Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
438729000 | Using specified electrode/susceptor configuration (e.g., of multiple substrates using barrel-type susceptor, planar reactor configuration, etc.) to generate plasma | 19 |
20080318432 | REACTOR WITH HEATED AND TEXTURED ELECTRODES AND SURFACES - A reactor for processing semiconductor wafers with electrodes and other surfaces that can be one of heated, textured and/or pre-coated in order to facilitate adherence of materials deposited thereon, and eliminate the disadvantages resulting from the spaulding, flaking and/or delaminating of such materials which can interfere with semiconductor wafer processing. | 12-25-2008 |
20080318433 | Plasma confinement rings assemblies having reduced polymer deposition characteristics - Plasma confinement ring assemblies are provided that include confinement rings adapted to reach sufficiently high temperatures on plasma-exposed surfaces of the rings to avoid polymer deposition on those surfaces. The plasma confinement rings include thermal chokes adapted to localize heating at selected portions of the rings that include the plasma exposed surfaces. The thermal chokes reduce heat conduction from those portions to other portions of the rings, which causes selected portions of the rings to reach desired temperatures during plasma processing. | 12-25-2008 |
20090004873 | HYBRID ETCH CHAMBER WITH DECOUPLED PLASMA CONTROLS - A dielectric etch chamber and method for improved control of plasma parameters. The plasma chamber comprises dual-frequency bias source that capacitively couples the RF energy to the plasma, and a single or dual frequency source that inductively couples the RF energy to the plasma. The inductive source may be modulated for improved etch uniformity. | 01-01-2009 |
20090017635 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE EDGE REGION - The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for etching at a substrate edge region. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a chamber having a process volume, a substrate support arranged inside the process volume and having a substrate support surface, a plasma generator coupled to the chamber and configured to supply an etching agent in a plasma phase to a peripheral region of the substrate support surface, and a gas delivery assembly coupled to a gas source for generating a radial gas flow over the substrate support surface from an approximately central region of the substrate support surface toward the peripheral region of the substrate support surface. | 01-15-2009 |
20090047795 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS, PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A plasma processing apparatus includes a first radio frequency (RF) power supply unit for applying a first RF power for generating a plasma from a processing gas to at least one of a first and a second electrode which are disposed facing each other in an evacuable processing chamber. The first RF power supply unit is controlled by a control unit so that a first phase at which the first RF power has a first amplitude for generating a plasma and a second phase at which the first RF power has a second amplitude for generating substantially no plasma are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals. | 02-19-2009 |
20090081878 | Temperature control modules for showerhead electrode assemblies for plasma processing apparatuses - A temperature control module for a showerhead electrode assembly for a semiconductor material plasma processing chamber includes a heater plate adapted to be secured to a top surface of a top electrode of the showerhead electrode assembly, and which supplies heat to the top electrode to control the temperature of the top electrode; a cooling plate adapted to be secured to and thermally isolated from a surface of a top plate of the showerhead electrode assembly, and to cool the heater plate and control heat conduction between the top electrode and heater plate; and at least one thermal choke adapted to control heat conduction between the heater plate and cooling plate. | 03-26-2009 |
20090163034 | COMPOSITE SHOWERHEAD ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY FOR A PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - A showerhead electrode for a plasma processing apparatus includes an elastomeric sheet adhesive bond between mating surfaces of an electrode and a backing member to accommodate stresses generated during temperature cycling due to mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion. The elastomeric sheet comprises a thermally conductive silicone adhesive able to withstand a high shear strain of ≧300% in a temperature range of room temperature to 300° C. such as heat curable high molecular weight dimethyl silicone with fillers. The sheet form adhesive has bond thickness control for parallelism of bonded surfaces over large areas. The sheet adhesive may be cast or die cut into pre-form shapes that can conform to irregularly shaped features, maximize surface contact area with mating electrode surfaces, and installed into cavities of the mating assembly. Installation can be manually, manually with installation tooling, or with automated machinery. Composite layers of sheet adhesive having different physical properties can be laminated or coplanar. | 06-25-2009 |
20090221151 | Electrode for plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method and storage medium - The present invention provides an upper electrode used in an etching apparatus and the etching apparatus including the upper electrode, both of which can properly reduce intensity of electric field of plasma around a central portion of a substrate to be processed, thus enhancing in-plane uniformity of a plasma process. In this apparatus, a recess, serving as a space for allowing a dielectric to be injected therein, is provided around a central portion of the upper electrode. A dielectric supply passage configured for supplying the dielectric into the space and a dielectric discharge passage configured for discharging the dielectric from the space are connected with the space, respectively. With such configuration, the dielectric can be controllably supplied into the recess, such that in-plane distribution of the intensity of the electric field can be uniformed, corresponding to in-plane distribution of the intensity of the electric field of the plasma generated under various process conditions, such as a kind of each wafer that will be etched, each processing gas that will be used, and the like. | 09-03-2009 |
20090275207 | PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - A plasma etching method includes disposing first electrode and second electrodes; preparing a part in a processing chamber; supporting a substrate by the second electrode to face the first electrode; vacuum-evacuating the processing chamber; supplying a first processing gas containing an etchant gas into a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; generating a plasma of the first processing gas in the processing space by applying a radio frequency power to the first electrode or the second electrode; and etching a film on the substrate by using the plasma. Further, a resist modification process includes vacuum-evacuating the processing chamber; supplying a second processing gas into the processing space; generating a plasma; and applying a negative DC voltage to the part, the part being disposed away from the substrate in the processing chamber and injecting electrons discharged from the part into the resist pattern on the substrate. | 11-05-2009 |
20100124822 | APPARATUSES FOR ADJUSTING ELECTRODE GAP IN CAPACITIVELY-COUPLED RF PLASMA REACTOR - A plasma processing chamber includes a cantilever assembly configured to neutralize atmospheric load. The chamber includes a wall surrounding an interior region and having an opening formed therein. A cantilever assembly includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the chamber. The cantilever assembly extends through the opening such that a portion is located outside the chamber. The chamber includes an actuation mechanism operative to move the cantilever assembly relative to the wall. | 05-20-2010 |
20100210114 | PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD - A plasma processing method performed in a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber accommodating a substrate in which a plasma is generated; a mounting table mounting the substrate, which is provided in the processing chamber and to which a plasma attraction high frequency voltage is applied; and a facing electrode provided to face the mounting table in the processing chamber, to which a negative DC voltage is applied, the method including: applying a plasma attraction high frequency voltage to the mounting table for a predetermined period of time; and stopping the application of the plasma attraction high frequency voltage to the mounting table. In the plasma processing method, the application of the plasma attraction high frequency voltage and stopping thereof are alternately repeated. | 08-19-2010 |
20100216313 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - Disclosed is a plasma processing device that provides an object to be treated with plasma treatment. A wafer as an object to be treated, which is attached on the upper surface of adhesive sheet held by a holder frame, is mounted on a stage. In a vacuum chamber that covers the stage therein, plasma is generated, by which the wafer mounted on the stage undergoes plasma treatment. The plasma processing device contains a cover member made of dielectric material. During the plasma treatment on the wafer, the holder frame is covered with a cover member placed at a predetermined position above the stage, at the same time, the wafer is exposed from an opening formed in the center of the cover member. | 08-26-2010 |
20110165779 | METHOD OF ORIENTING AN UPPER ELECTRODE RELATIVE TO A LOWER ELECTRODE FOR BEVEL EDGE PROCESSING - Methods for orienting an upper electrode relative to a lower electrode are provided. The lower electrode is configured to have a desired existing orientation in a process chamber to define active and inactive process zones in the process chamber for processing a wafer. The method includes configuring each electrode with a reference surface, where a lower electrode reference surface is in the desired existing orientation and an upper electrode reference surface to be oriented parallel to the lower electrode reference surface. Then, temporarily holding the upper electrode reference surface oriented parallel to the lower electrode reference surface, and securing the upper electrode to a drive to mount the upper electrode reference surface parallel to the lower electrode reference surface. Other method configurations are also disclosed and illustrated. | 07-07-2011 |
20120258601 | E-Beam Enhanced Decoupled Source for Semiconductor Processing - A semiconductor substrate processing system includes a processing chamber and a substrate support defined to support a substrate in the processing chamber. The system also includes a plasma chamber defined separate from the processing chamber. The plasma chamber is defined to generate a plasma. The system also includes a plurality of fluid transmission pathways fluidly connecting the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The plurality of fluid transmission pathways are defined to supply reactive constituents of the plasma from the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The system further includes an electrode disposed within the processing chamber separate from the substrate support. The system also includes a power supply electrically connected to the electrode. The power supply is defined to supply electrical power to the electrode so as to liberate electrons from the electrode into the processing chamber. | 10-11-2012 |
20130164941 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH ADJUSTABLE PLASMA ELECTRODES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - Plasma reactors with adjustable plasma electrodes and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. The plasma reactors can include a chamber, a workpiece support for holding a microfeature workpiece, and a plasma electrode in the chamber and spaced apart from the workpiece support. The plasma electrode has a first portion and a second portion configured to move relative to the first portion. The first and second portions are configured to electrically generate a plasma between the workpiece support and the plasma electrode. | 06-27-2013 |
20130244441 | COMPOSITE SHOWERHEAD ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY FOR A PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - A method of forming an elastomeric sheet adhesive bond between mating surfaces of an electrode and a backing member to accommodate stresses generated during temperature cycling due to mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion. The elastomeric sheet comprises a thermally conductive silicone adhesive able to withstand a high shear strain of ≧300% in a temperature range of room temperature to 300° C. such as heat curable high molecular weight dimethyl silicone with fillers. Installation can be manually, manually with installation tooling, or with automated machinery. | 09-19-2013 |
20130295775 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - Disclosed is a plasma processing device that provides an object to be treated with plasma treatment. A wafer as an object to be treated, which is attached on the upper surface of adhesive sheet held by a holder frame, is mounted on a stage. In a vacuum chamber that covers the stage therein, plasma is generated, by which the wafer mounted on the stage undergoes plasma treatment. The plasma processing device contains a cover member made of dielectric material. During the plasma treatment on the wafer, the holder frame is covered with a cover member placed at a predetermined position above the stage, at the same time, the wafer is exposed from an opening formed in the center of the cover member. | 11-07-2013 |
20140273494 | PARALLEL PLATE DRY ETCHING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE USING SAME - According to one embodiment, a parallel plate dry etching apparatus includes: a lower electrode; an upper electrode having a plurality of etching gas supply ports in the lower surface; a reaction chamber including the lower and the upper electrode and having an exhaust port; a flow guide plate disposed in a ring form in an upper portion of a space between a side wall of the reaction chamber and a side wall of the lower electrode, the flow guide plate having a plurality of vent holes; and a pair of shield plates disposed to face the flow guide plate in the space, the pair of shield plates blocking the etching gas passing through part of the plurality of vent holes, and the pair of shield plates facing the lower electrode in a first direction parallel to the upper surface of the lower electrode. | 09-18-2014 |
20140377960 | PLASMA ETCHING METHOD - In a plasma etching method of performing a plasma etching on an amorphous carbon layer of a substrate to be processed by using an inorganic film as a mask, the substrate being mounted in a processing chamber, the plasma etching on the amorphous carbon layer is performed by using O | 12-25-2014 |