Adjusting DC bias voltage in plasma chambers
Patent 5891350 Issued on April 6, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date: 
June 20, 2016. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
June 20, 2016. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesHigh speed plasma etching system Enclosure for the treatment, and particularly for the etching of substrates by the reactive plasma method Plasma reactor sidewall shield Plasma reactor having slotted manifold RF plasma processing apparatus Thin-film depositing apparatus Plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus Process for etching by gas plasma Film forming apparatus capable of preventing adhesion of film deposits Sputter chamber with extended protection plate and method of use Inventors
ApplicationNo. 666981 filed on 06/20/1996US Classes:216/71, Specific configuration of electrodes to generate the plasma118/723E, Having glow discharge electrodes (e.g., DC, AC, RF, etc.)156/345.29With etchant gas supply or exhaust structure located outside of etching chamber (e.g., supply tank, pipe network, exhaust pump, particle filter)ExaminersPrimary: Russel, Jeffrey E.Attorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassH05H 001/00AbstractA method of adjusting the cathode DC bias in a plasma chamber for fabricating semiconductor devices. A dielectric shield is positioned between the plasma and a selected portion of the electrically grounded components of the chamber, such as the electrically grounded chamber wall. The cathode DC bias is adjusted by controlling one or more of the following parameters: (1) the surface area of the chamber wall or other grounded components which is blocked by the dielectric shield; (2) the thickness of the dielectric; (3) the gap between the shield and the chamber wall; and (4) the dielectric constant of the dielectric material. In an apparatus aspect, the invention is a plasma chamber for fabricating semiconductor devices having an exhaust baffle with a number of sinuous passages. Each passage is sufficiently long and sinuous that no portion of the plasma within the chamber can extend beyond the outlet of the passage. By blocking the plasma from reaching the exhaust pump, the exhaust baffle reduces the deposition of unwanted particles on exhaust pump components. The exhaust baffle also reduces the cathode DC bias by reducing the effective surface area of the electrically grounded chamber wall which couples RF power to the plasma.Other References
Field of SearchHaving glow discharge electrodes (e.g., DC, AC, RF, etc.)Multiple gas energizing means associated with one deposition site (i.e., excluding substrate heater as an energizing means) Microwave gas energizing means (e.g., 2.45 gigahertz, microwave plasma, etc.) Producing energized gas remotely located from substrate With magnet (e.g., electron cyclotron resonance, etc.) with magnet (e.g., electron cyclotron resonance, etc.) Radio frequency antenna or radio frequency inductive coil discharge means Producing energized gas remotely located from substrate Coating, forming or etching by sputtering Coating Triode, tetrode, auxiliary electrode or biased workpiece Etching Auxiliary electrode, bias means or specified power supply Cleaning or removing part of substrate (e.g., etching with plasma, glow discharge, etc.) Plasma (e.g., cold plasma, corona, glow discharge, etc.) Plasma (e.g., corona, glow discharge, cold plasma, etc.) Utilizing plasma with other nonionizing energy sources Silicon containing coating Generated by microwave (i.e., 1mm to 1m) Silicon containing coating material Including change in etch influencing parameter (e.g., energizing power, etchant composition, temperature, etc.) Using specified electrode/susceptor configuration (e.g., of multiple substrates using barrel-type susceptor, planar reactor configuration, etc.) to generate plasma Having microwave gas energizing Using intervening shield structure Using electromagnetic or wave energy Using electromagnetic or wave energy Using electromagnetic or wave energy (e.g., photo-induced deposition, plasma, etc.) Utilizing electromagnetic or wave energy (e.g., photo-induced deposition, plasma, etc.) Plasma generating With extraction electrode Acceleration ETCHING AND COATING OCCUR IN THE SAME PROCESSING CHAMBER Using plasma Specific configuration of electrodes to generate the plasma | |
