# US 2026/0074162 A1 · Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2026/0074162 A1
- Document ID: US20260074162A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 19/392,178
- Filed: 2025-11-18
- Published: 2026-03-12
- Earliest claimed: 2023-05-25
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Chishio KOSHIMIZU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260074162A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32697: {Electrostatic control}
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32155: {Frequency modulation}
- H01J 37/32165: {Plural frequencies}
- H01J 37/32183: {Matching circuits}
- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H10P 14/60: of insulating materials
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A plasma processing method for performing plasma processing on a substrate, the method including: acquiring, for each control period of a bias signal, a parameter relating to an impedance matching state when supplying the bias signal to an electrode provided at a substrate support; and determining a frequency f(n) of the bias signal in an n-th control period according to Equation (1) below, f(n)=f(n−1)−Δf/ΔP×Pr(n−1)×F . . . (1).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing method for performing plasma processing on a substrate, the method comprising:
acquiring, for each control period of a bias signal, a parameter relating to an impedance matching state when supplying the bias signal to an electrode provided at a substrate support; and
determining a frequency f(n) of the bias signal in an n-th control period according to Equation (1) below,
f(n)=f(n−1)−Δf/ΔP×Pr(n−1)×F . . . (1),
Δf=f(n−2)−f(n−1),
ΔP=Pr(n−2)−Pr(n−1),
f(n−2) being a frequency in an (n−2)-th control period, f(n−1) being a frequency in an (n−1)-th control period, Pr(n−2) being the parameter in the (n−2)-th control period, and Pr(n−1) being the parameter in the (n−1)-th control period, n being an integer of 3 or more, and F being a constant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein
the parameter is reflected wave power of the bias signal that occurs when the bias signal is supplied to the electrode provided at the substrate support.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:
ending the n-th control period and starting a next control period when reflected wave power Pr(n) in the n-th control period is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determining the frequency f(n) of the bias signal again according to Equation (1); and
recording the frequency f(n) of the bias signal in the n-th control period as a steady frequency when the reflected wave power Pr(n) in the n-th control period is smaller than the threshold.

### Claim 4

A plasma processing method for performing plasma processing on a substrate, the method comprising:
acquiring, for each control period of a pulsed bias signal, a parameter relating to an impedance matching state when supplying the bias signal to an electrode provided at a substrate support; and
determining a frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal in an n-th control period of an m-th pulse according to Equation (2) below,
f(m,n)=f(m−h,n)−Δf/ΔP×Pr(m−h,n)×F . . . (2),
Δf=f(m−h−1,n)−f(m−h,n),
ΔP=Pr(m−h−1,n)−Pr(m−h,n),
f(m−h−1, n) being a frequency in the n-th control period of an (m−h−1)-th pulse, f(m−h, n) being a frequency in the n-th control period of an (m−h)-th pulse, Pr(m−h−1, n) being the parameter in the n-th control period of the (m−h−1)-th pulse, and Pr(m−h, n) being the parameter in the n-th control period of the (m−h)-th pulse, h being an integer of 1 or more, m and n being integers of 3 or more, and F being a constant.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The plasma processing method according to claim 4, wherein
the parameter is reflected wave power of the bias signal that occurs when the bias signal is supplied to the electrode provided at the substrate support.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The plasma processing method according to claim 5, further comprising:
ending an (m, n)-th control period and starting a next control period when reflected wave power Pr(m, n) in the (m, n)-th control period is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determining again the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal according to Equation (2); and
recording the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal in the (m, n)-th control period as a steady frequency when the reflected wave power Pr(m, n) in the (m, n)-th control period is smaller than the threshold.

### Claim 7

A plasma processing method for performing plasma processing on a substrate, the method comprising:
acquiring, for each control period of a pulsed bias signal, a parameter relating to an impedance matching state when supplying the bias signal to an electrode provided at a substrate support;
in first loop control, determining a frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal in an (m, n)-th control period according to Equation (3) below,
when a parameter Pr(m, n) in an n-th control period of an (m, n)-th pulse is equal to or greater than a reference value, ending the n-th control period and starting a next control period, and determining again the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal according to Equation (3), and
when the parameter Pr(m, n) in the n-th control period of the (m, n)-th pulse is smaller than the reference value or when n reaches a specified number, ending the first loop control and starting second loop control; and
in the second loop control, determining the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal according to Equation (4),
when the parameter Pr(m, n) of the (m, n)-th control period is equal to or greater than a threshold, ending the n-th control period and starting a next control period, and determining again the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal according to Equation (4), and
when the parameter Pr(m, n) in the (m, n)-th control period is smaller than the threshold or when n reaches a specified number, recording the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal in the (m, n)-th control period as a steady frequency,
f(m,n)=f(m−1,n)−Δf1/ΔP1×Pr(m−1,n)×F . . . (3),
f(m,n)=f(m,n−1)−Δf2/ΔP2×Pr(m,n−1)×F . . . (4),
Δf1=f(m−2,n)−f(m−1,n),
ΔP1=Pr(m−2,n)−Pr(m−1,n),
Δf2=f(m,n−2)−f(m,n−1),
ΔP2=Pr(m,n−2)−Pr(m,n−1),
f(m−2, n) being a frequency in the n-th control period of an (m−2)-th pulse, f(m−1, n) being a frequency in the n-th control period of an (m−1)-th pulse, Pr(m−2, n) being the parameter in the n-th control period of the (m−2)-th pulse, Pr(m−1, n) being the parameter in the n-th control period of the (m−1)-th pulse, f(m, n−2) being a frequency in an (n−2)-th control period of the m-th pulse, f(m, n−1) being a frequency in an (n−1)-th control period of the m-th pulse, Pr(m, n−2) being a parameter power in the (n−2)-th control period of the m-th pulse, Pr(m, n−1) being the parameter of the (n−1)-th control period of the m-th pulse, m and n being integers of 3 or more, and F being a constant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The plasma processing method according to claim 7, wherein
the parameter is reflected wave power of the bias signal that occurs when the bias signal is supplied to the electrode provided at the substrate support.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:
setting a matcher position to an initial matcher position;
performing a sweep of a source signal at the initial matcher position;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while supplying the bias signal;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep by increasing source power; and
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while changing the matcher position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The plasma processing method according to claim 9, wherein
when supplying the bias signal, the bias signal is supplied with a frequency of the bias signal being changed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The plasma processing method according to claim 8, further comprising:
acquiring, for each control period of the bias signal, the reflected wave power that occurs when the bias signal is supplied; and
determining the frequency f(n) of the bias signal in the n-th control period according to Equation (5) below,
f(n)=f(n−1)−Δf/ΔP×Pr(n−1)×F . . . (5),
Δf=f(n−2)−f(n−1),
ΔP=Pr(n−2)−Pr(n−1),
f(n−2) being a frequency in the (n−2)-th control period, f(n−1) being a frequency in the (n−1)-th control period, Pr(n−2) being the reflected wave power in the (n−2)-th control period, Pr(n−1) being the reflected wave power in the (n−1)-th control period, n being an integer of 3 or more, and F being a constant.

### Claim 12

A plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing on a substrate, the plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a substrate support;
an RF power source configured to supply a bias signal to an electrode provided at the substrate support, and controllably change a frequency of the bias signal;
a reflected wave detector configured to acquire reflected wave power that occurs when the bias signal is supplied to the electrode; and
controller circuitry, wherein
the controller circuitry is configured to acquire, for each control period of the bias signal, the reflected wave power of the bias signal that occurs when the bias signal is supplied to the electrode provided at the substrate support, and determine a frequency f(n) of the bias signal in an n-th control period according to Equation (6) below,
f(n)=f(n−1)−Δf/ΔP×Pr(n−1)×F . . . (6),
Δf=f(n−2)−f(n−1),
ΔP=Pr(n−2)−Pr(n−1),
f(n−2) being a frequency in an (n−2)-th control period, f(n−1) being a frequency in the an (n−1)-th control period, Pr(n−2) being the reflected wave power in the (n−2)-th control period, Pr(n−1) being the reflected wave power in the (n−1)-th control period, n being an integer of 3 or more, and F being a constant.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:
setting a matcher position to an initial matcher position;
performing a sweep of a source signal at the initial matcher position;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while supplying the bias signal;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep by increasing source power; and
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while changing the matcher position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The plasma processing method according to claim 3, further comprising:
setting a matcher position to an initial matcher position;
performing a sweep of a source signal at the initial matcher position;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while supplying the bias signal;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep by increasing source power; and
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while changing the matcher position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 4)

The plasma processing method according to claim 4, further comprising:
setting a matcher position to an initial matcher position;
performing a sweep of a source signal at the initial matcher position;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while supplying the bias signal;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep by increasing source power; and
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while changing the matcher position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The plasma processing method according to claim 7, further comprising:
setting a matcher position to an initial matcher position;
performing a sweep of a source signal at the initial matcher position;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while supplying the bias signal;
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep by increasing source power; and
when plasma is not ignited, performing the sweep while changing the matcher position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:
ending the n-th control period and starting a next control period when the reflected wave power Pr(n) in the n-th control period is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determining the frequency f(n) of the bias signal again according to Equation (1).

### Claim 18 (depends on 5)

The plasma processing method according to claim 5, further comprising:
ending an (m, n)-th control period and starting a next control period when the reflected wave power Pr(m, n) in the (m, n)-th control period is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determining again the frequency f(m, n) of the bias signal according to Equation (2).

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

The plasma processing method according to claim 8, further comprising:
acquiring, for each control period of the bias signal, the reflected wave power that occurs when the bias signal is supplied.