Plasma reactor having digital control over rotation frequency of a microwave field with direct up-conversion

• US 10,153,133 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Satoru, Sugai, Hideo, Park, Soonam, Ramaswamy, Kartik, Lubomirsky, Dmitry
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haisa
• Application Number:
  US14/974,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20160284519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3222 Antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32302 Plural frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32311 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the microwave discharge

Abstract

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece has a microwave source with a digitally synthesized rotation frequency using direct digital up-conversion and a user interface for controlling the rotation frequency.

Claims

1. A plasma reactor comprising:

a cylindrical microwave cavity overlying a workpiece processing chamber, and first and second coupling apertures in a sidewall of said cylindrical microwave cavity spaced apart by an angle;

a microwave source having a microwave frequency and comprising a pair of microwave controller having respective microwave outputs coupled to respective ones of said first and second coupling apertures, each of said microwave controllers comprising;

(a) a source of first and second digital modulation signals having a frequency corresponding to a slow rotation frequency;

(b) a source of a first digital carrier signal having an intermediate frequency;

(c) a multiplier stage comprising a pair of multipliers each having a pair of inputs, said multiplier stage coupled to receive, respectively, said first digital modulation signal, said second digital modulation signal and said first digital carrier signal, respectively, said multiplier stage having respective outputs, in1 and in2;

(d) a digital-to-analog converter coupled to receive said respective outputs in1 and in2 and having analog outputs corresponding to said outputs in1 and in2; and

(e) an up-converter having inputs coupled to said analog outputs, said up-converter comprising said microwave outputs.

2. The plasma reactor of claim 1 wherein:

a first one of said pair of multipliers is coupled to receive said first digital modulation signal and said first digital carrier signal, and having a first multiplier output comprising said output in1; and

a second one of said pair of multipliers is coupled to receive said second digital modulation signal and said first digital carrier signal, and having a second multiplier output comprising said output in2.

3. The plasma reactor of claim 1 further comprising a source of a second digital carrier signal of said intermediate frequency, wherein:

said source of the first digital carrier signal is coupled to said output in1;

a first one of said pair of multipliers is coupled to receive said first digital modulation signal and said first digital carrier signal;

a second one of said pair of multipliers is coupled to receive said second digital modulation signal and said second digital carrier signal, and having a second multiplier output comprising said output in2; and

wherein said multiplier stage further comprises an adder coupled to receive outputs of said pair of multipliers, said adder having an output comprising said output in2.

4. The plasma reactor of claim 2 wherein said first and second digital modulation signals comprise, respectively, a cosine-form component I and a sine-form component Q.

5. The plasma reactor of claim 4 wherein said source of first and second digital modulation signals comprises:

a first RAM containing successive samples of said cosine-form component I, a second RAM containing successive samples of said sine-form component Q, and a low clock pointer directed at the successive samples of I and Q in synchronism with said slow rotation frequency.

6. The plasma reactor of claim 5 wherein said source of said digital carrier signal comprises:

a third RAM containing successive samples of said digital carrier signal, and a low clock pointer directed at the successive samples of said digital carrier signal in synchronism with said intermediate frequency.

7. The plasma reactor of claim 2 wherein said up-converter has an output frequency equal to said microwave frequency.

8. The plasma reactor of claim 1 wherein each of said multipliers produces a product of the signals at its input.

9. The plasma reactor of claim 1 wherein said angle is 90 degrees.

10. The plasma reactor of claim 1 further comprising a user interface for allowing a user to specify said slow rotation frequency.

11. A plasma reactor comprising:

a cylindrical microwave cavity overlying a workpiece processing chamber, and first and second coupling apertures in a wall of said cylindrical microwave cavity spaced apart by an angle;

a microwave source having a microwave frequency and comprising respective microwave outputs coupled to respective ones of said first and second coupling apertures, said microwave source further comprising;

a source of an in-phase component 1-A and of a quadrature component 1-B of a digital modulation signal having a frequency corresponding to a slow rotation frequency;

a digital-to-analog converter coupled to receive said in-phase and quadrature components 1-A and 1-B, and having corresponding analog outputs in1 and in2; and

an up-converter comprising;

(a) a first combiner function comprising respective inputs of said analog output in1 and an in-phase component of said microwave frequency, and a first product output corresponding to a first one of said microwave outputs; and

(b) a second combiner function comprising respective inputs of said analog output in2 and an in-phase component of said microwave frequency, said second combiner function comprising a second product output.

12. The plasma reactor of claim 11 wherein said second product output is coupled to a second one of said microwave outputs.

13. The plasma reactor of claim 11 wherein said microwave source further comprises a source of a constant signal A, and wherein said up-converter further comprises:

a third combiner function having one input coupled to receive said constant signal A and another input coupled to receive said quadrature component of said microwave frequency, and a third product output; and

an adder function having inputs coupled to said second and third product outputs respectively and a sum output coupled to said second one of said microwave outputs.

14. The plasma reactor of claim 13 wherein said source of an in-phase component of said digital modulation signal produces a sum of said digital modulation signal and said constant signal A.

15. The plasma reactor of claim 12 wherein said in-phase and quadrature components comprise, respectively, a cosine-form component I and a sine-form component Q.

16. The plasma reactor of claim 15 wherein:

said source of said in-phase component of said digital modulation signal comprises a first RAM containing successive samples of said cosine-form component I;

said source of said quadrature component of said digital modulation signal comprises a second RAM containing successive samples of said sine-form component Q; and

a low clock pointer directed at the successive samples of I and Q in synchronism with said slow rotation frequency.

17. The plasma reactor of claim 13 wherein said in-phase and quadrature components comprise, respectively, a cosine-form component I and a sine-form component Q.

18. The plasma reactor of claim 17 wherein:

said source of said in-phase component of said digital modulation signal comprises a first RAM containing successive samples of said cosine-form component I;

said source of said quadrature component of said digital modulation signal comprises a second RAM containing successive samples of said sine-form component Q; and

a low clock pointer directed at the successive samples of I and Q in synchronism with said slow rotation frequency.

19. The plasma reactor of claim 11 wherein said up-converter has an output frequency equal to said microwave frequency.

20. The plasma reactor of claim 11 wherein each said combiner function is adapted to produce a product of the signals at its inputs.