andthe sandwiching comprising deforming at least one of the electrode mounting surface and the showerhead mounting surface with the electrically conductive material during reassembly.
- 10. The process of claim 9 wherein the electrically conductive material has a pair of opposing bearing surfaces respectively received against one of the electrically conductive RF powered showerhead support electrode and the electrically conductive gas distributing showerhead, at least one of the pair of surfaces comprising a plurality of surface projections of at least 2 mils elevation, the deforming comprising penetrating the surface projections into the at least one of the electrode mounting surface and the showerhead mounting surface.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the electrode comprises a mounting surface comprising a first material of a first hardness, the showerhead comprises a mounting surface comprising a second material of a second hardness, the sandwiched electrically conductive material comprising a third material having a third hardness which is different from and greater than at least one of the first and second hardnesses; andthe sandwiching comprising deforming both of the electrode mounting surface and the showerhead mounting surface with the electrically conductive material during reassembly.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/642,745, which was filed on Aug. 18, 2000 and which is incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (10)