# US 2018/0025893 A1 · Edge Exclusion Control With Adjustable Plasma Exclusion Zone Ring

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0025893 A1
- Document ID: US20180025893A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/724,177
- Filed: 2017-10-03
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-19
- Assignees: Lam Research Corporation
- Applicants: Lam Research Corporation
- Inventors: Keechan Kim; Yansung Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025893A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32862: {In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts}
- B08B 7/0035: {by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like}
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32385: {Treating the edge of the workpieces}
- H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means}
- H01J 37/32623: {Mechanical discharge control means}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J 2237/335: Cleaning
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Systems and methods for edge exclusion control are described. One of the systems includes a plasma chamber. The plasma processing chamber includes a lower electrode having a surface for supporting a substrate. The lower electrode is coupled with a radio frequency (RF) power supply. The plasma processing chamber further includes an upper electrode disposed over the lower electrode. The upper electrode is electrically grounded. The plasma processing chamber includes an upper dielectric ring surrounding the upper electrode. The upper dielectric ring is moved using a mechanism for setting a vertical position of the upper dielectric ring separate from a position of the upper electrode. The system further includes an upper electrode extension surrounding the upper dielectric ring. The upper electrode extension is electrically grounded. The system also includes a lower electrode extension surrounding the lower dielectric ring. The lower electrode extension is arranged opposite the upper electrode extension.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for controlling a size of an edge exclusion region, comprising:
an upper electrode;
an upper plasma exclusion zone (PEZ) ring located besides the upper electrode;
an upper electrode extension located besides the upper PEZ ring;
a system controller configured to generate signals regarding a first position and a second position of the upper PEZ ring;
an actuator; and
a position controller coupled to the system controller and the actuator, wherein the position controller is configured to receive the signals from the system controller, wherein the position controller is configured to control the actuator based on the signals to achieve the first position and the second position, wherein the first and second positions are achieved independent of any movement of the upper electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a lower PEZ ring positioned below the upper PEZ ring, wherein an edge processing region is formed between the upper PEZ ring and the lower PEZ ring, wherein the first position corresponds to a first volume of the edge processing region and the second position corresponds to a second volume of the edge processing region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
an input device, wherein the system controller is configured to receive the first position and the second position from a user via the input device; and
a memory device, wherein the system controller is configured to access the first position and the second position from the memory device,
wherein the actuator includes a link or a positioning mechanism, wherein the link includes a lead screw, a rod, a toothgear, or a pinset,
wherein the positioning mechanism includes a bellow or a bladder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a vacuum pump configured to generate a vacuum within the actuator,
wherein the position controller is configured to control a position of the actuator via the vacuum pump; and
a spacer configured to stop movement of the upper PEZ ring when the upper PEZ ring reaches the first position or the second position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second position is below the first position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second position is lower than the first position, wherein each of the first and second positions are measured with respect to a level of the upper electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to reduce an effect of plasma on the upper electrode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode and the upper electrode extension are coupled to a ground potential.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a lower PEZ ring located below the upper PEZ ring, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to move to the second position in a vertical direction to be closer to the lower PEZ ring, wherein the upper PEZ ring is closer to lower PEZ ring at the second position compared to when the upper PEZ ring is at the first position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a lower PEZ ring located below the upper PEZ ring, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to move to the second position in a vertical direction to be away from the lower PEZ ring, wherein the upper PEZ ring is away from the lower PEZ ring at the second position compared to when the upper PEZ ring is at the first position.

### Claim 11

A plasma chamber for controlling a size of an edge exclusion zone, comprising:
an upper electrode;
an upper plasma exclusion zone (PEZ) ring located besides the upper electrode, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to move vertically independent of a position of the upper electrode; and
an upper electrode extension located besides the upper PEZ ring.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The plasma chamber of claim 11, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to be fixed at a position among a plurality of positions in the vertical direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The plasma chamber of claim 11, further comprising a lower PEZ ring located below the upper PEZ ring to form an edge processing region between the upper PEZ ring and the lower PEZ ring, wherein the upper PEZ ring is configured to be move between any two of the positions in the vertical direction to modify a volume of the edge processing region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The plasma chamber of claim 11, further comprising:
a lower electrode located below the upper electrode to form a gap between the upper and lower electrodes;
a lower PEZ ring located besides the lower electrode and below the upper PEZ ring to form a gap between the upper PEZ ring and the lower PEZ ring; and
a lower electrode extension located next to the lower PEZ ring and below the upper electrode extension to form a gap between the upper electrode extension and the lower electrode extension.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The plasma chamber of claim 14, wherein the lower electrode is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) power supply via an impedance matching circuit, wherein the lower electrode extension is coupled to a ground potential.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The plasma chamber of claim 14, wherein the lower electrode extension is coupled to an RF power supply.

### Claim 17

A method for bevel edge cleaning, the method comprising:
positioning a lower electrode below an upper electrode;
placing an upper electrode extension peripheral to the upper electrode;
placing a lower electrode extension peripheral to the lower electrode; and
situating an upper plasma exclusion zone (PEZ) ring between the upper electrode and the upper electrode extension; and
moving the upper PEZ ring between multiple positions while maintaining the upper electrode at a position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising engaging the upper PEZ ring at a first one of the positions to be closer to a lower PEZ ring compared to a second one of the positions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the multiple positions include a level above a level of a lower surface of the upper electrode, a level at the level of the lower surface of the upper electrode, and a level below the level of the lower surface of the upper electrode.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein moving the upper PEZ ring between the multiple positions while maintaining the upper electrode at the position is performed to change an area of a bevel edge of a substrate that is etched.