International Business Machines Corporation

Sony Corporation

Tokyo Electron Limited

Materials Research Corporation

James A Seirmarco

John H Keller

Alexander D Lantsman

Charles M McKenna

William W Hicks

John L Forneris

James W Liporace

Robert Bayer

Kaihan Abidi Ashtiani

An apparatus and method for processing the surface of a substrate with a plasma formed from a process gas comprises a processing chamber defining a plasma source region and a processing region wherein electrical energy is coupled into the source region to form and sustain a plasma therein, and an ion extraction mechanism positioned between the source region and processing region for extracting ions from the plasma and directing extracted ions and neutral particles into the processing region to process a biased substrate therein. A gas-dispersing element in the processing space disperses a process gas to intersect paths of the extracted ions and to produce charge exchange collisions to create a large number of high-energy neutral particles for processing the workpiece. A radiation-blocking apparatus is positioned between the plasma source region and processing region proximate the ion extraction mechanism and is operable for absorbing damaging radiation produced by the plasma to reduce radiation damage to the substrate.

Apparatus and method for uniform, low-damage anisotropic plasma

A shade is disposed on the inner wall of an inductively coupled plasma chamber, covering a protected zone of the wall generally opposite to the inductive coil driving the chamber, preventing accumulation of material sputtered from a wafer in this zone, and thus restricting closed paths for eddy current flow along the chamber wall, improving inductive coupling of electrical power to the plasma in the chamber.

Inductively coupled plasma sputter chamber with conductive material

An electrostatic chuck includes a body of refractory metal, preferably molybdenum, sized to support a semiconductor wafer. A first layer of diamond having a thickness in the range of 0.1-5.0 microns coats the refractory metal body. A pair of generally planar electrodes, preferably formed by molybdenum, are disposed on the first layer of diamond. A second layer of diamond, of like thickness as the first layer, conformally coats the pair of electrodes. A dc voltage applied across the pair of electrodes develops an electrostatic force to hold the wafer against the second diamond layer.

Electrostatic chuck with diamond coating

In an ion beam apparatus a structure for controlling the surface potential of the target comprising an electron source adjacent to the beam for providing electrons to the beam and means between the target and source for inhibiting rectilinear radiations, i.e., electron and other particle and photon radiations between said source and said target. This prevents heating of the target by the electron source and cross-contamination between the source and the target. A further structure is provided for the measurement of the ion beam current while controlling said surface potential of the target which includes: walls adjacent to and electrically insulated from the target and surrounding the beam whereby the walls and target provide a Faraday Cage, means for introducing variable quantities of electrons into the beam within the Faraday Cage, means for measuring the target current, means for combining and measuring the target and wall currents to provide said ion beam current measurement and means for varying the quantities of introduced electrons to control the target current and thereby the target surface potential.

Ion implantation apparatus for controlling the surface potential of a

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Buchanan, NY, United States of America

James A Seirmarco