Patent · US Active

Capacitively coupled plasma reactor with magnetic plasma control

US7955986B2 · kind B2 · utility

57Cited by
231References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 23, 2006
Grant dateJun 7, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2028

Classification

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

Abstract

A plasma reactor includes a vacuum enclosure including a side wall and a ceiling defining a vacuum chamber, and a workpiece support within the chamber and facing the ceiling for supporting a planar workpiece, the workpiece support and the ceiling together defining a processing region between the workpiece support and the ceiling. Process gas inlets furnish a process gas into the chamber. A plasma source power electrode is connected to an RF power generator for capacitively coupling plasma source power into the chamber for maintaining a plasma within the chamber. The reactor further includes at least a first overhead solenoidal electromagnet adjacent the ceiling, the overhead solenoidal electromagnet, the ceiling, the side wall and the workpiece support being located along a common axis of symmetry. A current source is connected to the first solenoidal electromagnet and furnishes a first electric current in the first solenoidal electromagnet whereby to generate within the chamber a magnetic field which is a function of the first electric current, the first electric current having a value such that the magnetic field increases uniformity of plasma ion density radial distribution abou…

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