Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma is produced with a permanent magnet assembly adjacent to a radio frequency (RF) biased wafer support electrode in a vacuum processing chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. An annular peripheral region is provided on the wafer support around the perimeter of the wafer being processed. A magnet arrangement using a plurality of magnet rings forms a magnetic tunnel over the peripheral region at which the plasma is generated away from the wafer. The magnetic field has components parallel to the substrate support surface over the annular peripheral region but is generally isolated from the wafer. Preferably, the magnetic field has a flat portion parallel to the support surface in the peripheral region. Plasma propagates by diffusion from the peripheral region across the wafer surface. The magnets can be manipulated to optimize plasma uniformity adjacent the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A capacitive plasma source for iPVD is immersed in a strong local magnetic field, and maybe a drop-in replacement for an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source for iPVD. The source includes an annular electrode having a magnet pack behind it that includes a surface magnet generally parallel to the electrode surface with a magnetic field extending radially over the electrode surface. Side magnets, such as inner and outer annular ring magnets, have polar axes that intersect the electrode with poles closest to the electrode of the same polarity as the adjacent pole of the surface magnet. A ferromagnetic back plate or back magnet interconnects the back poles of the side magnets. A ferromagnetic shield behind the magnet pack confines the field away from the iPVD material source.

Abstract: A capacitive plasma source for iPVD is immersed in a strong local magnetic field, and may be a drop-in replacement for an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source for iPVD. The source includes an annular electrode having a magnet pack behind it that includes a surface magnet generally parallel to the electrode surface with a magnetic field extending radially over the electrode surface. Side magnets, such as inner and outer annular ring magnets, have polar axes that intersect the electrode with poles closest to the electrode of the same polarity as the adjacent pole of the surface magnet. A ferromagnetic back plate or back magnet interconnects the back poles of the side magnets. A ferromagnetic shield behind the magnet pack confines the field away from the iPVD material source.

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma is produced with a permanent magnet assembly adjacent to a radio frequency (RF) biased wafer support electrode in a vacuum processing chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. An annular peripheral region is provided on the wafer support around the perimeter of the wafer being processed. A magnet arrangement using a plurality of magnet rings forms a magnetic tunnel over the peripheral region at which the plasma is generated away from the wafer. The magnetic field has components parallel to the substrate support surface over the annular peripheral region but which are perpendicular to the surface at the wafer. Preferably, the magnetic field has a flat portion parallel to the support surface in the peripheral region. Plasma propagates by diffusion from the peripheral region across the wafer surface. The magnets can be manipulated to optimize plasma uniformity adjacent the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma is produced with a permanent magnet assembly adjacent to a radio frequency (RF) biased wafer support electrode in a vacuum processing chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. An annular peripheral region is provided on the wafer support around the perimeter of the wafer being processed. A magnet arrangement using a plurality of magnet rings forms a magnetic tunnel over the peripheral region at which the plasma is generated away from the wafer. The magnetic field has components parallel to the substrate support surface over the annular peripheral region but which are perpendicular to the surface at the wafer. Preferably, the magnetic field has a flat portion parallel to the support surface in the peripheral region. Plasma propagates by diffusion from the peripheral region across the wafer surface. The magnets can be manipulated to optimize plasma uniformity adjacent the substrate being processed.

Abstract: Ionized Physical Vapor Deposition (IPVD) is provided by a method of apparatus (500) particularly useful for sputtering conductive metal coating material from an annular magnetron sputtering target (10). The sputtered material is ionized in a processing space between the target (10) and a substrate (100) by generating a dense plasma in the space with energy coupled from a coil (39) located outside of the vacuum chamber (501) behind a dielectric window (33) in the chamber wall (502) at the center of the opening (421) in the sputtering target. A Faraday type shield (26) physically shields the window to prevent coating material from coating the window, while allowing the inductive coupling of energy from the coil into the processing space.

Abstract: A magnetron sputter coating vacuum processing system has a magnetron cathode that includes a frusto-conical target having a cone-shaped magnet assembly that causes the erosion rate to be highest under a main magnetic tunnel at an intermediate radius or the centerline of the target when the target is uneroded, with the location of the highest erosion rate gradually shifting to two areas as the target erodes, one being an inner at radii less than that of the target centerline and one being an outer area at radii greater than the target centerline. As a result, the target erosion tends to be equalized over the target area during the life of the target, improving target utilization. The magnet assembly includes three magnet rings, including an inner ring and an outer ring having poles magnetically connected by a yoke, which rings form a main magnetic tunnel. The polar axis of the inner ring is parallel to the target surface, and the polar axis of the outer ring is perpendicular of the target surface.

Abstract: Ionized Physical Vapor Deposition (IPVD) is provided by a method of apparatus (500) particularly useful for sputtering conductive metal coating material from an annular magnetron sputtering target (10). The sputtered material is ionized in a processing space between the target (10) and a substrate (100) by generating a dense plasma in the space with energy coupled from a coil (39) located outside of the vacuum chamber (501) behind a dielectric window (33) in the chamber wall (502) at the center of the opening (421) in the sputtering target. A Faraday type shield (26) physically shields the window to prevent coating material from coating the window, while allowing the inductive coupling of energy from the coil into the processing space.

Abstract: Ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) is provided by a method of apparatus for sputtering conductive metal coating material from an annular magnetron sputtering target. The sputtered material is ionized in a processing space between the target and a substrate by generating a dense plasma in the space with energy coupled from a coil located outside of the vacuum chamber behind a dielectric window in the chamber wall at the center of the opening in the sputtering target. Faraday type shields physically shield the window to prevent coating material from coating the window, while allowing the inductive coupling of energy from the coil into the processing space. The location of the coil in the plane of the target or behind the target allows the target to wafer spacing to be chosen to optimize film deposition rate and uniformity, and also provides for the advantages of a ring-shaped source without the problems associated with unwanted deposition in the opening at the target center.