Electrode Unit Internal Network for Plasma Homogeneity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrode units face challenges in generating a homogeneous high-frequency plasma across a large number of plasma electrodes, leading to inhomogeneous voltage distribution and inefficient plasma treatment, particularly in high-frequency plasma processes used in semiconductor industries.
Innovation Solution
The electrode unit design incorporates an internal electrical supply network with two high-frequency voltages, one for each plasma electrode pair, which are phase-shifted by 180° relative to ground, ensuring a consistent voltage distribution across all electrodes through a carefully designed arrangement of supply lines and connection terminals, allowing for resonance matching with external networks to maintain plasma homogeneity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single high-frequency voltage source is used for multiple plasma electrodes, then device complexity is reduced, but voltage distribution becomes inhomogeneous across electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage supply system is segmented into multiple independent high-frequency voltage sources, with each plasma electrode pair receiving voltage from a separate source. This segmentation allows each electrode to be independently controlled, ensuring homogeneous voltage distribution across all electrodes while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture.
2Productivity
If multiple substrates are treated simultaneously in batch systems, then productivity increases, but plasma homogeneity decreases due to voltage distribution issues
Solution Approach 1:
The batch processing system is divided into multiple electrode pairs, each with its own high-frequency voltage source. This allows simultaneous treatment of multiple substrates at different positions while maintaining uniform plasma conditions at each electrode, thereby preserving plasma homogeneity while achieving high productivity through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Each plasma electrode pair is equipped with its own voltage source optimized for local conditions, allowing independent control of plasma parameters at each position. This local optimization ensures that each substrate receives consistent plasma treatment regardless of its position in the batch system, maintaining treatment homogeneity while processing multiple substrates simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution achieves a nearly homogeneous plasma power density across multiple plasma electrodes, improving the homogeneity of plasma treatment and reducing voltage deviations, even at high frequencies, thus enhancing the efficiency and consistency of plasma processes.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of plasma electrode pairs (12, 13) which are suitable for generating a capacitively coupled plasma
Implementation Method 2
each plasma electrode pair (12, 13) is supplied with two different electrical voltages, in particular two different electrical high-frequency voltages
Implementation Method 3
Each pair of plasma electrodes is suitable for igniting a plasma in a plasma space between the first and second plasma electrodes when a defined voltage is present between the first and second plasma electrodes
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electrode unit comprising a plurality of plasma electrode pairs, which, at a specific applied voltage, are suitable for igniting a plasma between a first plasma electrode and a second plasma electrode of each plasma electrode pair, at least one internal electrical supply network, which is suitable for supplying a first voltage to all first plasma electrodes and a second voltage to all second plasma electrodes, wherein at least one of the voltages is high frequency, and a first and a second terminal, which are suitable for feeding the first and second voltages, respectively, into the at least one supply network. The internal electrical supply network comprises a plurality of conductors, wherein the supply network is characterized by the arrangement, the geometric dimensions and/or the material of the conductors and/or by the arrangement of a feed point for the first and second voltages, respectively.The second voltage within the supply network is adapted to the electrode unit and the frequency of the first and/or second voltage.