Abstract: A system and method for maintaining a plasma in a plasma region, by supplying RF power at a fundamental frequency to the plasma region together with a gas in order to create an RF electromagnetic field which interacts with the gas to create a plasma that contains electromagnetic energy components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency. The components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency are removed from the plasma by placing a body of an RF absorber material in energy receiving communication with the plasma, the body having a frequency dependent attenuation characteristic such that the body attenuates electrical energy at frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency more strongly than energy at the fundamental frequency.

Abstract: A device and method for controlling the temperature of a plasma chamber inside wall or other surfaces exposed to the plasma by a plurality of temperature control systems. A plasma process within the plasma chamber can be controlled by independently controlling the temperature of segments of the wall or other surfaces.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for use in a plasma processing system including a base electrode adapted to be coupled to a source of RF energy, a removable electrode removably coupled to the base electrode, and a material interposed between a surface of the base electrode and a surface of the removable electrode.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and/or controlling the conditions of a wafer on an electrostatic chuck during plasma processing. The method and system include utilizing backflow gas pressure and DC clamping voltage as control variables to adjust the wafer temperature based upon impedance measurements determined by RF sensors located in the electrostatic chuck RF feed line. The method and system further include utilizing the clamping status of the wafer on the electrostatic chuck to monitor impedance during the plasma process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating and controlling a plasma (130) formed in a capacitively coupled plasma system (100) having a plasma electrode (140) and a bias electrode in the form of a workpiece support member (170), wherein the plasma electrode is unitary and has multiple regions (Ri) defined by a plurality of RF power feed lines (156) and the RF power delivered thereto. The electrode regions may also be defined as electrode segments (420) separated by insulators (426). A set of process parameters A={n, &tgr;i, &PHgr;i, Pi, S; Li} is defined; wherein n is the number of RF feed lines connected to the electrode upper surface at locations Li, &tgr;i is the on-time of the RF power for the ith RF feed line, &PHgr;i is the phase of the ith RF feed line relative to a select one of the other RF feed lines, Pi is the RF power delivered to the electrode through the ith RF feed line at location Li, and S is the sequencing of RF power to the electrode through the RF feed lines.

Abstract: A method for processing a workpiece is carried out with a plasma derived from a process gas in a plasma chamber of a plasma processing apparatus during a plasma processing operation. The apparatus includes an array of electromagnets mounted circumferentially around the plasma chamber. The method comprises generating a plasma from a process gas within the chamber and causing plasma particles to strike the workpiece, selecting distributions of current signals for the electromagnets, and applying each selected distribution to the electromagnets to impose more than one magnetic field topology on the plasma during the plasma processing operation.

Abstract: A closed-drift Hall effect plasma vacuum pump includes one or more pumping conduits which are linked with a radial magnetic field. The magnetic field separates a plasma from a plasma at a higher pressure which is formed by cross-field plasma transport from a plasma processing region.

Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a magnetic field generator that can produce a magnetic field and a sheet optic element that can produce a light sheet capable of illuminating particles in a processing chamber of the system. An imaging device can acquire image data corresponding to the particles illuminated by the light sheet. The magnetic field generator, the sheet optic element and the imaging device can be positioned relative to one another to access the plasma. An image processor can process the image data so as to obtain the concentration of particles in the light sheet. A method of measuring particle concentration in a plasma processing system includes positioning the magnetic field generator, a sheet optic element and an imaging device relative to one another to access the plasma and obtaining the concentration of particles in the light sheet. A method of minimizing particles in the chamber is also provided.

Abstract: A plasma vacuum pump including an array of permanent magnets, one or more plasma conduits or ducts, components for accelerating plasma ions through these conduits, and supporting structures that together comprise at least one applied plasma duct system (APDS) cell. The APDS cell permits large volumes of particles and plasma to flow rapidly in a preferred direction while constricting the flow of neutral particles in the reverse direction. A plasma pump utilizing APDS technology is intended to permit a large throughput of ionized gas at the intermediate pressures of interest in the plasma-enhanced processing industry, compressing this gas to a pressure at which blower-type pumps can be used efficiently to exhaust the spent processing gas at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A chuck method of and apparatus (50, 150, 300) for supporting a substrate (W) during processing of the substrate, where the substrate has a lower surface (WL). The apparatus facilitates heat transfer away from the substrate during processing of the substrate. The apparatus comprises a chuck body (60) having an outer edge (70) and a rough upper surface (64U). The substrate is arranged adjacent the rough surface such that the substrate lower surface and the roughened upper surface form a gap (100) therebetween. The apparatus further includes a central gas conduit (80) passing through the chuck body. The central conduit has a second end (82b) open to the roughened upper surface and a first end opposite the second end connected to a gas source (86). The conduit is arranged such that a gas can flow through the conduit into the gap and toward the chuck body outer edge. The gas used has an atomic or molecular weight that is greater than that of helium.

Abstract: An AC power feed device for conducting electrical power from a source to a load. The feed device has a constant characteristic impedance along its length and an outer periphery that varies in size progressively along its length, or the feed device has an input end connected to the match network and an output end connected to an electrode, and has a characteristic impedance which varies from a value substantially equal to the output impedance of a match network coupled at the input end to a value equal to the impedance of the electrode.

Abstract: A method for controlling the non-uniformities of plasma-processed semiconductor wafers by supplying the plasma with two electrical signals: a primary electrical signal that is used to excite the plasma, and a supplemental electrical signal. The supplemental signal may be composed of a plurality of electrical signals, each with a frequency harmonic to that of the primary signal. The phase of the supplemental signal is controlled with respect to the phase of the primary signal. By adjusting the parameters of the supplemental signal with respect to the primary signal, the user can control the parameters of the resultant plasma and, therefore, control the non-uniformities induced in the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A multi-point detection method and system for analyzing a composition within an examination area. The system simultaneously acquires multi-dimensional distributions (e.g., two- or three-dimensional distributions) of plasma optical emissions at at least two wavelengths. Such diagnostics are useful for real-time spatially-resolved measurements of plasma electron temperature distributions and/or chemical species concentrations within a plasma processing chamber (50). Generally, the system analyzes/diagnoses the measurement of line-of-sight light emission or absorption in the plasma.

Abstract: A voltage probe including a transmission line having an inner conductor and an outer conductor. An electrode is spaced apart from the outer conductor. A dielectric is disposed between the electrode and the outer conductor, adjacent an inner surface of the outer conductor. An exemplary method of implementing the voltage probe may include providing the dielectric adjacent the outer conductor. The electrode separated from the outer conductor by the dielectric and positioned adjacent to the dielectric is provided. A signal is measured from the electrode indicating a transmission voltage in the transmission line.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for use in a plasma processing system including a base electrode adapted to be coupled to a source of RF energy, a removable electrode removably coupled to the base electrode, and a material interposed between a surface of the base electrode and a surface of the removable electrode.

Abstract: An electrode assembly (50) and an associated plasma reactor system (10) and related methods for a variety of plasma processing applications. The electrode assembly provides control of a plasma density profile (202) within an interior region (30) of a plasma reactor chamber (20). The electrode assembly includes an upper electrode (54) having a lower surface (54L), an upper surface (54U) and an outer edge (54E). The lower surface of the upper electrode faces interior region of the plasma chamber housing the plasma (200), and thus interfaces with the plasma. The electrode assembly further includes a segmented electrode (60) arranged proximate to and preferably substantially parallel with the upper surface of the upper electrode. The segmented electrode comprises two or more separated electrode segments (62a, 62b, . . . 62n), each having an upper and lower surface. Each electrode segment is spaced apart from the upper electrode upper surface by a corresponding controlled gap (Ga, Gb, . . . Gn).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating and controlling a plasma (130) formed in a capacitively coupled plasma system (100) having a plasma electrode (140) and a bias electrode in the form of a workpiece support member (170), wherein the plasma electrode is unitary and has multiple regions (Ri) defined by a plurality of RF power feed lines (156) and the RF power delivered thereto. The electrode regions may also be defined as electrode segments (420) separated by insulators (426). A set of process parameters A={n, &tgr;i, &PHgr;i, Pi, S; Li} is defined, herein n is the number of RF feed lines connected to the electrode upper surface at locations Li, &tgr;i is the on-time of the RF power for the ith RF feed line, &PHgr;i is the phase of the ith RF feed line relative to a select one of the other RF feed lines, Pi is the RF power delivered to the electrode through the ith RF feed line at location Li, and S is the sequencing of RF power to the electrode through the RF feed lines.

Abstract: A plasma pump, a plasma processing system and method to pump particles from a first region containing a plasma to a second region at a higher pressure is provided. The plasma pump and the plasma processing system each include a magnetic field producing member disposed within a passageway defined by an inner wall and an outer wall. The magnetic field producing member produces an alternating magnetic field that extends generally transverse to the passageway. An electric field producing member is disposed outside of the passageway and produces an electric field in a direction generally transverse to the passageway and generally transverse to the magnetic field. In one preferred embodiment, the passageway extends vertically and in another preferred embodiment, the passageway extends horizontally.

Abstract: A plasma vacuum pump including an array of permanent magnets, one or more plasma conduits or ducts, means for accelerating plasma ions through these conduits, and supporting structures that together comprise at least one applied plasma duct system (APDS) cell. The APDS cell permits large volumes of particles and plasma to flow rapidly in a preferred direction while constricting the flow of neutral particles in the reverse direction. A plasma pump utilizing APDS technology is intended to permit a large throughput of ionized gas at the intermediate pressures of interest in the plasma-enhanced processing industry, compressing this gas to a pressure at which blower-type pumps can be used efficiently to exhaust the spent processing gas at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A system and method for maintaining a plasma in a plasma region, by supplying RF power at a fundamental frequency to the plasma region together with a gas in order to create an RF electromagnetic field which interacts with the gas to create a plasma that contains electromagnetic energy components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency. The components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency are removed from the plasma by placing a body of an RF absorber material in energy receiving communication with the plasma, the body having a frequency dependent attenuation characteristic such that the body attenuates electrical energy at frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency more strongly than energy at the fundamental frequency.