Wafer Chucking System for Advanced Plasma Ion Energy Processing Systems
First Claim
1. A system for plasma-based processing, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber configured to contain a plasma;
an electrostatic chuck positioned within the plasma processing chamber and coupled to 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 of ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate;
a switch-mode power supply coupled to the electrostatic chuck and the ion-energy control portion, the switch-mode power supply including one or more switching components configured to provide a periodic voltage function, responsive to the ion energy control signal, to the electrostatic chuck, wherein the periodic voltage function has an AC waveform and a DC offset, the AC waveform being proportional to the desired ion energy distribution of the plasma at the surface of the substrate, the DC offset being proportional to a chucking potential maintaining the coupling between the substrate and the electrostatic chuck; and
an ion current compensation component coupled to the electrostatic chuck, the ion current compensation component effecting controllable width of the ion energy distribution.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber and chucking a substrate to a substrate support 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
23 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; an electrostatic chuck positioned within the plasma processing chamber and coupled to 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 of ion energy distribution at the surface of the substrate; a switch-mode power supply coupled to the electrostatic chuck and the ion-energy control portion, the switch-mode power supply including one or more switching components configured to provide a periodic voltage function, responsive to the ion energy control signal, to the electrostatic chuck, wherein the periodic voltage function has an AC waveform and a DC offset, the AC waveform being proportional to the desired ion energy distribution of the plasma at the surface of the substrate, the DC offset being proportional to a chucking potential maintaining the coupling between the substrate and the electrostatic chuck; and an ion current compensation component coupled to the electrostatic chuck, the ion current compensation component effecting controllable width of the ion energy distribution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. 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 providing a periodic voltage function, responsive to the one or more drive-control signals, to an electrostatic chuck of a plasma processing chamber, wherein the periodic voltage function has an AC waveform proportional to an ion energy density of a plasma at a surface of a substrate coupled to the electrostatic chuck, wherein the AC waveform is generated by an AC power source of the switch mode power supply, and wherein the switch mode power supply is configured to be connected in series with a DC power source for providing a DC offset to the AC waveform. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. 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, wherein the periodic voltage function has a DC offset generated by a DC power source in series with a switch mode power supply, and wherein the DC offset generates a chucking potential between the substrate and an electrostatic chuck; 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 (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. 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, having an AC waveform and a DC offset, to the substrate so as to effectuate; a desired distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis; and a desired chucking potential on a time-averaged basis. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification