Plasma density controller for semiconductor device processing equipment
First Claim
1. A plasma density controller for semiconductor device processing equipment for controlling the amount of plasma activation for a process gas as a result of absorbing gas discharge energy from a gas discharge energy source, comprising:
- a jacket interposed between the gas discharge energy source and the process gas, said jacket adapted for the presence of a control fluid having the ability to variably control the amount of plasma-generating energy that the process gas receives; and
controls for variably adjusting said control fluid physical parameters to influence the amount of energy the process gas absorbs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor fabrication plasma property controller (100) for controlling physical properties of a fabrication process plasma medium (144) under the influence of electromagnetic gas discharge energy from a power source (38) comprises a control volume (130) disposed between the process plasma (144) and the electromagnetic gas discharge energy source (38). A control gas (128) flowing within the control volume prohibits a predetermined portion of the emitted electromagnetic energy from influencing the fabrication process plasma (144). The flow rate and/or pressure of the control gas (128) within control volume 130 is used to adjust the fraction of electromagnetic energy absorbed within process plasma (144) and to prohibit influence of a controlled fraction of the plasma-generating electromagnetic energy on the process gas, plasma stream (144). The control volume (130) absorbs the excess electromagnetic energy emitted by the power source (38).
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A plasma density controller for semiconductor device processing equipment for controlling the amount of plasma activation for a process gas as a result of absorbing gas discharge energy from a gas discharge energy source, comprising:
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a jacket interposed between the gas discharge energy source and the process gas, said jacket adapted for the presence of a control fluid having the ability to variably control the amount of plasma-generating energy that the process gas receives; and controls for variably adjusting said control fluid physical parameters to influence the amount of energy the process gas absorbs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling the amount of plasma density that a process gas generates as a result of absorbing energy from an energy source, comprising the steps of:
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interposing a variably controllable fluid between the energy source and the process gas; and variably controlling said control fluid to influence the amount of energy the process gas medium absorbs. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A semiconductor fabrication plasma density controller for controlling the process density of a fabrication process plasma under the influence of plasma-generating energy in a process gas flow line, comprising:
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a jacket surrounding the process gas flow line; a control gas flowing within said jacket for producing a control plasma, said control plasma associated to prevent a predetermined aspect of the plasma-generating energy from entering the process flow line; and a plurality of controls associated with said jacket for variably controlling the extent to which said control plasma prevents the plasma-generating energy from influencing the process plasma. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for remotely controlling semiconductor fabrication plasma density of a fabrication process plasma under the influence of plasma-generating energy in a flow line, comprising the steps of:
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disposing a jacket around the flow line; flowing a control fluid within said jacket to produce a control plasma from said control fluid; associating said control plasma with the plasma-generating energy to prevent a predetermined aspect of the plasma-generating energy from entering the flow line; and associating a plurality of controls with said control plasma to thereby variably control the amount of plasma-generating energy entering the process plasma flow line. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A system for remotely controlling semiconductor fabrication process plasma density, comprising:
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a semiconductor device fabrication reactor for fabricating a plurality of semiconductor wafers; an energy source for emitting plasma-generating gas discharge energy; a fabrication process gas for producing a fabrication process plasma by absorbing said plasma-generating energy; and a semiconductor fabrication plasma density controller for controlling the density of said process plasma, said controller comprising; a control fluid jacket disposed around said fabrication process gas and having a control gas gap; a control fluid within said control fluid gap associated to absorb a portion of said plasma-generating energy and prevent a portion of said plasma-generating energy from producing said process plasma; and a plurality of controls for variably controlling properties associated with said control fluid to control the amount of plasma-generating energy said control fluid prevents from being absorbed by said process plasma. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification