Plasma treatment system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for processing a workpiece with free radicals from a light-emitting plasma including ions and the free radicals, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber including a processing space and a plasma cavity in communication with said processing space;
a holder for the workpiece positioned in said processing space of said vacuum chamber;
a vacuum port in said vacuum chamber adapted to evacuate said processing space and said plasma cavity;
a process gas supply port in said vacuum chamber adapted to introduce a process gas to said plasma cavity;
a powered electrode located within said plasma cavity;
a center slotted plate positioned between said plasma cavity and said processing space, said center slotted plate having a plurality of first slots; and
an upper slotted plate positioned between said center slotted plate and said powered electrode and said upper slotted plate having a plurality of second slots;
a lower slotted plate including a plurality of third slots, said lower slotted plate being arranged between said center slotted plate and said processing space; and
a plurality of electrically-conductive spacers between said center slotted plate, said lower slotted plate, and said upper slotted plate, said plurality of electrically-conductive spacers providing an electrical contact between said center slotted plate, said lower slotted plate, and said upper slotted plate,wherein said lower, center, and upper slotted plates are electrically grounded to said vacuum chamber, said powered electrode is capable of exciting the process gas in said plasma cavity to generate the ions and the free radicals of the plasma in the plasma cavity between the upper slotted plate and the powered electrode, said first slots, said second slots, and said third slots are configured to transfer the free radicals in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space and to substantially reduce the transfer of the ions in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space, and said first slots are offset from said second slots such that said first slots are not aligned with said second slots in a direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space and said first slots are offset from said third slots said first slots are not aligned with said third slots in the direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space to substantially eliminate line-of-sight paths from said plasma cavity to said processing space for reducing light transfer from the plasma to the workpiece.
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Abstract
A plasma treatment system for treating a workpiece with a downstream-type plasma. The processing chamber of the plasma treatment system includes a chamber lid having a plasma cavity disposed generally between a powered electrode and a grounded plate, a processing space separated from the plasma cavity by the grounded plate, and a substrate support in the processing space for holding the workpiece. A direct plasma is generated in the plasma cavity. The grounded plate is adapted with openings that remove electrons and ions from the plasma admitted from the plasma cavity into the processing space to provide a downstream-type plasma of free radicals. The openings may also eliminate line-of-sight paths for light between the plasma cavity and processing space. In another aspect, the volume of the processing chamber may be adjusted by removing or inserting at least one removable sidewall section from the chamber lid.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing a workpiece with free radicals from a light-emitting plasma including ions and the free radicals, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber including a processing space and a plasma cavity in communication with said processing space; a holder for the workpiece positioned in said processing space of said vacuum chamber; a vacuum port in said vacuum chamber adapted to evacuate said processing space and said plasma cavity; a process gas supply port in said vacuum chamber adapted to introduce a process gas to said plasma cavity; a powered electrode located within said plasma cavity; a center slotted plate positioned between said plasma cavity and said processing space, said center slotted plate having a plurality of first slots; and an upper slotted plate positioned between said center slotted plate and said powered electrode and said upper slotted plate having a plurality of second slots; a lower slotted plate including a plurality of third slots, said lower slotted plate being arranged between said center slotted plate and said processing space; and a plurality of electrically-conductive spacers between said center slotted plate, said lower slotted plate, and said upper slotted plate, said plurality of electrically-conductive spacers providing an electrical contact between said center slotted plate, said lower slotted plate, and said upper slotted plate, wherein said lower, center, and upper slotted plates are electrically grounded to said vacuum chamber, said powered electrode is capable of exciting the process gas in said plasma cavity to generate the ions and the free radicals of the plasma in the plasma cavity between the upper slotted plate and the powered electrode, said first slots, said second slots, and said third slots are configured to transfer the free radicals in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space and to substantially reduce the transfer of the ions in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space, and said first slots are offset from said second slots such that said first slots are not aligned with said second slots in a direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space and said first slots are offset from said third slots said first slots are not aligned with said third slots in the direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space to substantially eliminate line-of-sight paths from said plasma cavity to said processing space for reducing light transfer from the plasma to the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for processing a workpiece with free radicals from a light-emitting plasma including ions and the free radicals, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber including a processing space, a plasma cavity in communication with said processing space, and a plurality of electrically grounded surfaces positioned within said plasma cavity; a holder for the workpiece positioned in said processing space of said vacuum chamber; a vacuum port in said vacuum chamber adapted to evacuate said processing space and said plasma cavity; a process gas supply port in said vacuum chamber adapted to introduce a process gas to said plasma cavity; a powered electrode located within said plasma cavity and positioned substantially equidistant from said electrically grounded surfaces; a center slotted plate positioned between said plasma cavity and said processing space, said center slotted plate having a plurality of first slots; and an upper slotted plate positioned between said center slotted plate and said powered electrode and said upper slotted plate having a plurality of second slots; and a lower slotted plate including a plurality of third slots, said lower slotted plate being arranged between said center slotted plate and said processing space, wherein said lower, center, and upper slotted plates are electrically grounded to said vacuum chamber, said powered electrode is capable of exciting the process gas in said plasma cavity to generate the ions and the free radicals of the plasma in the plasma cavity between the upper slotted plate and the powered electrode, said first slots, said second slots, and said third slots are configured to transfer the free radicals in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space and to substantially reduce the transfer of the ions in the plasma from said plasma cavity to said processing space, and said first slots are offset from said second slots such that said first slots are not aligned with said second slots in a direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space and said first slots are offset from said third slots said first slots are not aligned with said third slots in the direction extending from said plasma cavity toward said processing space to substantially eliminate line-of-sight paths from said plasma cavity to said processing space for reducing light transfer from the plasma to the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification