| 摘要 |
<p>A plasma processing system (10) is provided, having processor chamber walls (53) and/or a gas distribution or baffle plate (54) equipped with integral cooling passages (80, 156) for reducing an operating temperature thereof during processing of a wafer (18) by the system. Cooling medium inlets (158, 82) and outlets (160, 86) are connected to the cooling passages to permit circulation of a cooling medium through the cooling passages. Preferably, the chamber walls (53) and the gas distribution or baffle plate (54) are comprised of low-alloy anodized aluminum and the cooling passages are machined directly therein. The cooling medium may be either liquid (e.g., water) or gas (e.g., helium or nitrogen). The baffle plate (54) comprises a generally planar, apertured, gas distribution central portion (74) surrounded by a flange (78), into both of which the cooling passages may extend. The cooling passages in the chamber walls (53) and those in the gas distribution or baffle plate (54) may be in communication with one another so as to permit them to share a single coolant circulating system. Alternatively, the cooling passages in the chamber walls (53) and those in the gas distribution or baffle plate (54) may not be in communication with one another, so as to provide independent circulating systems (gas or liquid) for each, thereby enabling independent temperature control and individual flow control thereof. In operation, the cooling medium in the chamber wall cooling passages (156) is maintained approximately within the range of 15 DEG C - 30 DEG C, and the cooling medium in the gas distribution or baffle plate cooling passages (80) is maintained approximately within the range of 15 DEG C - 80 DEG C. Periodically, the lower baffle plate may alternatively be operated at up to 250 DEG C to remove process residues from the surface of the plate that may otherwise condense and remain on the surface at lower operating temperatures (e.g., 15 DEG C - 80 DEG C). <IMAGE></p> |
