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AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsVahid Vahedi, Peter Loewenhardt, Albert Ellingboe, Andras Kuthi, Andreas Fischer
Estimating the term…
A plasma in a vacuum chamber where a workpiece is processed is bounded by a plasma confinement volume including a region between a first electrode simultaneously responsive to power at first and second RF frequencies and a DC grounded second electrode. A DC grounded extension is substantially aligned with the first electrode. A substantial percentage of power at the first frequency is coupled to a path including the first and second electrodes but not the extension while a substantial percentage of power at the second frequency is coupled to a path including the first electrodes and extension, but not the second electrode. Changing the relative powers at the first and second frequencies, as applied to the first electrode, controls DC bias voltage of the first electrode.
A plasma processor comprising a vacuum chamber having:
The plasma processor of 9 wherein the extension includes an area beyond a peripheral portion of the first electrode, electrical coupling from the first electrode to the area beyond the peripheral portion being arranged for passing the second frequency in the region to a greater extent than the first frequency is passed in the region.
The plasma processor of 12 wherein the extension arrangement includes an area beyond a peripheral portion of the first electrode, electrical coupling from the first electrode to the area beyond the peripheral portion being arranged for passing the second frequency in the region to a greater extent than the first frequency is passed in the region.
A method of operating a plasma processor having a first electrode comprising the steps of simultaneously supplying power at first and second frequencies to the first electrode, a DC bias voltage being established on the first electrode in response to an interaction between the power supplied to the electrodes at the first and second frequencies and plasma in the vicinity of the first electrode, and controlling the value of the DC bias voltage by varying a parameter associated with the power at one of said frequencies relative to a parameter associated with the power at the other of said frequencies.
A plasma processor comprising a first electrode in a processing chamber, circuitry for simultaneously supplying power at first and second frequencies to the first electrode, a DC bias voltage being established on the first electrode in response to an interaction between the power supplied to the electrodes at the first and second frequencies and plasma in the vicinity of the electrode, the chamber being configured and the first and second frequencies being such that varying a parameter associated with the power at the first frequency relative to a parameter associated with the power at the second frequency causes a controllable change in the DC bias voltage.
A plasma processor for processing a workpiece comprising a vacuum chamber having an electrically conductive wall at a DC reference potential, the wall having a circular inner periphery coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the chamber, the chamber including:
A plasma processor for processing a workpiece comprising a vacuum chamber having an electrically conductive wall, the wall having a circular inner periphery coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the chamber, the chamber including:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.