Inductively coupled plasma generation system with a parallel antenna array having evenly distributed power input and ground nodes and improved field distribution

• US 20060124059A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TOP Engineering Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: TOP Engineering Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Kim, Harqkyun, Ra, Yunju
• Granted Patent: US 7,871,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.I
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma

Abstract

An antenna adapted to apply uniform electromagnetic fields to a volume of gas and including radiating elements connected in parallel with evenly distributed input terminals for receiving electromagnetic energy into the antenna and output terminals for grounding. In the illustrative embodiment, the antenna has three radiating elements connected in parallel. Each radiating element is a conductor wound in a circular shape with the same diameter. Each radiating element is connected to the input terminal on one end and an output terminal on the other. The input terminal of the second element is 120° rotated counterclockwise from the first and the input terminal of the third is rotated by 120° counterclockwise from the second. The ground terminals of each radiating elements are located in the same manner as the input terminals. Each element is feed by a feeder coil. While the antenna elements are disposed around a chamber, the feeder coils are disposed above the chamber to improved the distribution of electromagnetic energy within the chamber.

Claims

1. An antenna for use with a plasma source for an inductively-coupled plasma reactor, said antenna comprising:

first, second and third inductive coils, each of said coils having a one-half turn upper section and a single turn or less lower section and being disposed relative to each other to effect and even distribution of energy from a source,

wherein input and output nodes of the second coil are offset in a first direction by 120 degrees relative to said first coil and input and output nodes of said third coil are offset by 120 degrees relative to said second coil.

2. A plasma source for use with an inductively-coupled plasma reactor, said plasma source comprising:

a dielectric tube and

plural inductive coils disposed over and around said tube and connected to a power source.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein each of said coils has a single turn or less around said tube and at least one-half turn over said tube.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said coils is disposed relative to each other to effect an even distribution of energy from said source.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the input and output nodes of the second coil are offset in a first direction by 120 degrees relative to said first coil and the input and output nodes of said third coil are offset by 120 degrees relative to said second coil.

6. The invention of claim 2 wherein said source is a source of radio frequency (RF) energy.

7. The invention of claim 2 further including a matching network connected between said power source and said antenna coils.

8. The invention of claim 2 wherein the matching network includes two series capacitors and one parallel capacitor connected to ground.

9. An inductively-coupled plasma reactor comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a dielectric tube disposed on said chamber;

a power source; and

plural inductive antenna coils disposed at least partially over and around said chamber and connected to said power source.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein each of said coils has a single turn or less around said chamber and at least one-half turn over said chamber.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein each of said coils is disposed relative to each other to effect and even distribution of energy from said source.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein the input and output nodes of a second coil are offset in a first direction by 120 degrees relative to said a coil and the input and output nodes of a third coil are offset by 120 degrees relative to said second coil.

13. The invention of claim 9 wherein said source is a source of radio frequency (RF) energy.

14. The invention of claim 9 further including a matching network connected between said power source and said antenna coils.

15. The invention of claim 9 wherein the matching network includes two series capacitors and one parallel capacitor connected to ground.

16. The invention of claim 9 further including an electrically isolated chuck.

17. The invention of claim 16 further including a bias RF power supply connected to said chuck.

18. The invention of claim 16 further including a DC power supply connected to said chuck.

19. An inductively-coupled plasma reactor comprising:

reactor chamber adapted to retain a plasma;

an RF power source;

a dielectric tube disposed on said reactor chamber; and

plural inductive antenna coils connected in parallel between said power source and ground and disposed over and at least partially around said chamber, each of said coils having a single turn or less around said chamber and at least one-half turn over said chamber and being disposed relative to each other to effect and even distribution of energy from said source.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein the input and output nodes of the second coil are offset in a first direction by 120 degrees relative to said first coil and the input and output nodes of said third coil are offset by 120 degrees relative to said second coil.

21. The invention of claim 19 further including a matching network connected between said power source and said antenna coils.

22. The invention of claim 21 wherein the matching network includes two series capacitors and one parallel capacitor connected to ground.

23. The invention of claim 19 further including an electrically isolated chuck.

24. The invention of claim 19 wherein said RF power supply is connected to said chuck.

25. The invention of claim 19 further including a DC power supply connected to said chuck.

26. The invention of claim 19 wherein the reactor chamber has a dielectric tube window at the top plasma generation section and aluminum wall at the processing section.

27. The invention of claim 19 wherein the tube-type dielectric window is placed between antenna and plasma generation section.

28. A novel method for plasma processing a device including the steps of:

mounting the device within a chamber and

applying an electromagnetic field to the gas via an array of antenna elements disposed relative to the gas to generate a uniform distribution of the plasma.