Electrostatic remote plasma source

• US 8,723,423 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AES Global Holdings Pte Ltd. (Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (China))
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffman, Daniel J., Carter, Daniel, Brouk, Victor, Peterson, Karen, Grilley, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sathiraju, Srinivas
• Application Number:
  US13/356,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20120187844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 31511121-11151, 31511121- 51, 204/192.12, 204/192.17
• US Class Current: 315/111.51
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/327 Arrangements for generating the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32183 Matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32357 Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32541 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32568 Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/466 using capacitive coupling means, e.g. electrodes

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for capacitively coupling energy into a plasma to ignite and sustain the plasma within a remote plasma source. The power is provided by a first electrode that at least partially surrounds or is surrounded by a second electrode. The second electrode can be grounded or floating. First and second dielectric components can be arranged to separate one or both of the electrodes from the plasma and thereby DC isolate the plasma from one or both of the electrodes.

Claims

1. A remote plasma source comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, one of the first or second electrodes at least partially surrounding the other;

a chamber at least partially enclosed by a chamber wall and configured for coupling to a processing chamber, the chamber wall separating the first and second electrodes, and the chamber including;

a first path for the entry of a first fluid into the chamber; and

a second path configured to provide a second fluid to the processing chamber, wherein the second fluid includes at least a portion of disassociated fluid created from the first fluid; and

an RF power source input configured to couple to an RF power source and provide RF power from the RF power source to the first electrode, the RF power electrostatically coupling to the second electrode so as to electrostatically sustain a plasma within at least a portion of the chamber;

a first dielectric component separating the first electrode from the plasma, DC isolating the first electrode from the plasma, and preventing the plasma from interacting with the first electrode; and

a second dielectric component separating the second electrode from the plasma, DC isolating the second electrode from the plasma, and preventing the plasma from interacting with the second electrode.

2. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is longer than the first electrode.

3. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is grounded.

4. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes have one or more beveled edges.

5. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the first path radially provides the first fluid into the chamber.

6. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the first path axially provides the first fluid into the chamber.

7. The remote plasma source of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are concentrically aligned.

8. A method of sustaining a plasma in a capacitively coupled remote plasma source comprising:

passing RF power between two capacitively coupled electrodes separated by a chamber wall at least partially enclosing a chamber of the capacitively coupled remote plasma source;

sustaining a plasma within the chamber via the RF power being capacitively coupled to the plasma;

providing a first fluid into the chamber;

dissociating at least a portion of the first fluid via interaction with the plasma; and

passing a second fluid to a processing chamber coupled to the capacitively coupled remote plasma source;

DC isolating the first electrode from the plasma via a first dielectric component that separates the first electrode from the plasma; and

DC isolating the second electrode from the plasma via a second dielectric component that separates the second electrode from the plasma.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising grounding one of the first or second electrodes.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first fluid is provided axially into the chamber.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first fluid is provided radially into the chamber.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising concentrically arranging the first and second electrodes.