Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
216061000 | By electrical means or of an electrical property | 27 |
20090139962 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING ACCUMULATION OF ELECTRICAL CHARGE DURING SEMICONDUCTOR ETCHING PROCESSES - A method and system are provided for controlling the accumulation of electrical charge during a semiconductor plasma etching process performed in a plasma etching chamber. The bias voltage supplied to the plasma etching chamber is modulated by a bias power modulation circuit to control the accumulation of electrical charge and to force the accumulated electrical charge to be periodically discharged at a controlled rate of discharge that prevents the wafer from being damaged. | 06-04-2009 |
20090194506 | Plasma Processing Apparatus And Plasma Processing Method - The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method capable of controlling the voltage of the processing substrate with high accuracy, thereby enabling a highly accurate plasma processing. According to the invention, a voltage of the processing substrate is measured using a processing substrate with a voltage probe prepared in advance, and based on a bias voltage supplied to an electrostatic chuck mechanism and a bias current flowing through the electrostatic chuck mechanism, a capacity component which is an impedance representing the electric property of the electrostatic chuck mechanism is computed numerically. Then, based on a predetermined expression, the voltage of the processing substrate is estimated using the bias voltage of the processing substrate to be measured, the bias current flowing through the electrostatic chuck mechanism and the capacity component which is the impedance acquired in advance. | 08-06-2009 |
20090321391 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma-generation high-frequency power supply which generates plasma in a processing chamber, a biasing high-frequency power supply which applies high-frequency bias electric power to an electrode on which a sample is placed, a monitor which monitors a peak-to-peak value of the high-frequency bias electric power applied to the electrode, an electrostatic chuck power supply which makes the electrode electrostatically attract the sample, a self-bias voltage calculating unit which calculates self-bias voltage of the sample by monitoring the peak-to-peak value of the high-frequency bias electric power applied to the electrode, and an output voltage control unit which controls output voltage of the electrostatic chuck power supply based on the calculated self-bias voltage. | 12-31-2009 |
20100096361 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING UNCONFINEMENT IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - Universal plasma unconfinement detection systems configured to detect the plasma unconfinement condition in the plasma processing chamber and methods therefor. The detection systems and methods are designed to reliably and accurately detect the existence of the plasma unconfinement condition in a process-independent and recipe-independent manner. | 04-22-2010 |
20100176085 | PLASMA PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD OF MONITORING PLASMA DISCHARGE STATE IN PLASMA PROCESSING DEVICE - An object is to provide a plasma processing device capable of rightly monitoring existence of plasma discharge and also rightly monitoring existence of abnormal discharge. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of monitoring a state of plasma discharge in the plasma processing device. | 07-15-2010 |
20100282711 | PROCESS MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided are a process monitoring apparatus and method. The process monitoring apparatus includes a process chamber in which a process is performed, a probe assembly disposed on the process chamber, and comprising a probe electrode, a plasma generator generating plasma around the probe assembly, and a drive processor applying an alternating current (AC) voltage having at least 2 fundamental frequencies to the probe assembly, and extracting process monitoring parameters. | 11-11-2010 |
20110114599 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - A plasma processing apparatus includes a plurality of radio-frequency power supplies for supplying radio-frequency powers having frequencies different from each other, a common feeding line for superposing radio-frequency powers supplied respectively from the plurality of radio-frequency power supplies and feeding the superposed radio-frequency power to a same radio-frequency electrode, a radio-frequency power extracting device for extracting radio-frequency powers having predetermined frequencies from radio-frequency powers fed via the feeding line, and a radio-frequency voltage detector for measuring voltages of the radio-frequency powers having the predetermined frequencies extracted by the radio-frequency power extracting device. | 05-19-2011 |
20110174777 | PROCESS CONDITION SENSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PLASMA CHAMBER - A sensing device for measuring a plasma process parameter in a plasma chamber for processing workpieces may include a substrate with one or more sensor embedded in the substrate. The substrate can have a surface made of substantially the same material as workpieces that are plasma processed in the plasma chamber. Each sensor can include a collector portion made of substantially the same material as the substrate surface. The collector portion includes a surface that is level with the surface of the substrate. Sensor electronics are embedded into the substrate and coupled to the collector portion. When the substrate surface is exposed to a plasma one or more signals resulting from the plasma can be measured with the sensor(s). | 07-21-2011 |
20110198315 | PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - A plasma processing method includes generating plasma in a processing chamber by supplying at least any of one or more electrodes provided in the processing chamber with a high-frequency power to process a substrate. The method includes applying the high-frequency power to at least any of the one or more electrodes, applying a direct-current voltage to at least any of the one or more electrodes, and previously adjusting the high-frequency power applied to the electrode at a timing when the apply of the direct-current voltage is started or terminated under a state in which the high-frequency power is applied to the electrode. | 08-18-2011 |
20110253672 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - The present invention is intended to improve the uniformity in a distribution function of incident ion energy inside a wafer surface, and realize uniform plasma processing (etching or the like) inside the wafer surface. In a plasma processing apparatus, a bias application portion of a placement electrode on which a wafer is placed is divided into an inner electrode and an outer electrode at positions near the center of the wafer and the edge thereof. Each of a first bias power and a second bias power to be used to accelerate ions incident on the wafer is bifurcated, and the resultant bias powers are fed to the inner electrode and outer electrode using a power distributor by adjusting the power ratio. | 10-20-2011 |
20110259851 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ION ENERGY DISTRIBUTION - Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber are disclosed. An exemplary method includes placing a substrate in a plasma chamber, forming a plasma in the plasma chamber, controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function to the substrate, and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a desired distribution of energies of ions at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the desired distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis. | 10-27-2011 |
20120000887 | PLASMA TREATMENT APPARATUS AND PLASMA TREATMENT METHOD - According to one embodiment, there is provided a plasma treatment apparatus including an electrode, a first power supply circuit, a plasma generating unit, a second power supply circuit, a sensing unit, and a control unit. The electrode is arranged inside a treatment chamber. On the electrode, a substrate to be treated is placed. The first power supply circuit supplies power to the electrode. The plasma generating unit generates plasma in a space separated from the electrode inside the treatment chamber. The second power supply circuit supplies power to the plasma generating unit. The sensing unit senses a parameter output from the first power supply circuit. The control unit controls power supplied from the second power supply circuit so that the parameter sensed by the sensing unit becomes close to or substantially equal to a target value. | 01-05-2012 |
20120160806 | INDUCTIVE PLASMA SOURCE - Methods and apparatus to provide efficient and scalable RF inductive plasma processing are disclosed. In some aspects, the coupling between an inductive RF energy applicator and plasma and/or the spatial definition of power transfer from the applicator are greatly enhanced. The disclosed methods and apparatus thereby achieve high electrical efficiency, reduce parasitic capacitive coupling, and/or enhance processing uniformity. Various embodiments comprise a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber bounded by walls, a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, and an inductive RF energy applicator external to a wall of the chamber. The inductive RF energy applicator comprises one or more radiofrequency inductive coupling elements (ICEs). Each inductive coupling element has a magnetic concentrator in close proximity to a thin dielectric window on the applicator wall. | 06-28-2012 |
20120217221 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ION ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF A PROJECTED PLASMA - Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber are disclosed. An exemplary method includes placing a substrate in a plasma chamber, forming a plasma in the plasma chamber via a remotely generated ionizing electromagnetic field that extends into the plasma chamber from a remote projected source, controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function to the substrate, and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a desired distribution of energies of ions at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the desired distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis. | 08-30-2012 |
20120312780 | PLASMA-ENHANCED SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method for processing a substrate in a capacitively-coupled plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber and at least an upper electrode and a lower electrode. The substrate is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The method includes providing at least a first RF signal, which has a first RF frequency, to the lower electrode. The first RF signal couples with a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, thereby inducing an induced RF signal on the upper electrode. The method also includes providing a second RF signal to the upper electrode. The second RF signal also has the first RF frequency, A phase of the second RF signal is offset from a phase of the first RF signal by a value that is less than | 12-13-2012 |
20130119017 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOTUNING OF RF MATCH - A reactive correction to chamber impedance changes without the need to change the process recipe is disclosed. The reactive correction may be done automatically and repeatedly during processing. A control of RF power application to a plasma processing chamber is performed, so as to minimize reflected power and efficiently apply the RF power to the plasma. Autotuning of the RF power application is enabled without modifying a qualified process recipe. The autotuning can be applied using frequency matching and RF matching network tuning. | 05-16-2013 |
20130126475 | TRIODE REACTOR DESIGN WITH MULTIPLE RADIOFREQUENCY POWERS - Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for semiconductor manufacturing are provided. One wafer processing apparatus includes: a top electrode; a bottom electrode; a first radio frequency (RF) power source; a second RF power source; a third RF power source; a fourth RF power source; and a switch. The first, second, and third power sources are coupled to the bottom electrode. Further, the switch is operable to be in one of a first position or a second position, where the first position causes the top electrode to be connected to ground, and the second position causes the top electrode to be connected to the fourth RF power source. | 05-23-2013 |
20130228550 | DRY ETCHING APPARATUS AND METHOD - There is provided dry etching apparatus including a stage on which a wafer is placed, an antenna electrode, a high frequency power supply, a shower plate, and an RF bias power supply. Further, a bias path controller is provided on the side of the antenna electrode. The bias path controller resonates in series with the static reactance formed by the shower plate with respect to the frequency of the RF bias. Then, the bias path controller changes and grounds the impedance by the variable inductive reactance. With this mechanism, highly uniform etching can be achieved even if a shower plate of quartz is used for corrosive gases. | 09-05-2013 |
20130277333 | PLASMA PROCESSING USING RF RETURN PATH VARIABLE IMPEDANCE CONTROLLER WITH TWO-DIMENSIONAL TUNING SPACE - In a plasma reactor having a driven electrode and a counter electrode, an impedance controller connected between the counter electrode and ground includes both series sand parallel variable impedance elements that facilitate two-dimensional movement of a ground path input impedance in a complex impedance space to control spatial distribution of a plasma process parameter. | 10-24-2013 |
20140061156 | WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE ION ENERGY BIAS CONTROL; FAST ION ENERGY SWITCHING; ION ENERGY CONTROL AND A PULSED BIAS SUPPLY; AND A VIRTUAL FRONT PANEL - This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for operating a plasma processing chamber. In particular, a periodic voltage function combined with an ion current compensation can be provided as a bias to a substrate support as a modified periodic voltage function. This in turn effects a DC bias on the surface of the substrate that controls an ion energy of ions incident on a surface of the substrate. A peak-to-peak voltage of the periodic voltage function can control the ion energy, while the ion current compensation can control a width of an ion energy distribution function of the ions. Measuring the modified periodic voltage function can provide a means to calculate an ion current in the plasma and a sheath capacitance of the plasma sheath. The ion energy distribution function can be tailored and multiple ion energy peaks can be generated, both via control of the modified periodic voltage function. | 03-06-2014 |
20140131314 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber in which plasma processing is performed; a gas feeding unit which supplied process gas into the processing chamber; a radio-frequency power source which supplies radio-frequency power that turns the process gas fed into the processing chamber to plasma; and a light detector which detects the light emitted from the plasma generated in the process chamber. The light detector includes a detecting unit which detects, during respective preset exposure times, the light emitted from the plasma that is generated due to pulse-modulated radio-frequency power, and a control unit which performs control such that the amount of the light emitted from the plasma during each of the preset exposure times becomes constant. | 05-15-2014 |
20140263179 | TUNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLASMA-BASED SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEMS - A system includes a tuning element comprising a shaft and a tuning stub. The tuning stub includes a surface with a center point. The shaft is connected to the surface of the tuning stub at a location that is offset from the center point. A waveguide includes an opening into an inner portion of the waveguide. The shaft passes through the opening and the tuning stub is arranged in the inner portion of the waveguide. A first actuator selectively rotates the shaft. | 09-18-2014 |
20140339193 | Plasma Processing Method - Method for carrying out plasma processing on a wafer under Run-to-Run control by using a plasma processing apparatus having a plasma processing chamber, a process monitor which monitors a condition in the plasma processing chamber, and an actuator which controls parameters which are constituent elements of a plasma processing condition. The method includes the steps of making one of the parameters a (N−1)th manipulated variable, calculating a first difference between a process monitor value in the plasma processing obtained by the process monitor and a desired value of the process monitor value in the plasma processing, calculating a correction amount of the (N−1)th manipulated variable on the basis of the first difference and a previously obtained correlation between the process monitor value in the plasma processing and the (N−1)th manipulated variable, wherein N is a natural number equal to or larger than 2. | 11-20-2014 |
20150060404 | System, Method and Apparatus for Coordinating Pressure Pulses and RF Modulation in a Small Volume Confined Process Reactor - A plasma processing system and method includes a processing chamber, and a plasma processing volume included therein. The plasma processing volume having a volume less than the processing chamber. The plasma processing volume being defined by a top electrode, a substrate support surface opposing the surface of the top electrode and a plasma confinement structure including at least one outlet port. A conductance control structure is movably disposed proximate to the at least one outlet port and capable of controlling an outlet flow through the at least one outlet port between a first flow rate and a second flow rate, wherein the conductance control structure controls the outlet flow rate and an at least one RF source is modulated and at least one process gas flow rate is modulated corresponding to a selected processing state set by the controller during a plasma process. | 03-05-2015 |
20150096959 | METHOD OF MATCHING TWO OR MORE PLASMA REACTORS - Etch rate distributions are captured at a succession of hardware tilt angles of the RF source power applicator relative to the workpiece and their non-uniformities computed, and the behavior is modeled as a non-uniformity function for each one of at least two plasma reactors. An offset Δα in tilt angle α between the non-uniformity functions of the two plasma reactors is detected. The two plasma reactors are then matched by performing a hardware tilt in one of them through a tilt angle equal to the offset Δα. | 04-09-2015 |
20150144594 | Plasma Processing Apparatus and Plasma Processing Method - A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber which plasma-processes a sample, a first high-frequency power supply which supplies first high-frequency power for plasma generation to the processing chamber, a second high-frequency power supply which supplies second high-frequency power to a sample stage on which the sample is placed and a pulse generation device which generate first pulses for time-modulating the first high-frequency power and second pulses for time-modulating the second high-frequency power. The pulse generation device includes a control device which controls the first and second pulses so that frequency of the first pulses is higher than frequency of the second pulses and the on-period of the second pulse is contained in the on-period of the first pulse. | 05-28-2015 |
20160118227 | System, Method and Apparatus for RF Power Compensation in a Plasma Processing System - Plasma processing systems and methods including a plasma processing chamber and an RF transmission path. The plasma processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck. The RF transmission path including one or more RF generators, a match circuit coupled the RF generator and an RF feed coupling the match circuit to the electrostatic chuck. The system also includes an RF return path coupled between the plasma processing chamber and the RF generator. A plasma processing system controller is coupled to the plasma processing chamber and the RF transmission path. The controller includes recipe logic for at least one plasma processing recipe including multiple plasma processing settings and an RF power compensation logic for adjusting at least one of the plasma processing settings. | 04-28-2016 |