Radio frequency source for inductively and capacitively coupled plasma in a substrate processing chamber - Patents.com

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) source may be used to generate a capacitively coupled plasma to perform a plasma-based process on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber. A controller may cause the RF source and switching elements to route an RF signal to an electrode in a pedestal that generates a plasma in the processing chamber as part of a recipe to be performed on a substrate during an etching or deposition process. Between processes, the controller may cause the same RF source to generate a second RF signal that is instead routed by the switching elements to an inductive coil to generate an inductively coupled plasma for a cleaning process to remove film deposits on the interior of the plasma processing chamber.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a radio frequency source for generating multiple plasmas in a chamber. More particularly, the present disclosure describes a radio frequency source configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma during substrate processing and an inductively coupled plasma during a cleaning process. [Background technology]

[0002] In the manufacture of modern semiconductor devices, plasma-based processes such as plasma-based chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are commonly employed for the formation of thin films on semiconductor substrates or for etching materials from the surface of the substrate. For example, plasma processes in PECVD chambers generally promote disassociation of reactive gases that are distributed across the substrate surface during PECVD processes. In particular, application of radio frequency (RF) energy to a reaction zone proximate to the substrate surface creates a plasma of highly reactive ionic species, which can reduce the energy required for chemical reactions to take place on the substrate surface and lower the required temperature for certain CVD processes. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In some embodiments, a system may include a plasma processing chamber, a radio frequency (RF) source, and a controller configured to perform operations including receiving instructions of a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in the plasma processing chamber and causing the RF source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate, and receiving instructions of a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber and causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process.

[0004] In some embodiments, a method of using a single radio frequency (RF) source to generate inductively coupled plasma and capacitively coupled plasma in a plasma processing chamber may include receiving instructions of a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in the plasma processing chamber and causing the RF source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate, and receiving instructions of a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber and causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process.

[0005] In some embodiments, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media may include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including receiving instructions of a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber and causing a radio frequency (RF) source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate; and receiving instructions of a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber and causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process.

[0006] In any embodiment, any and all of the following features may be implemented in any combination, without limitation. The system may further include a switching element coupled to an output of the RF source. The method / operation may also include causing the switching element to route a first RF signal to one or more electrodes in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber during a plasma process performed on a substrate to generate a capacitively coupled plasma. The method / operation may also include causing the switching element to route a second RF signal to an inductive coil during a cleaning process to generate an inductively coupled plasma. The system may also include a remote plasma generator, and the second RF signal may be routed to the remote plasma generator to generate an inductively coupled plasma. The system may also include an inductive coil disposed about a gas mixing region of the plasma processing chamber, and the second RF signal may be routed to the inductive coil to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the gas mixing region. The system may also include an inductive coil disposed in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber, and the second RF signal may be routed to the inductive coil to generate an inductively coupled plasma in a process space of the plasma processing chamber. The system may also include a first RF matching circuit configured to match an impedance of the capacitively coupled plasma during a plasma process performed on the substrate, and the first RF signal may be routed through the first RF matching circuit. The system may also include a second RF matching circuit configured to match an impedance of the inductively coupled plasma during a cleaning process, and the second RF signal may be routed through the second RF matching circuit. The system may also include an RF matching circuit, and the method / operation may also include causing the RF matching circuit to match an impedance of either the inductively coupled plasma or the capacitively coupled plasma depending on whether a plasma process or a cleaning process is being performed on the substrate. The first RF signal may be routed to an electrode in a lid assembly of the plasma processing chamber. The pedestal of the plasma processing chamber may include a ground connection through which the first RF signal is grounded after generating the capacitively coupled plasma.The RF source may be shared among multiple plasma processing chambers. The RF source may generate both capacitively coupled plasma and inductively coupled plasma without the need for additional RF sources. The one or more processors may be distributed among different computing systems. The instructions may be part of one or more recipes executed on a batch of substrates in the plasma processing chamber. The method / operation may also include causing a switching element to route a first RF signal to one or more electrodes in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber during a plasma process performed on the substrate to generate a capacitively coupled plasma, and causing the switching element to route a second RF signal to an inductive coil or a remote plasma generator during a cleaning process to generate an inductively coupled plasma. The method / operation may also include causing one or more RF matching circuits to match an impedance of either the inductively coupled plasma or the capacitively coupled plasma depending on whether a plasma process is being performed on the substrate or a cleaning process is being performed.

[0007] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the various embodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used throughout the several views to refer to like components. In some instances, a sub-label is associated with a reference numeral to indicate one of multiple similar components. When reference is made to a reference numeral without specification to an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to all such multiple similar components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a substrate processing tool or processing system of deposition, etch, bake and cure chambers according to some embodiments. [Figure 2A] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a plasma processing chamber according to some embodiments. [Figure 2B]1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a plasma processing chamber according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] 1 is a simplified block diagram of a system for using a single RF source to generate a plasma for operating and / or cleaning a plasma processing chamber, according to some embodiments. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing chamber that uses an RF source to generate a first plasma for a process on a substrate and a second plasma for cleaning the plasma processing chamber in accordance with some embodiments. [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing chamber using an RF source coupled to a lid assembly of the plasma processing chamber, according to some embodiments. [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing chamber using an RF source to generate an inductively coupled plasma for a cleaning process in a gas mixing region according to some embodiments. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing chamber using an inverted configuration with an RF source coupled to a lid assembly for generating a capacitively coupled plasma in the opposite direction. [Figure 6A] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing chamber in which an RF source generates a capacitively coupled plasma and an inductively coupled plasma through a pedestal in accordance with some embodiments. [Figure 6B] FIG. 2 illustrates a plasma processing chamber using an inverted configuration, with an RF source coupled to a lid assembly, according to some embodiments. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart of a method for using a single RF source to generate an inductively coupled plasma and a capacitively coupled plasma in a plasma processing chamber, according to some embodiments. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system upon which various embodiments may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A radio frequency (RF) source may be used to generate a capacitively coupled plasma to perform a plasma-based process on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber. A controller may cause the RF source and switching elements to route an RF signal to an electrode in a pedestal that generates a plasma in the processing chamber as part of a recipe to be performed on a substrate during an etching or deposition process. Between processes, the controller may cause the same RF source to generate a second RF signal that is instead routed by the switching elements to an inductive coil to generate an inductively coupled plasma for a cleaning process to remove film deposits on the interior of the plasma processing chamber.

[0010] 1 shows a top view of a deposition, etch, bake, and cure chamber substrate processing tool or processing system 100, according to some embodiments. A set of front-opening unified pods 102 can supply substrates of various sizes that are received into a factory interface 103 by robotic arms 104a and 104b and placed into a load lock or low pressure holding area 106 before being delivered to one of the substrate processing regions 108 arranged in chamber systems or quad sections 109a-109c, each of which can be a substrate processing system having a transfer region fluidly coupled to multiple processing regions 108. Although a quad system is shown, it should be understood that platforms incorporating stand-alone chambers, twin chambers, and other multiple chamber systems can also be used. A second robot arm 110 housed in a transfer chamber 112 may be used to transport substrate wafers from the holding area 106 to the quad section 109 and vice versa, the second robot arm 110 may be housed in a transfer chamber to which each of the quad sections or processing systems may be connected. Each substrate processing region 108 may be equipped to perform a number of substrate processing operations including any number of deposition processes including cyclical layer deposition, atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, as well as etching, pre-cleaning, annealing, plasma treatment, degassing, orientation, and other substrate processes.

[0011] Each quad section 109 may include a transfer region that may receive substrates from and deliver substrates to the second robot arm 110. The transfer region of the chamber system may be aligned with a transfer chamber with the second robot arm 110. In some embodiments, the transfer region may be laterally accessible to the robot. In a subsequent operation, components of the transfer section may vertically transfer the substrate to the overlying processing region 108. Similarly, the transfer region may also be operable to rotate the substrate between positions within each transfer region. The substrate processing region 108 may include any number of system components for depositing, annealing, curing, and / or etching a material film on a substrate or wafer. In one configuration, two sets of processing regions, such as processing regions in quad sections 109a and 109b, may be used to deposit material on the substrate, and a third set of processing chambers, such as processing chambers or regions in quad section 109c, may be used to cure, anneal, or process the deposited film. In another configuration, all three sets of chambers, such as all twelve chambers shown, can be configured to both deposit and / or cure a film on a substrate.

[0012] The second robot arm 110 may include two arms for simultaneously delivering and / or retrieving multiple substrates. For example, each quad section 109 may include two accesses 107 along a surface of the housing of the transfer region that may be aligned laterally with the second robot arm. The accesses may be defined along a surface adjacent to the transfer chamber 112. In some embodiments, as shown, the first access may be aligned with a first substrate support of the multiple substrate supports of the quad section. Additionally, the second access may be aligned with a second substrate support of the multiple substrate supports of the quad section. The first substrate support may be adjacent to the second substrate support, and the two substrate supports may define a first row of substrate supports in some embodiments. As shown in the illustrated configuration, the second row of substrate supports may be positioned laterally outward from the transfer chamber 112 and behind the first row of substrate supports. The two arms of the second robot arm 110 can be spaced apart to allow the two arms to simultaneously enter a quad section or chamber system to deliver or retrieve one or two substrates to a substrate support in the transfer region.

[0013] Any one or more of the transfer regions described may be incorporated with additional chambers separate from the fabrication system shown in the different embodiments. It will be appreciated that additional configurations of deposition, etching, annealing, and curing chambers for material films are contemplated by the processing system 100. Additionally, any number of other processing systems may incorporate transfer systems for performing any of the specific operations, such as substrate movement, may be utilized with the present technology. In some embodiments, a processing system that may provide access to multiple processing chamber regions while maintaining a vacuum environment in various sections, such as the holding and transfer areas mentioned, may allow operations to be performed in multiple chambers while maintaining a specific vacuum environment between individual processes.

[0014] FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a plasma processing chamber 200, according to some embodiments. By way of example, the plasma processing chamber 200 may be described with respect to a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. However, any other type of plasma processing chamber, including other plasma deposition chambers or plasma etch chambers, may fall within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the plasma processing chamber 200 may be used to perform dry etching with one or more etchants. The plasma processing chamber 200 may be used to perform a dry etch with one or more etchants, such as precursor C. x F y (where x and y represent values ​​for known compounds), can be used to ignite plasma from O2, NF3, or combinations thereof.

[0015] The plasma processing chamber 200 may include a chamber body 202, a lid assembly 206, and a susceptor or pedestal 204. The lid assembly 206 may be disposed at an upper end of the chamber body 202. The pedestal 204 may be disposed within the chamber body 202, and the lid assembly 206 may be coupled to the chamber body 202 to enclose the pedestal 204 to form a processing space 220. The chamber body 202 may include a transfer port 226, which may include a slit valve, formed in a sidewall of the chamber body 202. The slit valve opening or transfer port 226 may be selectively opened and closed to allow access to the interior of the processing space 220 by a substrate handling robot (not shown) for substrate transfer. The transfer port may be configured to facilitate insertion and removal of a substrate 254 into and from the plasma processing chamber 200.

[0016] The lid assembly 206 may include a “showerhead” or gas distributor plate 212 having a number of openings 218 for flowing process gas into the processing space 220. Process gas may be supplied to the plasma processing chamber 200 from a gas source via a conduit 214. The process gas may enter a gas mixing region 216 before flowing through the openings 218. In some implementations, the gas mixing region 216 may be referred to as a “gas box” or the gas may be mixed and / or evenly distributed before entering the processing space 220. During operation, the process gas may fill the gas mixing region 216 and then pass through the openings 218 formed in the gas distributor plate 212 to enter the processing space 220 evenly. In alternative embodiments, the process gas may be introduced into the processing space 220 by inlets and / or nozzles (not shown) distributed within the processing space 220 in addition to or instead of the gas distributor plate 212.

[0017] The pedestal 204 may be formed from a metal or ceramic material. For example, metal oxides, nitrides, or oxide / nitride mixtures may be used, such as aluminum, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide / aluminum nitride mixtures, and / or other similar materials. In a typical implementation, one or more pedestal electrodes may be included in the pedestal 204. These electrodes may form a plate, a perforated plate, a mesh, a wire screen, or any other distributed conductive arrangement. These electrodes may be used to secure the substrate 254 to the pedestal 204 through various "chucking" methods, such as monopolar or bipolar chucking.

[0018] The pedestal 204 may be coupled to a lift mechanism through a shaft 244, which extends through a bottom surface of the chamber body 202. The lift mechanism may be flexibly sealed to the chamber body 202 by a bellows that prevents vacuum leakage from around the shaft 244. The lift mechanism may allow the pedestal 204 to be moved vertically within the chamber body 202 between a transfer position and several process positions to place the substrate 254 in proximity to the gas distributor plate 212.

[0019] Some embodiments may also include one or more heating elements 280 in the pedestal 204. The one or more heating elements 280 may include wires with relatively low internal resistance that generate heat when current flows through the one or more heating elements 280. For example, some heating elements may have a resistance of less than 10 ohms, such as 2 ohms. Power may be provided to the one or more heating elements 280 by a heater power supply 282, which may be controlled by a heater controller. The heater controller may provide voltage / current settings to the heater power supply 282 to deliver a voltage / current to the one or more heating elements 280 during a processing cycle to heat the pedestal 204. This heat may be transferred to the substrate 254 during processing to bring the substrate 254 to a predetermined temperature range.

[0020] The pedestal 204 may also include one or more electrodes 236 configured to deliver RF energy to the plasma in the processing space 220. For example, a first RF source 260 may be provided outside the chamber body 202 to provide RF energy to the one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204. The RF energy may be transferred through the one or more electrodes 236 to the gas in the processing space 220 deposited through the gas distributor plate 212 to generate a plasma. The plasma may be maintained above the substrate 254, for example, to deposit a layer of material on the substrate 254. To maximize power transfer from the first RF source 262 to the plasma in the processing space 220, the RF signal from the first RF source 262 may first pass through an RF matching circuit 232 configured to match the impedance of the plasma. By matching the impedance of the RF matching circuit 232 to the impedance of the plasma, reflection of RF power may be minimized while maximizing power transfer to the plasma.

[0021] After exiting the RF matching circuit 232, one or more transmission lines 234 may deliver RF power to the pedestal 204. During a plasma processing operation involving the substrate 254, a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) may be generated. For example, one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204 may form a capacitive service that capacitively couples RF power from the first RF source 262 to the plasma in the processing space 220. The one or more transmission lines 234 may include coaxial cables and, in some embodiments, may be configured with additional shielding on the exterior of these coaxial cables to prevent excessive leakage of RF power to ground. For example, the first RF source 260 may include an RF generator capable of generating RF current at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz. Alternatively or additionally, the first RF source 260 may include a very high frequency (VHF) generator capable of generating VHF power, such as VHF power at a frequency between about 40 MHz and 200 MHz or higher.

[0022] After passing through the plasma in the process space 220, the RF signal may be coupled to a gas distributor plate 212 or other conductive parts of the lid assembly 206. These conductive parts may form an electrode 208, which may be coupled to a ground connection. An isolator 210 may contact the electrode 208 and electrically and thermally isolate the electrode 208 from the chamber body 202. The isolator 210 may be constructed using a dielectric material, such as aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and / or other ceramic or metal oxides.

[0023] In some embodiments, an RF filter 283 may be included between the heater power supply 282 and the one or more heating elements 280. The RF filter 283 may include multiple inductor / capacitor combinations for each input and / or output lead to / from the heater power supply 282. For example, each individual RF filter in the RF filter 283 may include a parallel capacitance (e.g., about 50 nF) and a series inductor (e.g., about 6 μH) to filter out the RF signal on each of these lines.

[0024] In addition to generating a capacitively coupled plasma during a plasma-based process being performed on the substrate 254, the plasma processing chamber 200 may be further configured to generate a second plasma during a cleaning process for the processing space 220. For example, a cleaning process may be initiated to remove residues from the plasma process from the processing space 220 after the substrate 254 is removed from the processing space 220. The cleaning process may involve generating a second plasma that is separate and distinct from the first plasma generated during the process on the substrate 254. For example, the first plasma generated during the process on the substrate 254 may be a capacitively coupled plasma. In contrast, the second plasma generated during the cleaning process after the substrate 254 is removed from the processing space 220 may be an inductively coupled plasma. The first and second plasmas may alternatively be distinguished from each other by when they are generated in the processing space. For example, the first plasma may be generated during the process on the substrate 254 and the second plasma may be generated during the cleaning process after the substrate 254 is removed.

[0025] To generate the second plasma, some embodiments may include a second plasma source 284 powered by a second RF source 281 that is separate and distinct from the first RF source 260. For example, the second plasma source 284 may include a remote plasma source (RPS) located outside the processing space 220. The second plasma source 284 may generate a second plasma in the second plasma source 284 and may flow ions into the processing space 220 during a cleaning process to clean exposed surfaces in the processing space 220. For example, the first plasma may deposit a thin film on the substrate 254 during a plasma-based deposition process in the plasma processing chamber 200. This process may also leave a thin film deposited on other surfaces in the processing space 220. After removing the substrate 254, a cleaning process may use the second plasma generated by the second plasma source 284. Gases generated by the second plasma may react with the film on the surfaces of the processing space 220 such that the film is absorbed by the gas and flushed from the processing space 220 through the vacuum port.

[0026] The second RF source 281 may operate using different operating characteristics (e.g., power, waveform, frequency, etc.) than the operating characteristics of the first RF source 260. For example, generating a capacitively coupled plasma may use different RF characteristics than generating an inductively coupled plasma for cleaning. In some embodiments, the second plasma source 284 may include an integrated RF matching circuit packaged with the second plasma source 284. Alternatively, some embodiments may use a second RF matching circuit 283 used to match the impedance of the remote plasma source 284. The second RF matching circuit 283 is thus optional and need not be used in all embodiments.

[0027] 2B shows a cross-sectional view of a plasma processing chamber 201 according to some embodiments. The configuration of the plasma processing chamber 201 is similar to that of the plasma processing chamber 200 from FIG. 2A, with the difference being that a first RF source 260 for generating a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing space 220 is coupled to an electrode 208 of a gas distributor plate 212 in the lid assembly 206. For example, the first RF source 260 may send an RF signal through an RF matching circuit 232 to the electrode 208. This RF signal may generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing space 220 through one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204. The one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204 may be coupled to a ground connection to complete the RF circuit. Each of the embodiments described herein may be equally applicable to, but is not limited to, a configuration in which a first RF source 260 that generates a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing space 220 is coupled to one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204 and / or a configuration in which the first RF source 260 is coupled to an electrode 208 of the gas distributor plate 212.

[0028] Under normal operation, the first RF source 260 and the second RF source 281 will generally not be powered simultaneously. In particular, the capacitively coupled plasma for performing a plasma-based process on the substrate 254 will be active during the plasma-based process. The second RF source 281 for generating the inductively coupled plasma will be off during the plasma-based process. Conversely, when the second RF source 281 generates the inductively coupled plasma for cleaning the process space 220, the first RF source 260 will generally be off. By utilizing this operating schedule for the first RF source 260 and the second RF source 281, some embodiments may improve the efficiency and design of the plasma processing chamber by using a single RF source to perform both operations. For example, a single RF source may be used to generate the capacitively coupled plasma for the plasma-based process performed by the plasma processing chamber 201 and to generate the inductively coupled plasma for cleaning the plasma processing chamber 201.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a simplified block diagram 300 of a system for using a single RF source 302 to generate plasma for operating and / or cleaning a plasma processing chamber, according to some embodiments. An RF source 302 configured to generate an RF signal that can be used to generate both capacitively coupled plasma and inductively coupled plasma can be provided. The output of the RF source 302 can be dynamically controlled during operation of the chamber using a controller 324. For example, the controller 324 can provide an input to the RF source 302 to change the frequency and / or power output of the RF source 302. To generate a capacitively coupled plasma, the RF source 302 can be configured to output an RF signal at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz, between about 40 MHz and 200 MHz, or other frequency configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma for a plasma-based process in the chamber. The controller 324 can also cause the RF source 302 to output a different power / frequency used to generate an inductively coupled plasma for cleaning the chamber.

[0030] In addition to controlling the output of the RF source 302, the controller 324 may also be configured to operate the switching element 304. The switching element may be implemented using power transistors, relays, and / or other hardware switches. The switching element 304 may be configured to route the RF signal output from the RF source 302 to one or more RF matching circuits. For example, when generating a capacitively coupled plasma for a chamber process performed on a substrate, the switching element 304 may route the RF signal through a first RF matching circuit 310 configured to match the impedance of a first plasma 314 generated as a capacitively coupled plasma for a chamber process on the substrate. During a cleaning process, the controller 324 may cause the switching element 304 to route the RF signal from the RF source 302 to a second RF matching circuit 308 configured to match the impedance of a second plasma 312 generated as an inductively coupled plasma for cleaning the chamber. As described above, some implementations of the second plasma source 284 may include an integrated RF matching circuit. In these embodiments, the second RF matching circuit 308 may be optional.

[0031] 3 as being two separate RF matching circuits. However, other embodiments may use a single RF matching circuit with different settings that allow the single RF matching circuit to match the impedance of both the first plasma 314 and the second plasma 312. The single RF matching circuit may include an adjustable capacitance that may be dynamically adjusted during operation to match the impedance of the corresponding plasma depending on whether the chamber is performing a process on a substrate or undergoing a cleaning operation.

[0032] The controller 324 may be implemented by any computer system. For example, the controller 324 may include one or more processors that execute instructions. The instructions may be stored on one or more computer-readable media as a computer program. The controller 324 may be distributed such that multiple computer systems may collectively form the controller 324. For example, a processor coupled to the RF source 302 may execute a portion of the instructions to control the RF source 302, and a separate processor coupled to the switching element 304 may execute another portion of the instructions. Alternatively, the controller 324 may be implemented using a server, workstation, or other centralized computer system that communicates with the RF source 302, the switching element 304, and / or other elements of the system.

[0033] 4A shows a plasma processing chamber 400 that uses an RF source 302 to generate a first plasma for a process on a substrate 254 and a second plasma for cleaning the plasma processing chamber 400, according to some embodiments. As described above in FIG. 3, the RF source 302 and the switching element 304 may be controlled by a controller 324. During a plasma-based process on the substrate 254, the switching element 304 may deliver RF power through a first RF matching circuit 310 to one or more electrodes 236 in the pedestal 204. As described above with respect to FIG. 2A, this RF signal may generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing space 220, for example, to deposit a thin film on the substrate 254. The RF signal may go through the electrode 208 to a ground connection.

[0034] When the substrate 254 is removed from the processing space 220, the plasma processing chamber 400 may begin the cleaning process. Instead of using a dedicated RF source, the second plasma source 284 may receive an RF signal from the RF source 302 previously used during the plasma-based process on the substrate 254. The controller 324 may cause the RF source 302 to generate an RF signal having a power output and frequency compatible with the second plasma source 284 to generate an inductively coupled plasma for the cleaning process. The controller 324 may also cause the switching element 304 to route the output RF signal from the RF source 302 through the second RF matching circuit 308 to the remote plasma source 284. As described above with respect to FIG. 2A, the second plasma source 284 may generate an inductively coupled plasma used to clean surfaces in the processing space 220.

[0035] The plasma processing chamber 400 may perform multiple plasma-based processes on various substrates between cleaning cycles. Thus, the controller 324 may cause the RF source 302 to send an RF signal through the first RF match circuit 310 to generate a capacitively coupled plasma through one or more electrodes 236 in the chamber multiple times before switching to power the second plasma source 284 instead. The instructions controlling the operation of the controller 324 may be part of a recipe that is executed on a batch of substrates between cleaning processes.

[0036] The switching element 304, the first RF matching circuit 310 and / or the second RF matching circuit 308 may be housed in a filter box that may be shared with the RF filter 283. Alternatively, any of these components may be individually packaged outside the filter box.

[0037] 4B illustrates a plasma processing chamber 401 using an RF source 302 coupled to the lid assembly 206 of the plasma processing chamber 401, according to some embodiments. The plasma processing chamber 401 is similar to the plasma processing chamber 400 in FIG. 4A, with the difference being that the RF source 302 and the first RF matching circuit 310 are coupled to the electrode 208 on the lid assembly 206 of the plasma processing chamber 401. As described above with respect to FIG. 2B, this configuration reverses the path of the RF signal from the RF source 302 through the processing space 220 during a plasma-based process on a substrate 254. The operation of the controller 324, the switching element 304, and the RF matching circuits 310, 308 may function as described above with respect to FIG. 4A, but in the opposite direction.

[0038] FIG. 5A illustrates a plasma processing chamber 500 using an RF source 302 to generate an inductively coupled plasma for a cleaning process in the gas mixing region 216 according to some embodiments. The controller 324 may control the RF source 302 and the switching element 304 to send an RF signal through the first RF matching circuit 310 to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing space 220 as described above. However, to generate an inductively coupled plasma during a cleaning process, the RF signal sent to the second RF matching circuit 308 may be coupled to an inductive coil 502 distributed around the gas mixing region 216 of the lid assembly. For example, the inductive coil 502 may be placed between a showerhead and a gas box of the plasma processing chamber 500. The RF signal may pass through the inductive coil 502 to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the gas box that will be distributed in the processing space 220 to clean the plasma processing chamber 500. These embodiments may effectively eliminate the need for a remote plasma generator to be separately included in the plasma processing chamber 500. FIG. 5B shows a plasma processing chamber 501 using an inverse configuration, with an RF source 302 coupled to the lid assembly 206, for generating a capacitively coupled plasma in the opposite direction, as described in FIG. 4B.

[0039] 6A illustrates a plasma processing chamber 601 in which an RF source 302 generates a capacitively coupled plasma and an inductively coupled plasma through a pedestal 204, according to some embodiments. Instead of placing a coil around the gas mixing region 216, this configuration may embed an inductive coil 608 in the pedestal 204. The inductive coil 608 may coexist in the pedestal 204 with one or more electrodes 236 that generate the capacitively coupled plasma along with one or more heating elements 280 used to heat the substrate 254. The inductive coil 608 may receive an RF signal from a second RF matching circuit 308 to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the processing space 220 during a cleaning process. Thus, the RF source 302 may alternately power either the one or more electrodes 236 for generating a capacitively coupled plasma or the inductive coil 608 for generating an inductively coupled plasma depending on the type of process (e.g., deposition, etching, cleaning) performed in the plasma processing chamber 600. FIG. 6B illustrates a plasma processing chamber 601 using an inverted configuration, with the RF source 302 coupled to the lid assembly 206, according to some embodiments.

[0040] 7 shows a flow chart 700 of a method for using a single RF source to generate an inductively coupled plasma and a capacitively coupled plasma in a plasma processing chamber, according to some embodiments. Alternatively, the plasma may be differentiated as a plasma used to perform a process on a substrate as opposed to a plasma used to clean the plasma processing chamber. The method may be performed by a controller having a processor that executes instructions to perform these operations. Additionally, the method may be performed by the RF source, switching elements, and other components of the plasma processing system.

[0041] The method may include receiving (702) instructions for a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber. For example, the controller may receive a recipe or instructions indicating that a plasma process is to be performed. This may include a deposition process, an etch process, and / or any other plasma-based process. The recipe may indicate settings for an RF source, such as power level, frequency, duty cycle, timing, and / or any other operating characteristics of the RF source.

[0042] The method may also include causing the RF source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during a plasma process being performed on the substrate (704). For example, the controller may generate an output that causes the RF source to generate a specified RF power. The controller may also generate an output that causes a switching element to direct the first RF signal through the switching element to an electrode in the pedestal or a lid assembly of the plasma processing chamber. The first RF signal may be configured to generate a capacitively conductive plasma based on its operating characteristics (e.g., frequency, power output, etc.) and / or based on how the first RF signal is routed to an electrode in the plasma processing chamber. The capacitively coupled plasma may be used to remove or deposit material on a substrate in the plasma processing chamber.

[0043] The method may further include receiving (706) an indication of a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber. The cleaning process may be performed between processes performed on the substrate in the plasma processing chamber. The cleaning process may use an inductively coupled plasma as opposed to a capacitively coupled plasma used by the plasma processes performed on the substrate. Additionally, the cleaning process may be performed when the substrate is removed from the chamber and after a film has built up on the surfaces in the processing space of the chamber. The indication of the cleaning process may be received by the controller as an input from a user, as part of a sequence of a recipe to be performed on a batch of substrates with intermittent cleaning processes, by an automated process that detects when the plasma processing chamber needs cleaning, or by any other input means.

[0044] The method may further include causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process (708). For example, the controller may provide an operational setting to the RF source to begin generating the second RF signal. The operational setting provided to the RF source may be different from the operational setting provided to generate the first RF signal. Thus, the second RF signal may be configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma based on the operational setting of the RF source and / or based on the second RF signal being routed to an inductive coil that generates the inductively coupled plasma. It should be noted that the same RF source may be used to generate both inductively coupled plasma and capacitively coupled plasma.

[0045] It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in FIG. 7 provide a specific method of using a single RF source to generate inductively coupled plasma and capacitively coupled plasma in a plasma processing chamber according to various embodiments. Other sequences of steps may also be performed according to alternative embodiments. For example, alternative embodiments may perform the steps outlined above in a different order. Moreover, the individual steps illustrated in FIG. 7 may include multiple sub-steps that may be performed in various sequences as appropriate for the individual steps. Furthermore, additional steps may be added or removed depending on the particular application. Many variations, modifications, and alternatives are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] Each of the methods described herein may be implemented by a computer system. Each step of these methods may be performed automatically by the computer system and / or may be provided with input / output involving a user. For example, a user may provide inputs for each step in the method, each of which may be in response to a particular output requesting such input, and the output is generated by the computer system. Each input may be received in response to a corresponding requesting output. Further, an input may be received from a user, received from another computer system as a data stream, retrieved from a memory location, retrieved over a network, requested from a web service, etc. Similarly, an output may be provided to a user, provided to another computer system as a data stream, stored in a memory location, sent over a network, provided to a web service, etc. In short, each step of the methods described herein may be performed by a computer system and may involve any number of inputs, outputs, and / or requests to and from the computer system, which may or may not involve a user. Steps that do not involve a user may be said to be performed automatically by the computer system without human intervention. Thus, in light of this disclosure, it will be understood that each step of each method described herein may be modified to include input and output to and from a user, or may be performed automatically by a computer system without human intervention, with any decisions made by a processor. Additionally, some embodiments of each of the methods described herein may be implemented as a set of instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory storage medium to form a tangible software product.

[0047] 8 illustrates an exemplary computer system 800 upon which various embodiments may be implemented. System 800 may be used to implement any of the computer systems described above. As shown in the figure, computer system 800 includes a processing unit 804 that communicates with several peripheral subsystems via a bus subsystem 802. These peripheral subsystems may include a processing acceleration unit 806, an I / O subsystem 808, a storage subsystem 818, and a communication subsystem 824. The storage subsystem 818 includes a tangible computer readable storage medium 822 and a system memory 810.

[0048] Bus subsystem 802 provides a mechanism for allowing the various components and subsystems of computer system 800 to communicate with one another as intended. Although bus subsystem 802 is shown diagrammatically as a single bus, alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may utilize multiple buses. Bus subsystem 802 may be any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. For example, such architectures may include an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a MicroChannel Architecture (MCA) bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, which may be implemented as a mezzanine bus manufactured to the IEEE P1386.1 standard.

[0049] Processing unit 804, which may be implemented as one or more integrated circuits (e.g., conventional microprocessors or microcontrollers), controls the operation of computer system 800. One or more processors may be included in processing unit 804. These processors may include single-core processors or multi-core processors. In some embodiments, processing unit 804 is implemented as one or more independent processing units 832 and / or 834, each of which may include a single or multi-core processor. In other embodiments, processing unit 804 may also be implemented as a quad-core processing unit formed by integrating two dual-core processors into a single chip.

[0050] In various embodiments, the processing unit 804 may execute various programs in response to program code and may maintain multiple simultaneously executing programs or processes. At any given time, some or all of the program code to be executed may reside in the processor(s) 804 and / or in the storage subsystem 818. Through suitable programming, the processor(s) 804 may provide various functions described above. The computer system 800 may further include a processing acceleration unit 806, which may include a digital signal processor (DSP), a special purpose processor, or the like.

[0051] The I / O subsystem 808 may include user interface input devices and user interface output devices. User interface input devices may include a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball, a touchpad or touch screen integrated into a display, a scroll wheel, a click wheel, a dial, a button, a switch, a keypad, an audio input device with a voice command recognition system, a microphone, and other types of input devices. User interface input devices may include motion sensing and / or gesture recognition devices, such as a Microsoft Kinect® motion sensor, that allows a user to control and interact with an input device, such as a Microsoft Xbox® 360 game controller, through a natural user interface using gestures and spoken commands. User interface input devices may also include eye gesture recognition devices, such as a Google Glass® blink detector, that detects eye activity from a user (e.g., "blinking" while taking a picture and / or making a menu selection) and translates the eye gestures as input to an input device (e.g., Google Glass®). Additionally, the user interface input devices may include a voice recognition sensing device that allows a user to interact with a voice recognition system (eg, the Siri® navigator) through voice commands.

[0052] User interface input devices may include, but are not limited to, three-dimensional (3D) mice, joysticks or pointing sticks, game pads and graphic tablets, as well as audio / visual devices such as speakers, digital cameras, digital camcorders, portable media players, webcams, image scanners, fingerprint scanners, barcode readers 3D scanners, 3D printers, laser range finders, and eye-tracking devices. Additionally, user interface input devices may include medical imaging input devices, such as, for example, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, position emission tomography, medical ultrasound examination devices, etc. User interface input devices may also include audio input devices, such as, for example, MIDI keyboards, digital musical instruments, etc.

[0053] User interface output devices may include a display subsystem, indicator lights, or non-visual displays such as audio output devices, and the like. The display subsystem may be a flat panel device such as one using a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD) or plasma display, a projection device, a touch screen, and the like. In general, use of the term "output device" is intended to include all conceivable types of devices and mechanisms for outputting information from computer system 800 to a user or to another computer. For example, user interface output devices may include a variety of display devices that visually convey text, graphics, and audio / video information, such as, but not limited to, monitors, printers, speakers, headphones, automobile navigation systems, plotters, voice output devices, and modems.

[0054] Computer system 800 may include a storage subsystem 818 that comprises software elements shown as currently residing in system memory 810. System memory 810 may store program instructions that are loadable and executable on processing unit 804, as well as data generated during the execution of these programs.

[0055] Depending on the configuration and type of computer system 800, system memory 810 may be volatile (such as random access memory (RAM)) and / or non-volatile (such as read only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.). RAM typically contains data and / or program modules that are immediately accessible to and / or currently being operated on and executed by the processing unit 804. In some implementations, system memory 810 may include a number of different types of memory, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In some implementations, a basic input / output system (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help transfer information between elements within computer system 800, such as during start-up, may typically be stored in ROM. By way of example and not limitation, system memory 810 also illustrates application programs 812, program data 814, and operating system 816, which may include client applications, web browsers, mid-tier applications, relational database management systems (RDBMS), and the like. By way of example, operating system 816 may include various versions of Microsoft Windows®, Apple Macintosh®, and / or Linux operating systems, various commercially available UNIX® or UNIX-like operating systems (including, but not limited to, various GNU / Linux operating systems, Google Chrome® OS, etc.), and / or mobile operating systems such as iOS, Windows® Phone, Android® OS, BlackBerry® 10 OS, and Palm® OS operating systems.

[0056] The storage subsystem 818 may also provide a tangible computer-readable storage medium for storing the basic programming and data constructs that provide the functionality of some embodiments. Software (programs, code modules, instructions) that, when executed by a processor, provide the functionality described above may be stored in the storage subsystem 818. These software modules or instructions may be executed by the processing unit 804. The storage subsystem 818 may also provide a repository for storing data used in accordance with some embodiments.

[0057] Storage subsystem 800 may also include a computer-readable storage medium reader 820, which may be further connected to a computer-readable storage medium 822. Along with, and optionally in combination with, the system memory 810, computer-readable storage medium 822 may comprehensively represent remote, local, fixed, and / or removable storage devices as well as storage media for containing, storing, transmitting, and retrieving computer-readable information on a temporary and / or more permanent basis.

[0058] The computer readable storage medium 822 containing the code or portions of code may also include any suitable medium, including, but not limited to, storage media and communication media, such as volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media, implemented in any method or technology for storage and / or transmission of information. This may include tangible computer readable storage media, such as RAM, ROM, Electronically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or other tangible computer readable media. This may also include non-tangible computer readable media, such as a data signal, data transmission, or any other medium that may be used to transmit the desired information and that may be accessed by computing system 800.

[0059] By way of example, computer readable storage media 822 may include hard disk drives that read from or write to non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media, magnetic disk drives that read from or write to removable, non-volatile magnetic disks, and optical disk drives that read from or write to removable, non-volatile optical disks, such as CD ROMs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray® disks or other optical media. Computer readable storage media 822 may include, but is not limited to, Zip® drives, flash memory cards, Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives, Secure Digital (SD) cards, DVD disks, digital video tapes, and the like. The computer-readable storage media 822 may include flash memory-based solid-state drives (SSDs), enterprise flash drives, SSDs based on non-volatile memory such as solid-state ROM, SSDs based on volatile memory such as solid-state RAM, dynamic RAM, static RAM, DRAM-based SSDs, magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) SSDs, and even hybrid SSDs using a combination of DRAM-based SSDs and flash memory-based SSDs. The disk drives and their associated computer-readable media may provide non-volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 800.

[0060] The communications subsystem 824 provides an interface to other computer systems and networks. The communications subsystem 824 serves as an interface for receiving data from other systems from the computer system 800 and for transmitting data to other systems from the computer system 800. For example, the communications subsystem 824 may enable the computer system 800 to connect to one or more devices via the Internet. In some embodiments, the communications subsystem 824 may include radio frequency (RF) transceiver components for accessing wireless voice and / or data networks (e.g., using cellular telephone technology, advanced data network technologies such as 3G, 4G, or EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution), WiFi (IEEE 802.11 family of standards), or other mobile communications technologies, or any combination thereof), global positioning system (GPS) receiver components, and / or other components. In some embodiments, the communications subsystem 824 may provide wired network connectivity (e.g., Ethernet) in addition to or instead of a wireless interface.

[0061] In some embodiments, the communications subsystem 824 may also receive incoming communications in the form of structured and / or unstructured data feeds 826, event streams 828, event updates 830, etc., for one or more users who may be using the computer system 800.

[0062] By way of example, the communications subsystem 824 may be configured to receive data feeds 826 in real time from users of social networks and / or other communications services, such as web feeds such as Twitter® feeds, Facebook® updates, Rich Site Summary (RSS) feeds, and / or real-time updates from one or more third-party sources.

[0063] Additionally, the communications subsystem 824 may also be configured to receive data in the form of a continuous data stream, which may include an event stream 828 of real-time events and / or event updates 830, which may be continuous or infinite in nature without an explicit end. Examples of applications that generate continuous data may include, for example, sensor data applications, financial tickers, network performance measurement tools (e.g., network monitoring and traffic management applications), clickstream analysis tools, automobile traffic monitoring, and the like.

[0064] The communications subsystem 824 may also be configured to output structured and / or unstructured data feeds 826, event streams 828, event updates 830, etc. to one or more databases that may be in communication with one or more streaming data source computers coupled to the computer system 800.

[0065] The computer system 800 may be one of a variety of types, including a handheld portable device (e.g., an iPhone® cellular phone, an iPad® computing tablet, a PDA), a wearable device (e.g., a Google Glass® head mounted display), a PC, a workstation, a mainframe, a kiosk, a server rack, or any other data processing system.

[0066] Due to the ever-changing nature of computers and networks, the description of computer system 800 shown in the figure is only as a specific example. Many other configurations are possible having more or fewer components than the system shown in the figure. For example, customized hardware may also be used, and / or particular elements may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software (including applets), or a combination. Additionally, connections to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, may be employed. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, other ways and / or methods for implementing various embodiments should be apparent.

[0067] In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that some embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form.

[0068] The above description provides only exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the above description of various embodiments provides a possible disclosure for implementing at least one embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the several embodiments as set forth in the appended claims.

[0069] Specific details have been given in the above description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0070] Also, it is noted that the particular embodiments may be described as a process, which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. Moreover, the order of operations may be rearranged. A process terminates when its operations are completed, but may have additional steps not included in the diagram. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0071] The term "computer-readable medium" includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels, and various other media capable of storing, containing, or transporting instruction(s) and / or data. A code segment or machine-executable instruction may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0072] Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine-readable medium. Processor(s) may perform the necessary tasks.

[0073] In the above specification, features have been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, but it should be recognized that not all embodiments are limited thereto. Various features and aspects of the several embodiments may be used individually or together. Moreover, the embodiments may be utilized in any number of environments and applications other than those described herein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the specification. Thus, the specification and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0074] Furthermore, for purposes of explanation, the method has been described in a particular order. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the method may be performed in an order different from that described. It should also be appreciated that the above described method may be performed by hardware components or embodied in a sequence of machine-executable instructions that may be used to cause a machine, such as a general-purpose or special-purpose processor or a logic circuit programmed with instructions, to perform the method. These machine-executable instructions may be stored on one or more machine-readable media, such as a CD-ROM or other type of optical disk, a floppy diskette, a ROM, a RAM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic or optical card, a flash memory, or any other type of machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. Alternatively, the method may be performed by a combination of hardware and software.

Claims

1. a plasma processing chamber; A radio frequency (RF) source; A controller configured to perform operations, the operations including: receiving instructions for a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber; causing the RF source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate; receiving instructions for a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber; causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process; Including the controller and A system comprising:

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a switching element coupled to an output of the RF source.

3. The operations performed by the controller include: causing the switching element to route the first RF signal to one or more electrodes in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process being performed on the substrate to generate the capacitively coupled plasma. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

4. The operations performed by the controller include: causing the switching element to route the second RF signal to an inductive coil during the cleaning process to generate the inductively coupled plasma. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote plasma generator, the second RF signal being routed to the remote plasma generator to generate the inductively coupled plasma.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an inductive coil disposed about a gas mixing region of the plasma processing chamber, the second RF signal being routed to the inductive coil to generate the inductively coupled plasma in the gas mixing region.

7. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an inductive coil disposed in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber, the second RF signal being routed to the inductive coil to generate the inductively coupled plasma in a process volume of the plasma processing chamber.

8. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first RF matching circuit configured to match an impedance of the capacitively coupled plasma during the plasma process performed on the substrate, the first RF signal being routed through the first RF matching circuit.

9. 10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a second RF matching circuit configured to match an impedance of the inductively coupled plasma during the cleaning process, the second RF signal being routed through the second RF matching circuit.

10. and an RF matching circuit, the operations performed by the controller comprising: causing the RF matching circuit to match the impedance of either the inductively coupled plasma or the capacitively coupled plasma depending on whether the plasma process or the cleaning process is being performed on the substrate. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

11. 1. A method of using a single radio frequency (RF) source to generate an inductively coupled plasma and a capacitively coupled plasma in a plasma processing chamber, the method comprising: receiving instructions for a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber; causing an RF source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate; receiving instructions for a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber; causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process; A method comprising:

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first RF signal is routed to an electrode in a lid assembly of the plasma processing chamber.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber comprises a ground connection through which the first RF signal is connected to ground after generating the capacitively coupled plasma.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the RF source is shared among multiple plasma processing chambers.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the RF source generates both the capacitively coupled plasma and the inductively coupled plasma without the need for an additional RF source.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations including: receiving instructions for a plasma process to be performed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber; causing a radio frequency (RF) source to generate a first RF signal configured to generate a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process performed on the substrate; receiving instructions for a cleaning process to be performed in the plasma processing chamber; causing the RF source to generate a second RF signal configured to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber during the cleaning process; [0023] In one or more non-transitory computer readable media,

17. 20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are distributed among different computing systems.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are part of one or more recipes to be executed on a batch of substrates in the plasma processing chamber.

19. The operation includes: causing a switching element to route the first RF signal to one or more electrodes in a pedestal of the plasma processing chamber during the plasma process being performed on the substrate to generate the capacitively coupled plasma; causing the switching element to route the second RF signal to an inductive coil or a remote plasma generator during the cleaning process to generate the inductively coupled plasma; 20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

20. The operation includes: causing one or more RF matching circuits to match the impedance of either the inductively coupled plasma or the capacitively coupled plasma depending on whether the plasma process or the cleaning process is being performed on the substrate.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

Images