# US 12,002,651 B2 · Voltage waveform generator, wafer processing apparatus and plasma processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,651 B2 - Document ID: US12002651B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/158,231 - Filed: 2021-01-26 - Published: 2021-12-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-25 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyunbae Kim; Hyejin Kim; Chanhee Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002651B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32174: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge} - H01J 37/32128: {using particular waveforms, e.g. polarised waves} - H01J 37/32146: {Amplitude modulation, includes pulsing} - H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma} - H01J 37/32577: {Electrical connecting means} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A wafer processing apparatus includes a chamber, and a voltage waveform generator configured to accelerate plasma ions of the chamber, the voltage waveform generator includes: a pulse circuit configured to apply a chamber voltage, which is a pulse voltage, to the chamber by adjusting a chamber current applied to the chamber; and a slope circuit configured to generate a slope in an on-duty of the chamber voltage, which is the pulse voltage, and the pulse circuit includes a first inductive element configured to store a first internal current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wafer processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to load a wafer; a radio frequency (RF) power source configured to generate plasma ions in the chamber; and a voltage waveform generator configured to accelerate the plasma ions toward the wafer, wherein the voltage waveform generator comprises: a pulse circuit comprising a first inductive element configured to store a first internal current, the pulse circuit being configured to apply a pulse voltage to the chamber by adjusting a chamber current applied to the chamber; and a slope circuit configured to generate a slope in an on-duty of the pulse voltage, wherein the pulse circuit and the slope circuit are electrically connected in parallel to an input terminal of the chamber, and wherein the pulse circuit comprises a first current discharging circuit comprising: a first switch, a first diode, a second switch and a second diode arranged in series in a first path configured to allow the first internal current to enter a first terminal of the chamber, and a third switch, a third diode, a fourth switch and a fourth diode arranged in series in a second path configured to allow the first internal current to enter a second terminal of the chamber opposite to the first terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pulse circuit further comprises: a first current charging circuit configured to charge the first internal current of the first inductive element; and the first current discharging circuit configured to output a first output current to the chamber based on the first internal current of the first inductive element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first current discharging circuit is further configured to: output the first output current, which is substantially same as the first internal current, or output the first output current having an amplitude which is substantially same as an amplitude of the first internal current and a sign opposite to a sign of the first internal current. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slope circuit is further configured to generate the slope by controlling the chamber current. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slope circuit comprises a second inductive element configured to store a second internal current. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second internal current is lower than the first internal current. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the voltage waveform generator further comprises: a first current meter configured to measure the first internal current; and a second current meter configured to measure the second internal current. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pulse circuit is further configured to maintain an amplitude of the first internal current to be substantially constant based on a measured value of the first current meter, and the slope circuit is further configured to maintain an amplitude of the second internal current to be substantially constant based on a measured value of the second current meter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the slope circuit further comprises: a second current charging circuit configured to charge the second internal current of the second inductive element; and a second current discharging circuit configured to output a second output current to the chamber based on the second internal current of the second inductive element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second current discharging circuit is further configured to output the second output current, which is a negative current having a same amplitude as the first internal current. ### Claim 11 A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber in which a plasma process is performed; and a voltage waveform generator configured to apply a non-sinusoidal periodic wave voltage to the chamber, wherein the voltage waveform generator comprises: a pulse circuit configured to apply a pulse voltage to the chamber by applying a first output current to the chamber; and a slope circuit configured to generate a slope in an on-duty of the pulse voltage, by applying a second output current to the chamber, wherein the pulse circuit and the slope circuit are electrically connected in parallel to an input terminal of the chamber, wherein the pulse circuit comprises a first current discharging circuit comprising: a first switch, a first diode, a second switch and a second diode arranged in series in a first path configured to allow a first internal current to enter a first terminal of the chamber, and a third switch, a third diode, a fourth switch and a fourth diode arranged in series in a second path configured to allow the first internal current to enter a second terminal of the chamber opposite to the first terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pulse circuit and the slope circuit are terminated two-port networks in which first output ports of the pulse circuit and second output ports of the slope circuit are electrically connected to each other in parallel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plasma process is one of plasma etching, plasma cleaning, or plasma deposition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the pulse circuit and the slope circuit comprises a variable constant current source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pulse circuit comprises a first inductive element configured to store the first internal current, and the slope circuit comprises a second inductive element configured to store a second internal current. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second internal current is lower than the first internal current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pulse voltage is a non-sinusoidal periodic wave having a period comprising a first interval, a second interval, a third interval and a fourth interval, the pulse circuit is further configured to cause the first internal current to freewheel in the pulse circuit, and the slope circuit is further configured to cause the second internal current to freewheel in the slope circuit, to allow the pulse voltage to be maintained to have a first voltage during the first interval, the pulse circuit is further configured to apply the first internal current to the chamber to allow a chamber voltage to drop from the first voltage to a second voltage during the second interval, and the slope circuit is further configured to apply the second internal current to the chamber to allow the chamber voltage to drop from the second voltage to a third voltage during the third interval. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pulse circuit is further configured to apply the first internal current to the chamber in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first internal current is applied during the second interval, to allow the chamber voltage to increase from the third voltage to the first voltage during the fourth interval. ### Claim 19 A plasma processing apparatus comprising a voltage waveform generator configured to apply a chamber voltage which is a non-sinusoidal periodic wave to a plasma chamber, wherein the voltage waveform generator comprises: a pulse circuit comprising a first inductive element configured to store a first internal current; and a slope circuit comprising a second inductive element configured to store a second internal current, wherein the pulse circuit is configured to apply the first internal current to the plasma chamber to generate a pulse in the chamber voltage, and the slope circuit is configured to apply the second internal current to the plasma chamber to generate a slope in an on-duty of the pulse wherein the pulse circuit and the slope circuit are electrically connected in parallel to an input terminal of the plasma chamber, and wherein the pulse circuit comprises a first current discharging circuit comprising: a first switch, a first diode, a second switch and a second diode arranged in series in a first path configured to allow the first internal current to enter a first terminal of the plasma chamber, and a third switch, a third diode, a fourth switch and a fourth diode arranged in series in a second path configured to allow the first internal current to enter a second terminal of the plasma chamber opposite to the first terminal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second internal current is lower than the first internal current.