Plasma-Tuning Rods in Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) Sources
First Claim
1. A Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) processing system for processing a substrate comprising:
- a process chamber comprising a process space having a movable substrate holder therein;
a SWA plasma source coupled to the process chamber, wherein the SWA plasma source comprises a non-circular slot antenna and a non-circular resonator plate coupled to the non-circular slot antenna;
a plurality of protection assemblies coupled to the non-circular resonator plate, each protection assembly extending a first distance into the process space;
a plurality of positioning subsystems coupled to at least one mounting structure;
a plurality of tuning assemblies extending through the non-circular slot antenna, extending through the non-circular resonator plate, and extending into the plurality of protection assemblies, wherein each tuning assembly has a tuning space therein that extends a second distance into the process space;
a plurality of plasma-tuning rods coupled to the positioning subsystems, wherein at least one plasma-tuning rod is coupled to a separate positioning subsystem and is configured within a separate tuning space, the separate positioning subsystem being configured to move each plasma-tuning rod within the separate tuning space, the plasma-tuning rods extending third distances into the process space; and
a controller coupled to the tuning assemblies and configured to control the third distances, thereby controlling plasma uniformity in the process space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a plurality of Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) plasma sources. The SWA plasma sources can comprise one or more non-circular slot antennas, each having a plurality of plasma-tuning rods extending therethrough. Some of the plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the electromagnetic (EM) energy from one or more of the non-circular slot antennas to the process space within the process chamber. The invention also provides SWA plasma sources that can comprise a plurality of resonant cavities, each having one or more plasma-tuning rods extending therefrom. Some of the plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the EM energy from one or more of the resonant cavities to the process space within the process chamber.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) processing system for processing a substrate comprising:
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a process chamber comprising a process space having a movable substrate holder therein; a SWA plasma source coupled to the process chamber, wherein the SWA plasma source comprises a non-circular slot antenna and a non-circular resonator plate coupled to the non-circular slot antenna; a plurality of protection assemblies coupled to the non-circular resonator plate, each protection assembly extending a first distance into the process space; a plurality of positioning subsystems coupled to at least one mounting structure; a plurality of tuning assemblies extending through the non-circular slot antenna, extending through the non-circular resonator plate, and extending into the plurality of protection assemblies, wherein each tuning assembly has a tuning space therein that extends a second distance into the process space; a plurality of plasma-tuning rods coupled to the positioning subsystems, wherein at least one plasma-tuning rod is coupled to a separate positioning subsystem and is configured within a separate tuning space, the separate positioning subsystem being configured to move each plasma-tuning rod within the separate tuning space, the plasma-tuning rods extending third distances into the process space; and a controller coupled to the tuning assemblies and configured to control the third distances, thereby controlling plasma uniformity in the process space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) processing system for processing a substrate comprising:
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a process chamber comprising a process space having a movable substrate holder therein; a SWA plasma source coupled to the process chamber, wherein the SWA plasma source comprises a non-circular slot antenna and a non-circular resonator plate coupled to the non-circular slot antenna; a first resonant cavity coupled to a first chamber wall, wherein a first coupling region is established at a first coupling distance from at least one wall of the first resonant cavity, and a first portion of a first plasma-tuning rod extends into the first coupling region at a first location; a first isolation assembly coupled through the first chamber wall and coupled to the first plasma-tuning rod; a first protection assembly coupled to the first isolation assembly, wherein a second portion of the first plasma-tuning rod extends into a first isolated tuning space established in the first protection assembly at the first location in the process space; a second resonant cavity coupled to a second chamber wall, wherein a second coupling region is established at a second coupling distance from at least one wall of the second resonant cavity, and the first portion of a second plasma-tuning rod extends into the second coupling region at a second location; a second isolation assembly coupled through the second chamber wall and coupled to the second plasma-tuning rod; a second protection assembly coupled to the second isolation assembly, wherein a second portion of the second plasma-tuning rod extends into a second additional isolated tuning space established in the second protection assembly at the second location in the process space; an electromagnetic (EM) source; a first matching network coupled to the EM source and the first resonant cavity, the first matching network being configured to provide first EM energy to the first resonant cavity; a second matching network coupled to the EM source and the second resonant cavity, the second matching network being configured to provide second EM energy to the second resonant cavity, wherein the EM source is configured to operate in a frequency range from 500 MHz to 5000 MHz; and
.a controller coupled to the first resonant cavity, the second resonant cavity, and the EM source, the controller being configured to control plasma uniformity in the process space. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of processing a substrate using a Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) processing system comprising:
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positioning a substrate on a movable substrate holder within a process space in a rectangular process chamber; positioning a plurality of movable plasma-tuning rods through a rectangular SWA into the rectangular process chamber coupled to the rectangular SWA; providing process gas to the rectangular process chamber; creating a uniform plasma by applying electromagnetic (EM) energies to the rectangular SWA and to the movable plasma-tuning rods using an EM source; and processing the substrate by moving the substrate through the uniform plasma. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of processing a substrate using a Surface Wave Antenna (SWA) processing system comprising:
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positioning a substrate on a movable substrate holder within a process space in a rectangular process chamber, wherein a rectangular SWA is coupled to the rectangular process chamber; positioning a plurality of movable plasma-tuning rods through a plurality of chamber walls and into the process space in the rectangular process chamber; providing process gas to the rectangular process chamber; creating a uniform plasma by applying electromagnetic (EM) energies to the rectangular SWA and to the movable plasma-tuning rods using an EM source; and processing the substrate by moving the substrate through the uniform plasma. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification