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 disclosed herein generally relate to an apparatus and a method for placing a substrate substantially flush against a substrate support in a processing chamber. When a large area substrate is placed onto a substrate support, the substrate may not be perfectly flush against the substrate support due to gas pockets that may be present between the substrate and the substrate support. The gas pockets can lead to uneven deposition on the substrate. Therefore, pulling the gas from between the substrate and the support may pull the substrate substantially flush against the support. During deposition, an electrostatic charge can build up and cause the substrate to stick to the substrate support. By introducing a gas between the substrate and the substrate support, the electrostatic forces may be overcome so that the substrate can be separated from the susceptor with less or no plasma support which takes extra time and gas.

Abstract: In certain aspects, a substrate deposition apparatus, including a gas tube coupled to a gas source, an RF power source and a substrate processing chamber, is provided. The gas tube is adapted to carry process gas and cleaning plasma from the gas source/remote plasma gas source to the substrate processing chamber and the RF power source is adapted to couple RF power to the substrate processing chamber. Furthermore an RF choke coupled to the RF power source and the gas source wherein the RF choke is adapted to attenuate a voltage difference between the RF power source and the gas source to prevent plasma formation in the gas tube during substrate processing. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide a method and apparatus for processing a substrate in a vacuum process chamber. In one embodiment a vacuum process chamber is provided that includes a chamber body and lid disposed on the chamber body. A blocker plate is coupled to the lid and bounds a staging plenum therewith. A gas distribution plate is coupled to the lid. The gas distribution plate separates a main plenum defined between the gas distribution plate and the blocker plate from a process volume defined within the chamber body. The gas distribution plate and the blocker plate define a spacing gradient therebetween which influences mixing of gases within the main plenum.

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: An apparatus for providing a return current path for RF current between a chamber wall and a substrate support is provided comprising a low impedance flexible curtain having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to be electrically connected to the chamber wall and the second end adapted to be connected to the substrate support, wherein the curtain further comprises at least one fold in the curtain material, located an axial distance between the first end and the second end, and at least one perforation cut into the curtain proximate the second end.

Abstract: In certain aspects, a substrate deposition apparatus, including a gas tube coupled to a gas source, an RF power source and a substrate processing chamber, is provided. The gas tube is adapted to carry process gas and cleaning plasma from the gas source/remote plasma gas source to the substrate processing chamber and the RF power source is adapted to couple RF power to the substrate processing chamber. Furthermore an RF choke coupled to the RF power source and the gas source wherein the RF choke is adapted to attenuate a voltage difference between the RF power source and the gas source to prevent plasma formation in the gas tube during substrate processing. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the integrity of a ground member coupling a substrate support to a chamber body in a plasma processing system is provided. In one embodiment, a processing chamber is provided that includes a ground path member coupled between a substrate support and a chamber body. A sensor is positioned to sense a metric indicative of current passing through the ground member. In another embodiment, a method monitoring the integrity of a ground member coupling a substrate support to a chamber body in a plasma processing chamber includes monitoring a metric indicative of current passing through the ground member during processing, and setting a flag in response to the metric exceeding a predefined threshold.

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: Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide a method and apparatus for processing a substrate in a vacuum process chamber. In one embodiment a vacuum process chamber is provided that includes a chamber body and lid disposed on the chamber body. A blocker plate is coupled to the lid and bounds a staging plenum therewith. A gas distribution plate is coupled to the lid. The gas distribution plate separates a main plenum defined between the gas distribution plate and the blocker plate from a process volume defined within the chamber body. The gas distribution plate and the blocker plate define a spacing gradient therebetween which influences mixing of gases within the main plenum.

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: A method and apparatus for providing an electrically symmetrical ground or return path for electrical current between two electrodes is described. The apparatus includes at least on radio frequency (RF) device coupled to one of the electrodes and between a sidewall and/or a bottom of a processing chamber. The method includes moving one electrode relative to another and realizing a ground return path based on the position of the displaced electrode using one or both of a RF device coupled to a sidewall and the electrode, a RF device coupled to a bottom of the chamber and the electrode, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to an apparatus and a method for placing a substrate substantially flush against a substrate support in a processing chamber. When a large area substrate is placed onto a substrate support, the substrate may not be perfectly flush against the substrate support due to gas pockets that may be present between the substrate and the substrate support. The gas pockets can lead to uneven deposition on the substrate. Therefore, pulling the gas from between the substrate and the support may pull the substrate substantially flush against the support. During deposition, an electrostatic charge can build up and cause the substrate to stick to the substrate support. By introducing a gas between the substrate and the substrate support, the electrostatic forces may be overcome so that the substrate can be separated from the susceptor with less or no plasma support which takes extra time and gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus having a RF return path with low impedance coupling a substrate support to a chamber wall in a plasma processing system is provided. In one embodiment, a processing chamber includes a chamber body having a chamber sidewall, a bottom and a lid assembly supported by the chamber sidewall defining a processing region, a substrate support disposed in the processing region of the chamber body, a shadow frame disposed on an edge of the substrate support assembly, and a RF return path having a first end coupled to the shadow frame and a second end coupled to the chamber sidewall.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus involve a plasma processing chamber for depositing a film on a substrate. The plasma processing chamber includes a lid assembly having a ground plate, a backing plate, and a non-uniformity existing between the ground plate and the backing plate. The non-uniformity may interfere with RF wave uniformity and cause an impedance imbalance between portions of the ground plate and backing plate. The non-uniformity may include a structure or a reduced spacing of non-uniform surfaces. A reduced spacing of non-uniform surfaces may exist where a first distance between the ground plate and the backing plate at a first end is different from a second distance between the ground plate and the backing plate at a second end. The structure may be from 2 cm to 10 cm thick, cover from 20% to 50% of the backing plate, and be located away from a discontinuity existing inside the chamber.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus for providing a fixed impedance transformation network for driving a plasma chamber includes a pre-match network adapted to couple between an Active RF match network and a plasma chamber load associated with the plasma chamber. The pre-match network includes (1) a first capacitive element; (2) an inductive element connected in parallel with the first capacitive element to form a parallel circuit that presents a stepped-up impedance to an output of the Active RF match network such that a voltage required to drive the plasma chamber load is reduced; and (3) a second capacitive element coupled to the parallel circuit and adapted to couple to the plasma chamber load. The second capacitive element reduces or cancels at least in part a reactance corresponding to an inductance associated with the plasma chamber load. Numerous other aspects are provided.

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: Apparatus and methods are provided that are adapted to match the impedance of an electrical load to an impedance of an electrical signal generator. The invention includes providing a plurality of electrical components adapted to collectively match the impedance of the electrical load to the impedance of the electrical signal generator. The electrical components are arranged symmetrically and concentrically about an axis. Additionally, the invention may also include a first connector adapted to electrically couple the electrical signal generator to the electrical components. Additionally, the invention may also include a second connector adapted to electrically couple the load to the electrical components. Numerous other aspects are provided.