Plasma reactor for the treatment of large size substrates
First Claim
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1. A capacitively coupled radiofrequency plasma reactor (1, 20) comprising:
- at least two electrically conductive electrodes (3, 5) spaced from each other, each electrode having an external surface (3a, 5a), an internal process space (13) enclosed between the electrodes (3, 5), gas providing means (7) for providing the internal process space (13) with a reactive gas, at least one radiofrequency generator (9) connected to at least one of the electrodes (3, 5), at a connection location (9a), for generating a plasma discharge in the process space (13), means (8) to evacuate the reactive gas from the reactor, at least one substrate (15) defining one limit of the internal process space, to be exposed to the processing action of the plasma discharge, said at least one substrate (15) extending along a general surface (15a) and being arranged between the electrodes (3, 5), characterized in that said plasma reactor (1, 20) further comprises at least one dielectric layer (11) extending outside the internal process space, as a capacitor electrically in series with said substrate (15) and the plasma, said dielectric layer (11) having capacitance per unit surface values which are not uniform along at least one direction of said general surface (15a), for generating a given distribution profile, especially for compensating a process non uniformity in the reactor.
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Abstract
A radiofrequency plasma reactor (1) for the treatment of substantially large sized substrates is disclosed, comprising between the electrodes (3, 5) of the plasma reactor a solid or gaseous dielectric layer (11) having a non planar-shaped surface-profile, said profile being defined for compensating a process non uniformity in the reactor or generating a given distribution profile.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A capacitively coupled radiofrequency plasma reactor (1, 20) comprising:
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at least two electrically conductive electrodes (3, 5) spaced from each other, each electrode having an external surface (3a, 5a), an internal process space (13) enclosed between the electrodes (3, 5), gas providing means (7) for providing the internal process space (13) with a reactive gas, at least one radiofrequency generator (9) connected to at least one of the electrodes (3, 5), at a connection location (9a), for generating a plasma discharge in the process space (13), means (8) to evacuate the reactive gas from the reactor, at least one substrate (15) defining one limit of the internal process space, to be exposed to the processing action of the plasma discharge, said at least one substrate (15) extending along a general surface (15a) and being arranged between the electrodes (3, 5), characterized in that said plasma reactor (1, 20) further comprises at least one dielectric layer (11) extending outside the internal process space, as a capacitor electrically in series with said substrate (15) and the plasma, said dielectric layer (11) having capacitance per unit surface values which are not uniform along at least one direction of said general surface (15a), for generating a given distribution profile, especially for compensating a process non uniformity in the reactor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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2. A capacitively coupled radiofrequency plasma reactor comprising:
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at least two electrically conductive electrodes (3, 45) spaced from each other, each electrode having an external surface (3a, 5a), an internal process space (13) enclosed between the electrodes (3, 5), gas providing means (7) for providing the internal process space with a reactive gas, a radiofrequency generator (9, 91) for geneating a plasma discharge in the process space (13), said generator connected to at least one of the electrodes (3, 45) at a connection location, preferably centrally arranged on said electrodes, an additional radiofrequency generator (93) connected to at least one of the electrodes (3, 45), for increasing the ion bombardment on said substrate, means (8) to evacuate the reactive gas from the reactor, the at least one substrate (35) defining one limit of the internal process space to be exposed to the processing action of the plasma discharge, said at least one substrate extending along a general surface and being arranged between the electrodes, characterized in that said plasma reactor (1, 20) further comprises at least one dielectric layer (95) extending outside the internal process space, as a capacitor electrically in series with said substrate (35) and the plasma, said dielectric layer (11) having capacitance per unit surface values which are not uniform along at least one direction of said general surface (15a), for generating a given distribution profile, especially for compensating a process non uniformity in the reactor.
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13. A process for treating at least one substrate (15, 35′
- , 65) in a radiofrequency plasma reactor (1, 20), comprising the steps of ;
locating the at least one substrate (15, 65) between two electrodes (3, 5), the at least one substrate extending along a general surface (15a), having a circulation of a reactive gas within the reactor, so that such a gas is present in an internal process space (13) arranged between the electrodes, having a radiofrequency generator (9) connected to at least one of the electrodes (3, 5), at a connection location (9a), having a plasma discharge in at least a zone of the internal process space (13) in such a way that said substrate is exposed to the processing action of the plasma discharge, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of creating an extra-capacitor electrically in series with said substrate and the plasma, said extra-capacitor having a profile, and defining the profile of the extra-capacitor in such a way that it has location dependent capacitance per unit surface values along at least one direction of the general surface of the substrate, for generating a given distribution profile, especially for compensating a process non uniformity in the reactor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
- , 65) in a radiofrequency plasma reactor (1, 20), comprising the steps of ;
Specification