公开(公告)号：US07141757B2

公开(公告)日：2006-11-28

申请号：US10778620

申请日：2004-02-13

申请人： Daniel Hoffman ,  Jang Gyoo Yang ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas Burns

发明人： Daniel Hoffman ,  Jang Gyoo Yang ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas Burns

IPC分类号： B23K10/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32623 ,  H01J37/3266

摘要： A plasma reactor operable over a very wide process window of pressure, source power and bias power includes a resonant circuit consisting of an overhead electrode having a first impedance, a wafer support pedestal having a second impedance and a bulk plasma having a third impedance and generally lying in a process zone between the overhead electrode and the wafer support pedestal, the magnitudes of the impedances of the overhead electrode and the wafer support pedestal being within an order of magnitude of one another, the resonant circuit having a resonant frequency determined by the first, second and third impedances.

摘要翻译： 等离子体反应器可在非常宽的压力，功率和偏置功率的工艺窗口上操作，包括由具有第一阻抗的高架电极组成的谐振电路，具有第二阻抗的晶片支撑基座和具有第三阻抗的体积等离子体 位于架空电极和晶片支撑基座之间的处理区域中，架空电极和晶片支撑台座的阻抗的大小彼此在一个数量级之内，谐振电路具有由第一 第二和第三阻力。

公开(公告)号：US06667577B2

公开(公告)日：2003-12-23

申请号：US10025408

申请日：2001-12-18

申请人： Steven Shannon ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Chunshi Cui ,  Yan Ye ,  Gerardo Delgadino ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Shiang-Bau Wang ,  Robert B. Hagen ,  Matthew L Miller ,  Stephen Thai

发明人： Steven Shannon ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Chunshi Cui ,  Yan Ye ,  Gerardo Delgadino ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Shiang-Bau Wang ,  Robert B. Hagen ,  Matthew L Miller ,  Stephen Thai

IPC分类号： H01J724

CPC分类号： H01J37/321

摘要： An RF power applicator of the reactor includes inner and outer conductive radial spokes. The set of inner conductive spokes extends radially outwardly from and is electrically connected to the conductive post toward the conductive side wall. The set of outer conductive spokes extends radially inwardly toward the conductive post from and is electrically connected to the conductive side wall. In this way, the inner and outer sets of conductive spokes are electrically connected together, the combination of the inner and outer set of spokes with the conductive enclosure having a fundamental resonant frequency inversely proportional to the height of the conductive enclosure and the lengths of the inner and outer set of conductive spokes. An RF source power generator is coupled across the RF power applicator and has an RF frequency corresponding to the fundamental resonant frequency.

摘要翻译： 反应器的RF功率施加器包括内部和外部导电的径向辐条。 一组内导电轮辐径向向外延伸并且与导电柱电连接到导电侧壁。 一组外导电轮辐径向向内延伸到导电柱，并与导电侧壁电连接。 以这种方式，导电辐条的内部和外部组电连接在一起，内部和外部组的辐条与导电外壳的组合具有与导电外壳的高度成反比的基本谐振频率和 内外套导电辐条。 RF源功率发生器耦合在RF功率施加器上并且具有对应于基本谐振频率的RF频率。

公开(公告)号：US20070127188A1

公开(公告)日：2007-06-07

申请号：US11672362

申请日：2007-02-07

申请人： Jang Yang ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Steven Shannon ,  Douglas Burns ,  Wonseok Lee ,  Kwang-Soo Kim

发明人： Jang Yang ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Steven Shannon ,  Douglas Burns ,  Wonseok Lee ,  Kwang-Soo Kim

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/32706 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  Y10T279/23

摘要： In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck, wafer voltage is determined from RF measurements at the bias input using previously determined constants based upon transmission line properties of the bias input, and this wafer voltage is used to accurately control the DC wafer clamping voltage.

摘要翻译： 在具有静电卡盘的等离子体反应器中，使用基于偏置输入的传输线特性的先前确定的常数，在偏置输入处的RF测量确定晶片电压，并且该晶片电压用于精确地控制DC晶片钳位电压。

公开(公告)号：US20070097580A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-03

申请号：US11410782

申请日：2006-04-24

申请人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H02H5/04

CPC分类号： H01L21/67109

摘要： A method of transferring heat from or to a workpiece support in an RF coupled plasma reactor includes placing coolant in an internal flow channel that is located inside the workpiece support and transferring heat from or to the coolant by circulating the coolant through a refrigeration loop in which the internal flow channel of the workpiece support constitutes an evaporator of the refrigeration loop. The method further includes maintaining thermal conditions of the coolant inside the evaporator within a range in which heat exchange between the workpiece support and the coolant is primarily or exclusively through the latent heat of vaporization of the coolant.

摘要翻译： 在RF耦合的等离子体反应器中将热量传递到工件支架的方法包括：将冷却剂放置在位于工件支架内部的内部流动通道中，并通过使冷却剂循环通过制冷循环来将热量传递或传递给冷却剂， 工件支撑件的内部流动通道构成制冷回路的蒸发器。 该方法还包括将蒸发器内部的冷却剂的热条件保持在工件支承件和冷却剂之间的热交换主要或仅通过冷却剂的潜热潜热的范围内。

公开(公告)号：US20070066064A1

公开(公告)日：2007-03-22

申请号：US11372752

申请日：2006-03-10

申请人： Michael Kutney ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Gerardo Delgadino ,  Ezra Gold ,  Ashok Sinha ,  Xiaoye Zhao ,  Douglas Burns ,  Shawming Ma

发明人： Michael Kutney ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Gerardo Delgadino ,  Ezra Gold ,  Ashok Sinha ,  Xiaoye Zhao ,  Douglas Burns ,  Shawming Ma

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  G01L21/30 ,  H01L21/302

CPC分类号： H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/76807

摘要： In some implementations, a method is provided in a plasma processing chamber for stabilizing etch-rate distributions during a process transition from one process step to another process step. The method includes performing a pre-transition compensation of at least one other process parameter so as to avoid unstable plasma states by inhibiting formation of a parasitic plasma during the process transition. In some implementations, a method is provided for processing a workpiece in plasma processing chamber, which includes inhibiting deviations from an expected etch-rate distribution by avoiding unstable plasma states during a process transition from one process step to another process step.

摘要翻译： 在一些实施方案中，在等离子体处理室中提供了一种方法，用于在从一个处理步骤到另一个处理步骤的过程转变期间稳定蚀刻速率分布。 该方法包括执行至少一个其它过程参数的预过渡补偿，以便通过在过程转换期间抑制寄生等离子体的形成来避免不稳定的等离子体状态。 在一些实施方案中，提供了一种用于处理等离子体处理室中的工件的方法，其包括通过在从一个工艺步骤转换到另一工艺步骤的过程转变期间避免不稳定的等离子体状态来抑制预期蚀刻速率分布的偏差。

公开(公告)号：US20070091541A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11409326

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  F25B49/02 ,  F25B2400/0401 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2700/21174 ,  F25B2700/21175 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H05H2001/4682

摘要： A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the workpiece within a reactor chamber, the method including circulating a coolant through a refrigeration loop that includes an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck, while pressurizing a workpiece-to-chuck interface with a thermally conductive gas, sensing conditions in the chamber including temperature near the workpiece and simulating heat flow through the electrostatic chuck in a thermal model of the chuck based upon the conditions. The method further includes obtaining the next scheduled change in RF heat load on the workpiece and using the model to estimate a change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator that would hold the temperature nearly constant by compensating for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the change in thermal conditions of the coolant in the evaporator prior to the time of the next scheduled change by a head start related to the thermal propagation delay through the electrostatic chuck.

摘要翻译： 一种在等离子体反应器中处理工件的方法，所述等离子体反应器具有用于在反应室内支撑工件的静电卡盘，所述方法包括使冷却剂循环通过包括静电卡盘内的蒸发器的制冷回路，同时对工件 - 卡盘 与导热气体接触，基于条件，感测室内的条件，包括工件附近的温度，并模拟卡盘热模型中通过静电卡盘的热流。 该方法还包括获得在工件上的RF热负荷的下一个预定的改变，并且使用该模型来估计蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化，该变化将通过补偿下一个预定的RF热变化来保持温度几乎恒定 在通过静电卡盘的热传播延迟的头开始的下一次预定改变之前，在蒸发器中的冷却剂的热条件的变化。

公开(公告)号：US20070091539A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11409183

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Douglas Buchberger ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67248 ,  F25B49/02 ,  F25B2400/0401 ,  F25B2400/0403 ,  F25B2400/0411 ,  F25B2700/21174 ,  F25B2700/21175 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J2237/2001 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H05H2001/4682

摘要： A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck with a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes a backside gas pressure source coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under a selected pressure into a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface and an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an expansion valve for controlling flow of coolant through the evaporator. The reactor further includes a temperature sensor in the electrostatic chuck and a memory storing a schedule of changes in RF power or wafer temperature. The reactor further includes a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the temperature sensor, and a control processor coupled to the thermal model and to the memory and governing the backside gas pressure source in response to a prediction from the model of a change in the selected pressure that would compensate for the next scheduled change in RF power or implement the next scheduled change in wafer temperature.

摘要翻译： 具有反应室和具有用于将工件保持在室内的表面的静电卡盘的等离子体反应器包括耦合到静电卡盘的背侧气体压力源，用于在选定压力下将导热气体施加到每次形成的工件表面界面中 工件被保持在表面上，蒸发器在静电卡盘内部，制冷回路具有用于控制通过蒸发器的冷却剂流动的膨胀阀。 反应器还包括静电卡盘中的温度传感器和存储RF功率或晶片温度变化计划的存储器。 反应器还包括热模型，其能够基于来自温度传感器的测量来模拟蒸发器和表面之间的热传递;以及控制处理器，其耦合到热模型和存储器，并且响应于所述热模型和存储器控制背侧气体压力源 从所选压力的变化的模型中预测将补偿下一次调频的功率变化或实现下一个预定的晶片温度的变化。

公开(公告)号：US20070081296A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-12

申请号：US11410859

申请日：2006-04-24

申请人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/6831 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67248

摘要： In a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck with an electrostatic chuck top surface for supporting a workpiece, thermal transfer medium flow channels in the interior of the electrostatic chuck, a method for controlling temperature of the workpiece during plasma processing includes circulating thermal transfer medium through the thermal transfer medium flow passages and supplying a thermally conductive gas between the workpiece and the electrostatic chuck top surface, and changing thermal transfer medium thermal conditions of thermal transfer medium flowing in the thermal transfer medium flow channels so as to change the temperature of the electrostatic chuck at a first rate limited by the thermal mass of the electrostatic chuck. The method further includes changing the backside gas pressure of the thermally conductive gas so as to change the temperature of the workpiece at a second rate faster than the first rate.

摘要翻译： 在具有用于支撑工件的静电卡盘顶面的静电卡盘的等离子体反应器中，静电卡盘内部的热转印介质流动通道，用于在等离子体处理期间控制工件的温度的方法包括循环热转印介质通过 热转印介质流动通道，并且在工件和静电卡盘顶表面之间提供导热气体，以及改变在热转印介质流动通道中流动的热转印介质的热转印介质热条件，以便改变静电卡盘的温度 以由静电卡盘的热质量限制的第一速率。 该方法还包括改变导热气体的背侧气体压力，以便以比第一速率更快的速度改变工件的温度。

公开(公告)号：US20060256499A1

公开(公告)日：2006-11-16

申请号：US11127036

申请日：2005-05-10

申请人： Jang Yang ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Steven Shannon ,  Douglas Burns ,  Wonseok Lee ,  Kwang-Soo Kim

发明人： Jang Yang ,  Daniel Hoffman ,  Steven Shannon ,  Douglas Burns ,  Wonseok Lee ,  Kwang-Soo Kim

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/32706 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  Y10T279/23

摘要： A plasma reactor has a dual frequency plasma RF bias power supply furnishing RF bias power comprising first and second frequency components, f(1), f(2), respectively, and an RF power path having an input end coupled to the plasma RF bias power supply and an output end coupled to the wafer support pedestal, and sensor circuits providing measurement signals representing first and second frequency components of a measured voltage and first and second frequency components of a measured current near the input end of the RF power path. The reactor further includes a processor for providing first and second frequency components of a wafer voltage signal as, respectively, a first sum of the first frequency components of the measured voltage and measured current multiplied by first and second coefficients respectively, and a second sum of the second frequency components of the measured voltage and measured current multiplied by third and fourth coefficients, respectively. A processor produces a D.C. wafer voltage by combining D.C. components of the first and second frequency components of the wafer voltage with an intermodulation correction factor that is the product of the D.C. components of the first and second components of the wafer voltage raised to a selected power and multiplied by a selected coefficient.

摘要翻译： 等离子体反应器具有双频等离子体RF偏压电源，其分别提供包括第一和第二频率分量f（1），f（2）的RF偏置功率，以及具有耦合到等离子体RF偏置的输入端的RF功率路径 电源和耦合到晶片支撑基座的输出端，以及传感器电路，其提供表示测量电压的第一和第二频率分量以及在RF功率路径的输入端附近的测量电流的第一和第二频率分量的测量信号。 反应器还包括处理器，用于分别提供晶片电压信号的第一和第二频率分量，分别为测量电压的第一频率分量和测量电流乘以第一和第二系数的第一和，以及第二和 测量电压和测量电流的第二频率分量分别乘以第三和第四系数。 处理器通过将晶片电压的第一和第二频率分量的DC分量与作为晶片电压的第一和第二分量的DC分量升高到所选功率的互调校正因子相结合来产生DC晶片电压 并乘以所选系数。

公开(公告)号：US20070081295A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-12

申请号：US11409292

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

发明人： Paul Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas Buchberger ,  Douglas Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01T23/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67248 ,  H01L21/6831

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber for supporting a workpiece, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet. Preferably, the evaporator includes a meandering passageway distributed in a plane beneath a top surface of the electrostatic chuck. Preferably, refrigerant within the evaporator is apportioned between a vapor phase and a liquid phase. As a result, heat transfer between the electrostatic chuck and the refrigerant within the evaporator is a constant-temperature process. This feature improves uniformity of temperature distribution across a diameter of the electrostatic chuck.

摘要翻译： 用于处理工件的等离子体反应器包括反应室，用于支撑工件的室内的静电卡盘，耦合以向静电卡盘施加RF功率的RF等离子体偏置功率发生器和在静电卡盘内具有蒸发器的制冷回路， 制冷剂入口和制冷剂出口。 优选地，蒸发器包括分布在静电卡盘的顶表面下方的平面中的曲折通道。 优选地，蒸发器内的制冷剂在气相和液相之间分配。 结果，静电吸盘和蒸发器内的制冷剂之间的热传递是恒温过程。 该特征改善了静电卡盘的直径上的温度分布的均匀性。