Pulsed plasma processing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for performing a plasma-assisted treatment on a substrate in a reactor chamber, comprising:
- introducing at least one process gas into the reactor chamber;
creating a plasma within the reactor chamber by establishing an RF electromagnetic field within the chamber and allowing the field to interact with the process gas; and
causing the electromagnetic field to have an energy level which varies cyclically between at least two values each sufficient to maintain the plasma, such that each energy level value is associated with performance of a respectively different treatment process on the substrate.
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Abstract
In a method for performing a plasma-assisted treatment on a substrate in a reactor chamber by: introducing at least one process gas into the reactor chamber; and creating a plasma within the reactor chamber by establishing an RF electromagnetic field within the chamber and allowing the field to interact with the process gas, the electromagnetic field is controlled to have an energy level which varies cyclically between at least two values each sufficient to maintain the plasma, such that each energy level value is associated with performance of a respectively different treatment process on the substrate.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for performing a plasma-assisted treatment on a substrate in a reactor chamber, comprising:
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introducing at least one process gas into the reactor chamber;
creating a plasma within the reactor chamber by establishing an RF electromagnetic field within the chamber and allowing the field to interact with the process gas; and
causing the electromagnetic field to have an energy level which varies cyclically between at least two values each sufficient to maintain the plasma, such that each energy level value is associated with performance of a respectively different treatment process on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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19. A reactor for performing a plasma-assisted treatment on a substrate, said reactor comprising:
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a chamber enclosing a plasma region;
a gas injection assembly immediately proximate the plasma region for delivering a supply of a process gas into the plasma region;
means for creating an RF electromagnetic field in the plasma region, which field interacts with the process gas to create a plasma;
a support member for supporting a substrate in the chamber in communication with the plasma region; and
a vacuum pump communicating with the plasma region for withdrawing process gas at a rate to maintain a selected vacuum pressure in the plasma region, wherein said gas injection assembly comprises;
a gas injection plate provided with a plurality of gas injection nozzles; and
a plurality of gas injection valves, each connected for supplying gas to at least one respective one of said nozzles; and
valve control means coupled to said valves for causing process gas to be supplied to each of said nozzles in an intermittent manner.
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Specification