Plasma Treatment Chamber Conditioning via Movable Substrate Holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plasma treatment apparatuses fail to provide sufficient conditioning for the entire interior area of the vacuum chamber, leading to unstable film formation rates and properties during substrate treatment.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where the substrate holder is moved to a transfer area before treatment, allowing for plasma generation and active species to adhere to the vacuum chamber walls, expanding conditioning effects throughout the chamber, and stabilizing the atmosphere by increasing exhaust conductance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If plasma is generated only in the reaction area between parallel electrodes, then plasma generation is efficient and controlled, but conditioning coverage is insufficient and does not reach the entire chamber interior
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is segmented into a reaction area and a transfer area, with the substrate holder serving as a movable boundary between them. By moving the substrate holder to position where it blocks the exhaust port, the chamber is effectively divided into two regions with different pressure and plasma generation characteristics, enabling comprehensive conditioning coverage without requiring structural modifications to the chamber itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate holder is introduced as a movable element that adds a spatial dimension to chamber conditioning. By positioning the substrate holder to block the exhaust port, plasma generated in the reaction area can spread into the transfer area through the space created by the holder's movement, extending conditioning coverage from a two-dimensional electrode gap to a three-dimensional chamber volume.
2Area of stationary object
If the substrate holder is moved to block the exhaust port during conditioning, then active species can spread to the transfer area for comprehensive conditioning, but substrate treatment cannot be performed simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate holder performs periodic movement between two positions: during conditioning phases, it moves to block the exhaust port to enable comprehensive chamber conditioning; during substrate treatment phases, it moves to its normal position to allow substrate processing. This periodic repositioning allows the system to alternate between conditioning and treatment functions without requiring separate chambers or permanent structural changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate holder is designed as a dynamic component that can change its position and function. By making the substrate holder movable between blocking and non-blocking positions relative to the exhaust port, the system dynamically adapts its configuration to optimize either conditioning coverage or substrate treatment throughput depending on the operational phase, eliminating the need for fixed dual-purpose structures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If plasma is generated with electrodes in fixed position, then device structure is simple and easy to operate, but conditioning is not uniform throughout the chamber and treatment rate becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
Comprehensive chamber conditioning is performed as a preliminary action before substrate treatment begins. By moving the substrate holder to block the exhaust port and generating plasma that spreads throughout both the reaction and transfer areas, the system pre-conditiones the entire chamber interior, ensuring uniform atmosphere and stable treatment rates during subsequent substrate processing without requiring complex real-time adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the substrate holder's position as a feedback mechanism to control plasma distribution. When conditioning is needed, the holder moves to block the exhaust port, creating a feedback signal that redirects plasma into the transfer area. This position-based feedback ensures that conditioning coverage matches the required chamber atmosphere stability, maintaining consistent treatment rates throughout continuous operation.
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 approach ensures comprehensive chamber conditioning, stabilizing treatment rates and film properties by allowing active species to spread and adhere to the entire chamber interior, improving the consistency and quality of plasma treatments.
Implementation Method 1
a high-frequency voltage is applied between plural discharge electrodes to generate plasma, which excites and activates the applied gas
Implementation Method 2
plasma, which excites and activates the applied gas to perform such substrate treatment
Implementation Method 3
adjusting the atmosphere in the chamber by making active species, generated by discharging the gas, adhere to the chamber inner wall
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a plasma treatment apparatus and a conditioning method capable of performing a conditioning for the whole vacuum chamber. A plasma treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a moving means for moving a substrate holder (2) between a reaction chamber (8) and a transfer chamber (9) lying on the under side thereof. Moreover, it has such structure that the exhaust conductance of the reaction chamber (8) becomes large when the substrate holder (2) lies in the transfer chamber. Upon the conditioning, the substrate holder (2) is moved to the transfer chamber (9) to allow diffusing species to spread widely, thereby effectively performing the conditioning for both reaction chamber (8) and transfer chamber (9) in the vacuum chamber (1).