Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090025878 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH REDUCED ELECTRICAL SKEW USING ELECTRICAL BYPASS ELEMENTS - RF ground return current flow is diverted away from asymmetrical features of the reactor chamber by providing bypass current flow paths. One bypass current flow path avoids the pumping port in the chamber floor, and comprises a conductive symmetrical grill extending from the side wall to the grounded pedestal base. Another bypass current flow path avoids the wafer slit valve, and comprises an array of conductive straps bridging the section of the sidewall occupied by the slit valve. | 01-29-2009 |
20090025879 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH REDUCED ELECTRICAL SKEW USING A CONDUCTIVE BAFFLE - RF ground return current flow is diverted away from asymmetrical features of the reactor chamber by providing a bypass current flow path. The bypass current flow path avoids the pumping port in the chamber floor and avoids the wafer slit valve, and is provided by a conductive annular baffle grounded to and extending from the wafer pedestal. Current flow below the level of the annular baffle can be blocked by providing one or more insulating rings in the sidewall or by providing a dielectric sidewall. | 01-29-2009 |
20090188624 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING FLOW UNIFORMITY IN A PROCESS CHAMBER - Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate may include a process chamber having an inner volume and an exhaust system coupled thereto, wherein the exhaust system includes a plurality of first conduits, each first conduit having an inlet adapted to receive exhaust from the inner volume of the process chamber. A pumping plenum is coupled to each of the plurality of first conduits. The pumping plenum has a pumping port adapted to pump the exhaust from the chamber. The conductance between each inlet of the plurality of first conduits and the pumping port is substantially equivalent. | 07-30-2009 |
20090214798 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FRONT SIDE PROTECTION DURING BACKSIDE CLEANING - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region. | 08-27-2009 |
20090218043 | GAS FLOW EQUALIZER PLATE SUITABLE FOR USE IN A SUBSTRATE PROCESS CHAMBER - A flow equalizer plate is provided for use in a substrate process chamber. The flow equalizer plate has an annular shape with a flow obstructing inner region, and a perforated outer region that permits the passage of a processing gas, but retains specific elements in the processing gas, such as active radicals or ions. The inner and outer regions have varying radial widths so as to balance a flow of processing gas over a surface of a substrate. In certain embodiments, the flow equalizer plate may be utilized to correct chamber flow asymmetries due to a lateral offset of an exhaust port relative to a center line of a substrate support between the process volume and the exhaust port. | 09-03-2009 |
20090230089 | ELECTRICAL CONTROL OF PLASMA UNIFORMITY USING EXTERNAL CIRCUIT - A method and apparatus for controlling plasma uniformity is disclosed. When etching a substrate, a non-uniform plasma may lead to uneven etching of the substrate. Impedance circuits may alleviate the uneven plasma to permit more uniform etching. The impedance circuits may be disposed between the chamber wall and ground, the showerhead and ground, and the cathode can and ground. The impedance circuits may comprise one or more of an inductor and a capacitor. The inductance of the inductor and the capacitance of the capacitor may be predetermined to ensure the plasma is uniform. Additionally, the inductance and capacitance may be adjusted during processing or between processing steps to suit the needs of the particular process. | 09-17-2009 |
20090321019 | RF POWER DELIVERY SYSTEM IN A SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS - Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus which provide good RF uniformity within a processing chamber. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate support assembly, a terminal, and a dielectric insulator. The substrate support assembly has a center passage formed along a center axis. An RF transmission line is provided. The RF transmission line has a substantially vertical portion and a substantially horizontal portion, wherein the terminal is coupled to the substantially horizontal portion of the RF transmission line. The dielectric insulator circumscribes the substantially horizontal portion of the RF transmission line. The dielectric insulator has a first opening through which the terminal passes. | 12-31-2009 |
20100018648 | WORKPIECE SUPPORT FOR A PLASMA REACTOR WITH CONTROLLED APPORTIONMENT OF RF POWER TO A PROCESS KIT RING - In an electrostatic chuck, RF bias power is separately applied to a workpiece and to a process kit collar surrounding the workpiece. At least one variable impedance element governed by a system controller adjusts the apportionment of RF bias power between the workpiece and the process kit collar, allowing dynamic adjustment of the plasma sheath electric field at the extreme edge of the workpiece, for optimum electric field uniformity under varying plasma conditions, for example. | 01-28-2010 |
20100081284 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING FLOW UNIFORMITY IN A PROCESS CHAMBER - Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate includes a flow equalizer configured to control the flow of gases between a process volume and an exhaust port of a process chamber. The flow equalizer includes at least one restrictor plate configured to be disposed in a plane proximate a surface of a substrate to be processed and defines an azimuthally non-uniform gap between an edge of the at least one restrictor plate and one of either a chamber wall or a substrate support when installed in the process chamber. | 04-01-2010 |
20100101729 | PROCESS KIT HAVING REDUCED EROSION SENSITIVITY - Process kits for use in a semiconductor process chambers have been provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit for a semiconductor process chamber includes a body configured to rest about a periphery of a substrate support and having sidewalls defining an opening corresponding to a central region of the substrate support. A lip extends from the sidewalls of the body into the opening, wherein a portion of an upper surface of the lip is configured to be disposed beneath a substrate during processing. A first distance measured between opposing sidewalls of the body is greater than a width across the upper surface of a substrate to be disposed within the opening by at least about 7.87 mm. | 04-29-2010 |
20100136793 | EFFICIENT AND ACCURATE METHOD FOR REAL-TIME PREDICTION OF THE SELF-BIAS VOLTAGE OF A WAFER AND FEEDBACK CONTROL OF ESC VOLTAGE IN PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck, wafer voltage may be determined from RF measurements at the bias input using previously determined constants based upon transmission line properties of the bias input, and this wafer voltage may be used to accurately control the DC wafer clamping voltage. | 06-03-2010 |
20100248488 | PULSED PLASMA HIGH ASPECT RATIO DIELECTRIC PROCESS - Radial distribution of etch rate is controlled by controlling the respective duty cycles of pulsed VHF source power applied to the ceiling and pulsed HF or MF bias power on the workpiece. Net average electrical charging of the workpiece is controlled by providing an electronegative process gas and controlling the voltage of a positive DC pulse on the workpiece applied during pulse off times of the pulsed VHF source power. | 09-30-2010 |
20100327873 | MULTI-DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR SUBSTRATE-LEVEL MEASUREMENTS - Described herein is a method and apparatus for diagnosing processing equipment with a multi-diagnostic device. In one embodiment, a multi-diagnostic device is located in a plasma processing environment and includes an electronic circuitry. The device includes a first array of sensors and a second array of sensors. The circuitry is used to simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously) measure the distributions of ion saturation current and the potential at the device using the first array of sensors and to measure resistances of the second array of sensors to determine the distribution of the temperature at the surface of the device. | 12-30-2010 |
20110031216 | SYNCHRONIZED RADIO FREQUENCY PULSING FOR PLASMA ETCHING - Methods for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of etching a dielectric layer includes generating a plasma by pulsing a first RF source signal having a first duty cycle; applying a second RF bias signal having a second duty cycle to the plasma; applying a third RF bias signal having a third duty cycle to the plasma, wherein the first, second, and third signals are synchronized; adjusting a phase variance between the first RF source signal and at least one of the second or third RF bias signals to control at least one of plasma ion density non-uniformity in the plasma or charge build-up on the dielectric layer; and etching the dielectric layer with the plasma. | 02-10-2011 |
20110094683 | RF FEED STRUCTURE FOR PLASMA PROCESSING - Apparatus for plasma processing are provided. In some embodiments, an RF feed structure includes a first RF feed to couple RF power to a plurality of symmetrically arranged stacked first RF coil elements; a second RF feed coaxially disposed about the first RF feed and electrically insulated therefrom, the second RF feed to couple RF power to a plurality of symmetrically arranged stacked second RF coil elements coaxially disposed with respect to the first RF coil elements. In some embodiments, a plasma processing apparatus includes a first RF coil; a second RF coil coaxially disposed with respect to the first RF coil; a first RF feed coupled to the first RF coil to provide RF power thereto; and a second RF feed coaxially disposed with respect to the first RF feed and electrically insulated therefrom, the second RF feed coupled to the second RF coil to provide RF power thereto. | 04-28-2011 |
20110094994 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA APPARATUS - Methods and apparatus for plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, a plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber having an interior processing volume; a first RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume; and a second RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume, the second RF coil disposed coaxially with respect to the first RF coil, wherein the first and second RF coils are configured such that RF current flowing through the first RF coil is out of phase with RF current flowing through the RF second coil. | 04-28-2011 |
20110097901 | DUAL MODE INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR WITH ADJUSTABLE PHASE COIL ASSEMBLY - Embodiments of dual mode inductively coupled plasma reactors and methods of use of same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a dual mode inductively coupled plasma processing system may include a process chamber having a dielectric lid and a plasma source assembly disposed above the dielectric lid. The plasma source assembly includes a plurality of coils configured to inductively couple RF energy into the process chamber to form and maintain a plasma therein, a phase controller for adjusting the relative phase of the RF current applied to each coil in the plurality of coils, and an RF generator coupled to the phase controller and the plurality of coils. | 04-28-2011 |
20110120505 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FRONT SIDE PROTECTION DURING BACKSIDE CLEANING - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region. | 05-26-2011 |
20110180243 | APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY OF A SUBSTRATE - Apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate is provided herein. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be more uniform. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be non-uniform in a desired pattern. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate may include a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate thereon; and a plurality of flow paths having a substantially equivalent fluid conductance disposed within the substrate support to flow a heat transfer fluid beneath the support surface. | 07-28-2011 |
20120018402 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND LINER ASSEMBLY FOR TUNING ELECTRICAL SKEWS - The invention discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising a chamber lid, a chamber body and a support assembly. The chamber body, defining a processing volume for containing a plasma, for supporting the chamber lid. The chamber body is comprised of a chamber sidewall, a bottom wall and a liner assembly. The chamber sidewall and the bottom wall define a processing volume for containing a plasma. The liner assembly, disposed inside the processing volume, comprises of two or more slots formed thereon for providing an axial symmetric RF current path. The support assembly supports a substrate for processing within the chamber body. With the liner assembly with several symmetric slots, the present invention can prevent electromagnetic fields thereof from being azimuthal asymmetry. | 01-26-2012 |
20120034136 | SYMMETRIC VHF PLASMA POWER COUPLER WITH ACTIVE UNIFORMITY STEERING - A coaxial VHF power coupler includes conductive element inside a hollow cylindrical outer conductor of the power coupler and surrounding an axial section of a hollow cylindrical inner conductor of the power coupler. Respective plural motor drives contacting the hollow cylindrical outer conductor are connected to respective locations of the movable conductive element. | 02-09-2012 |
20120043023 | SYMMETRIC VHF SOURCE FOR A PLASMA REACTOR - The disclosure pertains to a capactively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a folded structure and symmetrical power distribution. | 02-23-2012 |
20120086464 | IN-SITU VHF VOLTAGE/CURRENT SENSORS FOR A PLASMA REACTOR - An RE voltage probe is adapted to have a long coaxial cable to permit a measuring device to be connected remotely from the probe without distorting the voltage measurement. An RF current probe is encapsulated in a conductive housing to permit its placement inside a plasma reactor chamber. | 04-12-2012 |
20120097870 | APPARATUS FOR FORMING A MAGNETIC FIELD AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - Apparatus for forming a magnetic field and methods of use thereof are provided herein. In some embodiments, a plurality of coils having substantially similar dimensions disposed about a process chamber in a symmetric pattern centered about a central axis of the process chamber, wherein the plurality of coils are configured to produce a magnetic field having a plurality of magnetic field lines that are substantially planar and substantially parallel. In some embodiments, the plurality of coils comprises eight coils disposed about the process chamber, wherein each of the eight coils is offset by an angle of about 45 degrees from respective adjacent coils of the eight coils. | 04-26-2012 |
20120273341 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING PLASMA IN A PROCESS CHAMBER - Methods and apparatus for controlling a plasma are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include supplying a first RF signal having a first frequency and a first period from an RF power source to a first electrode, wherein the first period is a first integer number of first cycles at the first frequency; supplying a second RF signal having a second frequency and a second period from the RF power source to the first electrode, wherein the second period is a second integer number of second cycles at the second frequency and wherein a first multiplicative product of the first frequency and the first integer number is equal to a second multiplicative product of the second frequency and the second integer number; and controlling the phase between the first and second periods to control an ion energy distribution of the plasma formed in a process chamber. | 11-01-2012 |
20130008604 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING FLOW UNIFORMITY IN A PROCESS CHAMBER - Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate may include a process chamber having an inner volume and an exhaust system coupled thereto, wherein the exhaust system includes a plurality of first conduits, each first conduit having an inlet adapted to receive exhaust from the inner volume of the process chamber. A pumping plenum is coupled to each of the plurality of first conduits. The pumping plenum has a pumping port adapted to pump the exhaust from the chamber. The conductance between each inlet of the plurality of first conduits and the pumping port is substantially equivalent. | 01-10-2013 |
20130087286 | SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER - Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems. | 04-11-2013 |
20130098551 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH ARRAYED PLASMA SOURCES FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma reactor that generates plasma in workpiece processing chamber by a electron beam, has an electron beam source chamber and an array of plasma sources facing the electron beam source chamber for affecting plasma electron density in different portions of the processing chamber. In another embodiment, an array of separately controlled electron beam source chambers is provided. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098552 | E-BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH PROFILED E-BEAM EXTRACTION GRID FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma, reactor that relies on an electron beam as a plasma source employs a profiled electron beam extraction grid in an electron beam source to improve uniformity. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098553 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH PROFILED CHAMBER WALL FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workplace processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source chamber with a wall opposite to the electron beam propagation direction, the wall being profiled to compensate for a non-uniformity in electron beam density distribution. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098555 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH PROFILED CONDUCTIVE FINS FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - In a plasma reactor employing a planar electron beam as a plasma source, the electron beam source chamber has an internal conductive fin that is profiled along a direction transverse to the beam propagation diction and parallel to the plane of the electron beam, in order to correct electron beam density distribution. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098872 | SWITCHED ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE ARRAY FOR UNIFORM PLASMA PRODUCTION - An array of electron beam sources surrounding a processing region of a plasma reactor is periodically switched to change electron beam propagation direction and remove or reduce non-uniformities. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098873 | OVERHEAD ELECTRON BEAM SOURCE FOR PLASMA ION GENERATION IN A WORKPIECE PROCESSING REGION - A plasma reactor has a main chamber for processing a workpiece in a processing region bounded between an overhead ceiling and a workpiece support surface, the reactor having an overhead electron beam source that produces an electron beam flowing into the processing region through the ceiling of the main chamber. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098882 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH SEGMENTED BEAM DUMP FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented beam dump that is profiled to promote uniformity in the electron beam-produced plasma. | 04-25-2013 |
20130098883 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH PROFILED MAGNET SHIELD FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma reactor employs an e-beam source to generate plasma, and the e-beam source has a configurable magnetic shield. | 04-25-2013 |
20130134129 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA APPARATUS - Methods and apparatus for plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, a plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber having an interior processing volume; a first RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume; and a second RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume, the second RF coil disposed coaxially with respect to the first RF coil, wherein the first and second RF coils are configured such that RF current flowing through the first RF coil is out of phase with RF current flowing through the RF second coil. | 05-30-2013 |
20130213935 | SYNCHRONIZED RADIO FREQUENCY PULSING FOR PLASMA ETCHING - Methods for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of etching a dielectric layer includes generating a plasma by pulsing a first RF source signal having a first duty cycle; applying a second RF bias signal having a second duty cycle to the plasma; applying a third RF bias signal having a third duty cycle to the plasma, wherein the first, second, and third signals are synchronized; adjusting a phase variance between the first RF source signal and at least one of the second or third RF bias signals to control at least one of plasma ion density non-uniformity in the plasma or charge build-up on the dielectric layer; and etching the dielectric layer with the plasma. | 08-22-2013 |
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 |
20130278141 | THREE-COIL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED COIL CURRENTS FROM A SINGLE RF POWER GENERATOR - An inductively coupled plasma reactor has three concentric RF coil antennas and a current divider circuit individually controlling currents in each of the three coil antennas by varying only two reactive elements in the current divider circuit. | 10-24-2013 |
20130278142 | THREE-COIL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED COIL CURRENTS FROM A SINGLE RF POWER GENERATOR - An inductively coupled plasma reactor has three concentric coil antennas and a current divider circuit individually controlling currents in each of the three coil antennas by varying two variable impedance elements in the current divider circuit in response to a desired current apportionment among the coil antennas received from a user interface. | 10-24-2013 |
20130284369 | TWO-PHASE OPERATION OF PLASMA CHAMBER BY PHASE LOCKED LOOP - Plasma distribution is controlled in a plasma reactor by controlling the phase difference between opposing RF electrodes, in accordance with a desired or user-selected phase difference, by a phase-lock feedback control loop. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284370 | INDEPENDENT CONTROL OF RF PHASES OF SEPARATE COILS OF AN INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR - Plasma distribution is controlled in a plasma reactor by controlling the phase differences between different RF coil antennas, in accordance with a desired or user-selected phase difference, by a phase-lock feedback control loop. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284372 | ESC COOLING BASE FOR LARGE DIAMETER SUBSRATES - Embodiments include a base for an electrostatic chuck (ESC) assembly for supporting a workpiece during a manufacturing operation in a processing chamber, such as a plasma etch, clean, deposition system, or the like. Inner and outer fluid conduits are disposed in the base to conduct a heat transfer fluid. In embodiments, a counter-flow conduit configuration provides improved temperature uniformity. The conduit segments in each zone are interlaced so that fluid flows are in opposite directions in radially adjacent segments. In embodiments, each separate fluid conduit formed in the base comprises a channel formed in the base with a cap e-beam welded to a recessed lip of the channel to make a sealed conduit. To further improve the thermal uniformity, a compact, tri-fold channel segment is employed in each of the outer fluid loops. In further embodiments, the base includes a multi-contact fitting RF and DC connection, and thermal breaks. | 10-31-2013 |
20130315795 | PLASMA REACTOR GAS DISTRIBUTION PLATE WITH RADIALLY DISTRIBUTED PATH SPLITTING MANIFOLD - In a showerhead assembly, a path splitting manifold comprises a gas supply inlet and a planar floor and plural gas outlets extending axially through the floor and azimuthally distributed about the floor. The path splitting manifold further comprises a plurality of channels comprising plural paths between the inlet and respective ones of the plural outlets. A gas distribution showerhead underlies the floor of the manifold and is open to the plural outlets. In certain embodiments, the plural paths are of equal lengths. | 11-28-2013 |
20130320998 | IN-SITU VHF CURRENT SENSOR FOR A PLASMA REACTOR - An RF current probe is encapsulated in a conductive housing to permit its placement inside a plasma reactor chamber. An RF voltage probe is adapted to have a long coaxial cable to permit a measuring device to be connected remotely from the probe without distorting the voltage measurement. | 12-05-2013 |
20140020835 | SYMMETRICAL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH SYMMETRICAL FLOW CHAMBER - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil inductive plasma source with symmetric RF feeds and a symmetrical chamber exhaust with plural struts through the exhaust region providing access to a confined workplace support. A grid may be included for masking spatial effects of the struts from the processing region. | 01-23-2014 |
20140020836 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH PLURAL TOP COILS OVER A CEILING AND AN INDEPENDENT SIDE COIL - A plasma reactor for processing a workplace includes a reactor chamber having a ceiling and a sidewali and a workplace support facing the ceiling and defining a processing region, and a pair of concentric independently excited RF coil antennas overlying the ceiling and a side RF coil concentric with the side wall and facing the side wall below the ceiling, and being excited independently. | 01-23-2014 |
20140020837 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH MULTIPLE DIELECTRIC WINDOWS AND WINDOW-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE - A plasma reactor enclosure has a metallic portion and a dielectric portion of plural dielectric windows supported on the metallic portion, each of the dielectric windows extending around an axis of symmetry. Plural concentric coil antennas are disposed on an external side of the enclosure, respective ones of the coil antennas facing respective ones of the dielectric windows. | 01-23-2014 |
20140020838 | SYMMETRICAL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH COAXIAL RF FEED AND COAXIAL SHIELDING - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil inductive plasma source with symmetric RF feeds and symmetrical RF shielding around the symmetric RF feeds. | 01-23-2014 |
20140020839 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH SYMMETRICAL RF FEED - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil inductive plasma source with RF feeds arranged in equilateral symmetry. | 01-23-2014 |
20140021861 | SYMMETRICAL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH SIDE RF FEEDS AND RF DISTRIBUTION PLATES - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil inductive plasma source with symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source. | 01-23-2014 |
20140035458 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE HAVING A UNIFORM MAGNETIC FIELD - Electron beam-confining electromagnets of an electron beam generator are aligned with an electron beam axis, each of the electromagnets being folded to define a main section and a pair of angled wing sections disposed at respective angles relative to said main section, and a conductor wound around the edge. | 02-06-2014 |
20140232263 | SYMMETRICAL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH SIDE RF FEEDS AND SPIRAL COIL ANTENNA - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil antennas including a parallel spiral coil antenna and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source. | 08-21-2014 |
20140265832 | MULTIPLE COIL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH OFFSET FREQUENCIES AND DOUBLE-WALLED SHIELDING - A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil antennas including a parallel spiral coil antenna and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source. | 09-18-2014 |
20140265855 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH SEGMENTED SUPPRESSION ELECTRODE FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION - A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented suppression electrode with individually biased segments to control electron beam density distribution. | 09-18-2014 |
20140265910 | DIGITAL PHASE CONTROLLER FOR TWO-PHASE OPERATION OF A PLASMA REACTOR - Phase angle between opposing electrodes in a plasma reactor is controlled in accordance with a user selected phase angle. Direct digital synthesis of RF waveforms of different phases for the different electrodes is employed. The synthesis is synchronized with a reference clock. The address generator employed for direct digital synthesis is synchronized with an output clock signal that is generated in phase with the reference clock using a phase lock loop. The phase lock loop operates only during a limited initialization period. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272211 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING PARTICLES IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESS CHAMBERS - Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide various apparatus and methods for reducing particles in a semiconductor processing chamber. One embodiment of present disclosure provides a vacuum screen assembly disposed over a vacuum port to prevent particles generated by the vacuum pump from entering substrate processing regions. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a perforated chamber liner around a processing region of the substrate. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gas distributing chamber liner for distributing a cleaning gas around the substrate support under the substrate supporting surface. | 09-18-2014 |
20140312766 | SYMMETRICAL PLURAL-COIL PLASMA SOURCE WITH SIDE RF FEEDS AND RF DISTRIBUTION PLATES - A plasma reactor has an overhead inductively coupled plasma source with two coil antennas and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source. | 10-23-2014 |
20140338835 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH REDUCED METAL CONTAMINATION - In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and sputtered metal atoms are removed from the electron beam to reduce contamination. | 11-20-2014 |
20140339980 | ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH REMOTE RADICAL SOURCE - In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and a remote radical source is incorporated with the process chamber. | 11-20-2014 |
20140356768 | CHARGED BEAM PLASMA APPARATUS FOR PHOTOMASK MANUFACTURE APPLICATIONS - Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and methods for etching photomasks using charged beam plasma. In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing a charged beam plasma process on a photomask includes a processing chamber having a chamber bottom, a chamber ceiling and chamber sidewalls defining an interior volume, a substrate support pedestal disposed in the interior volume, a charged beam generation system disposed adjacent to the chamber sidewall, and a RF bias electrode disposed in the substrate support. | 12-04-2014 |
20140370708 | PHOTORESIST TREATMENT METHOD BY LOW BOMBARDMENT PLASMA - Methods for reducing the line width roughness on a photoresist pattern are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a patterned photoresist layer disposed atop a substrate includes flowing a process gas into a processing volume of a process chamber having the substrate disposed therein; forming a plasma within the process chamber from the process gas, wherein the plasma has a ion energy of about 1 eV to about 10 eV; and etching the patterned photoresist layer with species from the plasma to at least one of smooth a line width roughness of a sidewall of the patterned photoresist layer or remove debris. | 12-18-2014 |
20150075716 | SPATIALLY DISCRETE MULTI-LOOP RF-DRIVEN PLASMA SOURCE HAVING PLURAL INDEPENDENT ZONES - An RF plasma source has a resonator with its shorted end joined to the processing chamber ceiling and inductively coupled to two arrays of radial toroidal channels in the ceiling, the resonator having two radial zones and the two arrays of toroidal channels lying in respective ones of the radial zones. | 03-19-2015 |
20150075717 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED SPATIALLY DISCRETE MULTI-LOOP RF-DRIVEN PLASMA SOURCE - An RF plasma source has a resonator with its shorted end joined to the processing chamber ceiling and inductively coupled to an array of radial toroidal channels in the ceiling. | 03-19-2015 |
20150075719 | SYMMETRIC VHF SOURCE FOR A PLASMA REACTOR - The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution. | 03-19-2015 |