Lam Research Corporation

Henry Povolny

Anthony J Ricci

John C Valcore, Jr

Neil Martin Paul Benjamin

Rajinder Dhindsa

Harmeet Singh

Keith William Gaff

Matthew James Busche

Scott Stevenot

Jerry K Antolik

Andreas Fischer

Arthur M Howald

John C Valcore

A ceramic layer is attached to a top surface of a base plate using a bond layer. The ceramic layer has a top surface configured to support a substrate. At least one clamp electrode is positioned within an upper region of the ceramic layer. A primary radiofrequency (RF) power delivery electrode is positioned within the ceramic layer at a location vertically below the at least one clamp electrode such that a region of the ceramic layer between the primary RF power delivery electrode and the at least one clamp electrode is substantially free of other electrically conductive material. A plurality of RF power delivery connection modules is distributed in a substantially uniform manner about a perimeter of the ceramic layer. Each of the RF power delivery connection modules is configured to form an electrical connection from the base plate to the primary RF power delivery electrode at its respective location.

Ceramic layer for electrostatic chuck including embedded faraday cage for RF delivery and associated methods

A lower electrode assembly configured to support a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber includes a base plate, an upper plate above the base plate, and a mounting groove surrounding a bond layer located between the base plate and the upper plate. An edge seal including a compressible ring is mounted in the mounting groove such that the compressible ring is axially compressed between the upper plate and the base plate. At least one gas passage is in fluid communication with an annular space between the compressible ring and an inner wall of the mounting groove. The at least gas one passage extends through the base plate and includes a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the annular space. In some examples, a backing seal may be located between the edge seal and an inner wall of the mounting groove.

Edge seal configurations for a lower electrode assembly

A ceramic layer is attached to a top surface of a base plate using a bond layer. The ceramic layer has a top surface configured to support a substrate. A clamp electrode assembly is positioned within an upper region of the ceramic layer. The clamp electrode assembly serves to clamp the substrate to the top surface of the ceramic layer and functions as a primary radiofrequency (RF) power delivery electrode. A plurality of RF power delivery connection modules is distributed in a substantially uniform manner about a perimeter of the ceramic layer. Each of the RF power delivery connection modules is configured to form an electrical connection from the base plate to the clamp electrode assembly at its respective location.

Electrostatic chuck including clamp electrode assembly forming portion of Faraday cage for RF delivery and associated methods

A baseplate for a temperature controlled substrate support assembly in a vacuum chamber includes a single cavity in an upper surface of the base plate. A cylindrical wall extends upward around an outer perimeter of the base plate to define the cavity. A cover plate arranged on the base plate above the cavity is in thermal contact with the cylindrical wall of the base plate. A plurality of thermoelectric modules is arranged within the cavity in the upper surface of the base plate in thermal contact with the cover plate and the base plate and is sealed from the vacuum chamber and maintained at atmospheric pressure. A plurality of fluid channels is arranged within the base plate below the cavity. A plurality of heat transfer pipes extends downward toward the fluid channels from an upper surface of the base plate within the cavity.

Temperature controlled substrate support assembly

An iterative etch process includes a plurality of cycles performed in a successive manner on a substrate. Each cycle of the plurality of cycles includes a deposition phase and an activation phase. The deposition phase is performed before the activation phase in each cycle. The deposition phase is defined as a plasma-based process to enable removal of a particular material from a surface of the substrate. The activation phase is defined as a plasma-based process to remove the particular material from the surface of the substrate. One or more feedback control signals are acquired during the iterative etch process, correlated to a condition of the substrate, and analyzed to determine the condition of the substrate. One or more process parameters of the iterative etch process is/are adjusted based on the condition of the substrate as determined by analyzing the one or more feedback control signals.

Feedback control system for iterative etch process

A ceramic assembly is attached to a lower support structure having a bowl shape. The ceramic assembly has a top surface configured to support a substrate. At least one clamp electrode is positioned within an upper region of the ceramic assembly. A primary radiofrequency (RF) power delivery electrode is positioned within the ceramic assembly at a location vertically below the at least one clamp electrode such that a region of the ceramic assembly between the primary RF power delivery electrode and the at least one clamp electrode is substantially free of other electrically conductive material. A plurality of RF power delivery connection modules is distributed in a substantially uniform manner about a perimeter of the ceramic assembly. Each of the RF power delivery connection modules is configured to form an electrical connection from the lower support structure to the primary RF power delivery electrode at its respective location.

Ceramic electrostatic chuck including embedded faraday cage for RF delivery and associated methods for operation, monitoring, and control

Systems and methods for defining a refined RF model of an RF transmission path includes identifying a selected initial term in the RF model having a least significant impact on a goodness of fit of the RF model with the selected initial term removed from the RF model. The initial term having the least significant impact on the goodness of fit is removed from the RF model. A selected non-initial term having a most significant impact on the goodness of fit of the RF model is identified and added to the RF model. The non-initial term being selected from a set of terms describing corresponding elements of the RF transmission path. The initial terms and non-initial terms having the most significant impact of goodness of fit are selected for a refined RF model.

System, method and apparatus for refining radio frequency transmission system models

A lower electrode assembly useful for supporting a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber includes a temperature controlled base plate, an upper plate above the base plate, and an annular mounting groove surrounding a bond layer located between the base plate and the upper plate. The mounting groove includes an inner wall, an opening of the mounting groove faces radially outward relative to the inner wall, and the mounting groove includes a step extending downward from the upper plate on an upper wall of the groove or extending upward from the base plate on a lower wall of the groove. An edge seal including a compressible ring is mounted in the groove such that the compressible ring is compressed between the upper plate and the base plate to cause an outer surface of the compressible ring to be biased radially outward relative to the inner wall toward the step.

Edge seal for lower electrode assembly

Ceramic electrostatic chuck including embedded Faraday cage for RF delivery and associated methods for operation, monitoring, and control

Electrostatic chuck including embedded faraday cage for RF delivery and associated methods for operation, monitoring, and control

An arrangement for controlling a plasma processing system is provided. The arrangement includes an RF sensing mechanism for obtaining an RF voltage signal. The arrangement also includes a voltage probe coupled to the RF sensing mechanism to facilitate acquisition of the signal while reducing perturbation of RF power driving a plasma in the plasma processing system. The arrangement further includes a signal processing arrangement configured for receiving the signal, split the voltage signals into a plurality of channels, convert the signals into a plurality of direct current (DC) signals, convert the DC signals into digital signals and process the digital signal in a digital domain to generate a transfer function output. The arrangement moreover includes an ESC power supply subsystem configured to receive the transfer function output as a feedback signal to control the plasma processing system.

Arrangement for plasma processing system control based on RF voltage

Systems and methods for determining an RF transmission line model for an RF transmission system includes generating a baseline RF transmission line model characterizing the RF transmission system. A plasma RF voltage, RF current, RF power and/or a corresponding RF induced DC bias voltage is calculated from the baseline RF transmission line model. An end module including the electrostatic chuck, a plasma and an RF return path is added to the baseline RF transmission line model to create one or more revised RF transmission line models. A revised plasma RF voltage, a revised plasma RF current, a revised plasma RF power and/or a corresponding revised RF induced DC bias voltage is calculated from each of the revised baseline RF transmission line models. The revised RF transmission line models are scored to identify a best fitting revised RF transmission line model as a complete RF transmission line model.

System, method and apparatus for improving accuracy of RF transmission models for selected portions of an RF transmission path

Plasma processing systems and methods including a plasma processing chamber and an RF transmission path. The plasma processing chamber including an electrostatic chuck. The RF transmission path including one or more RF generators, a match circuit coupled the RF generator and an RF feed coupling the match circuit to the electrostatic chuck. The system also includes an RF return path coupled between the plasma processing chamber and the RF generator. A plasma processing system controller is coupled to the plasma processing chamber and the RF transmission path. The controller includes recipe logic for at least one plasma processing recipe including multiple plasma processing settings and an RF power compensation logic for adjusting at least one of the plasma processing settings.

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Newark, CA, United States of America

Henry Povolny