Angle-adjustable outlet source for ions and neutral particles

Abstract

A plasma source having an adjustable outlet opening is disclosed. The plasma source has a cylindrical body and two ends, with a housing opening formed along the cylindrical body. An adjustable output plate is positioned on the cylindrical body and covers the housing opening. The adjustable output plate has an outlet opening smaller than the housing opening. The adjustable output plate is circumferentially rotatable and thus moves the position of the outlet opening relative to the workpiece holder. The plasma source is configured such that changes in the outlet angle can be performed without breaking the vacuum. In some embodiments, a delimiting opening is positioned outside the outlet opening to define the paths of radicals and neutral particles. In other embodiments, a biased electrode may be positioned outside the outlet opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 370,158, filed on September 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a plasma source capable of adjusting the exit angles of neutral particles and ions exiting the plasma source.

Background Art

[0003] The manufacture of semiconductor devices involves a plurality of distinct and complex processes. Recently, in the semiconductor industry, there has been a shift towards creating three-dimensional devices. As the name indicates, these semiconductor devices have length and width, but also height. To process these three-dimensional devices, tilted ion implantation can be used.

[0004] Tilted ion implantation refers to an ion beam that strikes a substrate at an angle other than zero. For consistency, an angle of 0° is defined as the angle at which the ion beam strikes the substrate at an angle perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. Tilted ion beams have many applications. For example, they can be used to implant into the sidewalls of fin structures or trenches. Additionally, other tilted beams, such as beams containing radicals or neutral particles, may be used in etching processes, deposition processes, and other applications.

[0005] One way to perform these tilted processes is to rotate or tilt the platen on which the substrate is placed. In other words, the beam is generated in a conventional manner, but the platen is tilted so that the beam strikes the substrate at an angle other than zero. This approach can enable the generation of beams that strike the substrate at angles of 20° or more.

[0006] One drawback of this approach is that different areas of the substrate are at different distances from the beam source. For example, tilting the substrate can cause some areas to be closer to the beam source than others. This can lead to process variations across the entire substrate.

[0007] Another approach involves controlling and altering the shape of the plasma sheath to change the angle at which ions are extracted from the plasma processing chamber. However, this approach may have limitations regarding the amount of current that can be extracted and may be ion-specific.

[0008] Furthermore, different exit angles may be used for different processes. Therefore, a system with an exit opening and an adjustable exit angle would be advantageous. Moreover, this would be beneficial if the plasma source is useful for both charged ions and neutral particles. [Overview of the project]

[0009] A plasma source having an adjustable outlet opening is disclosed. The plasma source has a cylindrical body and two ends, with a housing opening formed along the cylindrical body. An adjustable output plate is positioned on the cylindrical body and covers the housing opening. The adjustable output plate has an outlet opening smaller than the housing opening. The adjustable output plate is circumferentially rotatable and thus moves the position of the outlet opening relative to the workpiece holder. The plasma source is configured such that changes in the outlet angle can be performed without breaking the vacuum. In some embodiments, a delimiting opening is positioned outside the outlet opening to define the paths of radicals and neutral particles. In other embodiments, a biased electrode may be positioned outside the outlet opening.

[0010] According to one embodiment, a plasma source for generating ions and neutral particles is disclosed. The plasma source comprises a chamber housing having a cylindrical body defining a plasma chamber and two ends, the chamber housing having a housing opening positioned circumferentially within the cylindrical body; a plasma generator for generating plasma within the plasma chamber; and an adjustable output plate positioned outside the cylindrical body and covering the housing opening, having an arc shape, a length greater than the housing opening in the circumferential direction, an outlet opening, and being rotatable relative to the housing opening. In some embodiments, the housing opening occupies a distance corresponding to at least 30° of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body. In some embodiments, the plasma source comprises an external plate fixed to the adjustable output plate, having a defining opening aligned with the outlet opening. In certain embodiments, the external plate is electrically connected to the adjustable output plate. In certain embodiments, the external plate is electrically isolated from the adjustable output plate and biased with a different voltage than the adjustable output plate. In certain embodiments, the plasma source comprises at least one additional electrode biased with a different voltage from the external plate, positioned outside the exit opening, and aligned with the exit opening. In some embodiments, the housing opening defines the range of motion of an adjustable output plate, which is at least 30°. In some embodiments, the plasma source comprises a motor that communicates with the adjustable output plate, and the motor is used to rotate the adjustable output plate relative to the housing opening to change the angle of the exit opening relative to the workpiece holder.

[0011] According to another embodiment, a plasma source for generating ions and neutral particles is disclosed. The plasma source comprises a chamber housing having a cylindrical body and two ends defining a plasma chamber, the chamber housing having a housing opening positioned circumferentially within the cylindrical body, a plasma generator for generating plasma within the plasma chamber, and an adjustable output plate positioned outside the cylindrical body, the adjustable output plate comprising an upper adjustable output plate portion and a lower adjustable output plate portion rotatable relative to the chamber housing, the space between the upper and lower adjustable output plate portions defining an outlet opening through which ions and neutral particles pass when exiting the plasma chamber. In some embodiments, the range of motion of the outlet opening is at least 30°. In some embodiments, the size of the circumferential outlet opening is adjustable. In some embodiments, the plasma source comprises an external plate having an upper external plate portion fixed to an upper adjustable output plate portion and a lower external plate portion fixed to a lower adjustable output plate portion, wherein the space between the upper and lower external plate portions defines a defining opening, which is aligned with an outlet opening. In certain embodiments, the upper external plate portion is electrically connected to the upper adjustable output plate portion, and the lower external plate portion is electrically connected to the lower adjustable output plate portion. In certain embodiments, the upper and lower external plate portions are electrically isolated from the adjustable output plate and biased with a different voltage than the adjustable output plate. In certain embodiments, the plasma source comprises at least one additional electrode located outside the outlet opening and aligned with the outlet opening, which is biased with a different voltage than the upper and lower external plate portions.In some embodiments, the plasma source comprises at least one motor communicating with an upper adjustable output plate portion and a lower adjustable output plate portion, and the operation of at least one motor is used to rotate the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion relative to the housing opening, thereby changing the angle and / or size of the exit opening relative to the workpiece holder. In some embodiments, the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion are rotatable independently.

[0012] According to another embodiment, a processing system is disclosed. The processing system comprises one of the plasma sources described above and a workpiece holder movable in the scanning direction.

[0013] To better understand this disclosure, refer to the attached drawings. These drawings are incorporated herein by reference. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a plasma source having an adjustable outlet opening according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A-2C] Figure 1 shows a plasma source with adjustable output plates in three different positions. [Figure 3A-3B] The interface between the chamber housing and the adjustable output plate is shown according to two different embodiments. [Figure 4] A block diagram of a plasma source with an adjustable outlet opening is shown, where the size of the outlet opening can also be adjusted. [Figure 5A-5B] Figure 4 shows a plasma source with two different sized outlet openings. [Figure 6] This shows a plasma source with electrodes positioned outside the outlet opening. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] As mentioned above, gradient semiconductor processes such as gradient injection, deposition, and etching are becoming increasingly common in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, systems that allow for a wide range of exit angles, and consequently a wide range of incident angles, would be very beneficial.

[0016] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a plasma source 10 having an adjustable outlet opening that allows for the extraction of gradient ions and neutral particles. The plasma source 10 includes a chamber housing 100 having two closed ends that form a cylindrical body defining a plasma chamber 101. For clarity, both ends are not shown. The cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100 has an inner surface with an inner diameter and an outer surface with an outer diameter. In addition, the chamber housing 100 also includes a housing opening 110 located along the outer circumference of the cylindrical body. The housing opening 110 is an opening in the chamber housing 100 and has a width that is in the direction between the two ends. The housing opening 110 also has a height that is circumferential along the cylindrical body. In some embodiments, the housing opening 110 extends across the entire width of the chamber housing 100. In other embodiments, the housing opening 110 may not extend to both ends. This housing opening 110 may be about half the size of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100, which is also defined as 180°. In other embodiments, the housing opening 110 may be a smaller portion of the entire circumference of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100, for example, one-quarter (90°), one-sixth (60°), or one-twelfth (30°) of the circumference. In some embodiments, recesses 105 are present on both sides of the housing opening 110 along the outer surface of the cylindrical body in the circumferential direction. These recesses 105 may have an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the rest of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100. Recesses 105 may be used as guides for the adjustable output plate 200. Recesses 106 may also be present along the inner surfaces of the chamber housing 100 on both sides of the housing opening 110.

[0017] The plasma source 10 may further include one or more liners 120 arranged within the plasma chamber 101 along the inner wall of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100. Note that the liners 120 may extend to the housing opening 110. This forms a channel 107 between the liners 120 and the recess 106. In some embodiments, one or more magnets 140 may be arranged within the chamber housing 100. The plasma source 10 also includes a gas inlet 150 communicating with a gas source 155.

[0018] In this embodiment, one or more antennas 160 are arranged inside the plasma chamber 101. In some embodiments, the antennas 160 are made of a conductive material such as metal and may be protected by an insulating cover 165. In some embodiments, the insulating cover 165 may be quartz or alumina. The antennas may be powered using an RF power supply 167. These antennas 160 function as a plasma generator. In some embodiments, one or more antennas 160 are arranged so that the highest plasma density is not at the center of the plasma chamber 101, but rather near the housing opening 110. It should be noted that this disclosure is not limited to this plasma generator. For example, in other embodiments, the plasma generator may include a coil located outside the chamber housing 100, a cathode located inside the plasma chamber 101, a filament located inside the plasma chamber 101, or another plasma generator.

[0019] The adjustable output plate 200 is located outside the chamber housing 100 and is close to the housing opening 110. The adjustable output plate 200 is in electrical contact with the chamber housing 100 so that it is biased with the same voltage (or ground) as the chamber housing 100. Specifically, the adjustable output plate 200 has an arch shape, and the inner diameter of the adjustable output plate 200 may be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the recess 105. The adjustable output plate 200 is circumferentially larger than the housing opening 110. Therefore, if the housing opening 110 occupies a distance corresponding to 30° of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100, the adjustable output plate 200 has a circumferential length corresponding to at least 60° of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100, allowing for a 30° rotation. The circumferential portion of the adjustable output plate 200 that exceeds the size of the housing opening 110 rests within the recess 105 of the chamber housing 100. The adjustable output plate 200 may be the same size as or larger than the housing opening 110 in the width direction. The adjustable output plate 200 also includes an outlet opening 210. The outlet opening 210 may be located circumferentially along the center of the adjustable output plate 200. The outlet opening 210 is defined by an opening wall 215 extending from the outer surface of the adjustable output plate 200 toward the interior of the plasma chamber 101. In some embodiments, the opening wall 215 may extend inward to a point approximately equal to the inner diameter of the chamber housing 100. A plate liner 220 may be fixed to the adjustable output plate 200 and extend circumferentially from the opening wall 215. In some embodiments, the plate liner 220 is located within a channel 107 formed between the liner 120 and the recess 106. In other embodiments, the plate liner 220 is positioned further inward than the liner 120, such that the liner 120 is between the plate liner 220 and the chamber housing 100. In this way, the liner, which may be the liner 120 or the plate liner 220, surrounds the interior of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100, except for the outlet opening 210 and optionally the gas inlet 150.The opening wall 215 defines the range of motion of the adjustable output plate 200. Specifically, at the end of its range of motion in each direction, the opening wall 215 contacts the chamber housing 100, which acts as a stop.

[0020] In this embodiment, the size of the circumferential outlet opening 210 can be fixed. In some embodiments, the size of the circumferential outlet opening 210 may be about 10° of the total diameter of the cylindrical body of the chamber housing 100. Naturally, various adjustable output plates 200 may be used with the chamber housing 100, each having an outlet opening 210 of different dimensions. Furthermore, the outlet opening 210 may be the same size as or smaller than the housing opening 110 in the width direction. For example, the housing opening 110 may extend across all or almost all of the width of the chamber housing 100, while the width of the outlet opening 210 may be smaller. In addition, baffles may be incorporated into the outlet opening 210 as needed. For example, vertical slats may be installed within the outlet opening 210. These vertical slats serve to reduce the amount of angular spread in the width direction of the beam.

[0021] The adjustable output plate 200 can be held against the chamber housing 100. In one embodiment, fasteners 230 can be used to securely fasten the adjustable output plate 200 to the chamber housing 100. For example, the fasteners 230 can connect to the adjustable output plate 200 at both circumferential ends and wrap around the outer surface of the chamber housing 100. The fasteners 230 are tightened to press the adjustable output plate 200 against the chamber housing 100.

[0022] In another embodiment, the fastener 230 may communicate with a motor 235 adapted to rotate the fastener 230 relative to the chamber housing 100 to move the position of the adjustable output plate 200. For example, the outer surface of the fastener 230 may have teeth and contact a gear attached to the motor 235. Rotation of the gear serves to rotate the adjustable output plate 200. The fastener 230 may move within a grooved channel located on the outer surface of the cylindrical body.

[0023] In another embodiment, a fastener having teeth may not be used. Instead, the motor 235 may include a rotatable shaft pivotally connected to one or more lever arms. The distal end of the lever arm may be pivotally attached to the adjustable output plate 200. Rotation of the rotatable shaft causes the lever arm to move towards or away from the adjustable output plate 200 and rotate. The lever arm may also serve to hold the adjustable output plate 200 relative to the chamber housing 100. Of course, other types of motors and attachment mechanisms may be employed to enable rotation of the adjustable output plate 200, and the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments.

[0024] In certain embodiments, an external plate 240 is fixed to the adjustable output plate 200. This external plate 240 may include an aperture called a defined aperture 245. The defined aperture 245 is aligned with the exit aperture 210. The defined aperture 245 provides additional collimation of the particles exiting the exit aperture 210. During operation, the pressure within the plasma chamber 101 may be much greater than the pressure in the remainder of the chamber. In some embodiments, the defined aperture 245 may be approximately 50 mm from the exit aperture 210. This distance results in a reduction in pressure near the defined aperture 245, and as a result, the mean free path length of the ions or particles passing through the defined aperture 245 increases.

[0025] In some embodiments, the external plate 240 is electrically connected to the adjustable output plate 200. In these embodiments, the external plate 240 does not attract charged ions from the plasma chamber 101. Rather, the defined aperture 245 serves to confine the path of neutral particles and radicals extracted from the plasma chamber 101.

[0026] In other embodiments shown in FIG. 6, the external plate 240 can be electrically insulated from the adjustable output plate 200, such as through the use of an insulator 242. In these embodiments, a voltage different from the voltage applied to the chamber housing 100 can be applied to the external plate 240. In certain embodiments, the external plate 240 can be negatively biased relative to the chamber housing 100 using an electrode power supply 218. This negative bias is applied to attract positive ions from the plasma chamber 101. Thus, in this embodiment, the external plate 240 functions as an extraction electrode. Additionally, additional electrodes, such as a ground electrode 241, can be disposed outside the exit aperture 210. Each of these electrodes typically includes an aperture aligned with the exit aperture 210 such that ions extracted through the exit aperture 210 move through the aligned apertures of each electrode. It should be noted that although not shown, this embodiment can also include other components described in FIG. 1, such as a motor 235, an RF power supply 167, a liner 120, a plate liner 220, a gas inlet 150, and a gas source 155.

[0027] Thus, during operation, one or more process gases are supplied from the gas source 155 through the gas inlet 150 into the plasma chamber 101. RF power from the RF power supply 167 is supplied to the antenna 160. The antenna 160 generates RF energy, thereby ionizing the process gas within the plasma chamber 101 and forming a plasma. The magnet 140 serves to direct the plasma towards the center of the plasma chamber 101 and away from the chamber housing 100.

[0028] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, in which the external plate 240 is electrically connected to the adjustable output plate 200, particles, which may be neutral or radical particles, drift from the plasma chamber 101 through the exit opening 210. Some of these particles then pass through the defining opening 245 and proceed toward the workpiece.

[0029] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, when the external plate 240 is electrically biased separately from the adjustable output plate 200, ions are drawn through the outlet opening 210 by the voltage applied to the external plate 240. These ions then travel through the openings of the aligned electrodes toward the workpiece.

[0030] Figures 2A to 2C show a plasma source 10 having an adjustable output plate 200 in three different positions. A workpiece holder 300 is also shown in each figure. The workpiece holder 300 can be scanned in a scanning direction 301 which may be perpendicular to the width of the exit opening 210. A scanning motor 302 may be used to scan the workpiece holder 300.

[0031] The workpiece holder 300 may be grounded or biased with an extraction voltage. Furthermore, the temperature of the workpiece holder 300 may be controlled based on the type of processing being performed on the workpiece. The workpiece holder 300 may be an electrostatic chuck, but mechanical clamping or gravity may be used to securely fix the workpiece to the workpiece holder 300. In addition, the workpiece holder 300 may be able to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the front surface of the workpiece holder 300 using a platen motor.

[0032] The scanning motor 302 may enable the workpiece holder 300 to move along the scanning direction 301 from a first position to a second position. In some embodiments, the first and second positions are positioned such that the workpiece is no longer affected by the beam leaving the plasma source 10 while in these positions. The first and second positions may be referred to as scan endpoints, as the workpiece holder 300 moves from the first position to the second position along the scanning direction 301 and then reverses direction to return to the first position. Note that other operations may be performed while in the first and second positions. For example, the workpiece holder 300 may rotate 180° around an axis perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece holder 300 so that the beam from the plasma source 10 processes the workpiece at different angles.

[0033] In each of these figures, the plasma source 10 is oriented such that the centerline 310 of the plasma source 10 is at a 15° angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the workpiece holder 300. In these embodiments, the centerline 310 may be defined as the right-angled isometric line connecting the two antennas 160. In other embodiments, the centerline 310 may be defined as the midpoint of the range of motion of the adjustable output plate 200. In Figure 2A, the adjustable output plate 200 is oriented at its midpoint position such that the centerline 310 corresponds to the exit opening 210. Thus, at this position, particles exiting the exit opening 210 are directed toward the workpiece holder 300 at an incident angle of 15°. In Figure 2B, the adjustable output plate 200 rotates counterclockwise to the point where its range of motion is terminated by the chamber housing 100. Note that in this embodiment, this represents a 15° rotation. In this way, the particles exiting the exit opening 210 are directed toward the workpiece holder 300 at an incident angle of 30°. Figure 2C shows a configuration in which the adjustable output plate 200 rotates clockwise to the point where its range of motion is terminated by the chamber housing 100. Note that in this embodiment, this represents a rotation of -15°. In this way, the particles exiting the exit opening 210 are directed toward the workpiece holder 300 at an incident angle of 0°.

[0034] Accordingly, in this embodiment, the plasma source 10 has a chamber housing 100 including a cylindrical body and two ends, the cylindrical body having a width and including a housing opening 110 that extends circumferentially. A plasma generator, such as an antenna 160, is used to generate plasma in the plasma chamber 101. The housing opening 110 may occupy a distance corresponding to at least 30° of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body. An adjustable output plate 200 is positioned outside the chamber housing 100 and is arc-shaped. The length of the adjustable output plate 200 in the circumferential direction is longer than the housing opening 110. In this way, the adjustable output plate 200 covers the housing opening 110. Furthermore, the adjustable output plate 200 includes an outlet opening 210 that is smaller in the circumferential direction than the housing opening 110. Furthermore, the adjustable output plate 200 and the chamber housing 100 are configured such that the size and position of the housing opening 110 can define the range of motion of the adjustable output plate 200. Specifically, in some embodiments, the adjustable output plate 200 has an opening wall 215 that extends inward and contacts the chamber housing 100 at the furthest point of its range of motion.

[0035] Figures 1, 2A–2C, and 6 show a plasma source 10 including a single adjustable output plate 200. In this embodiment, the adjustable output plate 200 can be securely fixed by simply pressing it against the outer surface of the chamber housing 100, as described above. Thus, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the adjustable output plate 200 is simply placed against the recess 105. The compressive force caused by tightening the fastener 230 creates friction that holds the adjustable output plate 200 in place. Figure 3A shows a cross-section of these components.

[0036] However, in certain embodiments, the outer surface of the cylindrical body may include a protruding portion 108 positioned adjacent to the recess 105 in the width direction defining the channel 109. In this embodiment, as shown in the cross-section in Figure 3B, the adjustable output plate 200 is located within the channel 109 and can be securely fixed by the protruding portion 108. In this embodiment, since no compressive force is required to hold the adjustable output plate 200 in place, the adjustable output plate 200 may not be pressed against the chamber housing 100. Furthermore, this configuration also allows for the use of a motor having a lever arm, as previously described.

[0037] By incorporating channel 109, the adjustable output plate 200 can also be separated into two pieces. Figure 4 shows such an embodiment, in which the adjustable output plate 200 of Figure 1 comprises an upper adjustable output plate portion 400 and a lower adjustable output plate portion 410. The space between the upper adjustable output plate portion 400 and the lower adjustable output plate portion 410 defines the outlet opening 415. Note that since there are two adjustable output plates, the size of the circumferential outlet opening 415 can also be changed accordingly.

[0038] Similarly, the outer plate 240 includes an upper outer plate portion 440 and a lower outer plate portion 450. The space between the upper outer plate portion 440 and the lower outer plate portion 450 defines a defined opening 455. Note that the size of the defined opening 455 in the circumferential direction varies along with the size of the exit opening 415.

[0039] In this embodiment, the fastener 230 may not enclose the entire chamber housing 100. Rather, there may be a set of upper fasteners 460 used to move and securely fix the upper adjustable output plate portion 400, and a set of lower fasteners 470 used to move and securely fix the lower adjustable output plate portion 410. In certain embodiments, each set of fasteners may communicate with its respective motor 480. The means for attaching the output plate portions to the motors may be one of those described above, or a different mechanism. The rest of the plasma source 10 is as described above.

[0040] Therefore, in this embodiment, by moving the two adjustable output plate portions, it is possible to rotate the outlet opening 415 while maintaining a constant size of the outlet opening, as described above. In addition, the size of the outlet opening 415 can be changed circumferentially by independent control of the upper adjustable output plate portion 400 and the lower adjustable output plate portion 410. Figure 5A shows the outlet opening 415 and the corresponding delimiting opening 455 when the two adjustable output plate portions are moved independently so that they are positioned very close to each other so that the outlet opening 415 becomes smaller. In contrast, Figure 5B shows a much larger outlet opening 415 and a delimiting opening 455 created by moving the two adjustable output plate portions apart from each other.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion each include an opening wall 215 that defines a range of motion in one direction. Contact with other adjustable output plate portions defines a range of motion in the opposite direction.

[0042] Although not shown, the upper and lower adjustable output plate sections may be used with biased external electrodes as shown in Figure 6. In this configuration, the size of the openings within the electrodes may change as the size of the exit opening 415 changes.

[0043] By providing a plasma source with an adjustable outlet opening, the plasma source can be easily used in a variety of different semiconductor processes. Furthermore, by rotating only a portion of the plasma source, most of the other connections to the plasma source, such as the gas inlet, cooling channel, and electrical connections, can remain in place while the outlet angle is adjusted.

[0044] Furthermore, multiple processes utilizing various angles can be performed without breaking the vacuum. For example, the plasma source 10 may be configured such that the exit opening 210 is at a first angle to the workpiece. The workpiece is then scanned in the scanning direction 301 using the workpiece holder 300, so that the entire workpiece is processed by the beam at this first angle. In some embodiments, at the end of the scan, the workpiece holder 300 rotates 180° and then scans in the opposite direction so that the rotated workpiece is exposed to the beam at this first angle. The plasma source 10 may then be modified while maintaining the vacuum so that the exit opening 210 is at a second angle to the workpiece. This rotation of the adjustable output plate 200 may occur while the workpiece holder 300 is at the end of the scan. The workpiece holder 300 may then move along the scanning direction 301 so that the workpiece is processed by the beam at this second angle. Here again, in some embodiments, the workpiece holder 300 rotates 180° and then scans in the opposite direction, allowing the rotated workpiece to be exposed to the beam at this second angle.

[0045] Therefore, the workpiece can be processed using the beam at various angles without breaking the vacuum. This is due to the fact that the plasma source 10 can be adjusted at any time, not just during idle or maintenance.

[0046] This disclosure should not be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. In fact, a person skilled in the art will see from the above description and accompanying drawings that, in addition to the embodiments and modifications of this disclosure, a variety of other embodiments and modifications not described herein will be obvious. Thus, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, while this disclosure has been described herein in relation to a specific implementation in a specific environment for a specific purpose, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the usefulness of this disclosure is not limited thereto, and that this disclosure can be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims described below should be interpreted in light of the entire scope and essence of this disclosure as described herein.

Claims

1. A plasma source for generating ions and neutral particles, A chamber housing having a cylindrical body defining a plasma chamber and two ends, wherein the housing opening is located within the cylindrical body along the circumferential direction, A plasma generating device for generating plasma in the aforementioned plasma chamber, An adjustable output plate positioned on the outside of the cylindrical body and covering the housing opening, having an arc shape, a length greater than the housing opening in the circumferential direction, an outlet opening, and being rotatable relative to the housing opening. A plasma source equipped with [unspecified feature].

2. The plasma source according to claim 1, wherein the housing opening occupies a distance corresponding to at least 30° of the outer circumference of the cylindrical body.

3. The plasma source according to claim 1, further comprising an external plate fixed to the adjustable output plate and having a defining opening that is aligned with the outlet opening.

4. The plasma source according to claim 3, wherein the external plate is electrically connected to the adjustable output plate.

5. The plasma source according to claim 3, wherein the external plate is electrically isolated from the adjustable output plate and biased with a voltage different from that of the adjustable output plate.

6. The plasma source according to claim 5, further comprising at least one additional electrode biased with a voltage different from that of the external plate, positioned outside the outlet opening, and aligned with the outlet opening.

7. The plasma source according to claim 1, wherein the housing opening defines a range of motion for the adjustable output plate, the range of motion being at least 30°.

8. The plasma source according to claim 1, further comprising a motor communicating with the adjustable output plate, wherein the operation of the motor is used to rotate the adjustable output plate relative to the housing opening to change the angle of the outlet opening relative to the workpiece holder.

9. The plasma source according to claim 1, A workpiece holder that can move in the scanning direction and A processing system equipped with the following features.

10. A plasma source for generating ions and neutral particles, A chamber housing having a cylindrical body defining a plasma chamber and two ends, wherein the housing opening is located within the cylindrical body along the circumferential direction, A plasma generating device for generating plasma in the aforementioned plasma chamber, An adjustable output plate positioned on the outside of the cylindrical body, comprising an upper adjustable output plate portion and a lower adjustable output plate portion rotatable relative to the chamber housing, wherein the space between the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion defines an outlet opening through which ions and neutral particles exit the plasma chamber. A plasma source equipped with [unspecified feature].

11. The plasma source according to claim 10, wherein the movable range of the outlet opening is at least 30°.

12. The plasma source according to claim 10, wherein the size of the outlet opening in the circumferential direction is adjustable.

13. The plasma source according to claim 10, further comprising an external plate including an upper external plate portion fixed to the upper adjustable output plate portion and a lower external plate portion fixed to the lower adjustable output plate portion, wherein the space between the upper external plate portion and the lower external plate portion defines a defined opening that is aligned with the outlet opening.

14. The plasma source according to claim 13, wherein the upper external plate portion is electrically connected to the upper adjustable output plate portion, and the lower external plate portion is electrically connected to the lower adjustable output plate portion.

15. The plasma source according to claim 13, wherein the upper outer plate portion and the lower outer plate portion are electrically isolated from the adjustable output plate and biased with a voltage different from that of the adjustable output plate.

16. The plasma source according to claim 15, further comprising at least one additional electrode positioned outside the outlet opening and aligned with the outlet opening, which is biased with a voltage different from that of the upper outer plate portion and the lower outer plate portion.

17. The plasma source according to claim 10, further comprising at least one motor communicating with the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion, wherein the operation of the at least one motor is used to rotate the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion relative to the housing opening to change the angle and / or size of the outlet opening relative to the workpiece holder.

18. The plasma source according to claim 17, wherein the upper adjustable output plate portion and the lower adjustable output plate portion are rotatable independently.

19. The plasma source according to claim 10, A workpiece holder that can move in the scanning direction and A processing system equipped with the following features.

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