Applied Materials, Inc.

Allan D'Ambra

Yan Ye

Yeuk-Fai Edwin Mok

James E Sammons, Iii

Richard E Remington

Richard E Remmington

The present invention employs an internal inductive antenna capable of generating a helicon wave for generating a plasma. One embodiment of the present invention employs loop type antenna secured within a bell shaped portion of the chamber. Another embodiment employs a flat coil type antenna secured within the chamber. In the preferred embodiments, the internal antenna of the present invention is constructed to prevent sputtering of the antenna. The antenna may be formed of a non-sputtering conductive material, or may formed a conductive material surrounded, completely or partially, by a non-sputtering jacket. In one embodiment, the non-sputtering jacket may be coupled to the chamber wall so that heat generated by the antenna is transferred between the jacket and the chamber wall by conduction. Preferably, the non-sputtering jacket is formed of a material that also is electrically insulative with the surface of the antenna exposed to plasma being segmented to inhibit eddy current in conductive deposits. The gaps separate the exposed surface of the antennas so that conductive deposits are inhibited from electrically joining the separated surfaces, while inhibiting plasma generation within the gaps. A portion or all of the chamber wall may be constructed of electrically and thermally conductive material.

Plasma reactor with internal inductive antenna capable of generating helicon wave

The present invention employs a plurality of small inductive antennas to generate a processing plasma. In one embodiment, small coil antennas are secured within the chamber so that both of the pole regions of the antennas couple power to the plasma. The antennas may be oriented so that poles regions are anywhere from perpendicular, to parallel to a chamber wall. The number, location, and orientation of the small antennas within the chamber may be selected to optimize plasma characteristics. In addition, the antennas may be secured to top, side, or bottom walls to improve plasma characteristics; and power deposition within the processing chamber may be adjusted by changing the orientation of the coils, and the magnitude and phase relationship of RF power through the individual antennas. Process gas may be selectively delivered to areas of high power deposition such as adjacent pole regions or through the center of a coil or loop antenna to control plasma characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, the antennas are formed of a conductor surrounded by a non-sputtering, electrically insulating, thermally conductive jacket coupled to an electrically conductive chamber wall. The exposed surface of the jacket may be segmented to reduce eddy currents in conductive deposits.

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Milbrae, CA, United States of America

Allan D'Ambra