Abstract: A wafer integrated plasma diagnostic apparatus for semiconductor wafer processing system having a multiplicity of plasma probe assemblies arranged on a wafer in a planar array fashion such that one plasma probe assembly is in the center and eight more plasma probe assemblies are at intermediate positions such that they lie along the radius from the center to the corners; such corners forming four corners of a square box near the edge of the wafer. At each location and in each of the plasma probe assemblies, there are six possible probe elements having a relative geometrical area such that they are capable of making simultaneous measurements of both spatial resolution and real time measurement of different plasma characteristics at the wafer surface, such as: D.C. potential, A.C. potential, shading induced potentials, ion fluxes, ion energy distribution, and the electron part of the I-V Langmuir probe characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the voltage applied to a shield interposed between an induction coil powered by a power supply via a matching network, and the plasma it generates, comprises a shield, a first feedback circuit, and a second feedback circuit. The power supply powers the shield. The first feedback circuit is connected to the induction coil for controlling the power supply. The second feedback circuit is connected to the shield for controlling the voltage of the shield. Both first and second feedback circuits operate at different frequency ranges. The first feedback circuit further comprises a first controller and a first sensor. The first sensor sends a first signal representing the power supplied to the inductive coil to the first controller. The first controller adjusts the power supply such that the power supplied to the inductor coil is controlled by a first set point. The second feedback circuit further comprises a second sensor, a second controller, and a variable impedance network.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the voltage applied to a shield interposed between an induction coil powered by a power supply via a matching network, and the plasma it generates, comprises a shield, a first feedback circuit, and a second feedback circuit. The power supply powers the shield. The first feedback circuit is connected to the induction coil for controlling the power supply. The second feedback circuit is connected to the shield for controlling the voltage of the shield. Both first and second feedback circuits operate at different frequency ranges. The first feedback circuit further comprises a first controller and a first sensor. The first sensor sends a first signal representing the power supplied to the inductive coil to the first controller. The first controller adjusts the power supply such that the power supplied to the inductor coil is controlled by a first set point. The second feedback circuit further comprises a second sensor, a second controller, and a variable impedance network.

Abstract: A plasma reactor system with controlled DC bias for manufacturing semiconductor wafers and the like. The reactor system includes a plasma chamber, a plasma generating coil and a chuck including a chuck electrode. The chuck supports a workpiece within the chamber. The plasma reactor system further includes a pair of generators, one of which supplies a radio frequency signal to the plasma generating coil. The second generator delivers a RF signal which to the chuck electrode and acts to control DC bias at the workpiece. Peak voltage sensor circuitry and set point signal circuitry controls the power output of the generator, and a matching network coupled between the generator and the first electrode matches the impedance of the RF signal with the load applied by the plasma. DC bias determines the energy with which plasma particles impact the surface of a workpiece and thereby determines the rate at which the process is performed.

Abstract: A tunable multi-zone injection system for a plasma processing system for plasma processing of substrates such as semiconductor wafers. The system includes a plasma processing chamber, a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the processing chamber, a dielectric member having an interior surface facing the substrate support, the dielectric member forming a wall of the processing chamber, a gas injector fixed to part of or removably mounted in an opening in the dielectric window, the gas injector including a plurality of gas outlets supplying process gas at adjustable flow rates to multiple zones of the chamber, and an RF energy source such as a planar or non-planar spiral coil which inductively couples RF energy through the dielectric member and into the chamber to energize the process gas into a plasma state.

Abstract: A plasma processor coil can include a shorting turn ohmically or only reactively coupled to plural multi-turn, co-planar, interleaved spiral, parallel connected windings. A separate capacitor can be associated with each winding shunt current from one portion of that winding to another portion of the winding. The spacing between adjacent turns of peripheral portions of each winding can differ from the spacing between adjacent turns of interior portions of each winding. The coil can have a length that is short relative to the wavelength of RF excitation for the coil.

Abstract: A plasma reactor system with controlled DC bias for manufacturing semiconductor wafers and the like. The reactor system includes a plasma chamber, a plasma generating coil and a chuck including a chuck electrode. The chuck supports a workpiece within the chamber. The plasma reactor system further includes a pair of generators, one of which supplies a radio frequency signal to the plasma generating coil. The second generator delivers a RF signal which to the chuck electrode and acts to control DC bias at the workpiece. Peak voltage sensor circuitry and set point signal circuitry controls the power output of the generator, and a matching network coupled between the generator and the first electrode matches the impedance of the RF signal with the load applied by the plasma. DC bias determines the energy with which plasma particles impact the surface of a workpiece and thereby determines the rate at which the process is performed.

Abstract: A sintered ceramic electrostatic chucking device (ESC) which includes a patterned electrostatic clamping electrode embedded in a ceramic body wherein the clamping electrode includes at least one strip of a sintered electrically conductive material arranged in a fine pattern. Due to the fineness of the electrode pattern employed, stresses induced during manufacture of the ESC are reduced such that the clamping electrode remains substantially planar after the sintering operation. The resulting ESC allows for improved clamping uniformity. Another ESC includes an insulating or semi-conducting body and a clamping electrode having a high resistivity and or a high lateral impedance. The electrostatic chucking device provides improved RF coupling uniformity when RF energy is coupled thorough the clamping electrode from an underlying RF electrode. The RF electrode can be a separate baseplate or it can be a part of the chuck.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for ion-assisted etch processing in a plasma processing system are disclosed. In accordance with various aspects of the invention, an elevated edge ring, a grooved edge ring, and a RF coupled edge ring are disclosed. The invention operates to improve etch rate uniformity across a substrate (wafer). Etch rate uniformity improvement provided by the invention not only improves fabrication yields but also is cost efficient and does not risk particulate and/or heavy metal contamination.

Abstract: A plasma processing device (25) including a vacuum chamber (27) for processing a substrate (29) and a source chamber (26) for generating a plasma is disclosed where the source chamber (26) has a non-cylindrical geometry. Helicon waves of plasma are propagated from the source chamber into the vacuum chamber by a magnetic field having substantially parallel magnetic field lines extending from the source chamber into the vacuum chamber. A RF antenna (31 and 32) of a novel serpentine configuration is used to couple electromagnetic energy into the source chamber to create helicon plasma waves in the source chamber (26). The non-cylindrical geometry of the source chamber allows the processing of large area substrates due to the ability to scale the source chamber to the desired application while maintaining throughput efficiency and the ability to propagate helicon waves along the magnetic field lines present in the source chamber.

Abstract: A vacuum processing chamber having a substrate support removably mounted therein. The chamber includes an opening in a sidewall thereof and the opening is large enough to allow the substrate support to be removed from the chamber through the opening. A modular mounting arrangement extends through the opening and removably supports the substrate support in the interior of the chamber at a position located inwardly of an inner sidewall of the chamber. The mounting arrangement includes a mounting flange and a support arm. The mounting flange is attached to an exterior surface of the chamber and the support arm extends between the substrate support and the mounting flange. The chamber includes a single vacuum port in a central portion of an endwall of the chamber spaced from the substrate support. The vacuum port is connected to a vacuum pump which removes gases from the interior of the chamber and maintains the chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate holder and a dielectric member such as a dielectric window or gas distribution plate having an interior surface facing the substrate holder, the interior surface being maintained below a threshold temperature to minimize process drift during processing of substrates. The chamber can include an antenna which inductively couples RF energy through the dielectric member to energize process gas into a plasma state. The antenna can include a channel through which a temperature controlling fluid, which has been cooled by a closed circuit temperature controller, is passed. The control of the temperature of the interior surface minimizes process drift and degradation of the quality of the processed substrates during sequential batch processing of substrates such as during oxide etching of semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: A vacuum processing chamber having a substrate support removably mounted therein. The chamber includes an opening in a sidewall thereof and the opening is large enough to allow the substrate support to be removed from the chamber through the opening. A modular mounting arrangement extends through the opening and removably supports the substrate support in the interior of the chamber at a position located inwardly of an inner sidewall of the chamber. The mounting arrangement includes a mounting flange and a support arm. The mounting flange is attached to an exterior surface of the chamber and the support arm extends between the substrate support and the mounting flange. The chamber includes a single vacuum port in a central portion of an endwall of the chamber spaced from the substrate support. The vacuum port is connected to a vacuum pump which removes gases from the interior of the chamber and maintains the chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: An r.f. excited vacuum plasma processor has a workpiece held in place by a monopolar or bipolar electrostatic chuck having an electrode that develops peak r.f. voltages over a wide amplitude range. A chuck DC power supply source is connected to the chuck. An r.f. peak detecting circuit coupled with the electrode is part of a circuit for controlling the DC voltage applied by the chuck power supply to the chuck. The control circuit supplies an unamplified replica of a DC voltage derived by the peak detecting circuit to the chuck DC power supply source via a DC circuit including only passive elements so the level of the DC voltage applied to the chuck varies in response to variations in the peak amplitude of the r.f. voltage. The peak detector includes at least several series connected diodes having electrodes polarized in the same direction or two stacks of series connected diodes.

Abstract: A plasma processor for large workpieces includes a vacuum chamber having plural individually supported dielectric windows for coupling an r.f. field originating outside of the chamber into the chamber to excite the plasma. A planar coil for inductively deriving the field has plural segments with the same electrical length, each including an element connected in parallel with an element of another segment.