Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for reactive atom plasma processing for material deposition

US7955513B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
136References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 2007
Grant dateJun 7, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 12, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/31051
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method for shaping a surface of a workpiece, comprises positioning at least one of a workpiece and an inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) torch including three concentrically arranged tubes. A plasma gas is introduced to an outer tube of the ICP torch and energy is transferred from a radio frequency (RF) power source to the plasma gas to generate an excitation zone at least partially downstream of the ICP torch. A reactive reactive precursor is introduced to the excitation zone, and an auxiliary gas is introduced to the intermediate tube to control a position of the excitation zone relative to the ICP torch so that a controlled distribution of reactive species is formed. The surface is shaped by removing material from the surface of the workpiece with at least a portion of the reactive species and adding material to the surface of the workpiece with at least a portion of the reactive species.

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