US 11,908,662 B2Granted

Device and method for tuning plasma distribution using phase control

AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.

InventorsXiaopu Li, Kallol Bera, Edward P. Hammond, IV, Jonghoon Baek, Amit Kumar Bansal, Jun Ma, Satoru Kobayashi

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and techniques for radio frequency (RF) phase control in a process chamber. A process volume is defined in the process chamber by a faceplate electrode and a support pedestal. A grounding bowl is disposed within the process chamber about the support pedestal opposite the process volume. The grounding bowl substantially fills a volume other than the process volume below the support pedestal. A phase tuner circuit is coupled to an RF mesh disposed in the support pedestal and the faceplate electrode. The tuner circuit adjusts a phase difference between a phase of the faceplate electrode and a phase of the RF mesh.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

a support pedestal having a support surface;
a conductive mesh disposed in the support pedestal;
a faceplate disposed opposite the support surface;
a process volume defined at least partially by the support pedestal and the faceplate;
a first portion of a grounding bowl having an annular shape and surrounding the support pedestal opposite the process volume;
a second portion of the grounding bowl disposed radially outward of the first portion and configured to move selectively into and out of contact with a pumping plate;
an annular liner surrounding the support pedestal and at least a portion of the first portion of the grounding bowl, the annular liner disposed in a recess of the pumping plate facing the process volume;
and
a phase control circuit coupled to the faceplate and the conductive mesh.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/663,215Filed 24 Oct 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 21 Nov 2018
Published: US 2020/0161093 A121 May 2020
Granted: 20 Feb 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H01J 37/32467
Vessel: material
C23C 16/4585
The substrate being supported substantially horizontally: devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds
C23C 16/4586
The substrate being supported substantially horizontally: elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
C23C 16/505
Using electric discharges: using radio frequency discharges

Family

Application62/770,547Us provisional application · filed 21 Nov 2018
US 2020/0161093 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 May 2020
US 11,908,662 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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