Inductively coupled plasma reactor and process

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer characterized by a radius and a perimeter, the semiconductor wafer having a surface,
• wherein the surface is characterized by a plurality of locations on the surface, each location specified by a radial distance varying from zero to the radial distance of the perimeter of the semiconductor wafer;
• forming a material layer on the surface;
• placing the semiconductor wafer in an inductively coupled plasma reactor, the plasma reactor having a plasma source including a plurality of concentric channels therein,
• wherein each channel is independently powered by an RF coil surrounding the channel;
• introducing reactive gas to each channel,
• wherein the reactive gas is characterized by a gas flow rate and a gas composition
• supplying RF power to each RF coil to produce an RF power density in each channel;
• and
• etching the material layer, while controlling the etch rate of the material layer at each location on the semiconductor wafer by independently varying the gas flow rate and gas composition of the reactive gas and the RF power density.

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• providing a coaxial multiple coil inductive coupled plasma reactor having:
• a reaction chamber;
• a chuck positioned in the reaction chamber and configured for accepting and supporting a semiconductor wafer on a surface thereof;
• a plasma source molted within the reaction chamber in spaced relationship with the chuck, the plasma source including a plurality of channels, each channel having a gas orifice opening thereto, a gas plenum, and an RF coil surrounding the channel,
• wherein each gas orifice provides a passage between the channel and the gas plenum and the plurality of channels are arranged concentrically about a central axis perpendicular to the surface of the chuck;
• independent gas supply lines attached to each gas orifice;
• and
• a gas control system capable of independently charging each gas supply line with a plasma-forming gas, such that a gas composition and a flow rate of the plasma-forming gas in each gas supply line can be independently varied;
• placing a semiconductor wafer on the chuck;
• actuating the gas control system to charge the plasma reactor with plasma-forming gas;
• applying RF power to the RF coils and igniting a plasma in the reaction chamber;
• depositing a material layer onto the semiconductor wafer, wherein the deposition is characterized by a deposition uniformity;
• and
• controlling the deposition uniformity by adjusting the gas flow rate and the gas composition emerging from the plurality of channels and by controlling the RF power density in each channel.

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer characterized by a radius and a perimeter, the semiconductor wafer having a surface,
• wherein the surface is characterized by a plurality of locations on the surface, each location specified by a radial distance varying from zero to the radial distance of the perimeter of the semiconductor wafer;
• placing the semiconductor wafer in an inductively coupled plasma reactor, the plasma reactor having a plasma source including a plurality of concentric channels therein,
• wherein each channel is independently powered by an RF coil surrounding the channel;
• introducing reactive gas to each channel,
• wherein the reactive gas is characterized by a gas flow rate and gas composition
• supplying RF power to each RF coil to produce an RF power density in each channel;
• and
• processing the semiconductor wafer, while controlling the plasma conditions at each location on the semiconductor wafer by independently varying the gas flow rate and gas composition of the reactive gas and the RF power density in each channel.

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• providing a plasma reactor, the plasma reactor having a first plasma generation region and a second plasma generation region, the first plasma generation region having a perimeter wherein the second plasma generation region surrounds the perimeter of the first plasma generation region;
• placing a semiconductor substrate within the plasma reactor;
• using the first plasma generation region and the second plasma generation region to generate a plasma within the plasma reactor;
• and
• processing the semiconductor substrate in the plasma reactor using the plasma.

A coaxial multiple coil inductive coupled plasma reactor comprising:

• a reaction chamber;
• a chuck positioned in the reaction chamber and configured for accepting and supporting a semiconductor wafer on a surface thereof;
• a plasma source mounted within the reaction chamber in spaced relationship with the chuck, the plasma source including a plurality of channels, each channel having a gas orifice opening thereto, a gas plenum, and an RF coil surrounding the channel,
• wherein each gas orifice provides a passage between the channel and the gas plenum and the plurality of channels are arranged concentrically about a central axis perpendicular to the surface of the chuck;
• a dielectric material separating the RF coil from the channel;
• independent gas supply lines attached to each gas plenum;
• and
• a gas control system capable of independently charging each gas supply line with a plasma-forming gas, such that a gas composition and a gas flow rate of the plasma-forming gas in each gas supply line can be independently varied.