Patent · US Expired

Automatic tuning in a tapped RF transformer inductive source of a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer

US6508198B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by
14References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 2000
Grant dateJan 21, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 11, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/32183
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer having an overhead inductive coil antenna, automatic compensation for the load impedance shift that accompanies plasma ignition is achieved using fixed elements. This is accomplished by applying RF power to an intermediate tap of the coil antenna that divides the antenna into two portions, while permanently suppressing the inductance of one of the two portions to an at least nearly fixed level.

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