Inductively-coupled-plasma ionized physical-vapor deposition apparatus, method and system

An inductvely-coupled plasma ionized physical-vapor deposition system for depositing a material onto a substrate, comprising:

• a vacuum process chamber comprising a main chamber wall and a lid;
• a target assembly comprising a sputtering energy source and a target material exposed to a plasma process environment within said vacuum process chamber,
• a process medium for generating a plasma within said plasma process environment of said vacuum process chamber;
• an adjustable-height inductively-coupled ionization coil segment contained within said plasma process environment for providing ionization and collimation of a sputtered species from said target material;
• an antenna actuator for controlling a position of said adjustable-height inductively-coupled ionization coil segment relative to said target material within said vacuum process chamber for controlling process uniformity at said substrate during a deposition process;
• and
• a dielectric lid-lift insert surrounding an inductive antenna tubing is placed between said lid and said main chamber wall of said vacuum process chamber for providing enhanced ionization of said sputtered species during said deposition process.

An inductvely-coupled plasma ionized physical-vapor deposition system for depositing a material onto a substrate, comprising:

• a vacuum process chamber comprising a main chamber wall and a lid for processing the substrate;
• a target assembly comprising a sputtering energy source and a target material exposed to a plasma process environment within said vacuum process chamber;
• a chuck assembly for supporting said substrate;
• a process medium for generating a plasma within said plasma process environment of said vacuum process chamber;
• and
• an inductive antenna tubing contained within a dielectric lid-lift insert between said lid and said main chamber wall of said vacuum process chamber for providing ionization and collimation of a sputtered species during a deposition process.

A method for inductively-coupled plasma ionized physical-vapor deposition of a material layer onto a substrate in a vacuum process chamber having a plasma process environment, comprising:

• supporting said substrate using a chuck assembly;
• placing a dielectric lid-lift insert containing an inductive antenna tubing between a lid and a main chamber wall of said vacuum process chamber;
• and
• applying radio-frequency power from at least one radio-frequency power supply to said inductive antenna tubing for ionization and collimation of a sputtered species emitted from a target material during a deposition process.