# US 2013/0154479 A1 · Apparatus and methods for capacitively coupled plasma vapor processing of semiconductor wafers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154479 A1 - Document ID: US20130154479A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/767,526 - Filed: 2013-02-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-19 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Kiehlbauch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154479A1 ## CPC - H01J 1/135: {Circuit arrangements therefor, e.g. for temperature control} - H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma} - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - 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 A capacitively coupled plasma reactor comprising a processing chamber, a first electrode, a second electrode and a thermoelectric unit. The processing chamber has an upper portion with a gas inlet and a lower portion, and the upper portion is in fluid communication with the lower portion. The first electrode has a front side and a backside and is positioned at the upper portion of the processing chamber. The second electrode is positioned in the lower portion of the processing chamber and is spaced apart from the front side of the first electrode. The thermoelectric unit is positioned proximate to the backside of the first electrode and is capable of heating and cooling the first electrode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing a semiconductor wafer with a capacitively coupled plasma in a reactor, the method comprising: heating a first electrode with a thermoelectric unit; producing a plasma in a processing region by distributing one or more gases in the processing region and applying an energy to the gas between the first electrode and a second electrode positioned at least proximate to the wafer; and cooling the first electrode with the thermoelectric unit while producing the plasma. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein: heating the first electrode comprises providing a voltage having a first polarity to the thermoelectric unit such that a first side of the thermoelectric unit at least proximate to the first electrode heats the first electrode; and cooling the first electrode comprises providing a voltage having a second polarity opposite from the first polarity to the thermoelectric unit such that the first side of the thermoelectric unit cools the first electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the thermoelectric unit heats and cools the first electrode by conduction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises a first side at least proximate to the first electrode and a second side opposite the first side, and the method further comprises: cooling the second side of the thermoelectric unit while the first side of the thermoelectric unit heats the first electrode; and heating the second side of the thermoelectric unit while the first side of the thermoelectric unit cools the first electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein cooling and heating the second side of the thermoelectric unit comprises positioning a thermally controlled plate at least proximate to the second side of the thermoelectric unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising regulating a temperature of the thermally controlled plate by flowing water through the thermally controlled plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the first electrode with the thermoelectric unit while producing the plasma. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a temperature of the first electrode; and activating the thermoelectric unit based on the temperature of the first electrode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises at least two thermoelectric elements configured to heat or cool different regions of the first electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: monitoring one or more temperatures of the different regions of the first electrode; and activating at least one of the thermoelectric elements based on the temperature of the region of the corresponding thermoelectric element. ### Claim 11 A method of processing a microfeature workpiece with a capacitively coupled plasma, the method comprising: heating a first electrode with a thermoelectric unit; producing a plasma in the reactor between upper electrode and a second electrode; and maintaining a desired temperature of the upper electrode during the plasma production by cooling and heating the first electrode with the thermoelectric unit at different times. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein: heating the first electrode with the thermoelectric unit comprises applying a first voltage having a first polarity to the thermoelectric unit; and cooling the first electrode with the thermoelectric unit comprises applying a second voltage having a second polarity opposite from the first polarity to the thermoelectric unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises at least two thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: monitoring a temperature of different regions of the first electrode; and operating one or more of the at least two thermoelectric elements according to the temperatures of the different regions. ### Claim 15 A method of heating and cooling a first electrode for capacitively coupling plasma in a reactor, the method comprising: applying a first voltage at a first polarity to a thermoelectric unit during a first portion of a cycle to one of heating or cooling, wherein a first surface of the thermoelectric unit is positioned proximate to a backside of the first electrode; and applying a second voltage at a second polarity opposite the first polarity to the thermoelectric unit during a second portion of the cycle to the other of heating or cooling. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises a Peltier unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the first surface of the thermoelectric unit contacts the backside of the first electrode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the thermoelectric unit heats and cools the first electrode by conduction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising heating and cooling the thermoelectric unit with a temperature controlled plate positioned at least proximate to a second surface of the thermoelectric unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein heating and cooling the thermoelectric unit with the temperature controlled plate comprises flowing water through the temperature controlled plate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising flowing water at a generally constant temperature. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the generally constant temperature comprises room temperature. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring a temperature of the first electrode and selectively operating the thermoelectric unit based on the temperature of the first electrode. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises at least two thermoelectric elements corresponding to different regions of the first electrode. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising monitoring a temperature of the different regions of the first electrode and selectively operating the thermoelectric elements based on the temperature of the different regions of the first electrode.