Sector shunts for plasma-based wafer processing systems
AssigneeComet Technologies USA, Inc.
InventorsStephen E. Savas, Alexandre De Chambrier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radio frequency plasma processing system including a reaction chamber, an electrode having an electrode symmetry axis, the electrode disposed in the reaction chamber, and a plurality of plates, each having an electrically conducting layer, disposed in the reaction chamber azimuthally with respect to the electrode symmetry axis around a perimeter of the electrode at a gap from the electrode surface, each of the plurality of plates connected to an electrical ground through a variable reactance circuit.
Claims20
A radio frequency plasma processing system comprising:
- a reaction chamber receiving radio-frequency power exciting a plasma;
- an electrode having an electrode symmetry axis, the electrode powering the plasma disposed inside in the reaction chamber as the plasma performs a plasma process on a wafer;
- a plurality of sensors disposed in the reaction chamber positioned adjacent to and spaced around a perimeter of the electrode at a gap from the electrode;
- each sensor connected to a respective variable impedance circuit;
- and
- an automated controller varying each variable impedance circuit providing a specified shunt impedance between each sensor and electric ground.
A system for controlling the electromagnetic wave power spectrum on a surface of a wafer in a radio frequency plasma processing system comprising:
- a reaction chamber for receiving radio-frequency power generating a plasma;
- an electrode having an electrode symmetry axis, the electrode for receiving a flow of the plasma in the reaction chamber as the plasma performs a plasma process on a wafer positioned adjacent to the electrode;
- a plurality of sensors disposed in the reaction chamber and positioned adjacent to and spaced around a perimeter of the electrode at a gap from the electrode;
- an automated controller operative for:
- determining a plasma fault condition within the chamber based measurements received from the sensors;
- implementing one or more response actions in response to the plasma fault condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.