MICROWAVE PLASMA DEVICE

• US 20140377966A1
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Funk, Merritt, Zhao, Jianping, Chen, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,941,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3222 Antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32266 Means for controlling power transmitted to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/268 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser radiation

Abstract

A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may be conditioned prior to entering the interior cavity to improve uniformity or stability of the electric field. The conditioning may include, but is not limited to, phase angle, field angle, and number of feeds into the interior cavity.

Claims

1. A plasma processing system, comprising:

a power transmission element comprising;

an interior cavity to propagate electromagnetic waves; and

a continuous slit along one side of the power transmission element, the slit forming an opening between the interior cavity and an exterior surface of the power transmission element;

a first power feed opening of the interior cavity to receive the electromagnetic waves;

a first power distribution element disposed within the interior cavity and opposite the power feed opening, the power distribution element comprising a geometry that splits the electromagnetic waves along opposing directions within the interior cavity;

a microwave power source that can provide the electromagnetic waves to the power transmission element;

a dielectric component arranged to cover at least a portion of the slit and to transmit at least a portion of energy from the electromagnetic waves through the opening; and

a plasma processing region adjacent to the power transmission element that can support a semiconductor substrate.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a splitter disposed between the microwave power source and the first power feed opening, the splitter to divide the electromagnetic waves between the first power feed opening and a second power feed opening of the interior cavity, and

wherein the interior cavity comprises a second power distribution element opposite the second power feed opening.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a phase shifter component disposed between the splitter and the first power feed opening or the second feed opening, the phase shifter can shift a phase angle of the electromagnetic waves such that the phase angles of the electromagnetic waves through the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different or equal.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

one or more field rotation components disposed between the microwave power source and the interior cavity, the field rotation components can rotate a field of the electromagnetic waves.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more field rotation components disposed between the microwave power source and the interior cavity, the field rotation components can rotate a field of the electromagnetic waves.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a field rotation component disposed between the microwave power source and the interior cavity, the field rotation component can rotate a field of the electromagnetic waves.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a microwave plasma source disposed opposite the plasma processing region or adjacent to the power transmission element, the microwave source comprising a second power feed opening that is in electrical communication with the microwave power source; and

a splitter disposed in electrical communication with the microwave power source, the power transmission element, and the microwave plasma source, the splitter to divide the electromagnetic waves between the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the microwave plasma source comprises a second power transmission element comprising a second power distribution element comprising a geometry that splits the electromagnetic waves along opposing directions within the second power transmission element.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a phase shifter component disposed between the splitter and the first power feed opening or the second feed opening, the phase shifter can shift a phase angle of the electromagnetic waves such that the phase angles of the electromagnetic waves through the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different or equal.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

one or more field rotation components disposed between the microwave power source and the power transmission element or the microwave plasma source, the field rotation components can rotate the field of the electromagnetic waves.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

one or more field rotation components disposed between the microwave power source and the power transmission element or the microwave plasma source, the field rotation components can rotate a field of the electromagnetic waves.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a semiconductor substrate on a substrate holder in a plasma processing chamber comprising a plasma processing region;

providing electromagnetic waves from a microwave power source;

receiving the electromagnetic waves at a power transmission element adjacent to the plasma processing region, the power transmission element comprising;

an interior cavity to propagate electromagnetic waves; and

a continuous slit along one side of the power transmission element, the slit forming an opening between the interior cavity and an exterior surface of the power transmission element;

a first power feed opening of the interior cavity to receive the electromagnetic waves;

splitting the electromagnetic waves in opposing directions within the power transmission element by using a first power distribution element disposed within the interior cavity and opposite the power feed opening, the power distribution element comprising a geometry that splits the electromagnetic waves along opposing directions within the interior cavity;

emitting energy from the continuous slit of the power transmission element towards the plasma processing region; and

generating plasma in the plasma processing chamber using the emitted energy and process gas disposed within the plasma processing region.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

splitting the electromagnetic waves between the microwave power source and the first power feed opening using a splitter, the splitter to divide the electromagnetic waves between the first power feed opening and a second power feed opening of the interior cavity, and wherein the interior cavity comprises a second power distribution element opposite the second power feed opening.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

shifting a phase angle of the electromagnetic waves prior to reaching the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that the phase angles of the electromagnetic waves through the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that a field angle of the electromagnetic waves at the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that a field angle of the electromagnetic waves at the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

splitting the electromagnetic waves between the microwave power source and the first power feed opening using a splitter, the splitter to divide the electromagnetic waves between the power transmission element and a microwave source opposite the plasma processing region or adjacent to the power transmission element, the microwave plasma source comprising a second power feed opening to receive the electromagnetic waves.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

shifting a phase angle of the electromagnetic waves prior to reaching the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that the phase angles of the electromagnetic waves through the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that a field angle of the electromagnetic waves at the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening or the second power feed opening, such that a field angle of the electromagnetic waves at the first power feed opening and the second power feed opening are different.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

rotating a field of the electromagnetic waves prior to being received at the first power feed opening.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic waves comprise a continuous wave.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein providing of the electromagnetic waves from a microwave power source comprises:

generating a continuous wave comprising a first peak power and a first frequency; and

generating a pulsed wave from the continuous wave by pulsing the continuous wave on and off at a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency, the pulsed wave comprising a second peak power level that is less than the first peak power.