Configurable Faraday Shield With Selective RF Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma processing apparatuses lack a Faraday shield that can be selectively coupled to an electrical ground, limiting the process window and efficiency of plasma treatment processes.
Innovation Solution
A configurable Faraday shield with a plurality of ribs and conductive straps, featuring a locking member that can move between positions to selectively couple the ribs to a radio frequency ground plane, allowing the Faraday shield to be either electrically floating or grounded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the Faraday shield is fixed to be grounded, then radio frequency interference is shielded, but the process window and plasma treatment efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The Faraday shield is designed with a movable locking member that can switch between a first position (decoupled/floating) and a second position (coupled/grounded). This dynamic configuration allows the shield to adapt its electrical state based on process requirements, resolving the contradiction between RF interference shielding and plasma treatment efficiency by enabling selective grounding rather than fixed grounding.
2Productivity
If the Faraday shield is made electrically floating, then plasma treatment efficiency is improved, but radio frequency interference shielding is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The movable locking member enables the Faraday shield to dynamically transition between floating and grounded states. During plasma treatment, the shield can be positioned in the first (floating) state to improve efficiency, and during RF-sensitive operations, it can be switched to the second (grounded) state for interference shielding, thus resolving the contradiction through temporal separation of functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a configurable Faraday shield with movable locking member is implemented, then process window is expanded, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The Faraday shield is segmented into multiple conductive ribs that are electrically connected through conductive straps. The locking member is designed to selectively engage with specific ribs (e.g., first, second, third, or all ribs) to create different grounding configurations. This segmentation allows for controlled complexity where only necessary portions are grounded at any given time, expanding the process window while managing device complexity through modular engagement.
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
The configurable Faraday shield expands the process window of plasma processing apparatuses by allowing the Faraday shield to be grounded or floated, optimizing radio frequency power consumption and improving plasma treatment efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a configurable Faraday shield positioned outside of the plasma chamber such that the configurable Faraday shield is positioned between the induction coil and an exterior surface of the plasma chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A configurable Faraday shield is provided. The configurable Faraday shield includes a plurality of ribs. Each of the ribs can be spaced apart from one another along a circumferential direction. Furthermore, at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is movable between at least a first position and a second position to selectively couple the configurable Faraday shield to a radio frequency ground plane. When the at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is in the first position, the configurable Faraday shield can be decoupled from the radio frequency ground plane such that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically floating. Conversely, when the at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is in the second position, the configurable Faraday shield can be coupled to the radio frequency ground plane such that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically grounded.