Method and apparatus for sputtering

A method of performing a sputtering process, the method comprising:

• affixing a workpiece onto a chuck in a sputtering chamber;
• introducing a sputtering gas in the sputtering chamber;
• ionizing the sputtering gas with a target electrode and a plurality of electrodes situated on the chuck beneath the semiconductor wafer, each one of the plurality of electrodes biased with an independent bias signal;
• and
• directing the ionized sputtering gas toward the semiconductor wafer.

A method of sputter etching a material from a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

• providing a vacuum chamber;
• providing a sputtering material inside the vacuum chamber;
• affixing a semiconductor wafer to a wafer chuck inside the vacuum chamber;
• and
• creating a plasma comprising the sputtering material inside the vacuum chamber;
• accelerating the sputtering material by creating a potential difference between a target electrode and a plurality of electrodes situated adjacent the wafer chuck beneath the semiconductor wafer, each of one of the plurality of electrodes biased independently.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

• forming a dielectric layer over a semiconductor wafer;
• forming a plurality of recesses in the dielectric layer;
• lining sidewall surfaces and a bottom surface of each of the recesses with a liner;
• sputter etching the liner from the bottom surface of each of the recesses, the sputter etching being performed by generating a potential between a plurality of chuck electrodes located beneath the semiconductor wafer and a target electrode spaced above the semiconductor wafer, each of the chuck electrodes being biased with an independent bias signal;
• and
• filling the recesses with a conductive material.