Patent · US Expired

Shaping a plasma with a magnetic field to control etch rate uniformity

US6673199B1 · kind B1 · utility

69Cited by
80References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 7, 2001
Grant dateJan 6, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 15, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/3266
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A substrate etching chamber has a substrate support, a gas supply to introduce a process gas into the chamber; an inductor antenna to sustain a plasma of the process gas in a process zone of the chamber, and an exhaust to exhaust the process gas. A magnetic field generator disposed about the chamber has first and second solenoids. A controller is adapted to control a power supply to provide a first current to the first solenoid and a second current to the second solenoid, thereby generating a magnetic field in the process zone of the chamber to controllably shape the plasma in the process zone to reduce etch rate variations across the substrate.

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