Plasma Processing Chamber with Faraday Shield for Magnetic Layer Etching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current plasma processing methods for magnetic storage devices require separate devices for etching and layer formation, leading to contamination issues and increased manufacturing time and costs due to the need for cleaning processes.
Innovation Solution
A plasma processing method using an inductive coupling type plasma etching device with a Faraday shield allows for both etching and layer formation to be performed in a single processing chamber, utilizing radio-frequency power to manage contaminants and form a deposit layer on the plasma-etched magnetic layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate plasma processing devices are used for etching and layer formation, then device functionality is maintained, but manufacturing time increases and contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines etching and layer formation processes into a single plasma processing device with one vacuum chamber. The system uses a movable partition wall to separate the chamber into two spaces, allowing both processes to occur in the same physical device without cross-contamination, thereby reducing manufacturing time while maintaining device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum chamber is divided into two separate spaces by a movable partition wall. This segmentation allows independent control of etching and layer formation processes within the same device, preventing contamination while eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing overall manufacturing time.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate plasma processing devices are used for etching and layer formation, then process quality is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges etching and layer formation capabilities into a single plasma processing device. By using a movable partition wall to create two independent spaces within one chamber, the system maintains process quality for both operations while reducing the total number of devices required, thereby decreasing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If cleaning processing is performed between etching and layer formation, then contamination is removed, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the contamination risk by physically separating the etching and layer formation spaces with a movable partition wall. This prevents contaminants from the etching process from reaching the layer formation process, eliminating the need for intermediate cleaning steps and the associated time loss.
4Reliability
If separate plasma processing devices are used for etching and layer formation, then process independence is maintained, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines etching and layer formation processes into a single plasma processing device with a movable partition wall. This maintains process independence through physical separation within the chamber while reducing the total number of devices required, thereby lowering manufacturing costs without sacrificing process reliability.
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 enables efficient and cost-effective simultaneous etching and layer formation, reducing contamination risks and manufacturing time, and eliminating the need for separate cleaning processes, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
an inductive coupling antenna (102) disposed above the dielectric window (109), a radio-frequency power source (108) for supplying radio-frequency electric power to the inductive coupling antenna (102)
Implementation Method 2
a Faraday shield (103) disposed between the inductive coupling antenna (102) and the dielectric window (109)
Implementation Method 3
plasma processing method for plasma-etching magnetic layer
Implementation Method 4
a deposit layer is formed on the plasma-etched magnetic layer by plasma etching while radio-frequency voltage is applied to the Faraday shield
Data Source
AI summary
In a plasma processing method for plasma-etching magnetic layer by using a plasma processing device including a processing chamber in which a sample is plasma-processed, a dielectric window to seal an upper part of the processing chamber hermetically, an inductive coupling antenna disposed above the dielectric window, a radio-frequency power source to supply radio-frequency electric power to the inductive coupling antenna and a Faraday shield disposed between the inductive coupling antenna and the dielectric window, a deposit layer is formed on the plasma-etched magnetic layer by plasma processing while applying radio-frequency voltage to the Faraday shield after the magnetic layer is plasma-etched.