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US 11,688,586 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for plasma processing
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsPeter Ventzek, Alok Ranjan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an embodiment, a plasma processing system includes a vacuum chamber, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate to be processed where the substrate holder is disposed in the vacuum chamber. The system further includes an electron source disposed above a peripheral region of the substrate holder, the electron source being configured to generate an electron beam towards the peripheral region of the substrate holder.
Claims22
A plasma processing system, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber configured to contain a direct plasma generated in the plasma processing chamber;
- a substrate holder disposed in the plasma processing chamber and configured to hold a substrate to be processed, the substrate being in contact with the direct plasma;
- and
- an electron beam source disposed above and vertically aligned with a peripheral region of the substrate and the substrate holder surrounding a central region of the substrate and the substrate holder,
- wherein the electron beam source is configured to generate an electron beam from the direct plasma, the electron beam comprising ballistic electrons traveling in a direction perpendicular to the peripheral region, and
- wherein the electron beam impinges on the peripheral region and not on the central region of the substrate and the substrate holder, the ballistic electrons stimulating chemical reactions at the substrate.
3 more elements
A plasma processing system comprising:
- an edge electrode portion disposed around and electrically isolated from a central portion, the edge electrode portion being further disposed above and vertically aligned with a peripheral region of a substrate holder, wherein the edge electrode portion comprises
- an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the central portion,
- a thickness less than the inner diameter,
- a first conductive region disposed between the inner diameter and an outer diameter and configured to generate ballistic electrons traveling in a direction perpendicular to the peripheral region from a direct plasma of the plasma processing system,
- a first electrical coupling component for coupling a direct-current (DC) power supply to the first conductive region, and
- an outer surface configured to be exposed to the direct plasma and covering the first conductive region, the outer surface comprising a dielectric material:
- and
- a central electrode portion disposed in the central portion, the central electrode portion comprising
- a second conductive region distributed along or within the central electrode portion,
- a second electrical coupling component for coupling an alternating current (AC) power source, the second electrical coupling component being coupled to the second conductive region, and
- a diameter that is larger than a thickness of the central electrode portion, wherein the second electrical coupling component is electrically isolated from the first electrical coupling component.
8 more elements
A plasma processing system, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber configured to contain a direct plasma generated in the vacuum chamber;
- a substrate holder disposed in the vacuum chamber and configured to hold a substrate to be processed, the substrate being in contact with the direct plasma;
- an electron beam source disposed above and vertically aligned with a peripheral region of the substrate and the substrate holder surrounding a central region of the substrate and the substrate holder, the electron beam source being configured to generate an electron beam from the direct plasma, the electron beam comprising ballistic electrons traveling towards the peripheral region, the electron beam source comprising an edge electrode arranged in an annular shape coupled to a first direct current (DC) supply node;
- a central electrode disposed within the annular shape of the edge electrode above the central region, the central electrode being electrically isolated from the edge electrode;
- and
- a dielectric material encasing both the electron beam source and the central electrode.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.