Claims
- 1. A method of processing a substrate comprising:(a) placing the substrate in a process zone; (b) introducing process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor; (c) before or after (b), energizing the process gas; (d) detecting radiation transmitted through the gas distributor; and (e) exhausting the process gas.
- 2. A method according to claim 1 comprising detecting radiation transmitted through a monocrystalline portion of the gas distributor.
- 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the monocrystalline portion comprises one or more of Al2O3, AIN, BN, Si, SiC, Si3N4, TiO2, and ZrO2.
- 4. A method according to claim 1 comprising energizing the process gas in the process zone.
- 5. A method according to claim 1 comprising energizing the process gas in a remote zone.
- 6. A method according to claim 1 comprising introducing energized process gas comprising halogen-containing gas into the process zone.
- 7. A method according to claim 1 comprising generating a signal in response to the detected radiation.
- 8. A method according to claim 1 comprising changing process conditions in the process zone in response to the detected radiation.
- 9. A method according to claim 1 comprising directing radiation through the gas distributor onto the substrate and monitoring a reflected radiation.
- 10. A method according to claim 1 comprising detecting radiation emitted from the energized process gas in the process zone.
- 11. A method of processing a substrate comprising:(a) placing the substrate in a process zone; (b) introducing process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor comprising a monocrystalline portion; (c) before or after (b), energizing the process gas; (d) detecting radiation emanating from the process zone and transmitted through the gas distributor; and (e) exhausting the process gas.
- 12. A method according to claim 11 comprising detecting radiation transmitted through the monocrystalline portion of the gas distributor.
- 13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the monocrystalline portion comprises one or more of Al2O3, AIN, BN, Si, SiC, Si3N4, TiO2 and ZrO2.
- 14. A method according to claim 11 comprising energizing the process gas in the process zone.
- 15. A method according to claim 11 comprising energizing the process gas in a remote zone.
- 16. A method according to claim 11 comprising introducing energized process gas comprising halogen-containing gas into the process zone.
- 17. A method according to claim 11 comprising generating a signal in response to the detected radiation.
- 18. A method according to claim 11 comprising changing process conditions in the process zone in response to the detected radiation.
- 19. A method according to claim 11 comprising directing radiation through the gas distributor onto the substrate and monitoring a reflected radiation.
- 20. A method according to claim 11 comprising detecting radiation emitted from the energized process gas in the process zone.
- 21. A method of processing a substrate comprising:(a) placing the substrate in a process zone; (b) introducing energized process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor having a thermal expansion isolator comprising at least one channel that forms a gap capable of compensating for a thermal expansion of the gas distributor; and (c) exhausting the process gas.
- 22. A method according to claim 21 comprising providing a gap in the gas distributor to allow portions of the gas distributor to thermally expand.
- 23. A method according to claim 21 comprising providing a gas distributor having a plurality of members.
- 24. A method according to claim 23 comprising supporting the members so that the members can thermally expand.
- 25. A method according to claim 23 comprising supporting the members to provide the gap between the members.
- 26. A method according to claim 21 comprising supporting the gas distributor so that different portions of the gas distributor can thermally expand by different amounts.
- 27. A method according to claim 21 comprising providing a gas distributor having at least a portion comprising monocrystalline material.
- 28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the monocrystalline portion comprises one or more of Al2O3, AIN, BN, Si, SiC, Si3N4, TiO2 and ZrO2.
- 29. A method according to claim 21 comprising detecting radiation transmitted through the gas distributor.
- 30. A method of processing a substrate comprising:(a) placing the substrate in a process zone; (b) introducing energized process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor comprising a plurality of members having a thermal expansion gap between the members; and (c) exhausting the process gas.
- 31. A method according to claim 30 wherein at least a portion of the gas distributor comprises monocrystalline material.
- 32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the monocrystalline portion comprises one or more of Al2O3, AIN, BN, Si, SiC, Si3N4, TiO2 and ZrO2.
- 33. A method according to claim 30 comprising detecting radiation transmitted through the gas distributor.
- 34. A method according to claim 23 wherein the members are cross-members.
- 35. A method according to claim 27 wherein the monocrystalline material comprises sapphire.
- 36. A method according to claim 21 wherein the gas distributor further comprises:(1) a thickness that changes from the center to the periphery; or (2) spaced apart holes having different diameters.
- 37. A method according to claim 30 wherein the members are cross-members.
- 38. A method according to claim 31 wherein the monocrystalline material comprises sapphire.
- 39. A method according to claim 30 wherein the gas distributor further comprises:(1) a thickness that changes from the center to the periphery; or (2) spaced apart holes having different diameters.
- 40. A method of processing a substrate comprising:(a) placing the substrate in a process zone; (b) introducing energized process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor comprising a plurality of cross-members that are adapted to allow portions of the gas distributor to thermally expand; and (c) exhausting the process gas.
- 41. A method according to claim 40 wherein the gas distributor comprises a disc, at least one ring surrounding the disc, and wherein the cross-members hold the disc and ring.
- 42. A method according to claim 41 wherein the cross-member comprises a channel having a sufficient gap around a structural member to allow the structural member to thermally expand.
- 43. A method according to claim 40 wherein at least a portion of the gas distributor comprises monocrystalline material.
- 44. A method according to claim 43 wherein the monocrystalline portion comprises one or more of Al2O3, AIN, BN, Si, SiC, Si3N4, TiO2 and ZrO2.
- 45. A method according to claim 43 wherein the monocrystalline material comprises sapphire.
- 46. A method according to claim 40 wherein the gas distributor further comprises:(1) a thickness that changes from the center to the periphery; or (2) spaced apart holes having different diameters.
- 47. A method according to claim 40 comprising detecting radiation transmitted through the gas distributor.
CROSS-REFERENCE
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/065,384, filed on Apr. 23, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,297 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/638,884, entitled “Etch Enhancement Using an Improved Gas Distribution Plate” filed on Apr. 25, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,434 both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
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EP |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/638884 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Child |
09/065384 |
|
US |