Plasma reactor apparatus with a VHF capacitively coupled plasma source of variable frequency

US7645357B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Alexander Paterson · San Jose, US
• Valentin N. Todorow · Palo Alto, US
• Theodoros Panagopoulos · Los Gatos, US
• Brian K. Hatcher · San Jose, US
• Dan Katz · Calabasas, US
• Edward P. Hammond, IV · Hillsborough, US
• John Holland · San Jose, US
• Alexander Matyushkin · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 24, 2006
• Grant date: Jan 12, 2010
• Expiry date: May 19, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J37/32174
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor chamber and a workpiece support within the chamber, the chamber having a ceiling facing the workpiece support, a capacitively coupled plasma source power applicator comprising a source power electrode at one of: (a) the ceiling (b) the workpiece support, and plural VHF power generators of different fixed frequencies coupled to the capacitively coupled source power applicator, and a controller for independently controlling the power output levels of the plural VHF generators so as to control an effective VHF frequency applied to the source power electrode. In a preferred embodiment, the reactor further includes a plasma bias power applicator that includes a bias power electrode in the workpiece support and one or more RF bias power generators of different frequencies coupled to the plasma bias power applicator.