# US 2026/0100329 A1 · Combined thermal and plasma assisted atomic layer deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0100329 A1 - Document ID: US20260100329A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/909,487 - Filed: 2024-10-08 - Published: 2026-04-09 - Earliest claimed: 2024-10-08 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Nguyen; Shankar Swaminathan; Mohith Verghese; Kunal Bhatnagar; Sue-Ann Yow; Chau T. Nguyen; Sathya Swaroop Ganta - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260100329A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/3211: {Antennas, e.g. particular shapes of coils} - H01J 37/321: {the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma} - H10P 50/283: {by chemical means} - H01J 2237/334: Etching - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A plasma coil assembly including a ring-shaped body, an RF electrode positioned within the ring-shaped body, and a dielectric top plate positioned within the ring-shaped body. A semiconductor manufacturing processing chamber including a processing chamber body, a gas distribution assembly, a substrate support, and the plasma coil assembly. A method of selectively etching a substrate surface including forming a process gas, exposing the substrate surface to the process gas to form activated fluorine-containing species, and sublimating the activated fluorine-containing species. A method of etching a substrate surface including exposing the substrate surface to a fluorine-containing plasma and applying a bias voltage to the substrate surface, the fluorine-containing plasma generated by the plasma coil assembly. A method of etching a substrate surface including exposing the substrate surface to an inductively coupled plasma and applying a bias voltage to the substrate surface, the inductively coupled plasma generated by the plasma coil assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plasma coil assembly comprising: a ring-shaped body having an inner wall with an inside face and an outside face, a bottom wall with an inside face and an outside face, and an outer wall with an inside face and an outside face, the ring-shaped body having an open top portion; an RF electrode positioned within the open top portion of the ring-shaped body, the RF electrode having a first end and a second end defining a length of the RF electrode, a thickness and a width, the RF electrode formed in a coil having at least two spaced revolutions with the first end spaced a distance from the outer wall of the ring-shaped body and the second end spaced a distance from the inner wall of the ring-shaped body, the first end closer to a lowest point of the outside face of the bottom wall than the second end; a first RF electrode connection in electrical contact with the first end of the RF electrode; a second RF electrode connection in electrical contact with the second end of the RF electrode; and a dielectric top plate positioned within the open top portion of the ring-shaped body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the coil comprises an outer circular portion connected to an inner circular portion by a straight segment, the outer circular portion concentric with the inner circular portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the coil comprises an outer circular portion connected to a middle circular portion with an outer straight segment, and the middle circular portion connected to an inner circular portion with an inner straight segment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the inner wall of the ring-shaped body is in a range of 250 mm to 500 mm, and a diameter of the outer wall of the ring-shaped body is greater than the diameter of the inner wall of the ring-shaped body and in a range of 450 mm to 650 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the first end of the coil has a distance in a range from 0.1 inches to 0.3 inches from the inner face of the outer wall, and the second end of the coil has a distance in a range from 0.1 inches to 0.3 inches from the inner face of the inner wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the RF electrode has a width in a range of 0.1 inches to 0.5 inches and a height in a range of 0.01 inches to 0.03 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein a spacing between adjacent revolutions of the at least two spaced revolutions is in a range of 0.1 inches to 3 inches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped body comprises Al2O3 or AlN. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plasma coil assembly of claim 1, wherein the dielectric top plate comprises Al2O3 or AlN. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A semiconductor processing chamber comprising: a processing chamber body having a bottom, a sidewall and a lid enclosing an interior volume; a gas distribution assembly connected to the lid of the processing chamber body, the gas distribution assembly configured to provide a flow of gas to the interior volume; a substrate support within the interior volume, the substrate support having a support body on a support shaft, the support body having a support surface; and the plasma coil assembly of claim 1 positioned within the interior volume adjacent the lid of the processing chamber, the inner wall of the plasma coil assembly having a diameter greater than a diameter of the support surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the support body comprises a heating element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the substrate support comprises a cathode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the support shaft is configured to move the substrate support to adjust a distance between the support surface and the lid of the processing chamber body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 13, wherein the gas distribution assembly further comprises a gas inlet in the sidewall of the processing chamber body to provide a flow of gas to the interior volume. ### Claim 15 A method of etching a substrate surface, the method comprising: exposing the substrate surface to an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the ICP comprising helium (He); and applying a bias voltage to the substrate surface, the ICP being generated at least in part by a plasma coil assembly comprising: a ring-shaped body having an inner wall with an inside face and an outside face, a bottom wall with an inside face and an outside face, and an outer wall with an inside face and an outside face, the ring-shaped body having an open top portion; an RF electrode positioned within the open top portion of the ring-shaped body, the RF electrode having a first end and a second end defining a length of the RF electrode, a thickness and a width, the RF electrode formed in a coil having at least two spaced revolutions with the first end spaced a distance from the outer wall of the ring-shaped body and the second end spaced a distance from the inner wall of the ring-shaped body, the first end closer to a lowest point of the outside face of the bottom wall than the second end; a first RF electrode connection in electrical contact with the first end of the RF electrode; a second RF electrode connection in electrical contact with the second end of the RF electrode; and a dielectric top plate positioned within the open top portion of the ring-shaped body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the ICP is generated at least in part by a secondary RF coil.