# US 12,603,248 B2 · 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 12,603,248 B2
- Document ID: US12603248B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/351,172
- Filed: 2023-07-12
- Published: 2024-01-25
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-20
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Torai Iwasa; Takehiro Tanikawa; Masaya Herai; Kazuki Oshima; Yuzuru Sakai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603248B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32174: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge}
- H01J 37/32146: {Amplitude modulation, includes pulsing}
- H01J 37/32165: {Plural frequencies}
- H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means}
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber and including a lower electrode, an upper electrode disposed above the substrate support, a first RF signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a first RF signal, the first RF signal having a first power level during a first state in a repetition period, a second power level less than the first power level during a second state in the repetition period, and the second power level during a third state in the repetition period, and a second RF signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a second RF signal, the second RF signal having a third power level during the first state, a fourth power level greater than the third power level during the second state, and the third power level.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processing chamber;
a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber and including a lower electrode;
an upper electrode disposed above the substrate support;
a first RF signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a first RF signal, the first RF signal having a first power level during a first state in a repetition period, a second power level less than the first power level during a second state in the repetition period, and the second power level during a third state in the repetition period;
a second RF signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a second RF signal, the second RF signal having a third power level during the first state, a fourth power level greater than the third power level during the second state, and the third power level during the third state; and
a DC signal generator coupled to the upper electrode and configured to generate a DC signal, the DC signal having a first voltage level during the first state and a second voltage level during the second state, an absolute value of the first voltage level being greater than an absolute value of the second voltage level.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage level has a negative polarity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the DC signal has the first voltage level during the third state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second power level is zero power level.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the third power level is zero power level.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second voltage level is zero voltage level.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a frequency of the first RF signal is greater than a frequency of the second RF signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the repetition period is in a range of 20 μs to 800 μs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first state is in a range of 10% to 80% of the repetition period.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second state is in a range of 10% to 80% of the repetition period.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third state is in a range of 10% to 80% of the repetition period.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage level is in a range of −500 V to −2500 V.

### Claim 13

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processing chamber;
a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber and including a lower electrode;
an upper electrode disposed above the substrate support;
an RF signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate an RF signal, the RF signal having a first power level during a first state in a repetition period, a second power level less than the first power level during a second state in the repetition period, and the second power level during a third state in the repetition period;
a first DC signal generator coupled to the lower electrode and configured to generate a first DC signal, the first DC signal having a first voltage level during the first state, a sequence of voltage pulses having a second voltage level during the second state, and the first voltage level during the third state, an absolute value of the first voltage level being less than an absolute value of the second voltage level; and
a second DC signal generator coupled to the upper electrode and configured to generate a second DC signal, the second DC signal having a third voltage level during the first state, and a fourth voltage level during the second state, an absolute value of the third voltage level being greater than an absolute value of the fourth voltage level.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second voltage level has a negative polarity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the sequence of voltage pulses has a pulse frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 500 kHz.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first voltage level is zero voltage level.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second voltage level is in a range of −5 kV to −30 kV.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the third voltage level has a negative polarity.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the second DC signal has the third voltage level during the third state.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the fourth voltage level is zero voltage level.