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Plasma reactor with plasma load impedance tuning for engineered transients by synchronized modulation of a source power or bias power RF generator

  • US 8,357,264 B2
  • Filed: 05/29/2008
  • Issued: 01/22/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A plasma reactor including a chamber for processing a workpiece, comprising:

  • plural impedance matches and plural RF plasma power generators coupled to deliver respective RF plasma powers into said chamber through respective ones of said impedance matches;

    a controller for generating a time-varying modulation control signal corresponding to a desired process transient cycle and an amplitude modulator coupled to modulate the output of a first one of said generators in response to said time-varying modulation control signal; and

    a follower modulator coupled to modulate the output of a second one of said generators in response to said time-varying modulation control signal;

    wherein;

    said first generator provides a signal representing a measured level of RF power reflected back to the first generator, said signal being coupled to said controller; and

    said controller being programmed to alter the degree of modulation of said second generator to minimize said measured level of RF power reflected back to said first generator.

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