SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ION ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
First Claim
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1. A system for plasma-based processing, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber configured to contain a plasma;
a substrate support positioned within the plasma processing chamber and disposed to support a substrate,an ion-energy control portion, the ion-energy control portion provides at least one ion-energy control signal responsive to at least one ion-energy distribution setting that is indicative of a desired distribution ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate;
a switch-mode power supply coupled to the substrate support and the ion-energy control portion, the switch-mode power supply including one or more switching components configured to apply power to the substrate responsive to the ion-energy control signal so as to effectuate the desired ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate; and
an ion current compensation component coupled to the substrate support, the ion current compensation component effecting controllable width of the ion energy distribution.
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Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber are disclosed. An exemplary method includes placing a substrate in a plasma chamber, forming a plasma in the plasma chamber, controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function to the substrate, and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a desired distribution of energies of ions at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the desired distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for plasma-based processing, comprising:
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a plasma processing chamber configured to contain a plasma; a substrate support positioned within the plasma processing chamber and disposed to support a substrate, an ion-energy control portion, the ion-energy control portion provides at least one ion-energy control signal responsive to at least one ion-energy distribution setting that is indicative of a desired distribution ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate; a switch-mode power supply coupled to the substrate support and the ion-energy control portion, the switch-mode power supply including one or more switching components configured to apply power to the substrate responsive to the ion-energy control signal so as to effectuate the desired ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate; and an ion current compensation component coupled to the substrate support, the ion current compensation component effecting controllable width of the ion energy distribution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for plasma-based processing, comprising:
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a controller configured to provide one or more drive-control signals; a switch-mode power supply an output disposed to couple to a substrate support, the switch-mode power supply including one or more switching components configured to apply a periodic voltage function to the output responsive to the one or more drive signals; and an ion-energy control portion, the ion-energy control portion modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, at least one parameter of the periodic voltage function responsive to at least one ion-energy distribution setting that is indicative of a desired ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for plasma-based processing, comprising:
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placing a substrate in a plasma chamber; forming a plasma in the plasma chamber; controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function to the substrate; and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a desired ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the desired ion energy distribution on a time-averaged basis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for plasma-based processing, comprising:
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placing a substrate in a plasma chamber; forming a plasma in the plasma chamber; receiving at least one ion-energy distribution setting that is indicative of one or more ion energies at a surface of the substrate; and controllably switching power to the substrate so as to effectuate a desired distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis; and compensating for ion current in the plasma so as to effect a desired width of the desired ion energy distribution. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification