Plasma uniformity control for an inductive plasma source

• US 5,897,712 A
• Filed: 07/16/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Loewenhardt, Peter K, Hanawa, Hiroji, Yin, Gerald Zheyao, Driscoll, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, THI D
• Application Number:
  US08/683,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723 I, 118/723 IR, 427/569, 156/345, 204/298.08, 204/298.34, 315/111.21, 315/111.41-111.51, 315/111.61, 216/68
• US Class Current: 216/68
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma

Abstract

The present invention reduces those portions of the RF induction field over areas of the wafer experiencing higher etch or deposition rates than those experienced elsewhere on the wafer. Such a controlled reduction of those portions of the RF induction field whose attenuation results in reducing non-uniformity in the etch or deposition rate distribution is obtained by incorporating a plasma uniformity control apparatus into the inductively coupled plasma reactor. The incorporated plasma uniformity control apparatus for controlling the RF induction field produced by the antenna includes one or more conductive bodies which are disposed adjacent to one or more of the radiating elements of the antenna.

Claims

1. A method for controlling spatial distribution of ion current flux across a surface of a workpiece undergoing processing in an inductively coupled plasma reactor comprising a reactor enclosure defining a processing chamber, a radio frequency (RF) antenna disposed around and near a portion of the chamber, and a RF power source connected to the antenna for producing an RF induction field within the chamber which in turn determines the ion current flux on the surface of the workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:

disposing at least one conductive body adjacent to at least one portion of the antenna; and

separating the conductive body from the antenna portion by a prescribed separation distance, said separating step causing an attenuation of a component of the RF induction field produced by said antenna portion to a degree depending on the magnitude of the separation distance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said process comprises a plasma etch or deposition process characterized by an etch deposition rate distribution across the surface of the workpiece;

the separating step comprises choosing the prescribed separation distance between said conductive body and said portion of said antenna so as to create an attenuation of corresponding portions of the RF induction field to an extent which improves uniformity of at least one of (a) etch or deposition rate distribution across the surface of the wafer, (b) ion current flux density distribution across the surface of the wafer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said antenna comprises plural radiating elements and the disposing step comprises disposing a separate conductive body adjacent each one of the radiating elements of the antenna.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a group comprising at least one radiating element of the antenna creates a component of the RF induction field which when unattenuated result in a higher etch or deposition rate distribution a first portion of the wafer than over the remainder of the wafer, and wherein:

the disposing step comprises disposing a single conductive body adjacent to each radiating element of said group; and

the separating step comprises separating the single conductive body from each radiating element adjacent thereto by a separation distance sufficient to attenuate said component of the RF induction field to a degree necessary to lower the etch or deposition rate or ion current flux over the first portion of the wafer.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein more than one group comprising at least one radiating element of the antenna create respective components of the RF induction field which when unattenuated result in a higher etch or deposition rate or ion current flux over some portions of the wafer in comparison to the remainder of the wafer, and wherein:

the disposing step comprises disposing a separate conductive body adjacent each group; and

the separating step comprises separating each conductive body from each radiating element of each group adjacent thereto by a separation distance sufficient to attenuate said respective components of the RF induction field to a degree necessary to lower the etch or deposition rate or ion current flux over said portions of the wafer exhibiting the higher etch or deposition rate or ion current flux.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of increasing the power output by RF source to compensate for any lowering of an overall average ion current flux level across the surface of the wafer caused by the attenuation of any component of the RF induction field.

7. An inductively coupled plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer disposed therein, the reactor comprising:

a reactor enclosure defining a processing chamber;

a radio frequency (RF) antenna disposed around or near a portion of the chamber;

an RF power source connected to the antenna; and

a plasma uniformity control apparatus for controlling an RF induction field produced by the antenna within the chamber, the control apparatus comprising;

(a) at least one conductive body disposed adjacent to at least one portion of the antenna,

(b) placement apparatus for placing said conductive body at a position defining a prescribed separation distance between the body and said one portion of the antenna, wherein the separation distance determines a degree of attenuation the body causes in the RF induction field within the chamber.

8. The reactor of claim 7 further comprising plural separate conductive bodies adjacent respective portions of the antenna.

9. The reactor of claim 8 wherein:

said respective portions of said antenna comprise respective radiating elements of said antenna;

a group of said radiating elements creates a component of the RF induction field which results in one of;

(a) a higher ion current flux level over a first portion of the wafer than over the remainder of the wafer, (b) a higher etch or deposition rate over a first portion of the wafer than over the remainder of the wafer; and

said respective conductive bodies are disposed adjacent to respective radiating elements of said group.

10. The reactor of claim 8 wherein:

said respective portions of said antenna comprise respective radiating elements of said antenna;

plural groups of said radiating elements create components of the RF induction field which result in areas of higher ion current flux or etch or deposition rate over some portions of the wafer in comparison to the remainder of the wafer; and

said respective conductive bodies are disposed adjacent respective ones of said groups of radiating elements.

11. The reactor of claim 7 wherein said conductive body comprises a surface facing said portion of said antenna, and wherein said placement apparatus is capable of moving said conductive body so as to place the surface of the body facing said portion of said antenna as close to the antenna as possible without touching it, thereby causing a maximum degree of attenuation in the RF induction field produced by a portion of the antenna adjacent the body, and moving said conductive body so as to place the body at a separation distance where the conducting body has a negligible attenuating effect on the RF induction field produced by said antenna.

12. The reactor of claim 11 wherein said placement apparatus is capable of placing each conductive body anywhere in between the position whereat the surface of the body facing the antenna portion is as close to the antenna as possible without touching it and the position whereat each conductive body is at a separation distance producing a negligible attenuating effect on the RF induction field.

13. The reactor of claim 7 wherein said conductive body is held at one of (i) ground, or (ii) a floating potential.

14. The reactor of claim 9 wherein the surface of the single conductive body facing the each radiating element of the antenna adjacent thereto has a shape which results in a varying separation distance between the surface and each radiating element adjacent thereto, thereby making the conductive body capable of causing a different degree of attenuation in a portion of the RF induction field associated with each element.

15. The reactor of claim 14 wherein the separation distance between the surface and each radiating element of the antenna adjacent thereto varies as a function of the difference in the strength of the portion of the RF induction field associated with each radiating element.

16. The reactor of claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a flat coil antenna having plural connected loops each corresponding to one of said radiating elements and which is disposed above a flat ceiling portion of the reactor chamber, and wherein the group comprising at least one radiating element comprises the innermost loops of the antenna, and wherein the single conductive body comprises a plunger disposed over said innermost loops.

17. The reactor of claim 16 wherein the surface of the body facing the antenna corresponds to a bottom face of the plunger, and wherein said bottom face is flat and parallel to a plane of the antenna, and wherein said bottom face is capable of causing a uniform attenuation of the components of the RF induction field associated with the innermost loops of the antenna.

18. The reactor of claim 16 wherein the surface of the body facing the antenna corresponds to a bottom face of the plunger, and wherein said bottom face has a convex shape which is capable of causing a variable attenuation of the components of the RF induction field associated with the innermost loops of the antenna, with a maximum attenuation level corresponding to the loop closest to the center of the antenna and a progressively smaller attenuation level corresponding to each of the successive innermost loops in the radial direction.

19. The reactor of claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a domeshaped antenna having plural connected loops each corresponding to one of said radiating elements and which surrounds a dome-shaped ceiling portion of the reactor chamber, and wherein the group comprising at least one radiating element comprises the uppermost loops of the antenna, and wherein the single conductive body comprises a plunger disposed over said uppermost loops.

20. The reactor of claim 19 wherein the surface of the body facing the antenna corresponds to a bottom face of the plunger, and wherein said bottom face has a convex shape, and wherein said bottom face is capable of causing a uniform attenuation of the components of the RF induction field associated with the uppermost loops of the antenna.

21. The reactor of claim 19 wherein the surface of the body facing the antenna corresponds to a bottom face of the plunger, and wherein said bottom face is flat, and wherein said bottom face is capable of causing a variable attenuation of the components of the RF induction field associated with the uppermost loops of the antenna, with a maximum attenuation level corresponding to the top loop of the antenna and a progressively smaller attenuation level corresponding to each of the successive loops below the top loop.

22. The reactor of claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a dome-shaped portion having plural connected loops each corresponding to one of said radiating elements and which surrounds a dome-shaped ceiling section of the reactor chamber, and wherein the group comprising at least one radiating element comprises the lowermost loops of the antenna, and wherein the single conductive body comprises a concentric sleeve capable of surrounding the lowermost loops.

23. The reactor of claim 22 wherein the placing means is capable of increasing and decreasing the diameter of the sleeve while maintaining the sleeve'"'"'s concentric relationship with the lowermost loops of the antenna, said capability of increasing and decreasing of the sleeve'"'"'s diameter being employed to place an interior surface of the sleeve at the prescribed separation distance from each loop of the antenna adjacent thereto.

24. The reactor of claim 22 wherein the placing means is capable of raising and lowering the sleeve in relation to the lowermost loops of the antenna while maintaining the sleeve'"'"'s concentric relationship therewith, said capability of raising and lowering the sleeve employed to place an interior surface of the sleeve at the prescribed separation distance from each loop of the antenna adjacent thereto and to select which of the lowermost loops of the antenna are to be adjacent to the interior surface of the sleeve.

25. The reactor of claim 22 wherein the antenna further comprises a cylindrical portion having plural connected loops each comprising one of said radiating elements and which underlies the dome-shaped portion and surrounds a cylindrical sidewall section of the reactor chamber, and wherein the lowermost loops of the antenna comprise loops of the cylindrical and dome-shaped portions of the antenna.

26. The reactor of claim 22 further comprising a conductive cylindrical cover surrounding the dome-shaped portion of the antenna, said cover having slots corresponding to an area adjacent the lowermost loops of the antenna, and wherein the sleeve is disposed around an exterior surface of the cover and capable of covering said slots thereby surrounding the lowermost loops.

27. The reactor of claim 26 wherein the placing means is capable of raising and lowering the sleeve in relation to the lowermost loops of the antenna, said capability of raising and lowering the sleeve employed to place an interior surface of the sleeve at the prescribed separation distance from each loop of the antenna adjacent thereto and to select which of the lowermost loops of the antenna are to be adjacent to the interior surface of the sleeve.