Plasma source pumping and gas injection baffle
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsLee Chen, Merritt Funk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plasma processing system. The processing system comprises a process chamber having first and second ends arranged such that the first end opposes the second end. A substrate support is positioned at the first end of the process chamber and is configured to support a substrate. An exhaust system is positioned proximate the second end of the process chamber and draws a vacuum on the process chamber. Between the exhaust system and substrate support there is a plurality of super-Debye openings, and between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings is a plurality of sub-Debye openings. The super-Debye openings are configured to limit diffusion of plasma while the sub-Debye openings are configured to quench plasma.
Claims20
A plasma processing system comprising:
- a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end;
- a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber;
- an exhaust system configured to draw a vacuum and operably coupled proximate the second end of the process chamber;
- a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the substrate support and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma therethrough;
- and
- a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench the diffusing plasma.
A plasma processing system comprising:
- a process chamber;
- a substrate positioned within the process chamber and having a processing surface;
- a substrate support configured to support the substrate thereon such that the processing surface opposes the substrate support and faces a process space;
- an exhaust system positioned such that the process space is between the processing surface of the substrate and the exhaust system, the exhaust system configured to draw a vacuum on the process space;
- a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the processing surface of the substrate and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process space toward the exhaust system;
- and
- a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma diffusing from the plurality of super-Debye openings toward the exhaust system.
A method of operating a plasma processing system having a process chamber and configured to process a substrate, the method comprising:
- positioning the substrate on a substrate holder within the process chamber such that a processing surface of the substrate faces a process space within the process chamber, the process space configured to contain a plasma therein;
- injecting a process gas into the process space through a first plate for igniting the plasma, the first plate having a plurality of super-Debye openings therein, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of super-Debye openings is greater than one Debye length of the plasma;
- igniting the plasma from the process gas within the process space;
- and
- operating a vacuum pump to exhaust the process gas and the plasma from the process space, through the first plate having the super-Debye openings therein, through a second plate having a plurality of sub-Debye openings therein, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of sub-Debye openings is no greater than one Debye length of the plasma, and thereafter to the vacuum pump.
A plasma processing system comprising:
- a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end;
- a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate being positioned at the first end of the process chamber;
- a gas supply having a gas injection port fluidically coupled with the process chamber and configured to inject a process gas into the process chamber;
- a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the gas injection port and the substrate support and configured to permit transmission of process gas to the process chamber and to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process chamber to the gas injection port;
- and
- a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the gas injection port and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma.
A plasma processing system comprising:
- a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end;
- a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber;
- a sensor operably coupled to the process chamber and configured to detect at least one process parameter within the process chamber;
- a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the sensor and the substrate support and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process chamber to the sensor;
- and
- a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the sensor and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.