Capacitive coupled plasma source for sputtering and resputtering

An apparatus that ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) sputters a layer on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a cathode, an anode, and a cathode magnet assembly positioned in a vacuum chamber;
• a gap provided inside the anode around the cathode, a cusp magnetic field being provided in the gap, at least a portion of magnetic field lines associated with the cusp magnetic field passing through the gap and terminating on the cathode magnet assembly;
• an electrode positioned in the gap, the electrode providing a voltage;
• a noble feed gas selected to sputter target material;
• a circuit connecting the cathode to radio frequency (RF) power, thereby generating plasma discharge that ionizes sputtered target material;
• and
• a bias power supply providing negative bias voltage to the substrate, thereby attracting positively charged ions from the sputtered target material to the substrate surface.

A method of generating high density plasma, the method comprising:

• positioning a cathode, an anode, and a cathode magnet assembly in a vacuum chamber;
• providing a gap inside the anode around the cathode, a cusp magnetic field being provided in the gap, at least a portion of magnetic field lines associated with the cusp magnetic field passing through the gap and terminating on the cathode magnet assembly;
• positioning an electrode in the gap;
• providing a feed gas selected to generate high density plasma;
• applying voltage to the electrode;
• and
• applying radio frequency (RF) power to the cathode, thereby generating plasma discharge that generates high density plasma.