Plasma processing method and apparatus
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsDerek William Bassett, Jeffrey Lauerhaas, Lance Van Elsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generation source, a nozzle in a plasma chamber, the nozzle being able to direct plasma from the plasma generation source to a wafer that is to be processed, the plasma having the form of a plasma stream at an exit of the nozzle, an outer annulus disposed in the plasma chamber and over the wafer, the outer annulus surrounding the nozzle, a gas exhaust disposed between inner sidewalls of the outer annulus and outer sidewalls of the nozzle, and a first vacuum pump connected to the gas exhaust between the inner sidewalls of the outer annulus and the outer sidewalls of the nozzle.
Claims20
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a plasma generation source;
- a nozzle in a plasma chamber, the nozzle being able to direct plasma from the plasma generation source to a wafer that is to be processed, the plasma having the form of a plasma stream at an exit of the nozzle;
- an outer annulus disposed in the plasma chamber and over the wafer, the outer annulus surrounding the nozzle;
- a gas exhaust disposed between inner sidewalls of the outer annulus and outer sidewalls of the nozzle;
- and
- a first vacuum pump connected to the gas exhaust between the inner sidewalls of the outer annulus and the outer sidewalls of the nozzle.
A method of plasma processing comprising:
- generating a plasma from a plasma source;
- directing the plasma into a processing chamber and to an outer surface of a wafer using a nozzle, the plasma exiting at an end of the nozzle disposed above the outer surface of the wafer, the plasma exiting in the form of a plasma stream, the nozzle extending through a gas shroud that surrounds the nozzle and that is disposed over the wafer, a gas exhaust being disposed between inner sidewalls of the gas shroud and outer sidewalls of the nozzle;
- maintaining a first pressure in the gas exhaust using a first vacuum pump;
- and
- maintaining a second pressure in the processing chamber using a second vacuum pump, the first pressure and the second pressure being different.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plasma source;
- a gas shroud disposed over a wafer to be processed in a processing chamber, the gas shroud having a concave shape with a flat center portion;
- a nozzle extending through a first opening in the flat center portion, the nozzle being configured to deliver plasma from the plasma source to an outer surface of the wafer;
- and
- a plurality of exhaust outlets extending from second openings in the flat center portion, the plurality of exhaust outlets being radially disposed around the nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.