公开(公告)号：US6076482A

公开(公告)日：2000-06-20

申请号：US937347

申请日：1997-09-20

Applicant: Ji Ding ,  James Carducci ,  Hongching Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Evans Lee ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Mike Welch

Inventor： Ji Ding ,  James Carducci ,  Hongching Shan ,  Siamak Salimian ,  Evans Lee ,  Paul E. Luscher ,  Mike Welch

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/00 ,  C23F1/02 ,  H01L21/302

CPC classification number: H01J37/32458 ,  H01J37/321

Abstract: The invention contours the chamber surface overlying semiconductor wafer being processed (i.e., the chamber ceiling) in such a way as to promote or optimize the diffusion of plasma ions from their regions of origin to other regions which would otherwise have a relative paucity of plasma ions. This is accomplished by providing a greater chamber volume over those areas of the wafer otherwise experiencing a shortage of plasma ions and a smaller chamber volume over those areas of the wafer experiencing a plentitude of plasma ions (e.g, due to localized plasma generation occurring over the latter areas). Thus, the ceiling is contoured to promote a plasma ion diffusion which best compensates for localized or non-uniform patterns in plasma ion generation typical of an inductively coupled source (e.g., an overhead inductive antenna). Specifically, the invention provides a lesser ceiling height (relative to the wafer surface) over regions in which plasma ions are generated or tend to congregate and a greater ceiling height in other regions. More specifically, in the case of an overlying inductive antenna where plasma ion density tends to fall off toward the wafer periphery, the ceiling contour is such that the ceiling height increases radially, i.e., toward the wafer periphery. This promotes or increases plasma ion diffusion toward the wafer periphery as a function of the rate at which the ceiling height increases radially.

Abstract translation: 本发明轮廓地覆盖正在被处理的半导体晶片（即，室顶）上的腔表面，以促进或优化等离子体离子从其原始区域扩散到否则将具有相对低的等离子体离子的其它区域 。 这通过在晶片的那些区域上提供更大的室体积，否则经历等离子体离子的短缺，并且在经历等离子体离子的大量的晶片的那些区域（例如，由于在 后面的区域）。 因此，天花板的轮廓是促进等离子体离子扩散，其最好地补偿电感耦合源（例如，架空感应天线）典型的等离子体离子产生中的局部或非均匀图案。 具体地说，本发明提供了在其中产生等离子体离子或倾向聚集的区域和在其它区域中具有更大的天花板高度的较小的天花板高度（相对于晶片表面）。 更具体地说，在等离子体离子密度倾向于朝向晶片周边倾斜的上覆感应天线的情况下，天花板高度使天花板高度径向增加，即朝向晶片周边。 这促进或增加等离子体离子向晶片周边的扩散，这是天花板高度径向增加的速率的函数。