Abstract:
In an electrode for generating a plasma, disposed to face a surface of a substrate to perform a plasma processing on the surface of the substrate, the electrode includes a metal-based composite material formed by impregnating a metal into a base member made of a porous ceramic, and having a joint surface at least facing toward the entire surface of the substrate. The electrode also includes a conductive plate made of a plasma-resistant material melt-bonded by a metal to the joint surface of the metal-based composite material.
Abstract:
Provided is a plasma processing method and apparatus and a tray for plasma processing, which are able to improve temperature controllability of a substrate. If a vacuum chamber is evacuated by a pump while introducing a specified gas by a gas supply unit into the vacuum chamber and a high-frequency power is applied by a coil use high-frequency power supply to a coil while maintaining an interior of the vacuum chamber at a specified pressure, then plasma is generated in the vacuum chamber, and a substrate placed on a substrate electrode can be subjected to plasma processing. At this time, by providing an adhesive sheet between the substrate electrode and the substrate, temperature controllability of the substrate can be improved.
Abstract:
A method, computer readable medium, and system for vapor deposition on a substrate that disposes a substrate in a process space of a processing system that is vacuum isolated from a transfer space of the processing system, processes the substrate at either of a first position or a second position in the process space while maintaining vacuum isolation from the transfer space, and deposits a material on said substrate at either the first position or the second position. As such, the system includes a first assembly having a process space configured to facilitate material deposition, a second assembly coupled to the first assembly and having a transfer space to facilitate transfer of the substrate into and out of the deposition system, a substrate stage connected to the second assembly and configured to support and translate the substrate between a first position in the transfer space to a second position in the process space. The system includes a sealing assembly configured to impede gas flow between the process space and the transfer space during translation of the substrate within the process space.
Abstract:
A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for supporting the workpiece within a reactor chamber, the method including circulating a coolant through a refrigeration loop that includes inner and outer zone evaporators inside respective inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck, while pressurizing inner and outer zones of a workpiece-to-chuck interface with a thermally conductive gas, and sensing conditions in the chamber including inner and outer zone temperatures near the workpiece. The method further includes obtaining the next scheduled change in RF heat load on the workpiece and using thermal modeling to estimate respective changes in thermal conditions of the coolant in the inner and outer zone evaporators, respectively, that would hold temperatures measured in the inner and outer electrostatic chuck zones, respectively, nearly constant by compensating for the next scheduled change in RF heat load, and making the respective changes in thermal conditions of the coolant in inner and outer zone evaporators prior to the time of the next scheduled change by a head start related to the thermal propagation delay through the electrostatic chuck.
Abstract:
A plasma reactor with a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck having a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes a backside gas pressure source coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under a selected pressure into a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface, and an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an expansion valve for controlling flow of coolant through the evaporator. The reactor further includes a temperature sensor in the electrostatic chuck, a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the temperature sensor and an agile control processor coupled to the thermal model and governing the backside gas pressure source in response to predictions from the model of changes in the selected pressure that would bring the temperature measured by the sensor closer to a desired temperature.
Abstract:
A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor having an electrostatic chuck for holding a workpiece in a chamber of the reactor includes providing a thermally conductive gas under pressure between a backside of the workpiece and a top surface of the electrostatic chuck, controlling the temperature of the electrostatic chuck, defining a desired workpiece temperature, measuring a current workpiece temperature or temperature related to the workpiece temperature and inputting the measured temperature to a thermal model representative of the electrostatic chuck. The method further includes determining from the thermal model a change in the pressure of the thermally conductive gas that would at least reduce the difference between the measured temperature and the desired temperature, and changing the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in accordance with the change determined from the thermal model.
Abstract:
A thermally controlled chamber liner comprising a passage having an inlet and outlet adapted to flow a fluid through the one or more fluid passages formed at least partially therein. The chamber liner may comprise a first liner, a second liner or both a first liner and a second liner. The thermally controlled chamber liner maintains a predetermined temperature by running fluid from a temperature controlled, fluid source through the fluid passages. By maintaining a predetermined temperature, deposition of films on the chamber liner is discouraged and particulate generation due to stress cracking of deposited films is minimized.
Abstract:
A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck having a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under respective pressures to respective inner and outer zones of a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface, and inner and outer evaporators inside respective inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having respective inner and outer expansion valves for controlling flow of coolant through the inner and outer evaporators respectively. The reactor further includes inner and outer zone temperature sensors in inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer through the inner and outer zones, respectively, between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the inner and outer temperature sensors, respectively. Inner and outer zone agile control processors coupled to the thermal model govern the inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources, respectively, in response to predictions from the model of changes in the respective pressures that would bring the temperatures measured by the inner and outer zone sensors, respectively, closer to a desired temperature.
Abstract:
In many processes used in fabricating semiconductors the wafer is seated on the top surface of a pedestal and heated in a high energy process step, such as plasma etching. The pedestal, chuck or platen may be cooling but the wafer gradually heats until the process can no longer continue. Where large, e.g. 300 mm diameter, wafers are being processed the temperature level across the wafer is difficult to maintain substantially constant. In this system and method the lateral temperature distribution is equalized by a heat sink structure in a chamber immediately under the wafer support on top of the pedestal. A number of spatially distributed wicking posts extend downwardly from a layer of wicking material across the top of the chamber, into a pool of a vaporizable liquid. At hot spots, vaporized liquid is generated and transported to adjacent condensation posts extending up from the liquid. The system thus passively extracts heat to equalize temperatures while recirculating liquid and assuring adequate supply. The free volume above and within the liquid, and the short distances between posts, assure adequate heat transfer rates.
Abstract:
A substrate processing system is provided. A housing defines a processing chamber. A plasma-generating system is operatively coupled to the processing chamber. A substrate support member is disposed within the processing chamber and configured to hold a substrate during substrate processing. A ceramic insert is disposed over the substrate support member such that the ceramic insert is disposed between the substrate support member and the substrate during substrate processing. A gas-delivery system is configured to introduce gases into the processing chamber. A controller controls the plasma-generating system and the gas-delivery system.