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US 11,887,818 B2Granted
Methods and systems to modulate film stress
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsTsutomu Tanaka, John C. Forster, Ran Liu, Kenichi Ohno, Ning Li, Mihaela Balseanu, Keiichi Tanaka, Li-Qun Xia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods to control the phase of power sources for plasma process regions in a batch process chamber. A master exciter controls the phase of the power sources during the process sequence based on feedback from the match circuits of the respective plasma sources.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- powering a first power source connected to a first plasma gas port in a first process region of a processing chamber, the first power source directly coupled to a first match circuit, and the first match circuit directly connected to the first plasma gas port, the first plasma gas port generating a first plasma with a first phase;
- powering a second power source connected to a second plasma gas port in a second process region different from the first process region of the processing chamber;
- the second power source directly coupled to a second match circuit, and the second match circuit directly connected to the second plasma gas port, the second plasma gas port generating a second plasma with a second phase;
- and
- controlling the first phase or the second phase using a master exciter directly connected to the first power source, and the second power source, the first match circuit and the second match circuit.
2 more elements
A method of depositing a SiO or SiN film, the method comprising:
- exposing a substrate to a silicon precursor in a first process region of a processing chamber;
- laterally moving the substrate through a gas curtain to a second process region of the processing chamber;
- exposing the substrate to a first plasma in the second process region of the processing chamber, the first plasma generated by a first plasma port directly coupled to a first match circuit, the first plasma having a first phase;
- laterally moving the substrate through a gas curtain to a third process region of the processing chamber;
- exposing the substrate to a silicon precursor in the third process region;
- laterally moving the substrate through a gas curtain to a fourth process region of the processing chamber;
- exposing the substrate to a second plasma in the fourth process region of the processing chamber, the second plasma generated by a second plasma port directly coupled to a second match circuit, the second plasma having a second phase;
- and
- controlling of the first phase or the second phase to maintain a phase difference in a range of about 170° to about 190°.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.