RF matching network with distributed outputs

A system for generating plasma in depositing films on a substrate, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber adapted to contain a plasma and having a first electrode;
• a first RF power supply;
• a plurality of user-selectable drive points distributed on said first electrode;
• and
• a first matching network coupling the first RF power supply to selected drive points on the first electrode, said network having a plurality of outputs fewer in number than said plurality of user-selectable drive points, each output being coupled to a selected one of said plurality of drive points distributed on the first electrode.

A system for generating plasma in processing a substrate for use with an RF power supply, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber adapted to contain a plasma and having first and second parallel plate electrodes;
• a plurality of user-selectable drive points distributed on said first electrode;
• and
• a matching network having a plurality of outputs adapted to couple RF power from said supply to selected drive points on the first electrode, wherein said user-selectable drive points include repositioning means for permitting a user to reposition each network output from a first selected drive point to a second selected drive point on said first electrode.

A system for generating plasma in depositing films on a substrate, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber adapted to contain a plasma, said chamber having first and second parallel plate electrodes wherein the first electrode defines a center;
• a plurality of user-selectable drive points distributed on said first electrode;
• and
• a matching network adapted to be coupled to the RF power supply and having a plurality of outputs, each output including a drive capacitor adapted to couple the RF power to a selected one drive point of a plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with the drive capacitor;
• wherein each plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with a drive capacitor is distributed radially on said first electrode with respect to the center of said first electrode and includes repositioning means for permitting a user to reposition each network drive capacitor output in a radial direction from a first selected drive point to a second selected drive point of the plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with the drive capacitor;
• and
• wherein each matching network output has means for adjusting the capacitance of the drive capacitor of the network output.

A method of processing a film on a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

• moving a first drive capacitor output of a matching network from a first drive point to a second drive point of a first plurality of selectable drive points distributed on an electrode radially with respect to the center of the electrode in a parallel plate electrode system of said vacuum chamber;
• adjusting the capacitance of the first drive capacitor;
• moving a second drive capacitor output of said matching network from a first drive point to a second drive point of a second plurality of selectable drive points distributed radially on said electrode with respect to the center of said electrode in said parallel plate electrode system wherein the second plurality of radially distributed drive points is separated from the first plurality of radially distributed drive points by an angle of 45 degrees;
• adjusting the capacitance of the second drive capacitor;
• and
• providing radio frequency power to said second drive points of said first and second pluralities of drive points through said matching network to generate a plasma in said vacuum chamber.

A system for generating plasma in processing a substrate, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber adapted to contain a plasma and having first and second parallel plate electrodes;
• an RF power supply;
• a plurality of user-selectable drive points distributed on said first electrode;
• and
• a matching network having a plurality of outputs adapted to couple the RF power to selected drive points on the first electrode, wherein said plurality of user-selectable drive points include a plurality of repositionable connectors, each connector being adapted to permit a user to reposition an associated network output from a first selected drive point to a second selected drive point on said first electrode.

A system for generating plasma in depositing films on a substrate, the system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber adapted to contain a plasma, said chamber having first and second parallel plate electrodes wherein the first electrode defines a center;
• a plurality of user-selectable drive points distributed on said first electrode;
• and
• a matching network adapted to be coupled to the RF power supply and having a plurality of outputs, each output including a drive capacitor adapted to couple the RF power to a selected one drive point of a plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with the drive capacitor;
• wherein each plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with a drive capacitor is distributed radially on said first electrode with respect to the center of said first electrode, separated from an adjacent plurality of radially distributed drive points by an angle of 45 degrees, and wherein each plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with a drive capacitor includes a repositionable connector which is adapted to permit a user to reposition an associated network output in a radial direction from a first selected drive point to a second selected drive point of the plurality of user-selectable drive points associated with the drive capacitor;
• and
• wherein each network output includes a plurality of capacitor mounts adapted to mount a user-selected number of capacitors so that said user-selected number of capacitors is connected to the associated repositionable connector of that network output.