Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for plasma processing of a substrate utilizing an electrostatic chuck

US6431112B1 · kind B1 · utility

44Cited by
14References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 4, 2000
Grant dateAug 13, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 4, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/32706
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A processing system for processing a substrate with a plasma comprises a processing chamber configured for containing a plasma, a substrate support within the chamber, and a plurality of electrodes coupled to the substrate support. The electrodes are each positioned proximate the supporting surface and are electrically isolated from one another. An RF power source is coupled to each of the electrodes for biasing the electrodes, so that they are operable for creating a DC bias on a substrate positioned on the supporting surface. A first electrically capacitive structure is electrically coupled between the RF power source and at least one of the plurality of electrodes. The first electrically capacitive structure has a variable capacitance for varying the DC bias created on the substrate by the at least one electrode relative to the DC bias created on the substrate by at least one of the other electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. The varied DC bias thereby varies the effect of a plasma on one portion of the substrate relative to the effect of the plasma on another portion of the substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.