Inductive plasma reactor

A method for removing photoresist from a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plasma in a chamber, the plasma containing an activated neutral species and charged particles;
• positioning the substrate a distance from the plasma;
• maintaining the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• inducing a flow of the activated neutral species from the plasma substantially perpendicularly toward the surface of the substrate;
• deflecting the charged particles from the flow to a conductive collecting vane positioned between the plasma and the substrate;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the activated neutral species to remove the photoresist;
• wherein the conductive collecting vane forms a first plurality of closely spaced openings and the step of inducing a flow further comprises the step of causing the activated neutral species to flow through the first plurality of closely spaced openings.

A method for removing photoresist from a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plasma in a chamber, the plasma containing an activated neutral species and charged particles;
• positioning the substrate a distance from the plasma;
• maintaining the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• inducing a flow of the activated neutral species from the plasma substantially perpendicularly toward the surface of the substrate;
• deflecting the charged particles from the flow to a conductive collecting vane positioned between the plasma and the substrate;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the activated neutral species to remove the photoresist;
• wherein the step of forming a plasma further comprises the step of inducing an electric field in the chamber substantially parallel to the substrate;
• and
• wherein the conductive collecting vane is substantially planar and is substantially parallel to the substrate.

A method for removing photoresist from a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plasma in a chamber the plasma containing an activated neutral species and charged particles;
• positioning the substrate a distance from the plasma;
• maintaining the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• inducing a flow of the activated neutral species from the plasma substantially perpendicularly toward the surface of the substrate;
• deflecting the charged particles from the flow to a conductive collecting vane positioned between the plasma and the substrate;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the activated neutral species to remove the photoresist;
• wherein the step of forming a plasma further comprises the steps of:
• inductively coupling power from an induction coil into the plasma;
• and
• shielding the chamber to substantially reduce capacitive coupling of power from the induction coil into the plasma.

A method for removing photoresist from a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plasma in a chamber, the plasma containing an activated neutral species and charged particles;
• positioning the substrate a distance from the plasma;
• positioning a conductive charged particle filter between the plasma and the substrate, the charged particle filter forming a first plurality of holes for receiving the activated neutral species from the plasma and a second plurality of holes offset from the first plurality of holes for providing the activated neutral species to the substrate;
• inducing a flow of the activated neutral species from the plasma to the substrate through the charged particle filter;
• and
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the activated neutral species to remove the photoresist.

A method for removing photoresist from a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a plasma in a chamber, the plasma containing an activated neutral species and charged particles;
• positioning the substrate a distance from the plasma;
• positioning a conductive charged particle filter between the plasma and the substrate, the charged particle filter forming a first plurality of holes for receiving the activated neutral species from the plasma and a second plurality of holes offset from the first plurality of holes for providing the activated neutral species to the substrate;
• inducing a flow of the activated neutral species from the plasma to the substrate through the charged particle filter;
• exposing the surface of the substrate to the activated neutral species to remove the photoresist;
• and
• maintaining at least two portions of the filter at different potentials.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a plasma chamber for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• a processing chamber containing the substrate;
• and
• a charged particle filter disposed between the plasma chamber and the processing chamber, the filter having a first filter member forming a plurality of openings for receiving the activated neutral species from the plasma chamber and a second filter member forming a plurality of openings for providing the activated neutral species to the processing chamber offset from the plurality of openings in the first filter member;
• wherein the filter forms a flow path from the plasma chamber to the processing chamber such that the activated neutral species flows from the plasma chamber to the substrate for processing, and each respective opening over the substrate in at least one of the filter members is spaced from adjacent openings by a distance less than the distance across the respective opening.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a plasma chamber for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• a processing chamber containing the substrate;
• and
• a filter disposed between the plasma chamber and the processing chamber, the filter comprising a plurality of adjacent grids including a first grid forming an array of closely spaced openings and a second grid forming an array of closely spaced openings offset from the array of closely spaced openings in the first grid;
• wherein a flow path is defined between the plasma chamber and the processing chamber and the first and second grids comprise a conductive material for filtering charged particles from the flow path.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a plasma chamber for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• a processing chamber containing the substrate;
• and
• a filter disposed between the plasma chamber and the processing chamber, the filter comprising a plurality of adjacent grids including a first grid forming an array of closely spaced openings and a second grid forming an array of closely spaced openings offset from the array of closely spaced openings in the first grid;
• wherein a flow path is defined between the plasma chamber and the processing chamber and the first and second grids comprise a conductive material for filtering charged particles from the flow path;
• wherein each grid is closely spaced to an adjacent grid such that a small gap is formed for trapping and filtering the charged particles;
• and
• further comprising a third grid forming an array of closely spaced openings offset from the array of closely spaced openings in the second grid.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a chamber including a plasma producing region for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species,
• the substrate positioned a distance from the plasma producing region,
• a flow path being defined between the plasma producing region and the substrate, the flow path being substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent to the plasma producing region of the chamber, the induction coil coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first source of radio frequency power;
• a conductive material adjacent to the flow path between the plasma producing region and the substrate;
• and
• a second power source for inducing an electric field within the chamber such that charged particles are deflected from the flow path to the conductive material for filtration;
• wherein the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate is maintained at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• and
• the conductive material comprises a grid substantially transverse to the flow path.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a chamber including a plasma producing region for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species,
• the substrate positioned a distance from the plasma producing region,
• a flow path being defined between the plasma producing region and the substrate, the flow path being substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent to the plasma producing region of the chamber, the induction coil coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first source of radio frequency power;
• a conductive material adjacent to the flow path between the plasma producing region and the substrate;
• and
• a second power source for inducing an electric field within the chamber such that charged particles are deflected from the flow path to the conductive material for filtration;
• and
• a split Faraday shield disposed between the induction coil and the plasma producing region of the chamber wherein the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate is maintained at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a chamber including a plasma producing region for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• the substrate being positioned a distance from the plasma producing region;
• a flow path being defined between the plasma producing region and the substrate;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent to the plasma producing region of the chamber, the induction coil coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first source of radio frequency power;
• a charged particle filter disposed between the plasma producing region and the substrate transverse to the flow path;
• and
• a split Faraday shield between the induction coil and the plasma, the split Faraday shield forming at least one substantially nonconductive gap such that the induction coil inductively couples power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• wherein the split Faraday shield substantially reduces capacitive coupling between the induction coil and the plasma thereby reducing modulation of the plasma potential relative to the potential of the charged particle filter;
• wherein the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate is maintained at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• and
• wherein the filter is substantially planar and the induction coil produces an induction electric field in the chamber that is substantially parallel to the filter.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a chamber including a plasma producing region for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• the substrate being positioned a distance from the plasma producing region;
• a flow path being defined between the plasma producing region and the substrate;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent to the plasma producing region of the chamber, the induction coil coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first source of radio frequency power;
• a charged particle filter disposed between the plasma producing region and the substrate transverse to the flow path;
• and
• a split Faraday shield between the induction coil and the plasma, the split Faraday shield forming at least one substantially nonconductive gap such that the induction coil inductively couples power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• wherein the split Faraday shield substantially reduces capacitive coupling between the induction coil and the plasma thereby reducing modulation of the plasma potential relative to the potential of the charged particle filter;
• wherein the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate is maintained at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• wherein the charged particle filter comprises a conductive material;
• and
• wherein the filter forms at least one hollow region and the split Faraday shield prevents hollow cathode discharge from occurring in the hollow region of the filter.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a chamber including a plasma producing region for producing a plasma having charged particles and an activated neutral species;
• the substrate being positioned a distance from the plasma producing region;
• a flow path being defined between the plasma producing region and the substrate;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent to the plasma producing region of the chamber, the induction coil coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first source of radio frequency power;
• a charged particle filter disposed between the plasma producing region and the substrate transverse to the flow path;
• a split Faraday shield between the induction coil and the plasma, the split Faraday shield forming at least one substantially nonconductive gap such that the induction coil inductively couples power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• wherein the split Faraday shield substantially reduces capacitive coupling between the induction coil and the plasma thereby reducing modulation of the plasma potential relative to the potential of the charged particle filter;
• wherein the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate is maintained at a substantially lower level than the average energy of the charged particles in a direction substantially parallel to the substrate;
• wherein the charged particle filter comprises a conductive material;
• and
• wherein the charged particle filter comprises a plurality of adjacent grids including a first grid forming an array of closely spaced openings and a second grid forming an array of closely spaced openings offset from the array of closely spaced openings in the first grid.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a plasma chamber for producing a plasma;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent the plasma and coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• a split Faraday shield between the induction coil and the plasma, the split Faraday shield forming at least one substantially nonconductive gap such that the induction coil inductively couples power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• and
• a support for the substrate positioned such that the substrate is exposed to products of the plasma for processing;
• wherein a capacitance and an inductance are provided between the support and a ground potential and the capacitance and the inductance are selected to provide a high impedance for a given frequency of the first source of radio frequency power during processing.

A plasma reactor for processing a substrate comprising:

• a plasma chamber for producing a plasma;
• a first source of radio frequency power;
• an induction coil adjacent the plasma and coupled to the first source of radio frequency power to inductively couple power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• a split Faraday shield between the induction coil and the plasma, the split Faraday shield forming at least one substantially nonconductive gap such that the induction coil inductively couples power into the plasma from the first radio frequency power source;
• and
• a support for the substrate positioned such that the substrate is exposed to products of the plasma for processing;
• wherein a variable impedance is provided between the split Faraday shield and a ground potential and the variable impedance is selected such that the impedance is very low for a given frequency of the first source of radio frequency power during processing.