Method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor employing a dynamically adjustable plasma source power applicator

US7504041B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Madhavi R. Chandrachood · Sunnyvale, US
• Richard Lewington · Hayward, US
• Darin Bivens · San Mateo, US
• Ajay Kumar · Fairport, US
• Ibrahim M. Ibrahim · Closter, US
• Michael N. Grimbergen · Redwood City, US
• Renee Koch · Brentwood, US
• Sheeba J. Panayil · Santa Clara, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 3, 2006
• Grant date: Mar 17, 2009
• Expiry date: Sep 9, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/67069
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having radially inner and outer source power applicators at a ceiling of the chamber facing the workpiece, the inner and outer source power applicators and the workpiece sharing a common axis of symmetry. The method includes applying RF source power to the source power applicator, and introducing a process gas into the reactor chamber so as to carry out a plasma process on the workpiece characterized by a plasma process parameter, the plasma process parameter having a spatial distribution across the surface of the workpiece. The method further includes rotating at least the outer RF source power applicator about a radial tilt axis to a position at which the spatial distribution of the plasma process parameter has at least a nearly minimal non-symmetry relative to the common axis of symmetry, and translating the inner source power applicator relative to the outer source power applicator along the axis of symmetry to a location at which the spatial distribution has at least a nearly minimal non-uniformity across the surface of the workpiece.