Methods and arrangement for implementing highly efficient plasma traps

• US 20070144441A1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Kamarehi, Mohammad, Wang, Ing-Yann
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.ME
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32211 Means for coupling power to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32357 Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An arrangement configured to contain plasma within plasma tube assembly of downstream microwave plasma system. Downstream microwave plasma system is configured to generate plasma within plasma-sustaining region of plasma tube assembly and channeling at least portion of plasma downstream to plasma processing chamber of downstream microwave plasma system. Arrangement includes a first hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines plasma passage of plasma tube assembly. Arrangement also includes a second hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding the cylindrical structure. Second hollow center electrically conductive disk is configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to first hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between first hollow center electrically conductive disc and second hollow center electrically conductive disc.

Claims

1. An arrangement configured to contain plasma within a plasma tube assembly of a downstream microwave plasma system, said downstream microwave plasma system being configured to generate plasma within a plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly and channeling at least a portion of said plasma downstream to a plasma processing chamber of said downstream microwave plasma system, comprising:

a first hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines a plasma passage of said plasma tube assembly;

a second hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said first hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said first hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc; and

a third hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said second hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said third hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc, whereby said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk, said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form one of an upstream plasma trap and a downstream plasma trap relative to said plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk and said third hollow center electrically conductive disk are formed of aluminum.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a first corrugated surface facing one of an upstream direction and a downstream direction.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said second hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a second corrugated surface facing said first corrugated surface.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein corrugated peaks in said first corrugated surface are offset relative to corrugated peaks in said second corrugated surface.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

7. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical structure includes an inner cylindrical wall and an outer cylindrical wall, a space between said inner cylindrical wall and said outer cylindrical wall being employed to circulate a heat-exchange fluid to facilitate heat transfer from said cylindrical structure to said heat-exchange fluid.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, and said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said upstream plasma trap that is disposed upstream of a microwave waveguide, said arrangement further including:

a fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding said cylindrical structure;

a fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disc; and

a sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, whereby said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said downstream plasma trap that is disposed downstream relative to said microwave waveguide.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

12. A method for containing plasma within a plasma tube assembly of a downstream microwave plasma system, said downstream microwave plasma system being configured to generate plasma within a plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly and channeling at least a portion of said plasma downstream to a plasma processing chamber of said downstream microwave plasma system, comprising:

providing a first hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines a plasma passage of said plasma tube assembly;

securing a second hollow center electrically conductive disk in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said first hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said first hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure; and

securing a third hollow center electrically conductive disk in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said second hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said third hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, whereby said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk, said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form one of an upstream plasma trap and a downstream plasma trap relative to said plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk and said third hollow center electrically conductive disk are formed of aluminum.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a first corrugated surface facing one of an upstream direction and a downstream direction.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said second hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a second corrugated surface facing said first corrugated surface.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein corrugated peaks in said first corrugated surface are offset relative to corrugated peaks in said second corrugated surface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein said cylindrical structure includes an inner cylindrical wall and an outer cylindrical wall, a space between said inner cylindrical wall and said outer cylindrical wall being employed to circulate a heat-exchange fluid to facilitate heat transfer from said cylindrical structure to said heat-exchange fluid.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, and said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said upstream plasma trap that is disposed upstream of a microwave waveguide, said arrangement further including:

providing a fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding said cylindrical structure;

securing in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disc, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure; and

securing a sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, whereby said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said downstream plasma trap that is disposed downstream relative to said microwave waveguide.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

23. An arrangement configured to contain plasma within a plasma tube assembly of a downstream microwave plasma system, said downstream microwave plasma system being configured to generate plasma within a plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly and channeling at least a portion of said plasma downstream to a plasma processing chamber of said downstream microwave plasma system, said plasma being generated using microwave energy provided by a microwave that is mounted transversely relative to said plasma tube, comprising:

an upstream plasma trap that is disposed upstream relative to said microwave waveguide, said upstream plasma trap including;

a first hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines a plasma passage of said plasma tube assembly,

a second hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said first hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said first hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc, and

a third hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said second hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said third hollow center electrically conductive disc and said second hollow center electrically conductive disc, whereby said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk, said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form one of an upstream plasma trap and a downstream plasma trap relative to said plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly; and

a downstream plasma trap that is disposed downstream relative to said microwave waveguide, said downstream plasma trap including;

a fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding said cylindrical structure,

a fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disc,

a sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk.

24. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk and said third hollow center electrically conductive disk are formed of aluminum.

25. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a first corrugated surface facing one of an upstream direction and a downstream direction.

26. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said second hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a second corrugated surface facing said first corrugated surface.

27. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein corrugated peaks in said first corrugated surface are offset relative to corrugated peaks in said second corrugated surface.

28. The arrangement of claim 27 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

29. The arrangement of claim 27 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

30. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said cylindrical structure includes an inner cylindrical wall and an outer cylindrical wall, a space between said inner cylindrical wall and said outer cylindrical wall being employed to circulate a heat-exchange fluid to facilitate heat transfer from said cylindrical structure to said heat-exchange fluid.

31. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

32. The arrangement of claim 23 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

33. An arrangement configured to contain plasma within a plasma tube assembly of a downstream microwave plasma system, said downstream microwave plasma system being configured to generate plasma within a plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly and channeling at least a portion of said plasma downstream to a plasma processing chamber of said downstream microwave plasma system, comprising:

a first solid center electrically conductive disk surrounding a cylindrical structure that defines a plasma passage of said plasma tube assembly;

a second solid center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said second solid center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said first solid center electrically conductive disk so as to form a first solid center disk-shape interstitial region between said first solid center electrically conductive disc and said second solid center electrically conductive disc; and

a third solid center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said third solid center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said second solid center electrically conductive disk so as to form a second solid center disk-shape interstitial region between said third solid center electrically conductive disc and said second solid center electrically conductive disc, whereby said first solid center electrically conductive disk, said second solid center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center electrically conductive disk, said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form one of an upstream plasma trap and a downstream plasma trap relative to said plasma-sustaining region of said plasma tube assembly.

34. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk and said third hollow center electrically conductive disk are formed of aluminum.

35. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a first corrugated surface facing one of an upstream direction and a downstream direction.

36. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said second hollow center electrically conductive disk has at least a second corrugated surface facing said first corrugated surface.

37. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein corrugated peaks in said first corrugated surface are offset relative to corrugated peaks in said second corrugated surface.

38. The arrangement of claim 37 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

39. The arrangement of claim 37 wherein said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said second hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.

40. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said cylindrical structure includes an inner cylindrical wall and an outer cylindrical wall, a space between said inner cylindrical wall and said outer cylindrical wall being employed to circulate a heat-exchange fluid to facilitate heat transfer from said cylindrical structure to said heat-exchange fluid.

41. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said first hollow center electrically conductive disk, said second hollow center electrically conductive disk, and said first hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said upstream plasma trap that is disposed upstream of a microwave waveguide, said arrangement further including:

a fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk surrounding said cylindrical structure;

a fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disc; and

a sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk also surrounding said cylindrical structure, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk configured to be disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk so as to form a fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region between said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disc and said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, whereby said fourth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said fifth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said sixth hollow center electrically conductive disk, said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region, and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form said downstream plasma trap that is disposed downstream relative to said microwave waveguide.

42. The arrangement of claim 41 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region form air gaps.

43. The arrangement of claim 41 wherein said third hollow center disk-shape interstitial region and said fourth hollow center disk-shape interstitial region are formed of a solid material other than air.