Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.

Abstract: A plasma processing system having at-electrode RF matching and a method for processing substrates utilizing the same is provided. In one embodiment, the plasma processing system includes a chamber body, the substrate support, an electrode, a lid assembly and an RF tuning element. A substrate support is disposed in a processing volume defined in the chamber body. The electrode is positioned above the substrate support and below a cover of the lid assembly. The RF tuning element is disposed between the cover and the electrode and is coupled to the electrode.

Abstract: Methods for processing a substrate are described herein. Methods can include positioning a substrate in a processing chamber, maintaining the processing chamber at a temperature below 400° C., flowing a reactant gas comprising either a silicon hydride or a silicon halide and an oxidizing precursor into the process chamber, applying a microwave power to create a microwave plasma from the reactant gas, and depositing a silicon oxide layer on at least a portion of the exposed surface of a substrate.

Abstract: A transmission line RF applicator apparatus and method for coupling RF power to a plasma in a plasma chamber. The apparatus comprises an inner conductor and one or two outer conductors. The main portion of each of the one or two outer conductors includes a plurality of apertures that extend between an inner surface and an outer surface of the outer conductor.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a linear PECVD apparatus. The apparatus is designed to process two substrates simultaneously so that the substrates share plasma sources as well as gas sources. The apparatus has a plurality of microwave sources centrally disposed within the chamber body of the apparatus. The substrates are disposed on opposite sides of the microwave sources with the gas sources disposed between the microwave sources and the substrates. The shared microwave sources and gas sources permit multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously and reduce the processing cost per substrate.

Abstract: A guided wave applicator comprising two electrically conductive waveguide walls and a waveguide dielectric. The volume of the waveguide dielectric is composed of non-gaseous dielectric material and is positioned between the two waveguide walls. The waveguide dielectric includes first and second longitudinal ends and includes first, second, third and fourth sides extending longitudinally between the two longitudinal ends. The first waveguide wall is positioned so that it covers the first side of the waveguide dielectric, and the second waveguide wall is positioned so that it covers the second side of the waveguide dielectric. In operation, electrical power can be supplied to one or both longitudinal ends of the waveguide dielectric, whereby the power can be coupled to a plasma through the exposed sides of the waveguide dielectric.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for plasma generation in plasma processes. The methods and apparatus generally include a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are connected to a RF power source, which powers the electrodes out of phase from one another. Adjacent electrodes are electrically isolated from one another by electrically insulating members disposed between and coupled to the electrodes. Processing gas may be delivered and/or withdrawn through the electrodes and/or the electrically insulating members. The substrate may remain electrically floating because the plasma may be capacitively coupled to it through a differential RF source drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for introducing gas into a processing chamber comprising one or more gas distribution tubes having gas-injection holes which may be larger in size, greater in number, and/or spaced closer together at sections of the gas introduction tubes where greater gas conductance through the gas-injection holes is desired. An outside tube having larger gas-injection holes may surround each gas distribution tube. The gas distribution tubes may be fluidically connected to a vacuum foreline to facilitate removal of gas from the gas distribution tube at the end of a process cycle.

Abstract: RF power is coupled to one or more RF drive points (50-56) on an electrode (20-28) of a plasma chamber such that the level of RF power coupled to the RF drive points (51-52, 55-56) on the half (61) of the electrode that is closer to the workpiece passageway (12) exceeds the level of RF power coupled to the RF drive points (53-54), if any, on the other half (62) of the electrode. Alternatively, RF power is coupled to one or more RF drive points on an electrode of a plasma chamber such that the weighted mean of the drive point positions is between the center (60) of the electrode and the workpiece passageway. The weighted mean is based on weighting each drive point position by the time-averaged level of RF power coupled to that drive point position. The invention offsets an increase in plasma density that otherwise would exist adjacent the end of the electrode closest to the passageway.

Abstract: A transmission line RF applicator apparatus and method for coupling RF power to a plasma in a plasma chamber. The apparatus comprises an inner conductor and one or two outer conductors. The main portion of each of the one or two outer conductors includes a plurality of apertures that extend between an inner surface and an outer surface of the outer conductor.

Abstract: A plasma source includes upper and lower portions. In a first aspect, an electrical power source supplies greater power to the upper portion than to the lower portion. In a second aspect, the plasma source includes three or more power couplers that are spaced apart vertically, wherein the number of plasma power couplers in the upper portion is greater than the number of plasma power couplers in the lower portion. The upper and lower portions of the plasma source can be defined as respectively above and below a horizontal geometric plane that bisects the vertical height of the plasma source. Alternatively, the upper and lower portions can be defined as respectively above and below a horizontal geometric plane that bisects the combined area of first and second workpiece positions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide deposition processes for a silicon-containing dielectric layer using an improved microwave-assisted CVD chamber. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method generally includes applying a microwave power to an antenna coupled to a microwave source disposed within the processing chamber, wherein the microwave source is disposed relatively above a gas feeding source configured to provide a gas distribution coverage covering substantially an entire surface of the substrate, and exposing the substrate to a microwave plasma generated from a processing gas provided by the gas feeding source to deposit a silicon-containing layer on the substrate at a temperature lower than about 200 degrees Celsius, the microwave plasma using a microwave power of about 500 milliWatts/cm2 to about 5,000 milliWatts/cm2 at a frequency of about 1 GHz to about 10 GHz.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a vertical CVD system having a processing chamber that is capable of processing multiple substrates. The multiple substrates are disposed on opposite sides of the processing source within the processing chamber, yet the processing environments are not isolated from each other. The processing source is a horizontally centered vertical plasma generator that permits multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously on either side of the plasma generator, yet independent of each other. The system is arranged as a twin system whereby two identical processing lines, each with their own processing chamber, are arranged adjacent to each other. Multiple robots are used to load and unload the substrates from the processing system. Each robot can access both processing lines within the system.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a vertical CVD system having a processing chamber that is capable of processing multiple substrates. The multiple substrates are disposed on opposite sides of the processing source within the processing chamber, yet the processing environments are not isolated from each other. The processing source is a horizontally centered vertical plasma generator that permits multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously on either side of the plasma generator, yet independent of each other. The system is arranged as a twin system whereby two identical processing lines, each with their own processing chamber, are arranged adjacent to each other. Multiple robots are used to load and unload the substrates from the processing system. Each robot can access both processing lines within the system.

Abstract: The present invention generally includes a remote plasma source and a method of generating a plasma in a remote plasma source. Cleaning gas may be ignited into a plasma in a remote location and then provided to the processing chamber. By flowing the cleaning gas outside of a cooled RF coil, a plasma may be ignited at either high or low pressure while providing a high RF bias to the coil. Cooling the RF coil may reduce sputtering of the coil and thus reduce undesirable contaminants from being fed to the processing chamber with the cleaning gas plasma. Reduced sputtering from the coil may extend the useful life of the remote plasma source.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally include shield frame assembly for use with a showerhead assembly, and a showerhead assembly having a shield frame assembly that includes an insulator that tightly fits around the perimeter of a showerhead in a vacuum processing chamber. In one embodiment, a showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate and a multi-piece frame assembly that circumscribes a perimeter edge of the gas distribution plate. The multi-piece frame assembly allows for expansion of the gas distribution plate without creating gaps which may lead to arcing. In other embodiments, the insulator is positioned to be have the electric fields concentrated at the perimeter of the gas distribution plate located therein, thereby reducing arcing potential.

Abstract: A plurality of RF power signals have the same RF frequency as a reference RF signal and are coupled to respective RF connection points on an electrode of a plasma chamber. At least three of the RF connection points are not collinear. At least two of the RF power signals have time-varying phase offsets relative to the reference RF signal that are distinct functions of time. Such time-varying phase offsets can produce a spatial distribution of plasma in the plasma chamber having better time-averaged uniformity than the uniformity of the spatial distribution at any instant in time.

Abstract: A plasma processing system having at-electrode RF matching and a method for processing substrates utilizing the same is provided. In one embodiment, the plasma processing system includes a chamber body, the substrate support, an electrode, a lid assembly and an RF tuning element. A substrate support is disposed in a processing volume defined in the chamber body. The electrode is positioned above the substrate support and below a cover of the lid assembly. The RF tuning element is disposed between the cover and the electrode and is coupled to the electrode.

Abstract: For coupling RF power from an RF input of a plasma chamber to the interior of a plasma chamber, an RF bus conductor is connected between the RF input and a plasma chamber electrode. In one embodiment, an RF return bus conductor is connected to an electrically grounded wall of the chamber, and the RF bus conductor and the RF return bus conductor have respective surfaces that are parallel and face each other. In another embodiment, the RF bus conductor has a transverse cross section having a longest dimension oriented perpendicular to the surface of the plasma chamber electrode that is closest to the RF bus conductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for working substrates by means of plasma (PECVD), wherein at least two electrodes are provided which are located in a common plane and are spaced apart from one another. Between the particular electrodes are provided interspaces which serve as gas inlets or gas outlets.