Parallel-plate electrode plasma reactor having an inductive antenna and adjustable radial distribution of plasma ion density

US6524432B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kenneth S. Collins · San Jose, US
• Michael R. Rice · Pleasanton, US
• John Trow · San Jose, US
• Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. · Livermore, US
• Eric Askarinam · Sunnyvale, US
• Joshua Chiu-Wing Tsui · Santa Clara, US
• David W. Groechel · Los Altos Hills, US
• Raymond Hung · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 2000
• Grant date: Feb 25, 2003
• Expiry date: Mar 30, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/6831
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

There is disclosed a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece such as a wafer, including a chamber having an overhead ceiling with a three-dimensional shape such as a hemisphere or dome. The reactor further includes an inductive antenna over the ceiling which may be conformal or nonconformal in shape with the ceiling. The ceiling may be a semiconductor material so that it can function as both a window for the inductive field of the antenna as well as an electrode which can be grounded, or to which RF power may be applied or which may be allowed to float electrically. The reactor includes various features which allow the radial distribution of the plasma ion density across the wafer surface to be adjusted to an optimum distribution for processing uniformity across the wafer surface.