公开(公告)号：US20240145218A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-02

申请号：US18397941

申请日：2023-12-27

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Koichi NAGAMI

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32422 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32266 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: The disclosed plasma processing apparatus is provided with a chamber, a substrate support, and a power source system. The substrate support has an electrode and configured to support a substrate in the chamber. The power source system is electrically connected to the electrode and configured to apply a bias voltage to the electrode to draw ions from a plasma in the chamber into the substrate on the substrate support. The power source system is configured to output a first pulse to the electrode in a first period and output a second pulse to the electrode in a second period after the first period, as the bias voltage. Each of the first pulse and the second pulse is a pulse of a voltage. A voltage level of the first pulse is different from a voltage level of the second pulse.

公开(公告)号：US11887817B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-30

申请号：US17232231

申请日：2021-04-16

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Koichi Nagami

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32422 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32266 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: The disclosed plasma processing apparatus is provided with a chamber, a substrate support, and a power source system. The substrate support has an electrode and configured to support a substrate in the chamber. The power source system is electrically connected to the electrode and configured to apply a bias voltage to the electrode to draw ions from a plasma in the chamber into the substrate on the substrate support. The power source system is configured to output a first pulse to the electrode in a first period and output a second pulse to the electrode in a second period after the first period, as the bias voltage. Each of the first pulse and the second pulse is a pulse of a voltage. A voltage level of the first pulse is different from a voltage level of the second pulse.

公开(公告)号：US20240006151A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-04

申请号：US17855683

申请日：2022-06-30

Applicant: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Inventor： Chad S. Samuels

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  G05B13/04

CPC classification number: H01J37/32137 ,  G05B13/042 ,  H01J37/32183

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for estimation law modules of an adaptive engine. The estimation law modules estimate estimated model parameter tensors for each control sample within a frame. These estimated model parameter tensors are passed to control law modules and used to determine possible control signals as well as being passed to an estimation portion of a nonlinear model of the system, along with the possible control signals, to estimate estimated system outputs corresponding to each of the possible control signals. A selector module can then select a control as one of the possible control signals or a combination of two or more of the possible control signals, based on comparing the corresponding estimated system outputs to a reference signal, and/or measured system outputs.

公开(公告)号：US11651970B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-16

申请号：US17314325

申请日：2021-05-07

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Sergey Voronin

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01J2237/3341

Abstract: Differences in ion mass of lighter ions (having a higher mobility) and heavier ions are utilized in conjunction with bias voltage modulation of an atomic layer etch (ALE) to provide a fast ALE process. The difference in ion mobility achieves surface modification with reactive neutral species in the absence of a bias voltage, and ion bombardment with lighter ions (e.g., inert or less reactive ions) in the presence of a bias voltage. By modulating the bias voltage, preferential ion bombardment is achieved with lighter ions without the need to physically separate or purge the reactive precursors and inert gases supplied to the process chamber for a given ALE cycle. A “fast” plasma ALE process is provided which improves etch rate, throughput and cost-efficiency by enabling the same gas chemistry composition (e.g., reactive precursor and inert gas combination) to be kept in the process chamber during a given ALE cycle.

公开(公告)号：US20180197722A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-12

申请号：US15403039

申请日：2017-01-10

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin LONG

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01J37/32559 ,  H01J37/3211 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32541 ,  H01J37/32697 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32834 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: A cathode assembly for use in a plasma processing chamber is provided. A metal bowl that is grounded is provided. An insulator of a sealed porous or sealed honeycomb dielectric ceramic with an equivalent dielectric constant k

公开(公告)号：US09997422B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-12

申请号：US15089960

申请日：2016-04-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Ishtak Karim ,  Yukinori Sakiyama ,  Yaswanth Rangineni ,  Edward Augustyniak ,  Douglas Keil ,  Ramesh Chandrasekharan ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Karl Leeser

IPC: H05H1/24 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/683 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/509

CPC classification number: H01L22/20 ,  C23C16/45565 ,  C23C16/4585 ,  C23C16/4586 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/509 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/3299 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/263 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: A wafer is positioned on a wafer support apparatus beneath an electrode such that a plasma generation region exists between the wafer and the electrode. Radiofrequency signals of a first signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region to generate a plasma within the plasma generation region. Formation of a plasma instability is detected within the plasma based on supply of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency. After detecting formation of the plasma instability, radiofrequency signals of a second signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region in lieu of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency to generate the plasma. The second signal frequency is greater than the first signal frequency and is set to cause a reduction in ion energy within the plasma and a corresponding reduction in secondary electron emission from the wafer caused by ion interaction with the wafer.

公开(公告)号：US09941113B2

公开(公告)日：2018-04-10

申请号：US15583778

申请日：2017-05-01

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Douglas Keil ,  Ishtak Karim ,  Yaswanth Rangineni ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Yukinori Sakiyama ,  Edward Augustyniak ,  Karl Leeser ,  Chunhai Ji

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/02274 ,  C23C16/45525 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/5096 ,  H01J37/32128 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32532 ,  H01J2237/3321 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0228

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for plasma enabled film deposition on a wafer in which a plasma is generated using radiofrequency signals of multiple frequencies and in which a phase angle relationship is controlled between the radiofrequency signals of multiple frequencies. In the system, a pedestal is provided to support the wafer. A plasma generation region is formed above the pedestal. An electrode is disposed in proximity to the plasma generation region to provide for transmission of radiofrequency signals into the plasma generation region. A radiofrequency power supply provides multiple radiofrequency signals of different frequencies to the electrode. A lowest of the different frequencies is a base frequency, and each of the different frequencies that is greater than the base frequency is an even harmonic of the base frequency. The radiofrequency power supply provides for variable control of the phase angle relationship between each of the multiple radiofrequency signals.

公开(公告)号：US20170372870A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-28

申请号：US15650164

申请日：2017-07-14

Applicant: Mattson Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Valery A. Godyak ,  Charles Crapuchettes ,  Vladimir Nagorny

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46

CPC classification number: H01J37/3211 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32119 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32651 ,  H05H1/46 ,  H05H2001/4652

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide efficient and scalable RF inductive plasma processing are disclosed. In some aspects, the coupling between an inductive RF energy applicator and plasma and/or the spatial definition of power transfer from the applicator are greatly enhanced. The disclosed methods and apparatus thereby achieve high electrical efficiency, reduce parasitic capacitive coupling, and/or enhance processing uniformity. Various embodiments comprise a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber bounded by walls, a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, and an inductive RF energy applicator external to a wall of the chamber. The inductive RF energy applicator comprises one or more radiofrequency inductive coupling elements (ICEs). Each inductive coupling element has a magnetic concentrator in close proximity to a thin dielectric window on the applicator wall.

公开(公告)号：US20170178920A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15449799

申请日：2017-03-03

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Nikhil Dole ,  Eric A. Hudson ,  George Matamis

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/30655 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32889 ,  H01J37/32899 ,  H01J2237/3321 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01J2237/3347 ,  H01L21/02112 ,  H01L21/02118 ,  H01L21/0212 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/02271 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L28/00

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective film on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective film may be deposited under different conditions (e.g., pressure, duration of reactant delivery, duration of plasma exposure, RF power, and/or RF duty cycle, etc.) in different deposition operations. Such conditions may affect the degree of conformality at which the protective film forms. In various embodiments, one or more protective films may be sub-conformal. In these or other embodiments, one or more other protective films may be conformal.

公开(公告)号：US20170178872A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15378522

申请日：2016-12-14

Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED

Inventor： Hiroki KISHI ,  Jisoo SUH

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32798 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32137 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01J37/32697 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32926 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01J2237/3343 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L22/12

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a chamber 10, a mounting table 16, a focus ring 24a, a first electrode plate 36 and a second electrode plate 35. The focus ring 24a is provided around the mounting table 16 to surround a mounting surface of the mounting table 16. The first electrode plate 36 is provided above the mounting table 16. The second electrode plate 35 is provided around the first electrode plate 36 to surround the first electrode plate 36 and is insulated from the first electrode plate 36. The plasma processing apparatus 1, in a first process, performs a preset processing on a semiconductor wafer W mounted on the mounting surface with plasma generated within the chamber, and, in a second process, increases an absolute value of a negative DC voltage applied to the second electrode plate 35 depending on an elapsed time of the first process.