Abstract: A device and a method for etching a substrate, in particular a silicon body, by using an inductively coupled plasma. A high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field is generated using an ICP source, and an inductively coupled plasma composed of reactive particles is generated by the action of a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field on a reactive gas in a reactor. In addition, a static or time-variable magnetic field is generated between the substrate and the ICP source, for which purpose at least two magnetic field coils arranged one above the other are provided. The direction of the resulting magnetic field is also approximately parallel to the direction defined by the tie line connecting the substrate and the inductively coupled plasma.

Abstract: When a substrate 30 is to be subjected to a magnetron plasma process, a dipole ring magnet 21 is provided, in which a large number of anisotropic segment magnets 22 are arranged in a ring-like shape around the outer wall of a chamber 1. A magnetic field gradient, wherein the magnetic field strength decreases from the E pole side toward the W pole side in a direction perpendicular to a magnetic field direction B, is formed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of an electric field between a pair of electrodes separated from each other. The anisotropic segment magnets have a first section a including anisotropic segment magnets arranged in the vicinity of a region A located outside an E pole side end of the process substrate with an N pole thereof being directed toward this region, and a second portion b including anisotropic segment magnets arranged with an S pole thereof being directed toward this region, to locally increase the magnetic field strengths of the first and second regions.

Abstract: Uniformity of plasma density is enhanced at high plasma density and with reduced gas cracking and/or without electron charging of a workpiece by limiting coupling of voltages to the plasma and returning a majority of RF current to elements of an antenna driven with different phases of a VHF/UHF signal and/or providing a magnetic filter which separates a hot plasma region from a cold plasma region along a side of the chamber and further provides a preferential drift path between the hot and cold plasma regions. The magnetic field structure of the magnetic filter is preferably closed at one end or fully closed to surround the plasma. Additional magnetic elements limit the transverse field at the surface of a workpiece to less than 10 Gauss. Either or both of the antenna and the magnetic filter can be retrofitted to existing plasma reactor vessels and improve the performance and throughput thereof.

Abstract: A plasma chamber enclosure structure for use in an RF plasma reactor. The plasma chamber enclosure structure being a single-wall dielectric enclosure structure of an inverted cup-shape configuration and having ceiling with an interior surface of substantially flat conical configuration extending to a centrally located gas inlet. The plasma chamber enclosure structure having a sidewall with a lower cylindrical portion generally transverse to a pedestal when positioned over a reactor base, and a transitional portion between the lower cylindrical portion and the ceiling. The transitional portion extends inwardly from the lower cylindrical portion and includes a radius of curvature. The structure being adapted to cover the base to comprise the RF plasma reactor and to define a plasma-processing volume over the pedestal. The structure being formed of a dielectric material of silicon, silicon carbide, quartz, and/or alumina being capable of transmitting inductive power therethrough from an adjacent antenna.

Abstract: The direct detection of dielectric etch system magnet driver and coil malfunctions is disclosed. A dielectric etch system includes a plasma chamber in which a semiconductor wafer is placed to remove dielectric therefrom, and a number of coils positioned around the chamber to excite the plasma. Magnet drivers of a magnet driver circuitry provide configurable preset current from a power source to the coils. Malfunction detection circuitry includes a number of comparators connected in parallel. Each comparator couples between one of the magnet drivers and one of the coils. A relay couples the comparators to ground, and turns off the power source when any of the comparators yields a substantially non-zero current, which indicates that either the driver or the coil coupled to the comparator is malfunctioning.

Abstract: The plasma process apparatus is capable of uniformalizing the density of a plasma generated thereby and a self-bias voltage associated therewith. This apparatus include two parallel plates electrodes I and II, one of electrodes I and II being configured for carrying a substrate to be plasma processed. The apparatus further includes a magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field horizontal and one-directional to a surface of the substrate. An additional element of the apparatus is a single auxiliary electrode positioned around the periphery of electrode I and having high-frequency power applied thereto. The alignment of the electrodes is such that they define a space where a plasma for use in processing the substrate is to be excited.

Abstract: A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma comprises a processing chamber defining a processing space for containing a substrate to be processed with a plasma formed within the chamber. A dielectric window interfaces with the processing chamber proximate the processing space. A core element formed of a material having a high magnetic permeability is positioned outside of the chamber proximate the dielectric window, and an electrically conductive element surrounds a portion of the core element of high magnetic permeability. The conductive element, when electrical current is conducted thereby, is operable for coupling a magnetic flux into the chamber through the dielectric window for affecting a plasma in the processing space. The core element is configured for directing a portion of the magnetic flux in a direction toward the dielectric window to efficiently couple the channeled flux into the processing chamber through the dielectric window.

Abstract: A device and a method for etching a substrate, in particular a silicon body, by using an inductively coupled plasma. A high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field is generated using an ICP source, and an inductively coupled plasma composed of reactive particles is generated by the action of a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field on a reactive gas in a reactor. In addition, a static or time-variable magnetic field is generated between the substrate and the ICP source, for which purpose at least two magnetic field coils arranged one above the other are provided. The direction of the resulting magnetic field is also approximately parallel to the direction defined by the tie line connecting the substrate and the inductively coupled plasma.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to generate a time-varying magnetic field through a field admission window of a plasma processing chamber to create or sustain a plasma within the chamber by inductive coupling. The apparatus includes a magnetic core presenting a pole face structure,—an inductor means associated with the magnetic core, arranged to generate a time-varying magnetic field through the pole face structure, and—a device for injecting gas into the chamber and through the chamber and through the magnetic core.

Abstract: A plasma processing system for processing a substrate, is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a single chamber, substantially azimuthally symmetric plasma processing chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for the processing. The plasma processing chamber has no separate plasma generation chamber. The plasma processing chamber has an upper end and a lower end. The plasma processing chamber includes a material that does not substantially react with the reactive gas chemistries that are delivered into the plasma processing chamber. In addition, the reactant gases that are flown into the plasma processing chamber are disclosed.

Abstract: A plasma reaction chamber, particularly a DC magnetron sputter reactor, in which the plasma density and the ionization fraction of the plasma is increased by a plasma inductive loop passing through the processing space. A tube has its two ends connected to the vacuum chamber on confronting sides of the processing space. An RF coil powered by an RF power supply is positioned adjacent to the tube outside of the chamber and aligned to produce an RF magnetic field around the toroidal circumference of the tube such that an electric field is induced along the tube axis. Thereby, a plasma is generated in the tube in a loop circling through the processing space.

Abstract: A substrate etching chamber has a substrate support, a gas supply to introduce a process gas into the chamber; an inductor antenna to sustain a plasma of the process gas in a process zone of the chamber, and an exhaust to exhaust the process gas. A magnetic field generator disposed about the chamber has first and second solenoids. A controller is adapted to control a power supply to provide a first current to the first solenoid and a second current to the second solenoid, thereby generating a magnetic field in the process zone of the chamber to controllably shape the plasma in the process zone to reduce etch rate variations across the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a tandem magnetically enhanced etch chamber. The tandem chamber generally includes a first tandem processing chamber, a second tandem processing chamber positioned adjacent the first tandem processing chamber and being partially separated therefrom by a shared central wall, and a pumping apparatus cooperatively in fluid communication with the first and second chambers. The first tandem processing chamber generally includes a first substrate support member positioned in a first chamber, a first plasma generation device in communication with the first chamber, and a plurality of first selectively actuated electromagnets positioned around the first chamber. The second tandem processing chamber generally includes a second substrate support member positioned in a second chamber, a second plasma generation device in communication with the second chamber, and a plurality of second selectively actuated electromagnets positioned around the second chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic neutral line discharge plasma processing system that can apply a plurality of linear magnetic neutral line discharge plasmas simultaneously so as to uniformly process all the surface area of a large rectangular substrate for homogeneousness. The management field generating means of the magnetic neutral line discharge plasma processing system has at least two linear current rods arranged outside the vacuum chamber in parallel with the surface to be processed of the object of processing in the vacuum chamber so as to form at least a linear magnetic neutral line in the vacuum chamber between adjacently located linear current rods.

Abstract: A plasma reactor is described that includes a vacuum chamber defined by an enclosure including a side wall and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber defining a processing region overlying said pedestal. The chamber has at least a first pair of ports near opposing sides of said processing region and a first external reentrant tube is connected at respective ends thereof to the pair of ports. The reactor further includes a process gas injection apparatus (such as a gas distribution plate) and an RF power applicator coupled to the reentrant tube for applying plasma source power to process gases within the tube to produce a reentrant torroidal plasma current through the first tube and across said processing region. A magnet controls radial distribution of plasma ion density in the processing region, the magnet having an elongate pole piece defining a pole piece axis intersecting the processing region.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for the formation of a thin noble metal film which can achieve a high rate of film growth, can use inexpensive raw materials, and do not allow any impurities to remain in the thin film.

Abstract: A magnetic assembly for a plasma processing chamber includes an annular housing having a radially outward face and a radially inwardly facing opening, a cover plate to seal the radially inwardly facing opening, and a plurality of magnets in the annular housing. The magnets may be in preassembled modules that abut one another in a ring configuration within the annular housing. A plasma processing chamber using the magnetic assembly includes a substrate support that can fit in an inner radius of the magnetic assembly, a gas supply to maintain process gas at a pressure in the chamber, a gas energizer to energize the process gas, and an exhaust to exhaust the process gas.

Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus for providing plasma processing to an object 114 placed inside a processing chamber 104 comprises a vacuum chamber 104, a process gas feeder 105 feeding gas into chamber 104, a wafer electrode 115 disposed within chamber 114 for mounting the object 114, a wafer bias power generator 117 supplying bias voltage to electrode 115, and a plasma generating means 112 for generating plasma within chamber 104, wherein said wafer bias power generator includes a clip circuit for clipping either the positive-side voltage or negative-side voltage to a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A plasma processing system that includes a plasma processing chamber that provides enhanced control over an etch process is disclosed. The plasma processing chamber is connected to a gas flow system. The gas flow system can be employed to control the release of gases into different regions within the plasma processing chamber. In addition, the volume of the released gas, e.g., the flow rate of the gas, can be adjusted by a gas flow control mechanism. In this manner, both the position and the amount of the gas that is delivered to the plasma processing chamber can be controlled. The ability to adjust the position and the amount of gas that is released into the plasma processing chamber provides for a better control over the distribution of the neutral components. This in turn enhances control over the etching process.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber having a chamber liner and a liner support, the liner support including a flexible wall configured to surround an external surface of the chamber liner, the flexible wall being spaced apart from the wall of the chamber liner. The apparatus can include a heater thermally connected to the liner support so as to thermally conduct heat from the liner support to the chamber liner. The liner support can be made from flexible aluminum material and the chamber liner comprises a ceramic material. The flexible wall can include slots which divide the liner support into a plurality of fingers which enable the flexible wall to absorb thermal stresses.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for inductively coupling electrical power to a plasma in a semiconductor process chamber. In a first aspect, an array of wedge-shaped induction coils are distributed around a circle. The sides of adjacent coils are parallel, thereby enhancing the radial uniformity of the magnetic field produced by the array. In a second aspect, electrostatic coupling between the induction coils and the plasma is minimized by connecting each induction coil to the power supply so that the turn of wire of the coil which is nearest to the plasma is near electrical ground potential. In one embodiment, the hot end of one coil is connected to the unbalanced output of an RF power supply, and the hot end of the other coil is connected to electrical ground through a capacitor which resonates with the latter coil at the frequency of the RF power supply.

Abstract: A plasma processing system that includes a chamber enclosing a plasma region. The system has a plasma source including a power source coupled to an electrode provided within the chamber to deliver RF power into the plasma region. The RF power forms an RF electromagnetic field that interacts with a gas in the plasma region to create a plasma. In one embodiment, an absorbing surface including an RF absorber is provided within the plasma region, and a protective layer is provided on the absorber to seal the absorber from plasma within the plasma region. Alternately, a non-reflecting surface is provided within the plasma region. The non-reflecting surface comprises a layer of dielectric material and acts to minimize reflection of RF power at a design frequency. The non-reflecting surface further includes a thickness equivalent to the quarter wavelength of a wave propagating in the dielectric layer at the design frequency.

Abstract: A magnetic field generator for producing a magnetic field that accelerates plasma formation is placed proximate a reaction chamber of semiconductor substrate processing system. The magnetic field generator has four main magnetic coil sections for producing a magnetic field nearly parallel to the top surface of a support pedestal in the reaction chamber and four sub-magnetic coil sections placed generally coaxially with the main magnetic coil sections to produce a magnetic field of the direction opposite of that of the magnetic field produced with the main magnetic coil sections. In the magnetic field generator, magnetic fields of opposite polarities are superimposed on each other when electric currents of opposite directions are applied to the main and sub-magnetic coil sections.

Abstract: A method of calibrating the magnetic coils of a magnetically enhanced reactive ion etcher includes taking magnetic field measurements outside of a closed plasma chamber and correlating such measurements to the magnetic field within the chamber. One or more factors are established which when applied to measurements taken externally yield results representative of measurements taken internally.

Abstract: A plasma confinement arrangement for controlling the volume of a plasma while processing a substrate inside a process chamber includes a chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for processing. The chamber is defined at least in part by a wall and further includes a plasma confinement arrangement. The plasma confinement arrangement includes a magnetic array disposed inside of the chamber. The magnetic array has a plurality of magnetic elements that are disposed around a plasma region within the process chamber.

Abstract: A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma is provided with an antenna for producing a ring-shaped inductively coupled plasma in a vacuum processing chamber particularly useful for coating or etching semiconductor wafer substrates. A three-dimensional antenna in the form of a coil provides spacial distribution of plasma parameters in a ring-shaped region inside of the chamber that can be adapted to specific physical and process requirements. An axially symmetric permanent magnet assembly enhances the ring-shaped concentration of a high-density inductively coupled plasma by trapping the plasma in the ring-shaped region near the inside of a dielectric window located in the chamber wall in close proximity to segments of the antenna that lie adjacent the outside of the window.

Abstract: This surface processing apparatus has a reactor in which plasma is generated and a substrate whose surface is to be processed by the plasma is arranged, and a magnet plate for creating a point-cusp magnetic field distributed in an inner space of the reactor, in which the plasma is generated. The magnet plate has a plurality of magnets. These magnets are arranged by a honeycomb lattice structure in a circular plane facing in parallel a surface of the substrate. One magnetic pole end face of each of magnets is arranged at a position of each of the lattice points forming hexagonal shapes on the circular plane. The polarities of the magnetic pole end faces of two adjoining magnets are arranged to become opposite alternately. The magnet plate may be provided with a plurality of magnets arranged by a lattice structure forming a square and the magnetic force (coercive force) of some of the magnets arranged at the outermost region is reduced.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for plasma processing of a substrate, having a plasma processing chamber, a supplier of a plasma processing gas, an evacuator of the plasma processing chamber, a plasma generator, and a processor which processes a substrate to be processed by exposing the substrate to the plasma which is generated. The plasma generator includes a first conductive component having a first high-frequency electric power supplied thereto, at least one second conductive component having a second high-frequency electric power supplied thereto, an insulator which insulates the first conductive component with respect to the second conductive component, and a generator which generates a high-frequency electric field between the first conductive component and the second conductive component so as to enable generation of a high-frequency electric field between the first conductive component and the second conductive component.

Abstract: A plasma confinement arrangement for controlling the volume of a plasma while processing a substrate inside a process chamber includes a chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for processing. The chamber is defined at least in part by a wall and further includes a plasma confinement arrangement. The plasma confinement arrangement includes a magnetic array disposed around the periphery of the process chamber configured to produce a magnetic field which establishes a cusp pattern on the wall of the chamber. The cusp pattern on the wall of the chamber defines areas where a plasma might damage or create cleaning problems. The cusp pattern is shifted to improve operation of the substrate processing system and to reduce the damage and/or cleaning problems caused by the plasma's interaction with the wall. Shifting of the cusp pattern can be accomplished by either moving the magnetic array or by moving the chamber wall.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus that has a vacuum chamber, a process gas supply means of supply gas to a processing chamber, an electrode to hold a sample inside said vacuum chamber, a plasma generator installed in said vacuum chamber opposite to said sample, and a vacuum exhaust system to decrease pressure of said vacuum chamber, a bias voltage of Vdc=−300 to −50 V is applied and the surface temperature of said plate ranges from 100 to 200° C. In addition, the surface temperature fluctuation of the silicon-made plate in said plasma processing apparatus is kept within ±25° C.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a magnetic field gradient within a magnetically enhanced plasma reactor. The apparatus comprises a cathode pedestal supporting a wafer within an enclosure, a plurality of electromagnets positioned proximate the enclosure for producing a magnetic field in the enclosure and a magnetic field control element, positioned proximate the electromagnets, for controlling the magnetic field proximate a specific region of the wafer.

Abstract: In the plasma processing apparatus for generating plasma in a processing chamber and processing a wafer by mutual action of electromagnetic waves radiated from a UHF band antenna installed in the processing chamber and a magnetic field formed by a magnetic field generator installed around the processing chamber, a hollow tube having one end in communication with an opening in the side wall of the processing chamber and another end, outside the processing chamber, which has a measuring window of plasma optical emission. By setting the lines of force of the magnetic field formed by the magnetic field generator so as to form an angle relative to the hollow tube, entry of plasma into the hollow tube can be prevented, and adhesion of deposits onto the measuring window can be suppressed, whereby the transmission factor of the measuring window can be kept constant over a long period of use.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in an RF plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, including as reactor chamber bounded by a chamber wall defining an interior region of the chamber, a gas inlet, an RF power source and an RF power applicator proximal the chamber and connected to the RF power source, and an opening in this chamber communicating with the interior region of the chamber. The invention further includes a magnet apparatus disposed adjacent said opening to resist flow of plasma ions through the opening, and the magnet apparatus comprising a first pair of magnetic poles and a second pair of magnetic poles, the first pair of magnetic poles facing the second pair of magnetic poles across the opening.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in an RF plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece, including wall structures for containing a plasma therein, a workpiece support, a coil antenna capable of receiving a source RF power signal and being juxtaposed near the chamber, the workpiece support including a bias electrode capable of receiving a bias RF power signal, and first and second magnet structures adjacent the wall structure and in spaced relationship, with one pole of the first magnet structure facing an opposite pole of the second magnet structure, the magnet structures providing a plasma-confining static magnetic field adjacent said wall structure.

Abstract: A discharge plasma processing device comprising a chamber with an evacuation system, a magnetic field generation system and an electric field application system with which the feature of operation is first to form a magnetic neutral line in the vacuum chamber and second to produce a plasma along the magnetic neutral line by controlling the shape of the line, its position related to an object to be processed and the plasma parameters is presented as useful device for many kinds of plasma processing like as sputtering, etching and plasma enhanced CVD as freely programmed, for instance extremely in uniform on the surface of the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma reactor having a plasma source chamber capable of generating a high density plasma typically utilizing a helicon wave. The plasma is delivered to a process chamber having a workpiece. The present invention may provide a plurality of magnets, each being located longitudinally around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece to form a magnetic bucket that extends the length of the side wall of the processing chamber and across a workpiece insertion opening and a vacuum pump opening. The magnetic bucket of the present invention may be formed so that the pedestal need not be raised to be within the bucket, or may be formed by permanent magnets oriented with one pole of each magnet facing the interior of the processing chamber, or with opposite poles of adjacent magnets facing each other, thereby forming cusps around the axis perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece. Current carrying conductors may generate all or part of the magnetic bucket.

Abstract: A dry-etching method comprises the step of dry-etching a metal thin film as a chromium-containing film, wherein the method is characterized by using, as an etching gas, a mixed gas including (a) a reactive ion etching gas, which contains an oxygen-containing gas and a halogen-containing gas, and (b) a reducing gas added to the gas component (a), in the process for dry-etching the metal thin film. The dry-etching method permits the production of a photomask by forming patterns to be transferred to a wafer on a photomask blank. The photomask can in turn be used for manufacturing semiconductor circuits. The method permits the decrease of the dimensional difference due to the coexistence of coarse and dense patterns in a plane and the production of a high precision pattern-etched product.

Abstract: A plasma is generated by feeding an antenna with radio-frequency electric power generated by a radio-frequency power source, and one end of the antenna is grounded to the earth through a capacitor of variable capacitance. A Faraday shield is electrically isolated from the earth, and the capacitance of the variable capacitor is determined to be such a value that the voltage at the two ends of the antenna may be equal in absolute values and inverted to reduce the partial removal of the wall after the plasma ignition. At the time of igniting the plasma, the capacitance of the capacitor is adjusted to a larger or smaller value than that minimizing the damage of the wall.

Abstract: A dry-etching method comprises the step of dry-etching a metal thin film as a chromium-containing film, wherein the method is characterized by using, as an etching gas, a mixed gas including (a) a reactive ion etching gas, which contains an oxygen-containing gas and a halogen-containing gas, and (b) a reducing gas added to the gas component (a), in the process for dry-etching the metal thin film. The dry-etching method permits the production of a photomask by forming patterns to be transferred to a wafer on a photomask blank. The photomask can in turn be used for manufacturing semiconductor circuits. The method permits the decrease of the dimensional difference due to the coexistence of coarse and dense patterns in a plane and the production of a high precision pattern-etched product.

Abstract: A plasma chamber defining an evacuated interior environment for processing a substrate includes a substrate support, an apertured gas distribution plate in spaced facing relationship to the substrate support, and adapted to flow process gases into the chamber interior environment adjacent the substrate support, the gas distribution plate and substrate support defining a substrate processing region therebetween, a hollow reentrant conduit having respective ends opening into the substrate processing region on opposite sides of the gas distribution plate, with the interior of said conduit sharing the interior environment. The conduit is adapted to accept irradiation of processing gases within the conduit to sustain a plasma in a path extending around the conduit interior and across the substrate processing region within the chamber interior environment.

Abstract: There is provided an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus for generating uniform and stable plasma at a high density. The plasma processing apparatus for semiconductors for processing an object to be processed utilizing plasma comprises an evacuated reaction chamber for processing the object to be processed therein, an antenna formed by a plurality of linear conductors provided in the reaction chamber and an RF power supply connected to one end of the plurality of linear conductors. The antenna is formed by at least three linear conductors disposed such that they radially extend from the center of the antenna at equal intervals from each other, and each of the linear conductors is connected to the ground at one end thereof and is connected to the RF power supply at the other end. An insulating process is provided on the surface of the linear conductors of said antenna.

Abstract: A process device and a method for processing a substrate. A dipole ring magnet (DRM) is arranged in a manner so that a leakage magnetic field in the neighborhood of the process device and at a position a prescribed distance therefrom is minimized. The dipole ring magnet (DRM) rotates around an outer periphery of a process chamber which has a plasma generation device, a substantially cylindrical shield plate covering an outer periphery of the dipole ring magnet. The shield is rotated coaxially with the dipole ring magnet and in a direction opposite to the rotation of the dipole ring magnet. In this way a magnetic field is generated in a direction that cancels leakage magnetic flux generated outside the dipole ring magnet.

Abstract: A substrate holder and an electrode are arranged facing each other in a vacuum chamber. The electrode is provided with a process gas introduction mechanism and a gas blowoff plate. A substrate is loaded on the substrate holder, the process gas is introduced, and electric power is supplied between the substrate holder and the electrode to generate plasma for etching the substrate surface. At the rear side of the gas blowoff plate in the vacuum chamber, a plurality of magnets is provided at concentric positions. The magnetic field strength resulting from the magnets on the surface of the substrate is made 0 Gauss. By using the magnets in this way and improving the magnets, it is possible to establish a better etching process for various materials to be etched.

Abstract: There is provided by this invention a novel inductively coupled plasma source apparatus that utilizes a transformer to induce closed path secondary plasma currents in a hollow metal housing that is directly cooled by a fluid. This plasma source apparatus is particularly useful for generating a high charged particle density source of ions, electrons, and chemically active species to serve various plasma related processes that may require high power densities. A hollow metal vacuum chamber is coupled to and electrically insulated from a metal vacuum process chamber by means of dielectric gaps that are well shielded from direct exposure to the plasma body. Electrons, photons and excited gaseous species are generated within the metal hollow chamber and process chamber to serve a wide variety of material, surface and gas processing applications. There is also provided by this invention a means of ganging together several hollow metal vacuum chamber assemblies about a single vacuum process chamber.

Abstract: A discharge plasma processing device comprising a chamber with an evacuation system, a magnetic field generation system and an electric field application system with which the feature of operation is first to form a magnetic neutral line in the vacuum chamber and second to produce a plasma along the magnetic neutral line by controlling the shape of the line, its position related to an object to be processed and the plasma parameters is presented as useful device for many kinds of plasma processing like as sputtering, etching and plasma enhanced CVD as freely programmed, for instance extremely in uniform on the surface of the object.

Abstract: Uniformity of plasma density is enhanced at high plasma density and with reduced gas cracking and/or without electron charging of a workpiece by limiting coupling of voltages to the plasma and returning a majority of RF current to elements of an antenna driven with different phases of a VHF/UHF signal and/or providing a magnetic filter which separates a hot plasma region from a cold plasma region along a side of the chamber and further provides a preferential drift path between the hot and cold plasma regions. The magnetic field structure of the magnetic filter is preferably closed at one end or fully closed to surround the plasma. Additional magnetic elements limit the transverse field at the surface of a workpiece to less than 10 Gauss. Either or both of the antenna and the magnetic filter can be retrofitted to existing plasma reactor vessels and improve the performance and throughput thereof.

Abstract: A method of producing a plasma by capacitive discharges between an active electrode and a passive electrode within a sealed chamber at controlled pressure, the passive electrode being placed at a given electric potential while the active electrode is fed with a discharge-maintaining voltage. The active electrode and passive electrode define a separation plane therebetween parallel to the electrodes. According to the method, a multipole magnetic barrier is placed between the electrodes within the sealed chamber, the multipole magnetic barrier producing magnetic field lines extending across the separation plane. Fast electrons accelerated by the active electrode are caused to oscillate between magnetic poles in order to create plasma production and diffusion zones that are situated on either side of a magnetic barrier facing each of the electrodes.

Abstract: A device and a method for etching a substrate, in particular a silicon body, by using an inductively coupled plasma. A high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field is generated using an ICP source, and an inductively coupled plasma composed of reactive particles is generated by the action of a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field on a reactive gas in a reactor. In addition, a static or time-variable magnetic field is generated between the substrate and the ICP source, for which purpose at least two magnetic field coils arranged one above the other are provided. The direction of the resulting magnetic field is also approximately parallel to the direction defined by the tie line connecting the substrate and the inductively coupled plasma.