# US 2013/0153148 A1 · Semiconductor processing system and methods using capacitively coupled plasma > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153148 A1 - Document ID: US20130153148A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/773,067 - Filed: 2013-02-21 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-18 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Jang-Gyoo Yang; Matthew L. Miller; Xinglong Chen; Kien N. Chuc; Qiwei Liang; Shankar Venkataraman; Dmitry Lubomirsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153148A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - C23C 16/45585: {Compression of gas before it reaches the substrate} - H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma} - H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream} - H01J 37/32422: {Arrangement for selecting ions or species in the plasma} - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - H01J 37/32532: {Electrodes} - H01J 37/32541: {Shape} - H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means} - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing system comprising: a gas inlet for supplying a first gas to a processing chamber; an activation region inside the processing chamber to excite the first gas into an activated gas, wherein the activation region is defined between: an electrode comprising at least one opening; and an ion suppressor plate comprising an electrically conductive plate having a second plurality of openings to permit passage of the activated gas out of the activation region; and a reaction region defined between the ion suppressor plate and a substrate, wherein the activated gas passes through the second plurality of openings in the ion suppressor plate into the gas reaction region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the activation region comprises a plasma. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate is supported by a pedestal positioned below the reaction region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises an electrical power supply coupled to the electrode and the ion suppressor plate, wherein the power supply is operable to create an adjustable bias voltage in the ion suppressor plate to adjust an ion concentration in the activated gas passing from the activation region to the reaction region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the ion suppressor plate reduces the ion concentration in the activated gas passing to the reaction region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the activated gas comprises at least one reactive radical. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the activated gas in the reaction region lacks an ionically charged species. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein electrode and the ion suppressor plate comprise the electrodes of a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside the processing chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a showerhead positioned between the ion suppressor plate and the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a remote plasma system coupled to the gas inlet and operable to excite the first gas entering the process chamber through the gas inlet. ### Claim 11 A substrate processing system comprising: a gas inlet for supplying a first gas to a processing chamber; a first electrode comprising at least one opening; and a showerhead comprising: (i) an ion suppressor plate having first set of channels to permit passage of an activated gas from an activation region to a reaction region, wherein the activation region is defined between the first electrode in the ion suppressor plate, and the reaction region is defined between the showerhead and a substrate, and (ii) a second set of channels formed in the showerhead to permit passage of a second gas to the reaction region, wherein the second gas and the activated gas react in the reaction region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the activation region comprises a plasma. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises an electrical power supply coupled to the first electrode and the showerhead, wherein the power supply is operable to create an adjustable bias voltage in the showerhead to adjust an ion concentration in the activated gas passing from the activation region to the reaction region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein a plasma is suppressed from forming in the reaction region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the activated gas comprises at least one reactive radical. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the activated gas in the reaction region lacks an ionically charged species. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises a remote plasma system coupled to the gas inlet and operable to excite the first gas entering the process chamber through the gas inlet.