Plasma processing apparatus and method

• US 20080317965A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sung, Doug Yong, Lim, Kyung Chun, Kwon, Tae Yong, Son, Gil Su
• Application Number:
  US12/081,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317965A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/446
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• 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 37/32027 DC powered
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes

Abstract

The plasma processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate using plasma and a method thereof can maintain a steady state simultaneously while maximizing a plasma electron density. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber which generates plasma to process a semiconductor substrate; upper and lower electrodes arranged in the chamber; a DC power-supply unit which applies a DC voltage to either one of the upper and lower electrodes; and a controller which adjusts a power ratio of the DC voltage applied from the DC power-supply unit to either one of the upper and lower electrodes. As a result, the apparatus certainly confines electrons, so that the electrodes are not emitted from the plasma, resulting in a maximized plasma electron density.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber which generates plasma to process a semiconductor substrate;

upper and lower electrodes arranged in the chamber;

a DC power-supply unit which applies a DC voltage to either one of the upper and lower electrodes; and

a controller which adjusts a power ratio of the DC voltage applied from the DC power-supply unit to either one of the upper and lower electrodes.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a RF power-supply unit for applying different RF powers to the upper and lower electrodes,

wherein the RF power-supply unit includes a first RF power-supply unit for providing a source RF power, and a second RF power-supply unit for providing a bias RF power less than the source RF power.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein either one of the upper and lower electrodes is an electrode receiving the source RF power.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller controls a duty ratio of the DC voltage applied to the electrode receiving the source RF power, so that it adjusts the power ratio of the DC voltage according to a pulse format.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the DC voltage has a potential of −

500V˜

−

3000V.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the duty ratio of the DC voltage is 1%˜

99%.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the DC voltage has a pulse frequency of 10 Hz˜

1000 KHz.

8. A plasma processing method comprising:

providing RF powers having different frequencies to upper and lower electrodes arranged in a chamber which processes a semiconductor substrate by generating plasma;

providing a DC voltage to either one of the upper and lower electrodes; and

adjusting a power ratio of the DC voltage provided from the DC power-supply unit to either one of the upper and lower electrodes, and performing a plasma processing.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the providing of the RF powers having different frequencies to the upper and lower electrodes includes:

providing a source RF power to either one of the upper and lower electrodes; and

providing a bias RF power less than the source RF power to the other one of the upper and lower electrodes.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the providing of the DC voltage to either one of the upper and lower electrodes includes providing the DC voltage to the electrode receiving the source RF power.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the adjusting of the power ratio of the DC voltage applied to either one of the upper and lower electrodes includes controlling a duty ratio of the DC voltage applied to the electrode receiving the source RF power, thereby adjusting the power ratio of the DC voltage according to a pulse format.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the DC voltage has a potential of −

500V˜

−

3000V.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the duty ratio of the DC voltage is 1%˜

99%.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the DC voltage has a pulse frequency of 10 Hz˜

1000 KHz.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the source RF power is about 100 MHz.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the bias RF power is about 13.56 MHz.