Peripheral RF feed and symmetric RF return for symmetric RF delivery

• US 10,586,686 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Law Research Corporation
• Inventors: Nam, Sang Ki, Dhindsa, Rajinder, Rogers, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Kendall, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/403,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32577 Electrical connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32715 Workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for a peripheral RF feed and symmetric RF return for symmetric RF delivery. According to one embodiment, a chuck assembly for plasma processing is provided. The chuck assembly includes an electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface on a first side, and a facility plate coupled to the electrostatic chuck on a second side that is opposite the substrate support surface. A hollow RF feed is configured to deliver RF power, the hollow RF feed defined by a first portion contacting a periphery of the facility plate and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion extending away from the chuck assembly.

Claims

1. A chuck assembly for plasma processing, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface on a first side;

a facility plate coupled to the electrostatic chuck on a second side that is opposite the substrate support surface;

a hollow RF feed configured to deliver RF power, the hollow RF feed defined by a first portion contacting a periphery of the facility plate and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion extending away from the chuck assembly, the first portion being a bowl-shaped section having an upper cylindrical portion and a lower base portion, the upper cylindrical portion defining vertical sidewalls extending from a top end at the facility plate to a bottom end, the lower base portion defining tapered sidewalls extending inward from the bottom end of the upper cylindrical portion to the second portion of the hollow RF feed, the second portion being a hollow tubular section, wherein the second portion connects to the first portion at an opening defined in the bowl-shaped section, wherein facility wires are fed through an interior of the first and second portions of the hollow RF feed;

wherein the first portion of the hollow RF feed contacts the periphery of the facility plate at a circumference defined on a side of the facility plate opposite the electrostatic chuck, the circumference having a radius greater than one-half of a radius of the facility plate, the radius of the circumference being less than the radius of the facility plate;

a grounded shield disposed below and surrounding the lower base portion of the bowl-shaped section up to and without surrounding the bottom end of the upper cylindrical portion that connects to the tapered sidewalls of the lower base portion, the grounded shield being substantially conformal to the lower base portion of the bowl-shaped section, the grounded shield extending laterally outward to a side wall of the chuck assembly, the grounded shield defining a barrier between the first and second portions of the hollow RF feed.

2. The chuck assembly of claim 1, wherein the facility wires are in a bundled configuration in an interior of the tubular section, and wherein the facility wires are in an expanded configuration in an interior of the bowl-shaped section.

3. The chuck assembly of claim 1, further comprising a conducting component coupled to the facility plate and defined within the interior of the bowl-shaped section of the hollow RF feed.

4. The chuck assembly of claim 3, wherein the conducting component is one of a heating device, an electrostatic clamping device, a coolant fitting, or a pin lifter.

5. The chuck assembly of claim 1, wherein the second portion extends laterally away from the chuck assembly.

6. The chuck assembly of claim 1, wherein an insulating tube is defined within the interior of the tubular section of the hollow RF feed.

13. The chuck assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more fluid tubes are routed over the grounded shield and through the cylindrical portion of the bowl-shaped section of the hollow RF feed to the facilities plate.

14. The chuck assembly of claim 1, wherein the circumference has a radius greater than two-thirds of a radius of the facility plate, and the radius of the circumference being less than the radius of the facility plate.

7. A chuck assembly for plasma processing, comprising:

an electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface on a first side;

a facility plate coupled to the electrostatic chuck on a second side that is opposite the substrate support surface;

a hollow RF feed configured to deliver RF power, the hollow RF feed defined by a bowl-shaped section contacting a periphery of the facility plate and a tubular section coupled to the bowl-shaped section, the bowl-shaped section having an upper cylindrical portion and a lower base portion, the upper cylindrical portion defining vertical sidewalls extending from a top end at the facility plate to a bottom end, the lower base portion defining tapered sidewalls extending inward from the bottom end of the upper cylindrical portion to the tubular section of the hollow RF feed, the tubular section extending away from the chuck assembly, wherein the tubular section connects to the bowl-shaped section at an opening defined in the bowl-shaped section, wherein facility wires are fed through both of an interior of the tubular section and an interior of the bowl-shaped section;

wherein the bowl-shaped section of the hollow RF feed contacts the periphery of the facility plate at a circumference defined on a side of the facility plate opposite the electrostatic chuck, the circumference having a radius greater than one-half of a radius of the facility plate, the radius of the circumference being less than the radius of the facility plate;

a grounded shield disposed below and surrounding the lower base portion of the bowl-shaped section up to and without surrounding the bottom end of the upper cylindrical portion that connects to the tapered sidewalls of the lower base portion, the grounded shield being substantially conformal to the lower base portion of the bowl-shaped section, the grounded shield extending laterally outward to a side wall of the chuck assembly, the grounded shield defining a barrier between the bowl-shaped section and the tubular section of the hollow RF feed.

8. The chuck assembly of claim 7, wherein the hollow RF feed contains the facility wires in a bundled configuration in the tubular section and in an expanded configuration in the bowl-shaped section.

9. The chuck assembly of claim 7, further comprising a conducting component coupled to the facility plate and defined within an interior of the bowl-shaped section of the hollow RF feed.

10. The chuck assembly of claim 9, wherein the conducting component is one of a heating device, an electrostatic clamping device, a coolant fitting, or a pin lifter.

11. The chuck assembly of claim 7, wherein the tubular section extends laterally away from the chuck assembly.

12. The chuck assembly of claim 7, wherein an insulating tube is defined within the interior of the tubular section of the hollow RF feed.

15. The chuck assembly of claim 7, wherein the circumference has a radius greater than two-thirds of a radius of the facility plate, and the radius of the circumference being less than the radius of the facility plate.