Substrate Processing Apparatus with Elevator-Based Plasma Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate processing technologies using plasma face challenges in optimizing the processing of miniaturized semiconductor devices, particularly in achieving uniform plasma density and preventing ion acceleration, which can damage the substrate and lead to in-plane variations in processing results.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a process chamber featuring a plasma generation space and a substrate process space, equipped with a coil electrode and a susceptor elevating mechanism, where the controller adjusts the distance between the substrate and the coil electrode based on process distribution information to optimize plasma processing and prevent ion acceleration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plasma processing is performed using a coil electrode to generate plasma in a plasma generation space, then substrate processing capability is provided, but ion acceleration occurs causing substrate damage and in-plane variations in processing results
Solution Approach 1:
The process chamber is divided into a plasma generation space and a substrate process space, physically separating plasma generation from substrate processing. This segmentation allows plasma to be generated in one region while substrate processing occurs in another, preventing direct ion acceleration damage to the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
An elevator mechanism is introduced as an intermediary device to control the distance between the substrate and the coil electrode. This intermediary allows dynamic adjustment of substrate position, enabling optimization of plasma processing while preventing harmful ion acceleration by maintaining appropriate spacing.
2Device complexity
If the distance between substrate and coil electrode is fixed, then device structure is simple, but in-plane variations in plasma processing occur reducing manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate mounting table is made movable via an elevator mechanism, transitioning from a fixed to a dynamic configuration. This allows the substrate position to be adjusted during plasma processing, enabling correction of in-plane variations and improvement of processing uniformity despite the increased device complexity.
3Productivity
If plasma density is increased to improve processing efficiency, then productivity increases, but ion acceleration damage to substrate worsens
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the chamber into plasma generation and substrate process spaces, high plasma density can be maintained in the generation space for efficient processing, while the substrate in the process space is protected from direct ion acceleration damage through spatial separation and controlled distance.
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 uniform plasma processing across the substrate, correcting in-plane variations and enhancing the yield of semiconductor device manufacturing by controlling the plasma energy distribution, thus preventing substrate damage and improving processing uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
a coil electrode arranged around the plasma generation space
Implementation Method 2
plasma generated in a plasma generation space
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a technique that include: a process chamber including a plasma generation space and a process space; a coil electrode arranged around the plasma generation space; a substrate mounting table on which a substrate to be processed in the process space is mounted; an elevator configured to move the substrate mounting table in the process chamber; and a controller configured to control the elevator to vary a distance between the substrate and an end portion of the coil electrode according to process distribution information on the substrate.