RF impedance matching circuit and systems and methods incorporating same
First Claim
1. A radio frequency (RF) impedance matching circuit comprising:
- an RF input configured to operably couple to an RF source;
an RF output configured to operably couple to a plasma chamber;
a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance;
a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; and
a control circuit operably coupled to the first and second electronically variable capacitors to control the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance, wherein the control circuit is configured to;
determine a variable impedance of the plasma chamber;
determine, based on the determined variable impedance of the plasma chamber, a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor; and
generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively;
wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the variable impedance of the plasma chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a semiconductor processing tool includes a plasma chamber and an impedance matching circuit. The matching circuit includes a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance, a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a variable impedance of the plasma chamber, determine a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor, and generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively. An elapsed time between determining the variable impedance of the plasma chamber to when RF power reflected back to the RF source decreases is less than about 150 μsec.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A radio frequency (RF) impedance matching circuit comprising:
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an RF input configured to operably couple to an RF source; an RF output configured to operably couple to a plasma chamber; a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance; a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; and a control circuit operably coupled to the first and second electronically variable capacitors to control the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine a variable impedance of the plasma chamber; determine, based on the determined variable impedance of the plasma chamber, a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor; and generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively; wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the variable impedance of the plasma chamber.
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2. A method of matching an impedance, the method comprising:
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determining, by an impedance matching circuit, a variable impedance of a plasma chamber, the impedance matching circuit comprising an RF input operably coupled to an RF source, an RF output operably coupled to the plasma chamber, a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance, and a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; determining a first variable capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second variable capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor, for creating an impedance match at the RF input of the impedance matching circuit; and altering at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively, wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the variable impedance of the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor comprising:
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placing a substrate in a plasma chamber configured to deposit a material layer onto the substrate or etch a material layer from the substrate; and energizing plasma within the plasma chamber by coupling RF power from an RF source into the plasma chamber to perform a deposition or etching, and while energizing the plasma; determining, by an impedance matching circuit, a variable impedance of the plasma chamber, the impedance matching circuit comprising an RF input operably coupled to the RF source, an RF output operably coupled to the plasma chamber, a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance, and a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; determining, based on the determined variable impedance of the plasma chamber, a first variable capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second variable capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor, for creating an impedance match at the RF input of the impedance matching circuit; and altering at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively, wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the variable impedance of the plasma chamber.
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9. A semiconductor processing tool comprising:
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a plasma chamber configured to deposit a material onto a substrate or etch a material from the substrate; and an impedance matching circuit operably coupled to the plasma chamber, matching circuit comprising; an RF input operably coupled to an RF source; an RF output operably coupled to the plasma chamber; a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance; a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; and a control circuit operably coupled to the first and second electronically variable capacitors to control the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine a variable impedance of the plasma chamber; determine a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor; and generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively; wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the variable impedance of the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A radio frequency (RF) impedance matching circuit comprising:
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an RF input configured to operably couple to an RF source; an RF output configured to operably couple to a plasma chamber; a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance; a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; and a control circuit operably coupled to the first and second electronically variable capacitors to control the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine a first parameter related to the plasma chamber; determine, based on the first parameter, a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor; and generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively; wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the first parameter related to the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of matching an impedance, the method comprising:
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coupling an impedance matching circuit between an RF source and a plasma chamber, the impedance matching circuit comprising an RF input configured to operably couple to the RF source, an RF output configured to operably couple to the plasma chamber, a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance, and a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; determining a first parameter related to the plasma chamber; determining, based on the first parameter, a first variable capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second variable capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor, for creating an impedance match at the RF input of the impedance matching circuit; and altering at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively, wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the first parameter related to the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor comprising:
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placing a substrate in a plasma chamber configured to deposit a material layer onto the substrate or etch a material layer from the substrate; and energizing plasma within the plasma chamber by coupling RF power from an RF source into the plasma chamber to perform a deposition or etching, and while energizing the plasma; coupling an impedance matching circuit between the RF source and the plasma chamber, the impedance matching circuit comprising a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance, and a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; determining a first parameter related to the plasma chamber; determining, based on the first parameter, a first variable capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second variable capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor, for creating an impedance match at the RF input of the impedance matching circuit; and altering at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively, wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the first parameter related to the plasma chamber.
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26. A semiconductor processing tool comprising:
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a plasma chamber configured to deposit a material onto a substrate or etch a material from the substrate; and an impedance matching circuit operably coupled to the plasma chamber, matching circuit comprising; an RF input operably coupled to an RF source; an RF output operably coupled to the plasma chamber; a first electronically variable capacitor having a first variable capacitance; a second electronically variable capacitor having a second variable capacitance; and a control circuit operably coupled to the first and second electronically variable capacitors to control the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine a first parameter related to the plasma chamber; determine, based on the first parameter, a first capacitance value for the first electronically variable capacitor and a second capacitance value for the second electronically variable capacitor; and generate a control signal to alter at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance to the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, respectively; wherein the alteration of the at least one of the first variable capacitance and the second variable capacitance causes RF power reflected back to the RF source to begin decreasing within 150 μ
sec of the determination of the first parameter related to the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification