Plasma shaper that controls the ion flux distribution of a plasma source

Abstract

Provided herein is an approach to obtain a more uniform ion flux and ion angular distribution across a wafer to minimize etch yield loss due to etch profile variations. In some embodiments, a system may include a plasma source operable to generate a plasma in a plasma chamber enclosed by a chamber housing, the plasma source including a plasma shaper extending from a wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber. The plasma shaper may include a shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing and a shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, the shaper end wall defining a recess extending toward the wall of the chamber housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to techniques for manufacturing electronic devices, and more particularly, to the use of a plasma shaper for controlling the ion flux distribution of a plasma source.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] Charged particle processing of substrates is used in a variety of applications. One specific application is ion beam etching of substrates having features that require extreme critical dimension uniformity and symmetry. In such a process, the substrate can be positioned at one or more angles relative to the beam. Depending on the application, it may be necessary to statically hold the substrate at one or more fixed angles to improve the uniformity of substrate processing, or move (e.g., tilt and / or rotate) the substrate in front of the beam during a single substrate process cycle.

[0003]

[0003] The reduction of critical dimensions of thin film devices has increased the need to better control process uniformity and beam collimation. At the same time, the reduction of device size has required better control of the critical dimensions of the device that are a function of the ion collision process, such as the average wall angle of the etched structure. As a result, high process uniformity (e.g., etching depth) is desired, and the uniformity is directly related to the particle flux, i.e., the beam current density.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a charged particle source for processing substrates that maintains high uniformity across the substrate at any angle relative to the beam while reducing the angular dispersion of charged particles across the large substrate. There is also a further need for an "adjustable" charged particle source to correct for variations due to both performance degradation over time and component tolerances.

[0005]

[0005] In view of these and other considerations, the present disclosure is provided.

Summary of the Invention

[0006]

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce some of the concepts in a simplified form that will be further described below in the modes for carrying out the invention. This summary is not intended to identify any major or essential features of the subject matter of the claims, nor is it intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the subject matter of the claims.

[0007]

[0007] In one embodiment, the system may include a plasma source that is operable to generate plasma in a plasma chamber enclosed by a chamber housing, and is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source, and includes a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber. The plasma shaper may include a shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing and a shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, the shaper end wall defining a recess extending toward the wall of the chamber housing.

[0008]

[0008] In another embodiment, the ion beam processing system may include a plasma source, which is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source and is operable to generate plasma in a chamber housing, and an extraction power supply assembly including a high-voltage power supply electrically coupled to the chamber housing. The plasma source may include a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber, the plasma shaper including a shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing and a shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, the shaper end wall defining a recess extending toward the wall of the chamber.

[0009]

[0009] In yet another embodiment, the gas distributor for the plasma chamber may include a gas inlet and a plasma shaper adjacent to the gas inlet, the plasma shaper extending into the plasma chamber. The plasma shaper may include a curved shaper end wall having a apex that extends toward the wall of the chamber housing.

[0010]

[0010] As an example, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described here with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a system according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2A] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] This figure shows the plasma profile of the ion source in Figure 2A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] This figure shows the plasma profile of the ion source in Figure 2A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] This figure shows the plasma profile of the ion source in Figure 3A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] This figure shows the plasma profile of the ion source in Figure 3A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a side cross-sectional view of an ion source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012]

[0022] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are merely representations and are not intended to depict specific parameters of the present disclosure. The drawings are intended to depict exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, accordingly, should not be regarded as limiting the scope. In the drawings, like numerals represent like elements.

[0013]

[0023] Furthermore, in some of the drawings, certain elements may be omitted for the sake of exemplary clarity or may be illustrated out of scale. Cross-sectional views may be in the form of “fragments” that omit certain background lines that would be visible in a “true” cross-sectional view or “nearsighted” cross-sectional views for the sake of exemplary clarity. Additionally, for the sake of clarity, some reference numerals may be omitted in certain drawings.

[0014]

[0024] Hereinafter, the plasma source and the ion beam surface modification system according to the present disclosure will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments of the present disclosure. The plasma source and the ion beam surface modification system can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the systems and methods to those skilled in the art.

[0015]

[0025] In view of the above-described deficiencies identified in the prior art, the present specification provides an approach for generating a more uniform ion flux and ion angle distribution across a wafer in order to minimize etch yield loss due to variations in the etch profile across the wafer. In some embodiments, a plasma shaper is provided within the chamber of the plasma source to form, for example, a doughnut-shaped (concave in the center) plasma profile. As a result, the ion flux signature at the wafer or the extraction grid of the ion beam source can be inverted from a central peak to an edge peak. In some embodiments, the plasma shaper is movable within the chamber in at least a first direction to adjust plasma uniformity.

[0016]

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, which shows an exemplary ion beam surface modification system (hereinafter, "system") 100 according to the present disclosure. The system 100 may be an etching system including a plasma source 102 having a chamber housing 104 that defines a plasma chamber 106 for generating plasma therein. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be a radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion beam processing system that can be attached to a high-vacuum substrate processing chamber 111 including a wafer support 118 and a wafer 120 for processing (e.g., etching).

[0017]

[0027] As shown, the plasma chamber 106 may be separated from the processing chamber 111 by a grid assembly 113. When the grid assembly 113 is used for ion beam processing of the wafer 106, high-energy ions can be extracted from the grid assembly 113 by charging the plasma to a positive potential with respect to the ground of the process chamber through contact with a positively charged electrode such as a grid member 116 connected to a high-voltage power supply. In other embodiments, the high-voltage power supply may be connected to an electrode of any size that contacts the plasma, for example, a plasma shaper 125 extending into the plasma chamber 106. In any case, the plasma potential is always positive relative to the positive electrode.

[0018]

[0028] Furthermore, a second grid member 114 negatively charged with respect to ground can facilitate the extraction of ion current and suppress the intrusion of electrons from the process chamber into the plasma chamber. A third grid member 112, which can be electrically grounded with respect to the process chamber ground, may also be included to reduce ion beamlet divergence under certain operating conditions. Of the three grid members, the ground grid member 112 may be positioned closest to the wafer 120 during wafer etching, and the negative grid member 114 may be positioned between the ground grid member 112 and the positive grid member 116. Although not limiting, the ground grid 112 may be thicker than the negative grid member 114 and the positive grid member 116 to enhance the structural robustness / rigidity of the grid assembly 113. Furthermore, the spacing between the grid members of the grid assembly 113 can be optimized for desired etching uniformity and etching rate. In other embodiments, the grid assembly may include, for example, only two grids, positive and negative, with respect to the process chamber ground, or it may have three or more grids, none of which may be electrically grounded. The embodiments described herein are not limited to those in this context.

[0019]

[0029] The plasma source 102 may further include a plasma generator 121, which includes a power supply 122 electrically coupled to the chamber housing 104 by, for example, a plurality of high-frequency coils (hereinafter, "coils") 124, capable of exciting a gas in the plasma chamber 106 to generate ions (or charged particles). The gas may be supplied from a gas storage container 128 via a flow regulator, for example, a mass flow controller. In an embodiment, the plasma is generated by applying RF power from the power supply 122 (e.g., on the order of about kilowatts in a frequency range of about 0.5 to 15 MHz), and the RF current circulating within the coils 124 generates an axial magnetic field, which is transmitted to the plasma through a "window" along the side wall 105 of the chamber housing 104. In other embodiments, the plasma may be generated by other means, such as a filament, a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) source, or an indirectly heated cathode (IHC or another plasma source). In one example, the ion source 102 may be an IHC and the power supply 134 is a DC power supply. However, the manner in which plasma is generated is not limited by this disclosure.

[0020]

[0030] In various embodiments, different species may be used for the supply gas from the gas storage container 128. Examples include atomic or molecular species including boron (B), carbon (C), oxygen (O), helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H), fluorine (F), and chlorine (Cl). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the species listed above are not limiting and other atomic or molecular species may also be used. Depending on one or more applications, these species may be used as etching agents, dopants, or additive materials. In particular, a species used as an etching agent in one application may be used as an additive material in another application, and vice versa.

[0021]

[0031] As further illustrated, the system 100 may include a plasma shaper 125 extending into the plasma chamber 106 from the wall 126 of the chamber housing 104. In some embodiments, the wall 126 may be on the opposite side of the grid assembly 113. As will be described in more detail herein, the plasma shaper 125 may be a cylindrical and / or disc-shaped component that can operate to improve the uniformity of the plasma ion flux. Although only a single plasma shaper 125 has been shown, it will be understood that multiple plasma shapers may be possible. Furthermore, one or more plasma shapers 125 may extend from the side wall 105 of the plasma housing 104.

[0022]

[0032] Refer to Figure 2A, which describes a plasma source 202 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma source 202 may include a chamber housing 204 defining a plasma chamber 206, the chamber housing 204 including a side wall 205 connected to an end wall 226. At the end of the side wall 205 opposite to the end wall 226 is a grid assembly 213. A plasma shaper 225 may extend from the end wall 226 of the chamber housing 204 into the plasma chamber 206. As shown, the plasma shaper 225 may include a shaper wall 230 coupled to the end wall 226 of the chamber housing 204. The plasma shaper 225 may further include a shaper end wall 232 connected to or formed integrally with the shaper wall 230. Not limited to, the plasma shaper 225 may generally be a cylindrical component extending toward the grid assembly 213.

[0023]

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the plasma shaper 225 may extend within the plasma chamber 206 by a first distance "D1". As illustrated, D1 may be greater than "D2", which is the distance between the end wall 226 of the chamber housing 204 and the lowest coil 224L (in the orientation of Figure 2A) of the multiple coils 224. Without limiting to any particular dimensions or configuration, D1 of the plasma shaper 225 may be about twice the radius of the plasma shaper 225. By positioning the shaper end wall 232 closer to the grid assembly 213 than the end wall 226 of the plasma housing 204, a donut-shaped (concave in the center) plasma profile may be generated. For example, as shown in the side view of Figure 2B and the end view of Figure 2C, the plasma profile 235 may exhibit a higher density in the region 242 between the outer surface 238 of the plasma shaper 225 and the inner surface 240 of the side wall 205 of the chamber housing 204. Region 242 is located below or surrounded by coil 224. As a result, the ion flux signature in grid 213 is larger at the edges than in the center. In some embodiments, D1 of plasma shaper 225 can be changed to change the plasma density.

[0024]

[0034] As further shown in Figure 2A, the plasma source 202 may include one or more gas inlets operable to deliver a supply gas into the plasma chamber 206. In some embodiments, the first gas inlet 248 may extend through the chamber housing 204, for example, through the end wall 226. Furthermore, or alternatively, the second gas inlet 250 may extend through the plasma shaper 225. However, embodiments herein are not limited in this context.

[0025]

[0035] Figures 3A to 3C show another plasma source 302 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma source 302 may include a chamber housing 304 defining a plasma chamber 306, the chamber housing 304 including a side wall 305 connected to an end wall 326. At the end of the side wall 305 opposite to the end wall 326 is a grid assembly 313. The plasma source 302 may include a plurality of coils 324 extending around the outside of the side wall 305.

[0026]

[0036] The plasma shaper 325 may extend from the end wall 326 of the chamber housing 304 into the plasma chamber 306. As shown, the plasma shaper 325 may include a shaper wall 330 coupled to the end wall 326 of the chamber housing 304. The plasma shaper 325 may further include a shaper end wall 332 connected to or integrally formed with the shaper wall 330. In some embodiments, the shaper wall 330 is a cylindrical shaft, and the shaper end wall 326 is a disc-shaped flange. As shown, the flange may generally be wider than the cylindrical shaft. That is, the flange may be closer to the side wall 305 of the chamber housing 304 than the cylindrical shaft is closer to the side wall 305.

[0027]

[0037] As shown in Figures 3B and 3C, the plasma profile 335 may exhibit a higher density in the region 342 between the outer surface 338 of the plasma shaper 325 and the inner surface 340 of the side wall 305 of the chamber housing 304. Region 342 is generally located below or surrounded by the coil 324 (Figure 3A). The disk-shaped plasma shaper 325 in this embodiment allows for a larger plasma area, with the plasma density peaking away from the grid assembly 313. Furthermore, less material is exposed to reverse sputtering from the process chamber.

[0028]

[0038] Figure 4 shows another plasma source 402 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma source 402 may include a chamber housing 404 defining a plasma chamber 406, the chamber housing 404 including a side wall 405 connected to an end wall 426. At the end of the side wall 405 opposite to the end wall 426 is a grid assembly 413. The plasma source 402 may include a plurality of coils 424 extending around the outside of the side wall 405.

[0029]

[0039] The plasma shaper 425 may extend from the end wall 426 of the chamber housing 404 into the plasma chamber 406. As shown, the plasma shaper 425 may include a shaper wall 430 coupled to the end wall 426 of the chamber housing 404. The plasma shaper 425 may further include a shaper end wall 432 connected to or formed integrally with the shaper wall 430. As shown, the shaper end wall 432 may include a recess, depression, or cavity 436 having a projection or tip 437, or extending away from the grid assembly 413 toward the end wall 426 of the chamber housing 404. Non-limitingly, the shaper end wall 432 may include a pair of horizontal elements 441 connected to a pair of internal vertical elements 442, the pair of horizontal elements 441 may generally extend perpendicularly to the pair of internal vertical elements 442. Although a pair of vertical elements 441 are shown extending parallel to each other, embodiments herein are not limited in this context. The cavity 436 may be cylindrical in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the cavity 436 can take substantially any shape or profile.

[0030]

[0040] The horizontal element 441 of the shaper end wall 432 may extend a first distance "D1" into the plasma chamber 406 from the end wall 426, and the tip portion 437 defining the cavity 436 may extend a second distance "D2" from the end wall 426. As shown, D2 may be greater than "D3", which is the distance between the end wall 426 and the uppermost coil 424U (in the orientation of Figure 4) of the multiple coils 424. On the other hand, D2 may be less than "D4", which is the distance between the end wall 426 and the lowermost coil 424L of the multiple coils 424. As a result, the cavity 436 may be at least partially surrounded by the multiple coils 424. It will be understood that D1 to D4 are variable. By providing a central cavity 436 in the plasma shaper 425, the central depression in plasma density within the plasma chamber 406, as described with reference to Figure 2 for the shaper end wall near the grid assembly 213, can be locally reduced in the central core region as desired, while still maintaining a higher plasma density at the edges, resulting in a more uniform ion flux distribution overall in the grid.

[0031]

[0041] Figure 5 shows another plasma source 502 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The plasma shaper 525 may extend from the end wall 526 of the chamber housing 504 into the plasma chamber 506. As shown, the plasma shaper 525 may include a shaper wall 530 coupled to the end wall 526 of the chamber housing 504. The plasma shaper 525 may further include a shaper end wall 532 connected to or formed integrally with the shaper wall 530. As shown, the shaper end wall 532 may include a recess, cavity, or void 536 having a apex or tip 537 extending toward the end wall 526 of the chamber housing 504. The shaper end wall 532 may have a hemispherical / semicircular profile.

[0032]

[0042] The shaper wall 530 may extend a first distance "D1" into the plasma chamber 506 from the end wall 526, and the tip 537 of the shaper end wall 532 may be positioned at a second distance "D2" from the end wall 526. As illustrated, D2 may be greater than "D3", which is the distance between the end wall 526 and the uppermost coil 524U (in the orientation of Figure 5) of the multiple coils 524. On the other hand, D2 may be less than "D4", which is the distance between the end wall 526 and the lowermost coil 524L of the multiple coils 524. As a result, the cavity 536 may be at least partially surrounded by the multiple coils 524. It will be understood that D1 to D4 are variable. For example, D2 may be less than D3 so that the tip 537 extends above the uppermost coil 524U. Or, D2 may be greater than D4 so that the tip 537 is below the lowermost coil 524L. Furthermore, the depth "D5" of the cavity 536 can be changed as desired. As shown in the diagram, D5 may generally be equal to D1 minus D2. By providing a central cavity 536 in the plasma shaper 525, the ion flux toward the center of the plasma chamber 506 may be increased.

[0033]

[0043] As further illustrated, the plasma source 502 may include a first shaping ring 557 extending circumferentially around the outer 558 of the shaper wall 530 of the plasma shaper 525. In some embodiments, the first shaping ring 557 may be positioned close to a first end 559 of the shaper wall 530. In other embodiments, the first shaping ring 557 may be positioned close to a second end 560 of the shaper wall 530. As illustrated, the first end 559 of the shaper wall 530 is adjacent to the end wall 526 of the plasma housing 504, while the second end 560 of the shaper wall 530 is adjacent to the grid assembly 513. It will be understood that two or more shaping rings 557 may be present around the shaper wall 530.

[0034]

[0044] In some embodiments, the plasma source 502 may further include a second shaper 562 extending around the inner surface 564 of the chamber housing 504. Similar to the first shaper 557, the position of the second shaper 562 along the inner surface 564 can be modified, as desired, to further influence the ion flux profile in the plasma chamber 506. Two or more shapers 562 may be present along the inner surface 564. In some embodiments, one or more shapers may be located along the outer surface 568 of the chamber housing 504. It will be understood that the first and / or second shapers 557, 562 may be present in any of the plasma sources described herein (e.g., 102, 202, 302, 402).

[0035]

[0045] Figure 6 shows another plasma source 602 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The plasma shaper 625 may extend from the end wall 626 of the chamber housing 604 into the plasma chamber 606. As shown, the plasma shaper 625 may include a shaper wall 630 and a shaper end wall 632 connected to or formed integrally with the shaper wall 630. As shown, the shaper end wall 632 may include a recess, cavity, or void 636 having a tip 637 extending toward the end wall 626 of the chamber housing 604. The shaper end wall 632 may have a hemispherical / semicircular profile.

[0036]

[0046] As illustrated, the plasma shaper 625 may further include a second shaper wall 638 coupled to or extending through the shaper end wall 632. A disc-shaped flange 642 connected to the second shaper wall 638 may be located within the cavity 636. The ends of the flange 642 may also be concave or convex, rather than disc-shaped. It will be understood that the dimensions and / or distances of the components of the plasma shaper 625 relative to each other can be modified to affect the plasma profile in the plasma chamber 606. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the flange 642 may be movable relative to the shaper end wall 632 to change the plasma profile from a centrally focused type to an edge-peak type.

[0037]

[0047] Although not shown, cusp magnets or electromagnets can be combined with any of the plasma sources described herein to improve the uniformity of the plasma ion flux. For example, cusp magnets can be placed around the outside of the chamber housing to add an external magnetic field to improve uniformity. More specifically, the axial cusp magnetic field generated by the cusp magnets can reduce edge losses, thereby improving uniformity.

[0038]

[0048] Refer to Figures 7A to 7B, which describe a plasma source 702 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma source 702 may include a chamber housing 704 defining a plasma chamber 706, the chamber housing 704 including a side wall 705 connected to an end wall 726. The plasma source 702 may include a gas distributor 733 including a gas inlet 737 and a plasma shaper 725, the plasma shaper 725 extending from the end wall 726 of the chamber housing 704 into the plasma chamber 706. As shown, the plasma shaper 725 may include a curved shaper end wall 732 having a tip or apex 741 extending toward a grid assembly 713.

[0039]

[0049] During use, the gas distributor 733 is operable to deliver the supply gas 751 into the plasma chamber 706. In the embodiment of Figure 7A, the supply gas 751 is delivered between the curved shaper end wall 732 and the end wall 726, in an initial direction substantially parallel to the end wall 726. In the embodiment of Figure 7B, the supply gas 751 is delivered through one or more conduits in the curved shaper end wall 732 of the plasma shaper 725. It will be understood that the location and number of conduits can be changed to affect the supply gas distribution, and therefore the plasma density, within the plasma chamber 706.

[0040]

[0050] Figure 8 shows another plasma source 802 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma source 802 may include a chamber housing 804 defining a plasma chamber 806, the chamber housing 804 including a side wall 805 connected to an end wall 826. A grid assembly 813 is located at the end of the side wall 805 opposite to the end wall 826. A plurality of coils 824 may extend around the side wall 805. Although not shown, the plasma source 802 may include one or more gas inlets operable to deliver a supply gas into the plasma chamber 806.

[0041]

[0051] As further illustrated, the plasma source 806 may have a height "H" and a width "W". In some embodiments, a height / diameter aspect ratio of 0.4 or less begins to show advantages not observed in the more typical aspect ratio range, e.g., 1-2. Furthermore, the inventors have observed that a donut-shaped plasma density distribution can be achieved with an aspect ratio of 0.2. In some non-limiting examples, the peak flux is approximately 1.67 for a height dimension of 200 mm. * 10 20 1 / m 2 From / s, approximately 1.28 for a height dimension of 100mm. * 10 20 1 / m 2 It may drop to as low as / s. The plasma uniformity profile may change to a donut shape at a bowl height of approximately 100 mm.

[0042]

[0052] The foregoing descriptions are provided for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and do not limit the Disclosure to one or more forms disclosed herein. For example, various features of the Disclosure can be combined into one or more aspects, embodiments, or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the Disclosure. However, it should be understood that various features of a particular aspect, embodiment, or configuration of the Disclosure can be combined in alternative aspects, embodiments, or configurations. Furthermore, the following claims are incorporated into a form for carrying out the invention herein by this reference, with each claim standing independently as a separate embodiment of the Disclosure.

[0043]

[0053] As used herein, any element or step referred to in the singular form and preceded by the word "a" or "an" should be understood not to exclude multiple elements or steps unless an exclusion is expressly stated. Furthermore, any reference to “one embodiment” in this disclosure should not be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments incorporating the referred features.

[0044]

[0054] The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and their variations herein is intended to encompass the items listed below and their equivalents, as well as any additional items. Therefore, the terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and their variations are free-form expressions and may be used interchangeably herein.

[0045]

[0055] All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upward, downward, upright, left, right, transverse, vertical, front, back, top, bottom, up, down, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are used solely for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of this disclosure and do not impose any limitations on the position, orientation, or use of this disclosure. Connection references (e.g., mounting, joining, connection, and joining) should be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate members between assemblies of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, connection references do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected or in a fixed relationship with one another.

[0046]

[0056] Furthermore, identifying references (e.g., primary, secondary, first, second, third, fourth, etc.) do not imply importance or priority, but are used to distinguish one feature from another. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and the dimensions, locations, order, and relative sizes reflected in the drawings accompanying this specification may differ.

[0047]

[0057] Furthermore, the terms “substantial” or “effectively,” and the terms “approximately” or “about,” can be used interchangeably in some embodiments and can be described using any relative measure acceptable to those skilled in the art. For example, these terms can function as a comparison to a reference parameter to indicate a deviation that can provide a predetermined function. While not limiting, the deviation from the reference parameter may be, for example, less than 1%, less than 3%, less than 5%, less than 10%, less than 15%, less than 20%, etc.

[0048]

[0058] While this specification has described specific embodiments of the disclosure, the disclosure is not limited thereto and is as broad as possible in the art, and this specification should be read accordingly. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting. Those skilled in the art will likely envision other modifications within the claims and spirit appended herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising a plasma source operable to generate plasma in a plasma chamber surrounded by a chamber housing, The plasma source includes a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber, and is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source, and the plasma shaper is A shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing, A shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, defining a recess extending toward the wall of the chamber housing, A shaping ring extending around the outer periphery of the shaper wall of the plasma shaper, or around the inner periphery of the chamber housing. A system that includes this.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of coils extending around the chamber housing.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a processing chamber operable to house a wafer, wherein the grid assembly of the plasma source separates the plasma chamber from the processing chamber.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the shaper end wall includes a flange extending away from the shaper wall.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a gas inlet extending through the wall of the chamber housing or the plasma shaper.

6. A system comprising a plasma source operable to generate plasma in a plasma chamber surrounded by a chamber housing, The plasma source includes a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber, and is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source, and the plasma shaper is A shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing, A shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, defining a recess extending toward the wall of the chamber housing, and The plasma shaper further includes, The shaft located inside the shaper wall, A flange extending from the aforementioned shaft and A system that includes this.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the recessed area includes a cylindrical recess or a hemispherical recess.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the chamber housing has a height dimension and a radial dimension, and the aspect ratio of the height dimension to the radial dimension is 0.4 or less.

9. A plasma source that is operable to generate plasma within a chamber housing, and is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source, A draw-out power supply assembly including a high-voltage power supply electrically coupled to the chamber housing and An ion beam processing system comprising, the plasma source includes a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber, and the plasma shaper is A shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing, A shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, defining a recess extending toward the chamber wall, A shaping ring extending around the outer periphery of the shaper wall of the plasma shaper, or around the inner periphery of the chamber housing. Ion beam processing system, including...

10. The ion beam processing system according to claim 9, wherein the plasma source further includes a plurality of coils extending around the chamber housing.

11. The ion beam processing system according to claim 9, wherein the recess includes a cylindrical recess or a hemispherical recess, and the tip of the cylindrical recess or the hemispherical recess is surrounded by a plurality of coils.

12. The ion beam processing system according to claim 9, further comprising a gas inlet extending through the wall of the chamber housing or the plasma shaper.

13. A plasma source that is a high-frequency inductively coupled plasma source, which is operable to generate plasma within a chamber housing, A draw-out power supply assembly including a high-voltage power supply electrically coupled to the chamber housing and An ion beam processing system comprising, the plasma source includes a plasma shaper extending from the wall of the chamber housing into the plasma chamber, and the plasma shaper is A shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing, A shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, defining a recess extending toward the chamber wall, and The plasma shaper further includes, The shaft located inside the shaper wall, A flange extending from the aforementioned shaft and Ion beam processing system, including...

14. A gas distributor for a plasma chamber, Gas inlet and A plasma shaper adjacent to the gas inlet, comprising a curved shaper end wall extending into the plasma chamber and having a apex extending toward the wall of the chamber housing, A shaping ring extending around the outer periphery of the shaper wall of the plasma shaper, or around the inner periphery of the chamber housing. A gas distributor equipped with the following features.

15. A gas distributor for a plasma chamber, Gas inlet and A plasma shaper adjacent to the gas inlet, comprising a curved shaper end wall having a apex that extends into the plasma chamber and toward the wall of the chamber housing, and The plasma shaper is further equipped with, A shaft that extends through the interior of the shaper wall, A flange extending from the shaft, positioned within a recess defined by the curved shaper end wall, and A gas distributor, including one.

16. The gas distributor according to claim 15, wherein the recessed area includes a cylindrical recess or a hemispherical recess.

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