Symmetric Plasma Source Assembly for Pie-Shaped Plasma Confinement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma sources for substrate processing face challenges in minimizing contamination from sputtered material and confining high-pressure plasma to uneven shapes, particularly in vertical plasma sources.
Innovation Solution
A modular capacitively coupled plasma source assembly with a wedge-shaped housing and RF hot electrode, featuring a gas inlet and vertically extending source electrodes, is used to create a plasma that minimizes contamination and confines the plasma effectively to uneven substrate shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vertical plasma sources are used to minimize material contamination from sputtering, then substrate contamination is reduced, but confinement of high pressure plasma to uneven shapes becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma source is divided into multiple independent electrode segments that can be individually positioned and shaped. This segmentation allows the plasma confinement region to adapt to uneven substrate surfaces while maintaining the vertical orientation that minimizes sputtering contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the plasma source have locally optimized properties, with electrode shapes and positions tailored to match the specific uneven features of the substrate. This local adaptation enables effective plasma confinement across varying surface topographies without compromising the overall vertical plasma geometry.
2Manufacturing precision
If plasma sources are used to provide energetic species for film quality enhancement, then film quality is improved, but substrate surface alteration through energetic bombardment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma parameters such as power density, gas composition, and pressure are dynamically adjusted during the deposition process. By controlling these parameters, the plasma provides sufficient energetic species for high-quality film formation while limiting excessive ion bombardment that would damage the substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma discharge is applied in periodic pulses rather than continuously, allowing intervals for substrate surface relaxation between bombardment cycles. This periodic application delivers the necessary energetic species for film quality enhancement while preventing cumulative surface damage.
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 solution enhances plasma confinement and reduces substrate contamination, achieving uniform deposition and post-treatment of films while maintaining a soft plasma that does not substantially alter the substrate surface.
Implementation Method 1
The RF hot electrode is within the housing and has a body and a plurality of source electrodes extending vertically from the RF hot electrode toward the opening in the front face
Implementation Method 2
The plasma source consists of a volume where plasma is generated, and a way to expose a workpiece to a flux of charged particles and active chemical radical species
Data Source
AI summary
Plasma source assemblies comprising a housing with an RF hot electrode having a body and a plurality of source electrodes extending vertically from the RF hot electrode toward the opening in a front face of the housing are described. Processing chambers incorporating the plasma source assemblies and methods of using the plasma source assemblies are also described.