# US 10,375,812 B2 · Low electron temperature, edge-density enhanced, surface-wave plasma (SWP) processing method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,812 B2 - Document ID: US10375812B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/082,465 - Filed: 2016-03-28 - Published: 2016-07-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-30 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Jianping Zhao; Lee Chen; Merritt Funk; Radha Sundararajan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375812B2 ## CPC - H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) - C23F 1/00: Etching metallic material by chemical means (manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K) - H01F 41/06: Coil winding - H01J 37/321: {the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma} - H01J 37/32192: {Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/3222: {Antennas} - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25 - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A surface wave plasma (SWP) source couples microwave (MW) energy into a processing chamber through, for example, a radial line slot antenna, to result in a low mean electron energy (Te). An ICP source, is provided between the SWP source and the substrate and is energized at a low power, less than 100 watts for 300 mm wafers, for example, at about 25 watts. The ICP source couples energy through a peripheral electric dipole coil to reduce capacitive coupling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plasma source comprising: a multiple winding coil disposed around the perimeter of a processing space, said coil including a conductive wire having a center winding, a first end, and a second end; said coil configured with said center winding disposed in an innermost winding layer, and with said first end and said second end extending therefrom; said first end being wrapped in a first direction and said second end being wrapped in a second direction opposite said first direction, to form a dipole pair and complete the innermost winding layer, and the first and second ends being further wrapped progressively radially outwardly from the innermost winding layer to form successive dipole pairs in successive radial winding layers, from the innermost winding layer and out to an outermost winding layer and to said first and second ends; each of said winding layers being configured to include at least one dipole pair; and said plasma source further including an energy source coupled to said first end and said second end and configured to provide a balanced Radio Frequency signal to said coil. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plasma source of claim 1, wherein said first end and said second end are configured to cross each other at least once within at least one of the winding layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plasma source of claim 1, wherein said power supply is configured to supply said signal having a power from about 10 watts to about 100 watts at a middle or low frequency. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The plasma source of claim 3, wherein said power supply is configured to supply said signal having a power of about 25 watts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plasma source of claim 1, wherein said power supply is configured to supply said signal having a frequency from about 100 kilohertz to about 2 megahertz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The plasma source of claim 5, wherein said power supply is configured to supply said signal having a frequency of about 400 kilohertz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The plasma source of claim 1, further including a surface wave plasma source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The plasma source of claim 7, wherein said surface wave plasma source includes a Radial Line Slot Antenna disposed above said multiple winding coil and configured to establish a centrally dense plasma. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plasma source of claim 1, further including metallic surfaces generally adjacent said electric coil and a plurality of eddy channels being formed into the metallic surfaces the eddy channels formed generally perpendicular to the orientation of said conductive wire of the coil and being dimensioned to reduce eddy currents generated by said coil at the frequency of said energy source.