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US 2019/0295820 A1Published application
Multi-level parameter and frequency pulsing with a low angular spread
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsJuline Shoeb, Alex Paterson, Ying Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for multi-level pulsing of a parameter and multi-level pulsing of a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal are described. The parameter is pulsed from a low level to a high level while the frequency is pulsed from a low level to a high level. The parameter and the frequency are simultaneously pulsed to increase a rate of processing a wafer, to increase mask selectivity, and to reduce angular spread of ions within a plasma chamber.
Claims20
A method for increasing a rate of processing a substrate, comprising:
- generating a radio frequency (RF) signal;
- pulsing a first parameter level of the RF signal to a second parameter level;
- pulsing the second parameter level of the RF signal to a third parameter level of the RF signal;
- and
- pulsing a first frequency level of the RF signal to a second frequency level of the RF signal concurrently with said pulsing the first parameter level to the second parameter level,
- wherein said pulsing of the first parameter level to the second parameter level, pulsing of the second parameter level to the third parameter level, and pulsing of the first frequency level to the second frequency level increases the rate of processing the substrate.
3 more elements
A controller comprising:
- a processor configured to control a radio frequency (RF) generator to generate an RF signal,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the RF generator to pulse a first parameter level of the RF signal to a second parameter level of the RF signal,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the RF generator to pulse the second parameter level of the RF signal to a third parameter level of the RF signal,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the RF generator to pulse a first frequency level of the RF signal to a second frequency level of the RF signal, wherein the first frequency level is pulsed to the second frequency level concurrently with the pulsing of the first parameter level to the second parameter level;
- and
- a memory device coupled to the processor.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate an RF signal;
- an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF generator via an RF cable, wherein the impedance matching circuit is configured to receive the RF signal via the RF cable to output a modified RF signal;
- a plasma chamber coupled to the impedance matching circuit to receive the modified RF signal;
- and
- a host computer coupled to the RF generator, wherein the host computer is configured to:
- generate a digital pulse signal;
- send the digital pulse signal to the RF generator to pulse a first parameter level of the RF signal to a second parameter level of the RF signal and to pulse the second parameter level of the RF signal to a third parameter level of the RF signal;
- generate another digital pulse signal;
- and
- send the other digital pulse signal to the RF generator to pulse a first frequency level of the RF signal to a second frequency level of the RF signal, wherein the first frequency level is pulsed to the second frequency level concurrently with the pulsing of the first parameter level to the second parameter level.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.