Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber and including a lower electrode; a source RF generator coupled to the plasma processing chamber and configured to generate a source RF signal including high states and low states in alternate manner; and a bias DC generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a bias DC signal including ON states and OFF states in alternate manner. Each ON state includes a plurality of cycles, each cycle including a first sequence of first pulses and a second sequence of second pulses, each first pulse having a first voltage level, and each second pulse having a second voltage level different from the first voltage level.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a balun having a first unbalanced terminal, a second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal, and a second balanced terminal, a grounded vacuum container, a first electrode electrically connected to the first balanced terminal, a second electrode electrically connected to the second balanced terminal, an impedance matching circuit, a first power supply connected to the balun via the impedance matching circuit, and configured to supply a high frequency to the first electrode via the impedance matching circuit and the balun, a low-pass filter, and a second power supply configured to supply a voltage to the first electrode via the low-pass filter.

Abstract: A plasma processing method of processing a substrate with plasma in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; an upper electrode structure forming an upper portion of the chamber and including a temperature-controlled plate, an electrode plate disposed below the temperature-controlled plate, and an electrostatic attractor, the electrostatic attractor including a contact surface, an attraction surface, a first electrode, and a second electrode; a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the first and second electrodes; and a temperature obtaining portion configured to acquire a temperature distribution of the electrode plate.

Abstract: A method of an etching includes preparing a substrate having a first region formed of silicon oxide and a second region formed of silicon nitride; etching the first region by exposing the substrate to plasma of a first processing gas including a fluorocarbon gas, and forming a deposit including fluorocarbon on the first region and the second region; etching the first region and the second region by radicals of the fluorocarbon included in the deposit; and removing the deposit by plasma of a second processing gas which does not include oxygen.

Abstract: An apparatus for plasma processing includes a chamber, a substrate support having a lower electrode and an electrostatic chuck disposed on the lower electrode and configured to support a substrate mounted on the electrostatic chuck in the chamber, and a radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power to generate plasma in the chamber. Further, in the apparatus, a bias power supply supplies a bias power. A first electrical path electrically connects the bias power supply and the lower electrode, and a second electrical path that is different from the first electrical path and the lower electrode is configured to supply the bias power from the lower electrode or the first electrical path to an edge ring disposed to surround an edge of the substrate. Further, an impedance adjuster provides a variable impedance to the second electrical path.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate in a multi-frequency plasma processing chamber are disclosed. The base RF signal pulses between a high power level and a low power level. Each of the non-base RF generators, responsive to a control signal, proactively switches between a first predefined power level and a second predefined power level as the base RF signal pulses. Alternatively or additionally, each of the non-base RF generators, responsive to a control signal, proactively switches between a first predefined RF frequency and a second predefined RF frequency as the base RF signal pulses. Techniques are disclosed for ascertaining in advance of production time the first and second predefined power levels and/or the first and second predefined RF frequencies for the non-base RF signals.

Abstract: A control method of a plasma processing apparatus including a first electrode and a second electrode includes supplying a bias power to the first electrode, and supplying a negative DC voltage to the second electrode. The negative DC voltage periodically repeats a first state that takes a first voltage value and a second state that takes a second voltage value having an absolute value smaller than the first voltage value. The control method further includes a first control process of applying the first state of the negative DC voltage in a partial time period within each cycle of a signal synchronized with a cycle of a radio frequency of the bias power, or in a partial time period within each cycle of a periodically varying parameter measured in a transmission path of the bias power, and applying the second state continuously with the first state.

Abstract: In a capacitive coupled etch reactor, in which the smaller electrode is predominantly etched, the surface of the larger electrode is increased by a body e.g. a plate, which is on the same electric potential as the larger electrode and which is immersed in the plasma space. A pattern of openings in which plasma may burn is provided in the body so as to control the distribution of the etching effect on a substrate placed on the smaller electrode.

Abstract: A plasma processing method according to an exemplary embodiment includes preparing a substrate in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. The substrate is disposed on a substrate support in the chamber. The substrate support includes a lower electrode and an electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck is provided on the lower electrode. The plasma processing method further includes applying a positive voltage to a conductive member when plasma is being generated in the chamber for plasma processing on the substrate. The conductive member extends closer to a grounded side wall of the chamber than the substrate.

Abstract: A reaction chamber includes an upper electrode device and a lower electrode device. The lower electrode device is disposed in the reaction chamber for carrying a workpiece to-be-processed. The upper electrode device includes a dielectric cylinder, a coil, an upper power source, an upper electrode plate, a first switch, and a second switch. The dielectric cylinder has a hollow cylindrical structure and is disposed at an upper portion of a chamber wall of the reaction chamber. The coil is arranged around the dielectric cylinder. The upper electrode plate is located above the lower electrode device. The first switch can selectively electively connect the upper power source to a first terminal of the coil or to the upper electrode plate. The second switch can selectively electrically connect a second terminal of the coil to the ground or to the upper electrode plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container having a cylindrical shape; a pair of plasma electrodes arranged along the longitudinal direction of the processing container while facing each other; and a radio-frequency power supply configured to supply a radio-frequency power to the pair of plasma electrodes. In the pair of plasma electrodes, an inter-electrode distance at a position distant from a power feed position to which the radio-frequency power is supplied is longer than an inter-electrode distance at the power feed position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for material processing using wafer scale waves of precisely controlled electrons in a DC plasma is presented. A surface floating potential of a substrate placed atop a stage in a positive column of the DC plasma is adjusted and maintained to a reference potential. A periodic biasing signal referenced to the reference potential is capacitively coupled to the stage to control a surface potential at the substrate according to: an active phase for provision of kinetic energy to free electrons in the DC plasma for activation of targeted bonds at the surface of the substrate; a neutralization phase for repelling of the free electrons from the surface of the substrate; and an initialization phase for restoring an initial condition of the surface floating potential.

Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitively coupled plasma etching apparatus, wherein a lower electrode is fixed to a lower end of an electrically conductive supporting rod, a retractable electrically conductive part is fixed to the lower end of the electrically conductive supporting rod, wherein the retractable electrically conductive part being extended or retracted along an axial direction of the electrically conductive supporting rod; besides, the lower end of the retractable electrically conductive part is electrically connected with the output end of the radio-frequency matcher via an electrically connection portion, and the loop end of the radio-frequency matcher is fixed to the bottom of a chamber body.

Abstract: Embodiments for processing a substrate in a pulsed plasma chamber are provided. A processing apparatus with two chambers, separated by a plate fluidly connecting the chambers, includes a continuous wave (CW) controller, a pulse controller, and a system controller. The CW controller sets the voltage and the frequency for a first radio frequency (RF) power source coupled to a top electrode. The pulse controller is operable to set voltage, frequency, ON-period duration, and OFF-period duration for a pulsed RF signal generated by a second RF power source coupled to the bottom electrode. The system controller is operable to regulate the flow of species between the chambers to assist in the negative-ion etching, to neutralize excessive positive charge on the wafer surface during afterglow in the OFF-period, and to assist in the re-striking of the bottom plasma during the ON-period.

Abstract: A liner assembly for a substrate processing system includes a first liner and a second liner. The first liner includes an annular body and an outer peripheral surface including a first fluid guide. The first fluid guide is curved about a circumferential line extending around the first liner. The second liner includes an annular body, an outer rim, an inner rim, a second fluid guide extending between the outer rim and the inner rim, and a plurality of partition walls extending outwardly from the second fluid guide. The second fluid guide is curved about the circumferential line when the first and second liners are positioned within the processing system.

Abstract: An upper electrode includes a central electrode, a peripheral electrode, multiple dielectric bodies, and multiple power supply electrodes. The central electrode is disposed on a counter surface of the upper electrode facing a substrate support, on which a target object that is a plasma processing target is placed, at a position corresponding to a central portion of the substrate support. The peripheral electrode is disposed on the counter surface to encircle a periphery of the central electrode. The dielectric bodies are laminated between the counter surface and a surface of the upper electrode opposite to the counter surface. The power supply electrode is arranged between the dielectric bodies to electrically connect the central electrode and the peripheral electrode respectively to power supply terminals individually disposed at the surface opposite to the counter surface.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to magnetic and electromagnetic systems and a method for controlling the density profile of plasma generated in a process volume of a PECVD chamber to affect deposition profile of a film. In one embodiment, a plurality of retaining brackets is disposed in a rotational magnetic housing of the magnetic housing systems. Each retaining bracket of the plurality of retaining brackets is disposed in the rotational magnetic housing with a distance d between each retaining bracket. The plurality of retaining brackets has a plurality of magnets removably disposed therein. The plurality of magnets is configured to travel in a circular path when the rotational magnetic housing is rotated around the round central opening.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a first electrode on which a substrate is placed; a plasma generation source that generates plasma; a bias power supply that supplies bias power to the first electrode; a source power supply that supplies source power to the plasma generation source; and a controller. The controller performs a control such that a first state and a second state of the source power are alternately applied in synchronization with a high frequency cycle of the bias power, or a phase within one cycle of a reference electrical state indicating any one of a voltage, a current and an electromagnetic field measured in a power feed system of the bias power, and performs a control to turn OFF the source power at least at a negative side peak of the phase within one cycle of the reference electrical state.