公开(公告)号：US07196283B2

公开(公告)日：2007-03-27

申请号：US11046538

申请日：2005-01-28

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Olga Regelman ,  James Carducci ,  Keiji Horioka ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Olga Regelman ,  James Carducci ,  Keiji Horioka ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

IPC分类号： B23K9/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/3244

摘要： An overhead gas distribution electrode forming at least a portion of the ceiling of a plasma reactor has a bottom surface facing a processing zone of the reactor. The electrode includes a gas supply manifold for receiving process gas at a supply pressure at a top portion of the electrode and plural pressure-dropping cylindrical orifices extending axially relative to the electrode from the gas supply manifold at one end of each the orifice. A radial gas distribution manifold within the electrode extends radially across the electrode. Plural axially extending high conductance gas flow passages couple the opposite ends of respective ones of the plural pressure-dropping orifices to the radial gas distribution manifold. Plural high conductance cylindrical gas outlet holes are formed in the plasma-facing bottom surface of the electrode and extend axially to the radial gas distribution manifold.

摘要翻译： 形成等离子体反应器的天花板的至少一部分的顶部气体分配电极具有面向反应器的处理区域的底面。 电极包括用于在电极顶部处的供给压力下接收处理气体的气体供应歧管和在每个孔口的一端处相对于来自气体供应歧管的电极轴向延伸的多个降压圆柱形孔。 电极内的径向气体分布歧管径向延伸穿过电极。 多个轴向延伸的高电导气流通道将多个降压孔中的相应端部的相对端连接到径向气体分配歧管。 在电极的等离子体面向底面中形成多个高电导圆柱形气体出口孔，并且轴向延伸到径向气体分配歧管。

公开(公告)号：US20090250432A1

公开(公告)日：2009-10-08

申请号：US12082074

申请日：2008-04-07

申请人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Ezra Robert Gold ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Michael Charles Kutney ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

发明人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Ezra Robert Gold ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Michael Charles Kutney ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

IPC分类号： H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/513

CPC分类号： C23C16/503 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32935

摘要： A method of processing a workpiece in a chamber of a plasma reactor having a set of plural electromagnet coils includes selecting plural predetermined plasma density distributions relative to a workpiece surface, the predetermined plasma density distributions corresponding to different sets of D.C. currents in the coils, and flowing a process gas into the chamber and generating a plasma in the chamber. The method further includes switching plasma in the chamber between the predetermined plasma density distributions by switching D.C. currents through the coils between the different sets of D.C. currents.

摘要翻译： 一种在具有一组多个电磁线圈的等离子体反应器的腔室中处理工件的方法包括：相对于工件表面选择多个预定等离子体密度分布，对应于线圈中的不同DC电流集合的预定等离子体密度分布;以及 将工艺气体流入室中并在室中产生等离子体。 该方法还包括通过在不同的直流电流组之间切换通过线圈的直流电流来在腔室内切换预定等离子体密度分布之间的等离子体。

公开(公告)号：US20090250335A1

公开(公告)日：2009-10-08

申请号：US12082097

申请日：2008-04-07

申请人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Ezra Robert Gold ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Michael Charles Kutney ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

发明人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Ezra Robert Gold ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, JR. ,  Michael Charles Kutney ,  Jang Gyoo Yang

IPC分类号： H05H1/24

CPC分类号： H05H1/46 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32706

摘要： A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having a set of n coils includes constructing, for each one of the n coils, a set of plasma distributions for discrete values of coil current in a predetermined current range. The distributions are grouped, each group having one distribution for each of the n coils, and being a unique set of n distributions. A combined plasma distribution is computed from each group of distributions. The variance of each combined distribution is computed. The method further includes finding an optimum one of the combined distributions having an at least nearly minimum variance, and identifying the n coil currents associated with the optimum distribution. During plasma processing of the workpiece, currents through the coils are maintained at levels corresponding to the n coil currents associated with the one combined distribution.

摘要翻译： 一种用于处理具有一组n个线圈的等离子体电抗器中的工件的方法包括为n个线圈中的每个线圈构建用于在预定电流范围内的线圈电流的离散值的一组等离子体分布。 分布分组，每组具有n个线圈中的每一个的一个分布，并且是n个分布的唯一集合。 从每组分布计算组合等离子体分布。 计算每个组合分布的方差。 该方法还包括找到具有至少接近最小方差的组合分布中的最佳一个，并且识别与最佳分布相关联的n个线圈电流。 在工件的等离子体处理期间，通过线圈的电流保持在与一个组合分布相关联的n个线圈电流的水平。

公开(公告)号：US08617351B2

公开(公告)日：2013-12-31

申请号：US11046656

申请日：2005-01-28

申请人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Roger A. Lindley ,  Michael C. Kutney ,  Martin J. Salinas ,  Hamid F. Tavassoli ,  Keiji Horioka ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.

发明人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Roger A. Lindley ,  Michael C. Kutney ,  Martin J. Salinas ,  Hamid F. Tavassoli ,  Keiji Horioka ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.

IPC分类号： C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/306 ,  C03C15/00

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

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, includes a vacuum chamber defined by a sidewall and ceiling, and a workpiece support pedestal having a workpiece support surface in the chamber and facing the ceiling and including a cathode electrode. An RF power generator is coupled to the cathode electrode. Plasma distribution is controlled by an external annular inner electromagnet in a first plane overlying the workpiece support surface, an external annular outer electromagnet in a second plane overlying the workpiece support surface and having a greater diameter than the inner electromagnet, and an external annular bottom electromagnet in a third plane underlying the workpiece support surface. D.C. current supplies are connected to respective ones of the inner, outer and bottom electromagnets.

摘要翻译： 一种用于加工工件的等离子体反应器，包括由侧壁和天花板限定的真空室，以及在所述室中具有工件支撑表面并且面向天花板并且包括阴极电极的工件支撑基座。 RF发生器耦合到阴极电极。 等离子体分布由覆盖工件支撑表面的第一平面中的外部环形内部电磁体控制，覆盖工件支撑表面并且具有比内部电磁体更大的直径的第二平面中的外部环形外部电磁体以及外部环形底部电磁体 在工件支撑表面下方的第三平面内。 内部，外部和底部电磁铁中的相应电源连接到电流源。

公开(公告)号：US08608900B2

公开(公告)日：2013-12-17

申请号：US11409183

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/503 ,  C23C16/509

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：US08337660B2

公开(公告)日：2012-12-25

申请号：US12855678

申请日：2010-08-12

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/306 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/683

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

摘要： A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber, an electrostatic chuck within the chamber having a top surface for supporting a workpiece and having indentations in the top surface that form enclosed gas flow channels whenever covered by a workpiece resting on the top surface. The reactor further includes thermal control apparatus thermally coupled to the electrostatic chuck, an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to apply RF power to the electrostatic chuck, a pressurized gas supply of a thermally conductive gas, a controllable gas valve coupling the pressurized gas supply to the indentations to facilitate filling the channels with the thermally conductive gas for heat transfer between a backside of a workpiece and the electrostatic chuck at a heat transfer rate that is a function of the pressure against the backside of the workpiece of the thermally conductive gas. The reactor further includes an agile workpiece temperature control loop including (a) a temperature probe in the electrostatic chuck, and (b) a backside gas pressure controller coupled to an output of the temperature probe and responsive to a specified desired temperature, the controller governing the gas valve in response to a difference between the output of the temperature probe and the desired temperature.

公开(公告)号：US08092639B2

公开(公告)日：2012-01-10

申请号：US12855674

申请日：2010-08-12

申请人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

IPC分类号： H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/00 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/50

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：US08607731B2

公开(公告)日：2013-12-17

申请号：US12144463

申请日：2008-06-23

申请人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Semyon L. Kats ,  Dan Katz

发明人： Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Semyon L. Kats ,  Dan Katz

IPC分类号： C23C16/00 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23F1/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/6833

摘要： An apparatus for generating uniform plasma across and beyond the peripheral edge of a substrate has a dielectric body with an upper electrode and an annular electrode embedded therein. The outer perimeter of the upper electrode overlaps the inner perimeter of the annular electrode. In one embodiment, the upper electrode and the annular electrode are electrically coupled by molybdenum vias. In one embodiment, the upper electrode is coupled to a DC power source to provide electrostatic force for chucking the substrate. In one embodiment, the upper electrode is coupled to an RF source for exciting one or more processing gasses into plasma for substrate processing.

摘要翻译： 用于在衬底的周边边缘上产生均匀等离子体的装置具有电介质体，其具有嵌入其中的上电极和环形电极。 上电极的外周与环形电极的内周重叠。 在一个实施例中，上电极和环形电极通过钼通孔电耦合。 在一个实施例中，上电极耦合到DC电源以提供用于夹持衬底的静电力。 在一个实施例中，上电极耦合到RF源，用于将一个或多个处理气体激发成用于衬底处理的等离子体。

公开(公告)号：US08092638B2

公开(公告)日：2012-01-10

申请号：US11409292

申请日：2006-04-21

申请人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Hamid Tavassoli ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman

IPC分类号： C23F1/00 ,  H01L21/306

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。

公开(公告)号：US07988872B2

公开(公告)日：2011-08-02

申请号：US11410859

申请日：2006-04-24

申请人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

发明人： Paul Lukas Brillhart ,  Richard Fovell ,  Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. ,  Douglas H. Burns ,  Kallol Bera ,  Daniel J. Hoffman ,  Kenneth W. Cowans ,  William W. Cowans ,  Glenn W. Zubillaga ,  Isaac Millan

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。