Semiconducting Electrode with Conductivity Layer for Plasma Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor fabrication, electrodes used to transmit RF power to plasma processing regions often have large thicknesses, leading to increased costs and difficulties in manufacturing smaller diameter through-holes, which can result in plasma intrusion and variations in plasma processing due to RF skin effect issues.
Innovation Solution
A semiconducting electrode with a high electrical conductivity layer on its surface, integral with the plate, and through-holes extending through its entire thickness, where the high conductivity layer has lower resistance than the semiconducting material, physically separates the process gas plenum from the plasma processing region and controls RF signal confinement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrode thickness is increased, then RF signal containment is improved, but manufacturing precision of through-holes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is segmented into two functional layers: a semiconducting material plate for RF signal containment and a high electrical conductivity layer for enhanced electrical performance. This segmentation allows the semiconducting plate to maintain sufficient thickness for RF containment while the high conductivity layer compensates for electrical resistance, enabling precise through-hole manufacturing without compromising RF signal containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode uses a composite structure combining semiconducting material and high electrical conductivity material. The semiconducting material provides RF signal containment, while the high conductivity material reduces electrical resistance. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by allowing thinner overall electrode design with precise through-holes while maintaining both RF containment and electrical performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If electrode thickness is reduced, then manufacturing cost and through-hole fabrication difficulty are improved, but RF signal containment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the electrode into a semiconducting plate and a high conductivity layer, the design allows the semiconducting plate to be thinner (improving manufacturability) while the high conductivity layer compensates for electrical performance. This enables easier through-hole fabrication in the thinner structure without sacrificing RF signal containment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the electrical conductivity parameter by adding a high conductivity layer, which compensates for the reduced thickness of the semiconducting plate. This parameter change allows the electrode to maintain effective RF signal containment even with reduced overall thickness, facilitating easier manufacturing and through-hole fabrication.
3Manufacturing precision
If through-hole diameter is decreased, then plasma processing precision is improved, but plasma intrusion risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high electrical conductivity layer changes the electrical parameters at the through-hole interface, creating a more effective barrier against plasma intrusion. This parameter change allows smaller through-hole diameters to be used while maintaining protection against plasma intrusion, thereby improving plasma processing precision without increasing harmful plasma intrusion effects.
4Reliability
If electrode thickness is increased, then RF signal containment is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is segmented into functional layers with distinct roles: the semiconducting plate handles RF signal containment while the high conductivity layer handles electrical resistance management. This segmentation achieves effective RF signal containment without requiring excessive overall thickness, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost compared to a uniformly thick electrode design.
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 configuration reduces electrode thickness, enabling the formation of smaller diameter through-holes, prevents plasma intrusion, and maintains efficient RF signal containment within the electrode, thereby improving manufacturability and plasma processing consistency while reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
RF power is transmitted to a process gas within a processing chamber to generate a plasma... An electrode can be positioned and used within the processing chamber to provide for transmission of RF power to the process gas within a plasma processing region
Implementation Method 2
The electrode is configured to physically separate the process gas plenum from the plasma processing region and provide for flow of a process gas through the distribution of through-holes from the process gas plenum to the plasma processing region
Implementation Method 3
radiofrequency (RF) power is transmitted to a process gas within a processing chamber to generate a plasma
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode for transmitting radiofrequency power to a plasma processing region includes a plate formed of semiconducting material and a high electrical conductivity layer formed on a top surface of the plate and integral with the plate. The high electrical conductivity layer has a lower electrical resistance than the semiconducting material of the plate. The electrode includes a distribution of through-holes. Each through-hole extends through an entire thickness of the electrode from a top surface of the high electrical conductivity layer to a bottom surface of the plate. In some embodiments, the plate can be formed of a silicon material and the high electrical conductivity layer can be a silicide material formed from the silicon material of the plate.