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US 2026/0237604 A1Published application
System and Method for Atomic Layer Etching Using an Added Sidewall Coil in Proximity to a Chuck for Substrate Edge Uniformity Control
AssigneeInspiring Atoms Pte Ltd
InventorYang Pan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for an atomic layer etching (ALE) process that includes a surface modification step followed by a sputtering step. An enhanced transformer coupled plasma (TCP) source incorporating an additional sidewall coil positioned near the chuck is utilized to increase plasma density during the surface modification step and to provide improved control over ion density, energy, and angular distribution, particularly around the substrate edge during the sputtering step.
Claims20
A process system, comprising:
- a process chamber configured to operate under vacuum conditions, comprising a sidewall that includes at least a portion constructed from a dielectric material;
- a chuck positioned within the process chamber, configured to support a substrate during a plasma-based process;
- a gas distribution unit configured to receive and distribute process gases into the process chamber;
- a first RF power generator configured to supply a first RF power to a center coil and an edge coil which are arranged concentrically atop the process chamber;
- a second RF power generator configured to supply a second RF power to a sidewall coil positioned along the portion of the sidewall constructed from the dielectric material;
- and
- a bias unit comprising a third RF power generator and/or a tailored waveform generator wherein the bias unit is coupled to the chuck.
4 more elements
A method for processing a substrate using an ALE process, comprising:
- a. providing a process chamber under vacuum conditions, wherein the process chamber includes a TCP source comprising a center coil and an edge coil positioned atop the process chamber, a sidewall coil positioned along external surface of the sidewall of the process chamber, and a chuck coupled to a bias unit;
- b. receiving and distributing a first process gas into the process chamber via a gas distribution unit;
- c. supplying a first RF power at a first frequency to the center and the edge coils via a power divider, supplying a second RF power at second frequency to the sidewall coil, and grounding the chuck;
- d. conducting a surface modification step of the ALE process;
- e. optionally purging the first process gas from the process chamber;
- f. receiving and distributing a second process gas into the process chamber via the gas distribution unit;
- g. supplying a third RF power at a third frequency to the center and edge coil via the power divider, supplying a fourth RF power at a fourth frequency to the sidewall coil, supplying a fifth RF power to the chuck to establish a bias voltage;
- h. optionally applying a tailored waveform generator to the chuck;
- i. conducting a sputtering step of the ALE process;
- j. optionally purging the second process gas from the process chamber;
- and
- k. repeating steps (b) through (j) for a predetermined number of cycles to complete the ALE process.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.