公开(公告)号：DE60035056D1

公开(公告)日：2007-07-12

申请号：DE60035056

申请日：2000-09-11

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： KENNEDY WILLIAM S ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A ,  WICKER THOMAS E

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H05H1/46 ,  B01J19/02 ,  B01J19/08 ,  C04B35/565 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber including a ceramic liner heated by radiant heating. The liner can be a series of tiles or a continuous cylindrical liner. The liner and other parts such as a gas distribution plate and a plasma screen can be made of SiC which advantageously confines the plasma and provides temperature control of the inner surfaces of the chamber. To remove excess heat from the liner, the ceramic liner can be supported on a resilient aluminum support frame which conducts heat from the liner to a temperature controlled member such as a top plate of the chamber. The support frame can include a continuous upper portion and a segmented lower portion which allows thermal stresses to be accommodated during processing of semiconductor substrates in the plasma chamber.

公开(公告)号：AT345577T

公开(公告)日：2006-12-15

申请号：AT99915049

申请日：1999-03-26

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： SCHOEPP ALAN M ,  WICKER THOMAS E ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A

IPC: H05H1/46 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate holder and a member of silicon carbide such as a liner, focus ring, perforated baffle or a gas distribution plate, the member having an exposed surface adjacent the substrate holder and the exposed surface being effective to minimize contamination during processing of substrates. The chamber can include an antenna which inductively couples RF energy through the gas distribution plate to energize process gas into a plasma state.

公开(公告)号：AU2252301A

公开(公告)日：2001-07-03

申请号：AU2252301

申请日：2000-12-11

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： WICKER THOMAS E

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber including a slip cast part having a surface thereof exposed to the interior space of the chamber. The slip cast part includes free silicon contained therein and a protective layer on the surface which protects the silicon from being attacked by plasma in the interior space of the chamber. The slip cast part can be made of slip cast silicon carbide- coated with CVD silicon carbide. The slip cast part can comprise one or more parts of the chamber such as a wafer passage insert, a monolithic or tiled liner, a plasma screen, a showerhead, dielectric member, or the like. The slip cast part reduces particle contamination and reduces process drift in plasma processes such as plasma etching of dielectric materials such as silicon oxide.

公开(公告)号：AU4741497A

公开(公告)日：1998-04-24

申请号：AU4741497

申请日：1997-09-30

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： KENNEDY WILLIAM S ,  WICKER THOMAS E ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A ,  COOK JOEL M ,  SCHOEPP ALAN M

IPC: H05H1/46 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/00

Abstract: In a plasma processing system for processing substrates such as semiconductor wafers, deposition of polymer in an area between a focus ring and an electrostatic chuck in a plasma processing chamber is achieved by providing a clearance gas in a gap between the chuck and the focus ring. A series of channels delivers the clearance gas to the annular gap between the outer surface of the substrate support and the inner surface of the focus ring surrounding the substrate support. The clearance gas supplied to the annular gap is preferably a gas such as helium which will not affect the wafer processing operation. In the case of plasma etching, the clearance gas is supplied at a flow rate which is sufficient to block the migration of process gas and volative byproducts thereof into the annular gap without adversely affecting edge etch performance.

公开(公告)号：AU3079597A

公开(公告)日：1998-01-05

申请号：AU3079597

申请日：1997-06-02

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： WICKER THOMAS E ,  COOK JOEL M ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A ,  KENNEDY WILLIAM S ,  BENJAMIN NEIL

IPC: C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/507 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate holder and a dielectric member such as a dielectric window or gas distribution plate having an interior surface facing the substrate holder, the interior surface being maintained below a threshold temperature to minimize process drift during processing of substrates. The chamber can include an antenna which inductively couples RF energy through the dielectric member to energize process gas into a plasma state. The antenna can include a channel through which a temperature controlling fluid, which has been cooled by a closed circuit temperature controller, is passed. The control of the temperature of the interior surface minimizes process drift and degradation of the quality of the processed substrates during sequential batch processing of substrates such as during oxide etching of semiconductor wafers.

公开(公告)号：DE69739145D1

公开(公告)日：2009-01-15

申请号：DE69739145

申请日：1997-09-17

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： WICKER THOMAS E ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/31

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate holder and a member of silicon nitride such as a liner, focus ring or a gas distribution plate, the member having an exposed surface adjacent the substrate holder and the exposed surface being effective to minimize particle contamination during processing of substrates. The chamber can include an antenna which inductively couples RF energy through the gas distribution plate to energize process gas into a plasma state.

公开(公告)号：DE69939321D1

公开(公告)日：2008-09-25

申请号：DE69939321

申请日：1999-06-18

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： CHEN JIAN J ,  VELTROP ROBERT G ,  WICKER THOMAS E

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: A radio frequency plasma multiple-coil antenna allows for controllable, uniform inductive coupling within a plasma reactor. According to exemplary embodiments, multiple coils are positioned on a dielectric window of a plasma chamber, and are powered by a single radio frequency generator and tuned by a single matching network. Each coil is either planar or a combination of a planar coil and a vertically stacked helical coil. The input end of each coil is connected to an input tuning capacitor and the output end is terminated to the ground through an output tuning capacitor. The location of the maximum inductive coupling of the radio frequency to the plasma is mainly determined by the output capacitor, while the input capacitor is mainly used to adjust current magnitude into each coil. By adjusting the current magnitude and the location of the maximum inductive coupling within each coil, the plasma density in different radial and azimuthal regions can be varied and controlled, and therefore, radially and azimuthally uniform plasma can be achieved.

公开(公告)号：DE60035056T2

公开(公告)日：2008-01-31

申请号：DE60035056

申请日：2000-09-11

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： KENNEDY WILLIAM S ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A ,  WICKER THOMAS E

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H05H1/46 ,  B01J19/02 ,  B01J19/08 ,  C04B35/565 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber including a ceramic liner heated by radiant heating. The liner can be a series of tiles or a continuous cylindrical liner. The liner and other parts such as a gas distribution plate and a plasma screen can be made of SiC which advantageously confines the plasma and provides temperature control of the inner surfaces of the chamber. To remove excess heat from the liner, the ceramic liner can be supported on a resilient aluminum support frame which conducts heat from the liner to a temperature controlled member such as a top plate of the chamber. The support frame can include a continuous upper portion and a segmented lower portion which allows thermal stresses to be accommodated during processing of semiconductor substrates in the plasma chamber.

公开(公告)号：DE60220652D1

公开(公告)日：2007-07-26

申请号：DE60220652

申请日：2002-03-29

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： VELTROP ROBERT G ,  CHEN JIAN J ,  WICKER THOMAS E

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: An inductive plasma processor includes an RF plasma excitation coil having plural windings, each having a first end connected in parallel to be driven by a single RF source via a single matching network. Second ends of the windings are connected to ground by termination capacitors, in turn connected by a lead to ground. A current sensor including a winding around a toroidal core is coupled to the lead between each termination capacitor and ground. The current sensor is surrounded by a grounded shield. There is minimum electromagnetic interference from an ambient RF environment to the current sensor, to provide an accurate current sensor.

公开(公告)号：AT255275T

公开(公告)日：2003-12-15

申请号：AT98913017

申请日：1998-03-26

Applicant: LAM RES CORP

Inventor： KENNEDY WILLIAM S ,  LAMM ALBERT J ,  WICKER THOMAS E ,  MARASCHIN ROBERT A

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/205 ,  H01L21/302

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling deposit build-up on an interior surface of a dielectric member of a plasma processing chamber. The deposit build-up is controlled by selective ion bombardment of the inner surface by shifting location of a peak voltage amplitude of a voltage standing wave on an antenna such as a flat spiral coil of the plasma processing chamber. A region of high ion bombardment on the interior surface of the dielectric member is displaced by controlling the value of a termination capacitance over a range of values causing regions of low and high ion bombardment to move over the dielectric member in order to effect cleaning thereof.