Method for reducing topography dependent charging effects in a plasma enhanced semiconductor wafer processing system
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
- providing a semiconductor wafer to a process chamber, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a topographic structure thereon;
exposing the semiconductor wafer to a plasma in the process chamber;
monitoring the plasma using spectroscopy to determine when a period is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer; and
illuminating the semiconductor wafer with light in response to a determination that the period is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer to remove electrical charge therefrom.
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Abstract
A method of eliminating charging resulting from plasma processing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of plasma processing the semiconductor wafer in a manner that may result in topographically dependent charging and exposing, during at least a portion of a time in which the semiconductor wafer is being plasma processed, the semiconductor wafer to particles that remove charge from the semiconductor wafer and reduce topographically dependent charging.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
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providing a semiconductor wafer to a process chamber, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a topographic structure thereon;
exposing the semiconductor wafer to a plasma in the process chamber;
monitoring the plasma using spectroscopy to determine when a period is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer; and
illuminating the semiconductor wafer with light in response to a determination that the period is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer to remove electrical charge therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
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providing a semiconductor wafer to a process chamber, wherein the semiconductor wafer has a topographic structure thereon;
exposing the semiconductor wafer to a plasma in the process chamber;
monitoring the plasma using spectroscopy to determine when a period Is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer; and
illuminating the semiconductor wafer with light in response to a determination that the period is approaching that may cause charge damage to the semiconductor wafer to remove electrical charge therefrom, wherein the semiconductor wafer is illuminated while being exposed to the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification