| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080314522 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO CONFINE PLASMA AND REDUCE FLOW RESISTANCE IN A PLASMA REACTOR - An apparatus configured to confine a plasma within a processing region in a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a ring that has a baffle having a plurality of slots and a plurality of fingers. Each slot is configured to have a width less than the thickness of a plasma sheath contained in the processing region. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090097184 | ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK ASSEMBLY - The present invention generally comprises an electrostatic chuck base, an electrostatic chuck assembly, and a puck for the electrostatic chuck assembly. Precisely etching a substrate within a plasma chamber may be a challenge because the plasma within the chamber may cause the temperature across the substrate to be non-uniform. A temperature gradient may exist across the substrate such that the edge of the substrate is at a different temperature compared to the center of the substrate. When the temperature of the substrate is not uniform, features may not be uniformly etched into the various layers of the structure disposed above the substrate. A dual zone electrostatic chuck assembly may compensate for temperature gradients across a substrate surface. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090159566 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE OF A SUBSTRATE - A pedestal assembly and method for controlling temperature of a substrate during processing is provided. In one embodiment, method for controlling a substrate temperature during processing includes placing a substrate on a substrate pedestal assembly in a vacuum processing chamber, controlling a temperature of the substrate pedestal assembly by flowing a heat transfer fluid through a radial flowpath within the substrate pedestal assembly, the radial flowpath including both radially inward and radially outward portions, and plasma processing the substrate on the temperature controlled substrate pedestal assembly. In another embodiment, plasma processing may be at least one of a plasma treatment, a chemical vapor deposition process, a physical vapor deposition process, an ion implantation process or an etch process, among others. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090250335 | Method of controlling plasma distribution uniformity by superposition of different constant solenoid fields - A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having a set of n coils includes constructing, for each one of the n coils, a set of plasma distributions for discrete values of coil current in a predetermined current range. The distributions are grouped, each group having one distribution for each of the n coils, and being a unique set of n distributions. A combined plasma distribution is computed from each group of distributions. The variance of each combined distribution is computed. The method further includes finding an optimum one of the combined distributions having an at least nearly minimum variance, and identifying the n coil currents associated with the optimum distribution. During plasma processing of the workpiece, currents through the coils are maintained at levels corresponding to the n coil currents associated with the one combined distribution. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090250432 | Method of controlling plasma distribution uniformity by time-weighted superposition of different solenoid fields - A method of processing a workpiece in a chamber of a plasma reactor having a set of plural electromagnet coils includes selecting plural predetermined plasma density distributions relative to a workpiece surface, the predetermined plasma density distributions corresponding to different sets of D.C. currents in the coils, and flowing a process gas into the chamber and generating a plasma in the chamber. The method further includes switching plasma in the chamber between the predetermined plasma density distributions by switching D.C. currents through the coils between the different sets of D.C. currents. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090272717 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF A SUBSTRATE ETCHING SYSTEM AND PROCESS - Embodiments of the invention relate to a substrate etching system and process. In one embodiment, a method may include depositing material on the substrate during a deposition process, etching a first layer of the substrate during a first etch process, and etching a second layer of the substrate during a second etch process, wherein a first bias power is applied to the substrate during the first process, and wherein a second bias power is applied to the substrate during the second etch process. In another embodiment, a system may include a gas delivery system containing a first gas panel for supplying a first gas to a chamber, a second gas panel for supplying a second gas to the chamber, and a plurality of flow controllers for directing the gases to the chamber to facilitate rapid gas transitioning between the gases to and from the chamber and the panels. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090274590 | PLASMA REACTOR ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK HAVING A COAXIAL RF FEED AND MULTIZONE AC HEATER POWER TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE COAXIAL FEED - A workpiece support pedestal includes an insulating puck having a workpiece support surface, a conductive plate underlying the puck, the puck containing electrical utilities and thermal media channels, and an axially translatable coaxial RF path assembly underlying the conductive plate. The coaxial RF path assembly includes a center conductor, a grounded outer conductor and a tubular insulator separating the center and outer conductors, whereby the puck, plate and coaxial RF path assembly comprise a movable assembly whose axial movement is controlled by a lift servo. Plural conduits extend axially through the center conductor and are coupled to the thermal media utilities. Plural electrical conductors extend axially through the tubular insulator and are connected to the electrical utilities. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090314433 | CATHODE WITH INNER AND OUTER ELECTRODES AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS - An apparatus for generating uniform plasma across and beyond the peripheral edge of a substrate has a dielectric body with an upper electrode and an annular electrode embedded therein. The outer perimeter of the upper electrode overlaps the inner perimeter of the annular electrode. In one embodiment, the upper electrode and the annular electrode are electrically coupled by molybdenum vias. In one embodiment, the upper electrode is coupled to a DC power source to provide electrostatic force for chucking the substrate. In one embodiment, the upper electrode is coupled to an RF source for exciting one or more processing gasses into plasma for substrate processing. | 12-24-2009 |
| 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 |
| 20100300621 | METHOD OF COOLING A WAFER SUPPORT AT A UNIFORM TEMPERATURE IN A CAPACITIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR - A method of transferring heat from or to a workpiece support in an RF coupled plasma reactor includes placing coolant in an internal flow channel that is located inside the workpiece support and transferring heat from or to the coolant by circulating the coolant through a refrigeration loop in which the internal flow channel of the workpiece support constitutes an evaporator of the refrigeration loop. The method further includes maintaining thermal conditions of the coolant inside the evaporator within a range in which heat exchange between the workpiece support and the coolant is primarily or exclusively through the latent heat of vaporization of the coolant. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100303680 | CAPACITIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR HAVING VERY AGILE WAFER TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber having a top surface for supporting a workpiece and having indentations in the top surface that form enclosed gas flow channels whenever covered by a workpiece resting on the top surface. The reactor further includes thermal control apparatus thermally coupled to the electrostatic chuck, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck, a pressurized gas supply of a thermally conductive gas, a controllable gas valve coupling the pressurized gas supply to the indentations to facilitate filling the channels with the thermally conductive gas for heat transfer between a backside of a workpiece and the electrostatic chuck at a heat transfer rate that is a function of the pressure against the backside of the workpiece of the thermally conductive gas. The reactor further includes an agile workpiece temperature control loop including (a) a temperature probe in the electrostatic chuck, and (b) a backside gas pressure controller coupled to an output of the temperature probe and responsive to a specified desired temperature, the controller governing the gas valve in response to a difference between the output of the temperature probe and the desired temperature. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100314046 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH A MULTIPLE ZONE THERMAL CONTROL FEED FORWARD CONTROL APPARATUS - A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck having a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under respective pressures to respective inner and outer zones of a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface, and inner and outer evaporators inside respective inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having respective inner and cuter expansion valves for controlling flow of coolant through the inner and outer evaporators respectively. The reactor further includes inner and outer zone temperature sensors in inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer through the inner and outer zones, respectively, between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the inner and outer temperature sensors, respectively. Inner and outer zone agile control processors coupled to the thermal model govern the inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources, respectively, in response to predictions from the model of changes in the respective pressures that would bring the temperatures measured by the inner and outer zone sensors, respectively, closer to a desired temperature. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100319851 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH FEED FORWARD THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM USING A THERMAL MODEL FOR ACCOMMODATING RF POWER CHANGES OR WAFER TEMPERATURE CHANGES - A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck with a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes a backside gas pressure source coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under a selected pressure into a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface and an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an expansion valve for controlling flow of coolant through the evaporator. The reactor further includes a temperature sensor in the electrostatic chuck and a memory storing a schedule of changes in RF power or wafer temperature. The reactor further includes a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the temperature sensor, and a control processor coupled to the thermal model and to the memory and governing the backside gas pressure source in response to a prediction from the model of a change in the selected pressure that would compensate for the next scheduled change in RF power or implement the next scheduled change in wafer temperature. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100319852 | CAPACITIVLEY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR HAVING A COOLED/HEATED WAFER SUPPORT WITH UNIFORM TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION - A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber for supporting a workpiece, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. Preferably, the evaporator includes a meandering passageway distributed in a plane beneath a top surface of the electrostatic chuck. Preferably, refrigerant within the evaporator is apportioned between a vapor phase and a liquid phase. As a result, heat transfer between the electrostatic chuck and the refrigerant within the evaporator is a constant-temperature process. This feature improves uniformity of temperature distribution across a diameter of the electrostatic chuck. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110065279 | METHOD OF PROCESSING A WORKPIECE IN A PLASMA REACTOR USING FEED FORWARD THERMAL CONTROL - A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the workpiece within a reactor chamber, the method including circulating a coolant through a refrigeration loop that includes an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck, while pressurizing a workpiece-to-chuck interface with a thermally conductive gas, sensing conditions in the chamber including temperature near the workpiece and simulating heat flow through the electrostatic chuck in a thermal model of the chuck based upon the conditions. The method further includes obtaining the next scheduled change in RE heat load on the workpiece and using the model to estimate a change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator that would hold the temperature nearly constant by compensating for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator prior to the time of the next scheduled change by a head start related to the thermal propagation delay through the electrostatic chuck. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110068085 | METHOD OF PROCESSING A WORKPIECE IN A PLASMA REACTOR USING MULTIPLE ZONE FEED FORWARD THERMAL CONTROL - A method of controlling wafer temperature in a plasma reactor by obtaining the next scheduled change in RF heat load on the workpiece, and using thermal modeling to estimate respective changes in wafer backside gas pressure and in coolant flow through a wafer support pedestal that would compensate for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the respective changes in the backside gas pressure or in the coolant flow prior to the time of the next scheduled change. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110157760 | ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK WITH REDUCED ARCING - Embodiments of electrostatic chucks are provided herein. In some embodiments, an electrostatic chuck may include a body having a notched upper peripheral edge, defined by a first surface perpendicular to a body sidewall and a stepped second surface disposed between the first surface and a body upper surface, and a plurality of holes disposed through the body along the first surface; a plurality of fasteners disposed through the plurality of holes to couple the body to a base disposed beneath the body; a dielectric member disposed above the body upper surface to electrostatically retain a substrate; an insulator ring disposed about the body within the notched upper peripheral edge and having a stepped inner sidewall that mates with the stepped second surface to define a non-linear interface therebetween; and an edge ring disposed over the insulator ring, the non-linear interface limiting arcing between the edge ring and the fastener. | 06-30-2011 |
