Processing with powered edge ring

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and related process equipment for forming structures on substrates, such as etching high aspect ratio structures within one or more layers formed over a substrate. The methods and related equipment described herein can improve the formation of the structures on substrates by controlling the curvature of the plasma-sheath boundary near the periphery of the substrate, for example, by generating a substantially flat plasma-sheath boundary over the entire substrate (i.e., center to edge). The methods and related equipment describedbelow can provide control over the curvature of the plasma-sheath boundary, including generation of the flat plasma-sheath boundary by applying RF power to an edge ring surrounding the substrate usinga separate and independent RF power source.

Description

[0001] background technical field [0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for forming structures on a substrate (eg, high aspect ratio structures for forming semiconductor devices). Background technique [0003] Reactive ion etching (RIE) is used to remove portions of layers to create structures on a substrate (eg, high aspect ratio structures for forming semiconductor devices). A substrate is typically placed on an electrostatic chuck (ESC) in a processing chamber, and an RF voltage is applied to conductive elements disposed within the electrostatic chuck assembly to generate a plasma over the substrate. RF power may also be applied to one or more induction coils disposed at the top of the processing chamber for plasma generation. The substrate is typically surrounded by an edge ring that can be used to couple RF energy supplied to the ESC to the region of the processing chamber above the edge ring to provide control over the curvature of...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These variable etch rates, as well as the feature shapes produced by RIE, prevent uniform results and can lead to variations in device performance for dies formed at different locations on the surface of the substrate

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