Multi-cell resonator microwave surface-wave plasma apparatus
First Claim
1. A plasma processing system for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising:
- a plasma chamber comprising a plasma processing area and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma processing area;
a plurality of power transmission elements arranged circumferentially around a periphery of the plasma chamber, each power transmission element comprising;
an interior cavity to propagate microwave frequency electromagnetic waves; and
an opening between the interior cavity and the plasma chamber, with the opening being an exit for the interior cavity on a plasma chamber side of the interior cavity;
an antenna coupled to each power transmission element, wherein each antenna extends into a respective interior cavity and is disposed away from a respective opening at a predetermined distance; and
a dielectric component that limits fluid communication between the interior cavity and the plasma chamber,wherein the predetermined distance from the opening is at least about ¼
wavelength of the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves,wherein each antenna extends through a top wall of a respective power transmission element such that the antenna is perpendicular to the top wall;
wherein the antennas are disposed above the plasma processing area and arranged around the plasma chamber;
wherein each opening has a dimension in a first direction of at least about ¼
wavelength of the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves and a dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of from 0.5 mm to 10 mm; and
wherein the dielectric component has an arcuate shape that is installed within the plasma chamber and extends to cover a plurality of said openings that are disposed circumferentially and associated with plural interior cavities respectively of the plurality of power transmission elements, such that the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves pass from the plural interior cavities through their respective openings and then through the dielectric component into the plasma chamber.
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Abstract
A processing system is disclosed, having a multiple power transmission elements with an interior cavity that may be arranged around a plasma processing chamber. Each of the power transmission elements may propagates electromagnetic energy that may be used to generate plasma within the plasma process chamber. The power transmission elements may be designed to accommodate a range of power and frequency ranges that range from 500 W to 3500 W and 0.9 GHz to 9 GHz. In one embodiment, the power transmission elements may include a rectangular interior cavity that enables the generation of a standing wave with two or more modes. In another embodiment, the power transmission elements may have a cylindrical interior cavity that may be placed along the plasma processing chamber or have one end of the cylinder placed against the plasma processing chamber.
24 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A plasma processing system for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising:
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a plasma chamber comprising a plasma processing area and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma processing area; a plurality of power transmission elements arranged circumferentially around a periphery of the plasma chamber, each power transmission element comprising; an interior cavity to propagate microwave frequency electromagnetic waves; and an opening between the interior cavity and the plasma chamber, with the opening being an exit for the interior cavity on a plasma chamber side of the interior cavity; an antenna coupled to each power transmission element, wherein each antenna extends into a respective interior cavity and is disposed away from a respective opening at a predetermined distance; and a dielectric component that limits fluid communication between the interior cavity and the plasma chamber, wherein the predetermined distance from the opening is at least about ¼
wavelength of the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves,wherein each antenna extends through a top wall of a respective power transmission element such that the antenna is perpendicular to the top wall; wherein the antennas are disposed above the plasma processing area and arranged around the plasma chamber; wherein each opening has a dimension in a first direction of at least about ¼
wavelength of the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves and a dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of from 0.5 mm to 10 mm; andwherein the dielectric component has an arcuate shape that is installed within the plasma chamber and extends to cover a plurality of said openings that are disposed circumferentially and associated with plural interior cavities respectively of the plurality of power transmission elements, such that the microwave frequency electromagnetic waves pass from the plural interior cavities through their respective openings and then through the dielectric component into the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
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a plasma processing chamber comprising; plasma processing area; a substrate holder disposed in the plasma processing area and can receive a substrate; and a chamber wall comprising a plurality of openings arranged circumferentially around the substrate holder; one or more dielectric components installed within the plasma processing chamber that cover the openings; a plurality of power transmission elements that are disposed adjacent to the openings and opposite the one or more dielectric components, the plurality of power transmission elements extending from a periphery of the plasma processing chamber and comprising a waveguide cavity with at least one respective opening of the plurality of openings being an exit for the waveguide cavity on a plasma processing area side of the waveguide cavity that can transmit electromagnetic energy towards the respective opening; one or more antennas coupled to each of the power transmission elements, wherein each antenna extends into a respective waveguide cavity and is disposed away from a respective opening at a predetermined distance; and a power source component that provides the electromagnetic energy within a range of 300 kHz to 300 GHz to the plurality of power transmission elements, wherein the predetermined distance from the opening is at least about ¼
wavelength of the electromagnetic energy,wherein each antenna extends through a top wall of a respective power transmission element such that the antenna is perpendicular to the top wall; and wherein the antennas are disposed above the plasma processing area and arranged around the chamber wall of the plasma chamber; wherein each opening has a dimension in a first direction of at least about ¼
wavelength of the electromagnetic energy, and the opening has a dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of from 0.5 mm to 10 mm; andwherein the one or more dielectric components include an arcuate dielectric component that has an arcuate shape and that extends to cover a plurality of said openings associated with plural waveguide cavities of the plurality of power transmission elements, such that the electromagnetic energy passes from the waveguide cavities through their respective openings and then through the arcuate dielectric component into the plasma processing area. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification