Applied Materials, Inc.

Ibrahim M Ibrahim

Ajay Kumar

Michael N Grimbergen

Madhavi R Chandrachood

Richard Lewington

Sheeba J Panayil

Khiem K Nguyen

Darin Bivens

Renee Koch

A plasma reactor has an array of plural gas injectors arranged around a circular side wall that are individually controlled.

Plasma reactor having an array of plural individually controlled gas injectors arranged along a circular side wall

A plasma reactor has an array of passages extending through its workpiece support pedestal from a bottom thereof that forms a two-dimensional array of openings in the support surface. The reactor further includes a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber extending through a respective one of the passages. Optical sensing apparatus is coupled to the output ends of the optical fibers and is responsive in the range of wavelengths. The reactor further includes a tunable element capable of changing a two-dimensional etch rate distribution across the surface of a workpiece supported on the pedestal, and a process controller connected to receive information from the optical sensing apparatus and to transmit control commands to the tunable element.

Mask etch plasma reactor having an array of optical sensors viewing the workpiece backside and a tunable element controlled in response to the optical sensors

A plasma etch method includes simultaneously illuminating an array of plural locations on front surface of the workpiece through the backside of the workpiece with light of a wavelength range for which the workpiece is transparent, while viewing light reflected from the array of plural locations to the backside of the workpiece. The method further includes determining plural etch depths at the array of locations from the light reflected from the array of locations on the front side of the workpiece, and deducing from the plural etch depths a spatial distribution of etch rate across the array of locations. The method also includes changing the etch rate distribution by adjusting a tunable element of the reactor.

Plasma mask etch method of controlling a reactor tunable element in accordance with the output of an array of optical sensors viewing the mask backside

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece such as a mask or wafer includes a vacuum chamber having a cylindrical side wall, a ceiling overlying the side wall and a ring supported on a top edge of the side wall and supporting the ceiling, the ring comprising an external surface and an interior surface. An RF plasma source power applicator and an RF source power generator coupled to the applicator furnish plasma source power. Plural passages extend in a radial direction through the ring from the external surface to the interior surface and are spaced apart along a circumference of the ring. A process gas supply furnishes process gas. An external gas flow conduit apparatus outside of the chamber extends around a circumference of the chamber and is coupled to the process gas supply. Plural external gas flow valves outside of the chamber are coupled to the external conduit at respective locations spaced apart along the conduit, each of the valves having: (a) a controlled gas output port coupled to a respective one of the plural passages at the external surface of the ring and (b) a valve control input. A gas valve configuration controller controls the valve control input of each of the valves.

Mask etch plasma reactor with variable process gas distribution

A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber by applying RF source power to inner and outer source power applicators, and introducing a process gas into the reactor while rotating at least one of (a) the workpiece, (b) the outer source power applicator, about a radial tilt axis to a position at which the plasma distribution is nearly symmetrical, and translating the inner source power applicator relative to the outer source power applicator along the axis of symmetry to a location at which the spatial distribution is nearly uniform.

Method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor with dynamic adjustment of the plasma source power applicator and the workpiece relative to one another

A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having radially inner and outer source power applicators at a ceiling of the chamber facing the workpiece, the inner and outer source power applicators and the workpiece sharing a common axis of symmetry. The method includes applying RF source power to the source power applicator, and introducing a process gas into the reactor chamber so as to carry out a plasma process on the workpiece characterized by a plasma process parameter, the plasma process parameter having a spatial distribution across the surface of the workpiece. The method further includes rotating at least the outer RF source power applicator about a radial tilt axis to a position at which the spatial distribution of the plasma process parameter has at least a nearly minimal non-symmetry relative to the common axis of symmetry, and translating the inner source power applicator relative to the outer source power applicator along the axis of symmetry to a location at which the spatial distribution has at least a nearly minimal non-uniformity across the surface of the workpiece.

Method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor employing a dynamically adjustable plasma source power applicator

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a process chamber having an enclosure including a ceiling and having a vertical axis of symmetry generally perpendicular to the ceiling, a workpiece support pedestal inside the chamber and generally facing the ceiling, process gas injection apparatus coupled to the chamber and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber. The reactor further includes a plasma source power applicator overlying the ceiling and having a radially inner applicator portion and a radially outer applicator portion, and RF power apparatus coupled to the inner and outer applicator portions, and tilt apparatus supporting at least the outer applicator portion and capable of tilting at least the outer applicator portion about a radial axis perpendicular to the axis of symmetry and capable of rotating at least the outer applicator portion about the axis of symmetry. The reactor can further include elevation apparatus for changing the location of the inner and outer portions relative to one another along the vertical axis of symmetry. In a preferred embodiment, the elevation apparatus includes a lift actuator for raising and lowering the inner applicator portion along the vertical axis of symmetry.

Plasma reactor with a dynamically adjustable plasma source power applicator

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a process chamber comprising an enclosure including a ceiling and having a vertical axis of symmetry generally perpendicular to said ceiling, a workpiece support pedestal inside the chamber and generally facing the ceiling, process gas injection apparatus coupled to the chamber and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber. The reactor further includes a plasma source power applicator overlying the ceiling and comprising a radially inner applicator portion and a radially outer applicator portion, and RF power apparatus coupled to said inner and outer applicator portions, and tilt apparatus capable of tilting either the workpiece support pedestal or the outer applicator portion about a radial axis perpendicular to said axis of symmetry and capable of rotating said workpiece support pedestal about said axis of symmetry. In a preferred embodiment, the reactor further includes apparatus for effecting axially symmetrical adjustments of plasma distribution, which may be either (or both) elevation apparatus for changing the location of said inner and outer portions relative to one another along said vertical axis of symmetry, or apparatus for apportioning the RF power levels applied to the inner and outer applicator portions.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ibrahim M Ibrahim