Etching apparatus and etching method

• US 9,105,452 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jeong-Yun, Kim, Tae-Gon, Jeon, Kyung-Yub, Kim, Kyung-Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): MacArthur, Sylvia R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CROWELL, ANNA M
• Application Number:
  US14/199,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20140251956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.E, 156/345.43, 156/345.44, 156/345.45, 156/345.46, 156/345.47, 156/345.28, 361/234, 279/128
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32568 Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32577 Electrical connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32706 Polarising the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32715 Workpiece holder

Abstract

An apparatus for an etching process includes a chamber, a plasma generator disposed in the chamber, a stacked structure disposed in the chamber to support a substrate thereon and including an electrode plate and an insulation coating layer on the electrode plate, electrode rods inserted into through holes of the stacked structure to penetrate through the stacked structure, directly contacting the substrate and spaced apart from sidewalls of the through holes of the stacked structure, at least one DC pulse generator generating a DC pulse to the electrode plate and the electrode rods, first connection lines connecting the DC pulse generator to the electrode rods, and at least one second connection line connecting the DC pulse generator to a lower portion of the electrode plate.

Claims

1. An etching apparatus, comprising:

a chamber;

a plasma generator in the chamber;

a stacked structure in the chamber to support a substrate thereon, the stacked structure including an electrode plate and an insulation coating layer on the electrode plate;

electrode rods inserted into holes of the stacked structure to directly contacting the substrate, the electrode rods being spaced apart from sidewalls of the respective ones of the holes;

at least one DC pulse generator to provide a DC pulse to the electrode plate and the electrode rods;

first connection lines connecting the DC pulse generator to the electrode rods; and

at least one second connection line connecting the DC pulse generator to a lower portion of the electrode plate.

2. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connection lines electrically connect the electrode rods to each other, and electrically connect the DC pulse generator to the electrode rods.

3. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus includes a single DC pulse generator,

the at least one second connection line branches off from one or more of the first connection lines, and

the single DC pulse generator is electrically connected in parallel to the first connection lines.

4. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus includes at least two DC pulse generators, and

the first and the second connection lines are respectively connected to the at least two DC pulse generators.

5. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage control circuit is electrically connected to at least one of the first connection lines or the at least one second connection line.

6. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the voltage control circuit includes a variable resistor or a variable capacitor.

7. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the electrode plate comprises insulating patterns arranged between electrode plate patterns, and

the electrode plate is divided into conductive portions and insulating portions by the electrode plate patterns and the insulating patterns.

8. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the electrode plate has a substantially cylindrical or circular shape, and

an upper surface of the electrode plate has a grid pattern.

9. The etching apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the electrode plate has a substantially cylindrical or circular shape, and

an upper surface of the electrode plate is divided into concentric areas.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a base to support a substrate;

a plurality of electrode rods extending through holes in the base; and

at least one voltage control circuit coupled to one or more of the plurality of electrode rods, wherein the electrode rods accelerate reactive ions of plasma toward the substrate in response to a first voltage signal and wherein the at least one voltage control circuit adjusts a voltage level of the first voltage signal to control an electric potential of the base.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electric potential of the base controls an etching rate of the substrate.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

a first area of the base includes the one or more electric rods, and

a second area of the substrate does not include electric rods and receives a second voltage signal, wherein an electric potential of the first area of the base is controlled by the first voltage signal and an electric potential of the second area is controlled by the second voltage signal.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal independently control the electric potentials of the first and second areas of the base.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a first voltage control circuit is coupled to the one or more electric rods, and

a second voltage control circuit is coupled to the second area of the base,

wherein the first voltage control circuit adjusts the first voltage signal to a fist level and the second voltage control circuit controls adjusts the second voltage signal to a second level different from the first level.