High selectivity etch using an external plasma discharge
US6074514A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 9, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 9, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32871
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for scavenging etchant species from a plasma formed of etchant gas prior to the etchant gas entering a primary processing chamber of a plasma reactor. There is at least one scavenging chamber, each of which is connected at an inlet thereof to an etchant gas source and at an outlet thereof to a gas distribution device of the primary processing chamber. Each scavenging chamber has a radiation applicator that irradiates the interior of the scavenging chamber and creates a plasma therein from etchant gas flowing through the chamber from the etchant gas source to the gas distribution apparatus of the primary processing chamber. The applicator uses either an inductive discharge, capacitive discharge, direct current (DC) discharge or microwave discharge to irradiate the interior of the scavenging chamber and ignite the plasma. An etchant species scavenging source is also disposed within the scavenging chamber. This source provides scavenging material that interacts with the plasma to scavenge etchant species created by the dissociation of the etchant gas in the plasma and form etch by-products comprised of substances from both the etchant species and the scavenging…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.