Adjustable dc bias control in a plasma reactor
US5605637A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 15, 1994 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32706
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma chamber, and a related method for its use, in which the direct current (dc) bias on a wafer-supporting cathode is reduced by including a plasma shield that blocks plasma from reaching a region of the chamber and thereby reduces the effective surface area of a grounded anode electrode. The plasma shield has a number of narrow slits through it, small enough to preclude the passage of plasma through the shield, but large enough to permit pumping of process gases through the shield. The dc bias is further controllable by installing a chamber liner of dielectric or other material to cover a selected portion of the inside walls of the chamber. The liner also facilitates cleaning of the chamber walls to remove deposits resulting from plasma polymerization.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.