International Business Machines Corporation

Albert R Ellingboe

Gary S Selwyn

Jyothi Singh

George G Gifford

Kurt L Haller

Reid S Bennett

John S McKillop

John H Keller

Roderick William Boswell

Disclosed is an ion implantation source for producing a plasma with an electron cyclotron resonance zone including a chamber for plasma processing and having at least one extraction slit, said extraction slit situated at a first end of the chamber; at least one antenna encircling the chamber for prodding a radio frequency induced electromagnetic field to generate an inductive/helicon plasma within the chamber; a plurality of magnetic dipoles at the periphery of the chamber; and at least one magnetic dipole at a second end of the chamber; the magnetic dipoles at the periphery and second end of the chamber having their fields directed towards the interior of the chamber, wherein the fields are adjacent to the periphery and the second end of the chamber and keep the plasma spaced from the periphery and the second end of the chamber.

Ion implantation helicon plasma source with magnetic dipoles

Contamination levels in plasma processes are reduced during plasma processing, by prevention of formation of particles, by preventing entry of particles externally introduced or by removing particles spontaneously formed from chemical and/or mechanical sources. Some techniques for prevention of formation of particles include interruption of the plasma by pulsing the source of plasma energy periodically, or application of energy to provide mechanical agitation such as mechanical shockwaves, acoustic stress, ultrasonic stress, vibrational stress, thermal stress, and pressure stress. Following a period of applied stress, a tool is pumped out (if a plasma is used, the glow is first discontinued), vented, opened and flaked or particulate material is cleaned from the lower electrode and other surfaces. A burst of filtered air or nitrogen, or a vacuum cleaner is used for removal of deposition debris while the vented tool is open. Following this procedure, the tool is then be used for product runs. Alternatively, improvement of semiconductor process yields can be achieved by addition of reagents to getter chemical precursors of contamination particulates and by filtration of particulates from feedgas before plasma processing. The efficiency and endpoint for the applied stress are determined, by laser light scattering, using a pulsed or continuous laser source, e.g. a HeNe laser.

Methods and apparatus for contamination control in plasma processing

Contamination levels in plasma processes are reduced during plasma processing, by prevention of formation of particles, by preventing entry of particles externally introduced or by removing particles spontaneously formed from chemical and/or mechanical sources. Some techniques for prevention of formation of particles include interruption of the plasma by pulsing the source of plasma energy periodically, or application of energy to provide mechanical agitation such as mechanical shockwaves, acoustic stress, ultrasonic stress, vibrational stress, thermal stress, and pressure stress. Following a period of applied stress, a tool is pumped out (if a plasma is used, the glow is first discontinued), vented, opened and flaked or particulate material is cleaned from the lower electrode and other surfaces. A burst of filtered air or nitrogen, or a vacuum cleaner is used for removal of deposition debris while the vented tool is open.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Albert R Ellingboe