Apparatus for uniformly etching a dielectric layer

• US 20040149394A1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Pu, Bryan Y., Kim, Yunsang, Liu, Jingbao, Shan, Hongqing, Doan, Kenny L., Dahimene, Mahmoud
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/916
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32009 Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources plasma generation in general H05H1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32541 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3266 Magnetic control means

Abstract

Apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate comprising an anode having a first region protruding from a second region, wherein the second region defines a plane and the first region extends from said plane. In one embodiment, at least one solenoid is disposed near the apparatus to magnetize the plasma.

Claims

1. Apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate, comprising:

an anode comprising a first region protruding from a second region, wherein the second region defines a plane and the first region extends from said plane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region is a cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cylinder is centrally located with the second region.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second region further comprises gas distribution apertures.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dielectric ring circumscribing the first region.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the dielectric ring comprises gas distribution nozzles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region further comprises a plurality of gas distribution apertures.

8. Apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate, comprising:

a process chamber having an anode and a cathode;

a plasma source coupled to the cathode; and

a source of etchant gas,

wherein the anode comprises a first region protruding from a second region, the second region defines a plane, and the first region extends from said plane.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the process chamber further comprises at least one solenoid or magnet to magnetize the plasma in the chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plasma source comprises a source of radio-frequency power of up to 4000 W tunable in a range between 50 kHz and 13.56 MHz.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first region is a cylinder.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cylinder is centrally located with the second region.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second region further comprises apertures to distribute the etchant gas.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a dielectric ring circumscribing the first region.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dielectric ring comprises passages for the etchant gas.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first region further comprises a plurality of apertures to distribute the etchant gas.

17. The apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate, comprising:

an anode comprising a first region and a second region, where the first region is adapted to form an electric field having a magnitude that is greater than an electric field that is formed by the second region.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second region defines a plane and the first region protrudes from the plane.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the cylinder is centrally located with the second region.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second region further comprises gas distribution apertures.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a dielectric ring circumscribing the first region.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the dielectric ring comprises gas distribution nozzles.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first region further comprises a plurality of gas distribution apertures.