Semiconductor device fabricating equipment using radio frequency energy

• US 6,676,803 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): CROWELL, ANNA M
• Application Number:
  US10/036,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20020189762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.47, 156/345.43, 156/345.44, 156/916, 118/723.E, 118/715
• US Class Current: 156/345.47
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32633 Baffles

Abstract

A semiconductor device fabricating equipment using radio frequency energy is capable of preventing a wafer from being polluted by various kinds of polymers deposited indiscriminately on the respective portions within a chamber, having a housing which divides and forms the inside such that an upper electrode part applying the radio frequency energy is in an upper side thereof, a chuck assembly which applies the radio frequency energy, fixes a provided wafer, and is installed so as to ascend and descend, opposite to the upper electrode part inside the housing, and a baffle plate which is fixingly-installed onto an inner wall of the housing so that an inner side edge portion is positioned adjacent to a side wall of the chuck assembly with a given space therebetween. The baffle plate is fixed and installed onto the inner wall of the housing, and an outer side shape of the ascending/descending-driven chuck assembly is formed simply. Accordingly, the effect of an eddy flow phenomenon caused by the ascending/descending-driving of the chuck assembly is reduced, and a wafer is prevented from being polluted and damaged by controlling a flow of polymer which reacts as a particle on the wafer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device fabricating equipment using radio frequency energy, comprising:

a housing having an upper electrode part in an upper portion thereof, the upper electrode applying the radio frequency energy, said housing including a ledge located between a top and bottom thereof extending from an inner wall of said housing to an interior of said housing;

a chuck assembly which applies the radio frequency energy, fixes a provided wafer, and is installed so as to ascend and descend, opposite to the upper electrode part, inside the housing;

a baffle plate which is fixed to an inner wall of the housing so that an inner side edge portion of said baffle plate is positioned adjacent to a side wall of the chuck assembly with a given distance therebetween, wherein the baffle plate is installed on and is supported by the ledge;

a shield installed on the ledge, said shield having a tubular shape closely covering an inner wall of the housing;

a tubular shaped liner extending down from the ledge of said housing and covering a surface of an inner wall of the housing, said liner having a bent upper end portion extending on the ledge, said baffle plate being positioned to be closely supported by the bent upper end portion of the liner, and said shield being installed in a form pressurizing and fixing an outer edge portion of the baffle plate; and

a fastening instrument fastening the shield, the upper end portion of the liner, and the baffle plate on the ledge of the upper housing by piercing through them from an upper side thereof.

2. The equipment of claim 1,

wherein said chuck assembly includes:

a lower electrode closely supporting a center portion of a lower surface of the wafer, an upper surface of the lower electrode part having a stepped shape so that an edge portion thereof confronts and is spaced apart from a lower surface of the wafer;

a focus ring whose inner lower surface face is closely supported by the stepped shaped upper surface of the lower electrode, and whose inner upper face portion has a stepped shape so that a lower face of the wafer is inserted above and stably positioned thereon; and

an insulation ring having a ring shape extended and projected outward from a side part of the lower electrode, an inner upper surface portion of said insulation ring having a stepped shape so that a lower face circumferential portion of the focus ring is inserted above and is stably positioned thereon.

3. The equipment of claim 2, wherein the stepped portion of said insulation ring is formed in a shape closely corresponding to an outer side wall of the focus ring.

4. The equipment of claim 2, wherein an outer side portion of said insulation ring is extendedly formed so as to form a side wall adjacent to an inner side portion of the baffle plate.

5. The equipment of claim 1, wherein the wafer chuck assembly comprises:

a lower electrode supporting a center portion of a lower surface of the wafer, an upper surface of the lower electrode part having a stepped shape; and

a focus ring having an inner upper face portion on which a peripheral portion of a lower surface of the wafer is directly disposed.

6. The equipment of claim 2, wherein said housing includes a ledge between a top and bottom thereof extending from an inner wall of said housing to an interior of said housing, said equipment further comprising a fastener piercing the baffle plate and an upper surface of the ledge, and fixing the baffle plate to the ledge.

7. A semiconductor device fabricating equipment using radio frequency energy, comprising:

a housing having an upper electrode part in an upper portion thereof, the upper electrode applying the radio frequency energy;

a chuck assembly which applies the radio frequency energy, fixes a provided wafer, and is installed so as to ascend and descend, opposite to the upper electrode part, inside the housing; and

a baffle plate which is fixed to an inner wall of the housing so that an inner side edge portion of said baffle plate is positioned adjacent to a side wall of the chuck assembly with a given distance therebetween,

wherein said chuck assembly includes;

a lower electrode closely supporting a center portion of a lower surface of the wafer, an upper surface of the lower electrode part having a stepped shape so that an edge portion thereof confronts and is spaced apart from a lower surface of the wafer;

a focus ring whose inner lower surface face is closely supported by the stepped shaped upper surface of the lower electrode, and whose inner upper face portion has a stepped shape so that a lower face of the wafer is inserted above and stably positioned thereon; and

an insulation ring having a ring shape extended and projected outward from a side part of the lower electrode, an inner upper surface portion of said insulation ring having a stepped shape so that a lower face circumferential portion of the focus ring is inserted above and is stably positioned thereon, and

wherein an inner upper surface of said insulation ring corresponding to the focus ring is formed so as to be positioned beneath the stepped portion of the lower electrode part, and a corresponding lower portion of said focus ring is formed in a shape projected downwardly along an outer side of the stepped portion of the lower electrode part.