Lam Research Corporation

David M Schaefer

Ambarish Chhatre

Keith William Gaff

Sung Lee

Rish Chhatre

Robert Charatan

Brooke Mesler Lai

Chin-Yi Liu

Dan Haber

Hong Shih

John Edward Daugherty

Dan A Marohl

Tom K Choi

Alan John Jensen

Tuochuan Huang

Sung Je Kim

Gowri Kota

Cristian Paduraru

Russell Ormond

Nash W Anderson

Clifford Erik La Croix

MingHang Wu

An edge seal for sealing an outer surface of a lower electrode assembly configured to support a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber, the lower electrode assembly including an annular groove defined between a lower member and an upper member of the lower electrode assembly. The edge seal includes an elastomeric band configured to be arranged within the groove, the elastomeric band having an annular upper surface, an annular lower surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. When the elastomeric band is in an uncompressed state, the outer surface of the elastomeric band is concave. When the upper and lower surfaces are axially compressed at least 1% such that the elastomeric band is in a compressed state, an outward bulging of the outer surface is not greater than a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance corresponds to a maximum outer diameter of the elastomeric band in the uncompressed state.

Edge seal for lower electrode assembly

An edge ring configured to surround an outer periphery of a substrate support in a plasma processing chamber wherein plasma is generated and used to process a substrate is disclosed, the substrate support comprising a base plate, a top plate, an elastomer seal assembly between the base plate and the top plate, and an elastomer seal configured to surround the elastomer seal assembly. The edge ring includes an upper inner surface having an edge step directed towards an interior portion of the edge ring and arranged to extend from an outer periphery of a top surface of the top plate to an outer periphery of an upper surface of the base plate, a lower inner surface, an outer surface, a lower surface extending from the lower inner surface to the outer surface, and a top surface extending from the outer surface to the upper inner surface.

Edge ring dimensioned to extend lifetime of elastomer seal in a plasma processing chamber

A system is disclosed for measuring an impedance of a plasma processing chamber. The system includes a radiofrequency signal generator configured to output a radiofrequency signal based on a frequency setpoint and provide an indication of an actual frequency of the radiofrequency signal, where the actual frequency can be different than the frequency setpoint. The system includes an impedance control module including at least one variable impedance control device. A difference between the actual frequency of the radiofrequency signal as output by the radiofrequency signal generator and the frequency setpoint is partially dependent upon a setting of the at least one variable impedance control device and is partially dependent upon the impedance of the plasma processing chamber. The system includes a connector configured to connect with a radiofrequency signal supply line of the plasma processing chamber. The impedance control module is connected between the radiofrequency signal generator and the connector.

Universal non-invasive chamber impedance measurement system and associated methods

An improved gas injection assembly for mounting in a central bore of a dielectric window of an inductively coupled plasma chamber includes a window having a central bore and cylindrical recess configured to receive an annular insert having a bayonet opening. The gas injector assembly includes a gas injector, an RF shield surrounding the gas injector, and a faceplate surrounding the RF shield, the faceplate including projections at the bottom thereof for engaging the bayonet opening in the annular insert. The window and gas injection assembly are designed to avoid chipping of the window which is typically made of quartz and in prior mounting arrangements the window has a bayonet opening machined therein. Due to the brittle nature of the quartz material, the machined bayonet opening was subject to chipping when the gas injector assembly was inserted into the bayonet opening.

Window and mounting arrangement for twist-and-lock gas injector assembly of inductively coupled plasma chamber

A lower electrode assembly useful for supporting a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber includes a temperature controlled lower base plate, an upper plate, a mounting groove surrounding a bond layer and an edge seal comprising an elastomeric band having an outer concave surface in an uncompressed state, the band mounted in the groove such that upper and lower ends of the band are axially compressed and a maximum outward bulging of the band is no greater than a predetermined distance.

In accordance with this disclosure, there are provided several inventions, including a substrate processing apparatus with multi-layer surfaces configured to face the plasma and resist against corrosion. These multi-layer surfaces may in one example include a base layer of aluminum, anodized aluminum, or quartz, a second layer of stabilized zirconia, and a second layer of a yttrium-aluminum composite such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG).

Long lifetime thermal spray coating for etching or deposition chamber application

An installation fixture adapted to mount an elastomer band in a mounting groove around a semiconductor substrate support used for supporting a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed, which includes an annular ring having a vertically extending portion on an outer edge of the ring and adapted to receive the elastomer band, and a base plate configured to be attached to the annular ring, the base plate having a plurality of radially extending portions adapted to receive a plurality of mechanical fasteners at locations corresponding to mounting holes in the semiconductor substrate support.

Installation fixture for elastomer bands

A kit comprising an installation fixture, a plurality of mechanical fasteners and an embedding tool is provided which allows for an elastomer band to be disposed in a mounting groove around a semiconductor substrate support in a manner that relieves the internal stresses of the elastomer band, leading to an elastomer band with a longer operational lifetime. The installation fixture is secured to a substrate support with mechanical fasteners. An elastomer band is placed around an outer circumference of the installation fixture and rotated back and forth to relieve internal stresses of the elastomer band. The fixture is inverted and the elastomer band is slid vertically off the fixture and into the mounting groove. An embedding tool can be used to completely insert the elastomer band into the mounting groove.

Installation fixture for elastomer bands and methods of using the same

A method is provided for treating a bipolar ESC having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface including an anodized layer. The method includes eliminating the anodized layer, disposing a new anodized layer onto the front surface, and treating the new anodized layer with water to seal the new anodized layer.

Method for performing hot water seal on electrostatic chuck

A method of etching a substrate in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed. The method includes introducing the substrate having thereon an underlying layer, an anti-reflective layer above the underlying layer, and a photo-resist layer above the anti-reflective layer into the chamber. The method also includes flowing a gas mixture into the chamber, the gas mixture includes a flow of a hydrofluorocarbon gas, a flow of fluorocarbon gas, a flow of a halogen-containing gas other than the hydrofluorocarbon gas, and a flow of oxygen gas. The method further includes striking a plasma from the gas mixture. The method additionally includes etching at least through the anti-reflective layer with the plasma.

Methods for critical dimension control during plasma etching

Atomic oxygen generated in oxygen stripping plasmas reacts with and damages low-k dielectric materials during stripping of dielectric post etch residues. While damage of low-k dielectric materials during stripping of dielectric post etch residues is lower with hydrogen stripping plasmas, hydrogen stripping plasmas exhibit lower strip rates. Inclusion of oxygen in a hydrogen stripping plasma improves both photoresist strip rate and uniformity, while maintaining a hydrogen to oxygen ratio avoids low-k dielectric material damage.

Gas mixture for removing photoresist and post etch residue from low-k dielectric material and method of use thereof

A method for etching a trench is provided. The method initiates with providing a substrate having a patterned feature. The method includes alternating between deposition of a protective layer onto inner surfaces of the patterned feature and etching the trench into the substrate. The alternating may be achieved through a gas modulation technique and in one embodiment, the deposition and the etching are performed in the same chamber, i.e., the substrate does not move to a different chamber between the etch and deposition processes. The alternating is continued until the trench is completed and then the trench is filled. A semiconductor processing system is also provided.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

David M Schaefer