# US 11,908,662 B2 · Device and method for tuning plasma distribution using phase control

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- Number: US 11,908,662 B2
- Document ID: US11908662B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/663,215
- Filed: 2019-10-24
- Published: 2020-05-21
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-21
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Xiaopu Li; Kallol Bera; Edward P. Hammond, IV; Jonghoon Baek; Amit Kumar Bansal; Jun Ma; Satoru Kobayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908662B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32467: {Material}
- C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds}
- C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices}
- C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges
- C23C 16/5096: {Flat-bed apparatus}
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32174: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge}
- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- H01J 2237/24564: Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency
- H01J 2237/3321: CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition]
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the phase control circuit comprises:
a phase detector;
a feedback controller; and
a phase shifter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the phase shifter comprises:
a variable capacitor; and
an inductor in parallel with the variable capacitor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) generator;
a first amplifier coupled to the radio frequency generator and the faceplate; and
a second amplifier coupled to the radio frequency generator and the conductive mesh.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a purge gap formed between the first portion of the grounding bowl and the second portion of the grounding bowl, at least a portion of the purge gap defined by the annular liner, wherein the annular liner is disposed between at least a portion of the second portion of the grounding bowl and the purge gap.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the purge gap is between the annular liner and the first portion of the grounding bowl.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the grounding bowl comprises a stainless steel containing material and the second portion of the grounding bowl comprises an aluminum containing material.

### Claim 8

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 of the grounding bowl, the second portion of the grounding bowl configured to move selectively into and out of contact with a pumping plate;
a ledge formed into the second portion of the grounding bowl;
a purge gap formed between the first portion of the grounding bowl and the second portion of the grounding bowl adjacent to the support pedestal;
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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the phase control circuit comprises:
a phase detector;
a feedback controller, wherein the feedback controller uses transmitted phase data from the faceplate and the conductive mesh; and
a phase shifter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the phase shifter comprises:
a variable capacitor; and
an inductor in parallel with the variable capacitor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) generator;
a first amplifier coupled to the radio frequency generator and the faceplate; and
a second amplifier coupled to the radio frequency generator and the conductive mesh.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the purge gap is between the annular liner and the first portion of the grounding bowl.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first portion of the grounding bowl comprises a stainless steel containing material and the second portion of the grounding bowl comprises an aluminum containing material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the annular liner comprises an aluminum oxide containing material.