System, method, and apparatus for controlling ion energy distribution in plasma processing systems

An apparatus for plasma-based processing, comprising:

• a controllable DC voltage source to provide a DC output voltage with a magnitude that is determined by an ion-energy control setting;
• an output that is configured to couple to a substrate holder;
• a first switching component disposed between the DC voltage source and the output;
• a second switching component coupled between a ground connection and the output;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to each of the first and second switching components, the controller configured to provide a first and second drive-control signals, respectively, to the first and second switching components by a corresponding one of a first and second drive-control-signal lines and control a timing of the drive-control signals to close the first switching component to couple the DC output voltage to the output, open the first switching component to decouple the DC output voltage from the output, close the second switching component to couple ground to the output while the first switching component is open, and open both the first and second switches to remove the DC output voltage and ground from the output;
• and
• a DC current source coupled to the output to provide ion current compensation, at least, while the first and second switches are open.

An apparatus for plasma-based processing, comprising:

• a controllable DC voltage source to provide a DC output voltage with a magnitude that is determined by an ion-energy control setting;
• an output that is configured to couple to a substrate holder;
• a first switching component disposed between the DC voltage source and the output;
• a second switching component coupled between a ground connection and the output;
• a controller including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions to perform a method for providing a modified periodic voltage function to the output, the method including:
• providing a first and second drive-control signals, respectively, to the first and second switching components by a corresponding one of a first and second drive-control-signal lines;
• controlling a timing of the drive-control signals to close the first switching component to couple the DC output voltage to the output, open the first switching component to decouple the DC output voltage from the output, close the second switching component to couple ground to the output while the first switching component is open, and open both the first and second switches to remove the DC output voltage and ground from the output;
• and
• providing ion current compensation with a DC current source to the output, at least, while the first and second switches are open.

An apparatus for plasma-based processing, comprising:

• a controllable DC voltage source to provide a DC output voltage with a magnitude that is determined by an ion-energy control setting;
• an output that is configured to couple to a substrate holder;
• a first switching component disposed between the DC voltage source and the output;
• a second switching component coupled between a ground connection and the output;
• and
• means for providing a first and second drive-control signals, respectively, to the first and second switching components;
• means for closing the first switching component to couple the DC output voltage to the output, then opening the first switching component to decouple the DC output voltage from the output, then closing the second switching component to couple ground to the output while the first switching component is open, and then opening both the first and second switches to remove the DC output voltage and ground from the output;
• and
• means for providing ion current compensation to the output, at least, while the first and second switches are open.