Rf current return path for a large area substrate plasma reactor
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsWendell Blonigan, Ernst Keller, Carl Sorensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for providing a return current path for RF current between a chamber wall and a substrate support is provided comprising a low impedance flexible curtain having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to be electrically connected to the chamber wall and the second end adapted to be connected to the substrate support, wherein the curtain further comprises at least one fold in the curtain material, located an axial distance between the first end and the second end, and at least one perforation cut into the curtain proximate the second end.
Claims20
A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
- providing a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between a substrate support and a chamber body, wherein at least a portion of the curtain is positioned inward of a perimeter of the substrate support;
- providing RF power to a showerhead disposed over the substrate support;
- and
- plasma processing a substrate disposed on the substrate support.
A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
- disposing a substrate on a plurality of lift pins extending from a substrate support, the substrate support having a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between the substrate support and a chamber body;
- lowering the substrate onto the substrate support by moving at least one lift pin through the curtain;
- and
- plasma processing the substrate disposed on the substrate support.
A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
- providing a substrate disposed on a substrate support in a plasma processing chamber;
- coupling RF power to a plasma formed above the substrate;
- grounding the substrate support through a flexible RF conductive curtain connected between the substrate support and a chamber body, wherein the curtain extends inwards of a perimeter of the substrate support;
- and
- plasma processing the substrate disposed on the substrate support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.