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(11)

EP 0 845 151 A1

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(43) Date of publication: 03.06.1998 Bulletin 1998/23 (21) Application number: 97925528.0 (22) Date of filing: 08.05.1997

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  H05H 1/ 46( . ) C23C 16/ 50( . ) H01J 37/ 34( . ) H01L 21/ 205( . ) C23C 14/ 35( . ) H01J 37/ 32( . ) H01L 21/ 203( . ) H01L 21/ 285( . ) (86) International application number: PCT/US1997/008008 (87) International publication number: WO 1997/042648 (13.11.1997 Gazette 1997/49)

(84) Designated Contracting States: BE CH DE FR GB IE IT LI NL (30) Priority: 09.05.1996 US 19960647182 (71) Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc. Santa Clara, California 95054 (US)

(72) Inventors: SUBRAMANI, Anantha San Jose, CA 95135 (US) FORSTER, John San Francisco, CA 94103 (US) STIMSON, Bradley, O. San Jose, CA 95126 (US) EDELSTEIN, Sergio Los Gatos, CA 95030 (US) GRUNES, Howard Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (US) TEPMAN, Avi Cupertino, CA 95014 (US) XU, Zheng Foster City, CA 94404 (US) (74) Representative: Bayliss, Geoffrey Cyril, et al  BOULT WADE TENNANT, 27 Furnival Street London EC4A 1PQ London EC4A 1PQ (GB)