State-based adjustment of power and frequency

• US 9,197,196 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Valcore, John C. Jr., Lyndaker, Bradford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Yuechuan
• Application Number:
  US13/620,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20130213573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/00 Automatic frequency control; Automatic scanning over a band of frequencies
• 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 1/4645 Radiofrequency discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2242/26 Matching networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for state-based adjustment of power and frequency are described. A primary generator of a system includes a primary power supply for supplying a primary radio frequency (RF) signal to an electrode. The primary generator further includes an automatic frequency control (AFC) to provide a first frequency input to the primary power supply when a pulsed signal is in a first state. A secondary generator of the system includes a secondary power supply for supplying a secondary RF signal to the electrode. The secondary generator also includes an AFC to provide a second frequency input to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the first state. The secondary generator includes an AFC to provide a third frequency input to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in a second state. The system includes a digital pulsing source for generating the pulsed signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a digital pulsing source for generating a pulsed signal;

a primary generator including;

a primary power supply coupled to an electrode for supplying a primary radio frequency (RF) signal to the electrode;

a primary processor coupled to the digital pulsing source for receiving the pulsed signal, the primary processor for identifying a first one of two states of the pulsed signal and a second one of the two states;

a first primary power controller coupled to the primary processor to provide a first primary power value to the primary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the first state;

a second primary power controller coupled to the primary processor to provide a second primary power value to the primary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the second state;

a first primary automatic frequency control (AFC) coupled to the primary processor to receive the state identification from the primary processor, the first primary AFC configured to provide a first primary frequency input to the primary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the first state; and

a second primary AFC coupled to the primary processor to receive the state identification from the primary processor, the second primary AFC configured to provide a second primary frequency input to the primary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the second state;

a secondary generator including;

a secondary power supply coupled to the electrode for supplying a secondary RF signal to the electrode;

a secondary processor coupled to the digital pulsing source for receiving the pulsed signal to identify whether the pulsed signal is in the first state or the second state;

a first secondary power controller coupled to the secondary processor to provide a first secondary power value to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the first state;

a second secondary power controller coupled to the secondary processor to provide a second secondary power value to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the second state;

a first secondary AFC coupled to the secondary processor to receive the state identification from the secondary processor, the first secondary AFC configured to provide a first secondary frequency input to the secondary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the first state; and

a second secondary AFC coupled to the secondary processor to receive the state identification from the secondary processor, the second secondary AFC configured to provide a second secondary frequency input to the secondary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the second state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary generator includes a selector, the selector configured to transfer the first primary frequency input that is received from the primary processor to the primary power supply or the second primary frequency input that is received from the primary processor to the primary power supply,

wherein the secondary generator includes a selector, the selector configured to transfer the first secondary frequency input that is received from the secondary processor to the secondary power supply or the second secondary frequency input that is received from the secondary processor to the secondary power supply.

3. A system comprising:

a plasma chamber including a lower electrode with a surface for supporting a substrate and an upper electrode disposed over the lower electrode, the upper electrode being electrically grounded;

a digital pulsing source for generating a pulsed signal, wherein the pulsed signal transitions between two states;

a primary generator including;

a primary power supply coupled to the lower electrode for supplying a primary radio frequency (RF) signal to the lower electrode;

a primary processor coupled to the digital pulsing source for receiving the pulsed signal, the primary processor for identifying a first one of the two states and a second one of the two states of the pulsed signal;

a first primary power controller coupled to the primary processor to provide a first primary power value to the primary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the first state;

a second primary power controller coupled to the primary processor to provide a second primary power value to the primary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the second state;

a first primary automatic frequency control (AFC) coupled to the primary processor to receive the state identification from the primary processor, the first primary AFC configured to provide a frequency of the primary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the first state; and

a second primary AFC coupled to the primary processor to receive the state identification from the primary processor, the second primary AFC configured to provide a frequency of the primary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the second state; and

a secondary generator including;

a secondary power supply coupled to the lower electrode for supplying a secondary RF signal to the lower electrode;

a secondary processor coupled to the digital pulsing source for receiving the pulsed signal to identify whether the pulsed signal is in the first state or the second state;

a first secondary power controller coupled to the secondary processor to provide a first secondary power value to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the first state;

a second secondary power controller coupled to the secondary processor to provide a second secondary power value to the secondary power supply when the pulsed signal is in the second state;

a first secondary AFC coupled to the secondary processor to receive the state identification from the secondary processor, the first secondary AFC configured to provide a frequency of the secondary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the first state; and

a second secondary AFC coupled to the secondary processor to receive the state identification from the secondary processor, the second secondary AFC configured to provide a frequency of the secondary RF signal when the pulsed signal is in the second state.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first primary power value is equal to, greater than, or lower than the second primary power value.