Semiconductor processing system and methods using capacitively coupled plasma
First Claim
1. A substrate processing system, comprising:
- a lid assembly;
a showerhead comprising at least two plates defining a volume between the at least two plates;
an ion suppressor plate configured to substantially prevent the passage of ionic species through the ion suppressor plate, the ion suppressor plate comprising a plurality of openings each having a tapered portion and a cylindrical portion, wherein the tapered portion of the openings taper from a first surface of the ion suppressor plate facing the lid assembly to the cylindrical portion of the openings, wherein the cylindrical portion of the openings extend from the tapered portion to a second surface of the ion suppressor plate opposite the first surface, and wherein the ion suppressor plate is positioned between the lid assembly and the showerhead;
an electronic power source coupled with the ion suppressor plate as one of a pair of plasma generating electrodes in a capacitively-coupled plasma configuration configured to generate a plasma that is at least substantially contained in a region defined between the lid assembly and the ion suppressor plate; and
an electric insulator positioned between the lid assembly and the ion suppressor plate, wherein the lid assembly, the showerhead, and the ion suppressor plate are positioned in a stacked configuration with one another to define exterior walls of the substrate processing system, and wherein the electric insulator is positioned between ion suppressor and lid assembly in the stacked configuration to further define the exterior walls of the substrate processing system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit.
2290 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A substrate processing system, comprising:
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a lid assembly; a showerhead comprising at least two plates defining a volume between the at least two plates; an ion suppressor plate configured to substantially prevent the passage of ionic species through the ion suppressor plate, the ion suppressor plate comprising a plurality of openings each having a tapered portion and a cylindrical portion, wherein the tapered portion of the openings taper from a first surface of the ion suppressor plate facing the lid assembly to the cylindrical portion of the openings, wherein the cylindrical portion of the openings extend from the tapered portion to a second surface of the ion suppressor plate opposite the first surface, and wherein the ion suppressor plate is positioned between the lid assembly and the showerhead; an electronic power source coupled with the ion suppressor plate as one of a pair of plasma generating electrodes in a capacitively-coupled plasma configuration configured to generate a plasma that is at least substantially contained in a region defined between the lid assembly and the ion suppressor plate; and an electric insulator positioned between the lid assembly and the ion suppressor plate, wherein the lid assembly, the showerhead, and the ion suppressor plate are positioned in a stacked configuration with one another to define exterior walls of the substrate processing system, and wherein the electric insulator is positioned between ion suppressor and lid assembly in the stacked configuration to further define the exterior walls of the substrate processing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification