Method and apparatus for insulating a high power RF electrode through which plasma discharge gases are injected into a processing chamber

摘要

A processing system (10) for processing a substrate (30) comprises a processing chamber (16) including a support structure for supporting a substrate (30) within the process space (20). A gas inlet (21) introduces a process gas (16) and a showerhead (14) disperses process gas from the inlet (21). Electrical energy biases the showerhead (14) to form a plasma, and first and second electrical insulator elements (12) are positioned between the showerhead (14) and the processing chamber (16) to electrically insulate the showerhead (14). The electrical insulator elements (12) each have a passage (46) for passing a process gas (16), and the respective passages of the insulator elements are laterally spaced from each other. A channel is formed in one of the elements and extends between the spaced passages to couple the passages (46) together and form a complete passage.