Method of reducing generation of particulate matter in a sputtering chamber
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorKenny K. Ngan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An RF coil for a plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication system is conditioned to reduce shedding of particulate matter onto the workpiece. In the illustrated embodiment, the coil is sputtered prior to sputtering the target so as to remove oxides and other contaminants from the surface of the coil. As a result, shedding of particulate matter from target material subsequently deposited onto the coil is reduced.
Claims24
A process of conditioning a coil for energizing a plasma within a semiconductor fabrication system for sputtering material from a target onto a workpiece, the process comprising:
- applying RF power to said coil to ionize a precursor gas;
- and
- sputtering a surface of said coil for an interval of time sufficient to remove contaminants from said surface of said coil prior to initiating substantial sputtering of said target.
A process of conditioning a coil for energizing a plasma within a semiconductor fabrication system for sputtering material from a target onto a workpiece, the process comprising:
- providing a precursor gas;
- and
- applying RF power to said coil for an interval of time to ionize said precursor gas to provide a net sputtering of a surface of said coil prior to initiating substantial sputtering of said target, said interval of time being sufficient to remove substantially all contaminants from said coil surface.
A process for sputtering material from a target onto a workpiece, said process comprising:
- applying a first RF power to a coil to ionize a precursor gas to form a plasma;
- sputtering a surface of said coil for an interval of time sufficient to remove contaminants from said coil surface prior to initiating substantial sputtering of said target;
- sputtering said target to sputter target material toward a workpiece after said interval and said contaminants are sputtered from said coil surface;
- and
- applying a second RF power to said coil to energize a plasma to ionize said sputtered target material before it is deposited onto said workpiece.
An apparatus, for energizing a plasma within a semiconductor fabrication system for sputtering material onto a workpiece, the apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a plasma generation area within said chamber;
- a sputter target;
- a coil carried by said chamber and positioned to couple energy into said plasma generation area;
- means for sputtering a surface of said coil for an interval of time sufficient to sputter said surface substantially free of contaminants;
- and means for preventing substantial sputtering of said target during said interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.