PLASMA SOURCE PUMPING AND GAS INJECTION BAFFLE
First Claim
1. A plasma processing system comprising:
- a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end;
a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber;
an exhaust system configured to draw a vacuum and operably coupled proximate the second end of the process chamber;
a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the substrate support and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma therethrough; and
a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench the diffusing plasma.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma processing system. The processing system comprises a process chamber having first and second ends arranged such that the first end opposes the second end. A substrate support is positioned at the first end of the process chamber and is configured to support a substrate. An exhaust system is positioned proximate the second end of the process chamber and draws a vacuum on the process chamber. Between the exhaust system and substrate support there is a plurality of super-Debye openings, and between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings is a plurality of sub-Debye openings. The super-Debye openings are configured to limit diffusion of plasma while the sub-Debye openings are configured to quench plasma.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A plasma processing system comprising:
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a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end; a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber; an exhaust system configured to draw a vacuum and operably coupled proximate the second end of the process chamber; a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the substrate support and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma therethrough; and a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench the diffusing plasma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A plasma processing system comprising:
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a process chamber; a substrate positioned within the process chamber and having a processing surface; a substrate support configured to support the substrate thereon such that the processing surface opposes the substrate support and faces a process space; an exhaust system positioned such that the process space is between the processing surface of the substrate and the exhaust system, the exhaust system configured to draw a vacuum on the process space; a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the processing surface of the substrate and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process space toward the exhaust system; and a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the exhaust system and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma diffusing from the plurality of super-Debye openings toward the exhaust system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a plasma processing system having a process chamber and configured to process a substrate, the method comprising:
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positioning the substrate on a substrate holder within the process chamber such that a processing surface of the substrate faces a process space within the process chamber, the process space configured to contain a plasma therein; injecting a process gas into the process space through a first plate for igniting the plasma, the first plate having a plurality of super-Debye openings therein, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of super-Debye openings is greater than one Debye length of the plasma; igniting the plasma from the process gas within the process space; and operating a vacuum pump to exhaust the process gas and the plasma from the process space, through the first plate having the super-Debye openings therein, through a second plate having a plurality of sub-Debye openings therein, wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of sub-Debye openings is no greater than one Debye length of the plasma, and thereafter to the vacuum pump. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A plasma processing system comprising:
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a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end; a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber; a gas supply having a gas injection port fluidically coupled with the process chamber and configured to inject a process gas into the process chamber; a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the gas injection port and the substrate support and configured to permit transmission of process gas to the process chamber and to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process chamber to the gas injection port; and a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the gas injection port and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma.
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20. A plasma processing system comprising:
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a process chamber having first and second ends, the first end opposing the second end; a substrate support configured to support a substrate thereon, the substrate support being positioned at the first end of the process chamber; a sensor operably coupled to the process chamber and configured to detect at least one process parameter within the process chamber; a plurality of super-Debye openings positioned between the sensor and the substrate support and configured to limit diffusion of a plasma from the process chamber to the sensor; and a plurality of sub-Debye openings positioned between the sensor and the plurality of super-Debye openings and configured to quench a quiescent plasma.
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Specification