Adjustment of deposition uniformity in an inductively coupled plasma source

Patent 6042700 Issued on March 28, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date:

September 15, 2017. 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.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 929829 filed on 09/15/1997

US Classes:

204/192.15, Specified deposition material or use204/192.12, Glow discharge sputter deposition (e.g., cathode sputtering, etc.)204/192.3With sputter etching

Examiners

Primary: Nguyen, Nam
Assistant: VerSteeg, Steven H.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Guenzer; Charles S.

Foreign Patent References

0520519 EP 12/25/1992
0607797 EP 01/25/1994
0807954 EP 05/25/1997
0836219 EP 10/25/1997
56-56722 JP 05/25/1981
59-190363 JP 10/25/1984
61-190070 JP 08/25/1986
5152248 JP 01/25/1991
5-129276 JP 05/25/1993
5-148644 JP 06/25/1993
6232055 JP 08/25/1994
6283470 JP 10/25/1994
7176399 JP 07/25/1995
7176398 JP 07/25/1995
8153712 JP 06/25/1996
8288259 JP 11/25/1996
2162365 GB 01/25/1986
2231197 GB 11/25/1990
WO860623 WO 11/25/1986

International Class

C23C 014/34

Abstract

A plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication system uses a two step process to sputter deposit material onto a substrate. The first step provides a power ratio of RF power to DC power optimized to increase uniformity of deposition of material onto a workpiece from a first target. A second step involves applying little to no DC power to the target, while an RF power is coupled into a plasma generation region to sputter material from a second target onto the workpiece. It has been found that material from the second target provides greater sidewall coverage of channels located on the workpiece, as well as increasing the uniformity of the deposit on the surface of the workpiece.

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