Systems and methods for tuning to reduce reflected power in multiple states
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsJon McChesney, Alexander Paterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for tuning to reduce reflected power in multiple states are described. The methods include determining values of one or more parameters of an impedance matching circuit so that reflected power is reduced for multiple states. Such a reduction in the reflected power increases a life of a radio frequency generator coupled to the impedance matching circuit while simultaneously processing a substrate using the multiple states.
Claims20
A method for optimizing power reflected towards a radio frequency (RF) generator, comprising:
- controlling the RF generator to pulse between a plurality of pulsing states;
- and
- controlling one or more of a plurality of circuit parameters of an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF generator for collective optimization to reduce power reflected towards the RF generator for the plurality of pulsing states,
- wherein the collective optimization to reduce the power reflected towards the RF generator includes one or more settings of the one or more of the plurality of circuit parameters to achieve less than optimized reduction in the power reflected for one or more of the plurality of pulsing states in favor of the collective optimization for reducing total collective power reflected for a combination of the plurality of pulsing states.
A controller for optimizing power reflected towards a radio frequency (RF) generator, comprising:
- a processor configured to control the RF generator to pulse between a plurality of pulsing states,
- wherein the processor is configured to control one or more of a plurality of circuit parameters of an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF generator for collective optimization to reduce power reflected towards the RF generator for the plurality of pulsing states,
- wherein the collective optimization to reduce the power reflected towards the RF generator includes one or more settings of the one or more of the plurality of circuit parameters to achieve less than optimized reduction in the power reflected for one or more of the plurality of pulsing states in favor of the collective optimization for reducing total collective power reflected for a combination of the plurality of pulsing states;
- and
- a memory device coupled to the processor.
A plasma system for optimizing power reflected towards a radio frequency (RF) generator, comprising:
- the RF generator configured to generate an RF signal;
- an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF generator, wherein the impedance matching circuit is configured to receive the RF signal and to modify the RF signal to output a modified RF signal;
- a plasma chamber coupled to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the plasma chamber is configured to receive the modified RF signal to generate or maintain plasma;
- and
- a host computer coupled to the impedance matching circuit, wherein the host is configured to:
- control the RF generator to pulse between a plurality of pulsing states;
- and
- control one or more of a plurality of circuit parameters of the impedance matching circuit for achieving a collective optimization to reduce power reflected towards the RF generator for the plurality of pulsing states,
- wherein the collective optimization to reduce the power reflected towards the RF generator includes one or more settings of the one or more of the plurality of circuit parameters to achieve less than optimized reduction in the power reflected for one or more of the plurality of pulsing states in favor of the collective optimization for reducing total collective power reflected for a combination of the plurality of pulsing states.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.