Lam Research Corporation

John Pease

Neil Martin Paul Benjamin

Thomas W Anderson

Hema Swaroop Mopidevi

Neil M Benjamin

John Stephen Drewery

Seyed Jafar Jafarian-Tehrani

Neil M P Benjamin

Ernest Beauel Hanks

Nell Benjamin

In some examples, a magnetic shield for a plasma source is provided. An example magnetic shield comprises a back-shell. The back-shell includes a cage defined, at least in part, by an arrangement of bars of ferro-magnetic material. The cage is sized and configured to at least extend over a top side of an RF source coil for the plasma source.

Magnetic shielding for plasma sources

A voltage transient detector includes circuitry for transmitting electrical current through a light emitting diode and a fuse that is serially connected between the light emitting diode and a reference potential, such that the light emitting diode is illuminated when the fuse is not blown. The voltage transient detector also includes circuitry for transmitting a controlled amount of electrical current through the fuse in conjunction with an occurrence of a voltage transient at a voltage measurement location, where the voltage transient exceeds a set transient threshold voltage. The controlled amount of electrical current transmitted through the fuse causing the fuse to blow and the light emitting diode to turn off, thereby indicating occurrence of the voltage transient at the voltage measurement location.

Voltage transient detector and current transient detector

A dual mode power device for controlling voltage level to a plasma processing apparatus is disclosed. The dual mode power device comprises a power supply connector and a control circuit. The power supply connector is connected to a first voltage power supply or a second voltage power supply. The control circuit is connected between an output of the power supply connector and a first and second voltage subsystem of the plasma processing apparatus. The control circuit provides a first voltage based on the first voltage power supply to the first voltage subsystem in a first mode of operation of the plasma processing apparatus. The control circuit provides a second voltage based on the second voltage power supply to the second voltage subsystem in a second mode of operation of the plasma processing apparatus.

Maintenance mode power supply system

RF isolation for power circuitry includes one or more ferrite cages surrounding a pair of coils, one coil connected to power input, and the other coil connected to a load such as a heater. The ferrite cage provides universal isolation for the coils, avoiding the necessity of specially tuned filters or more complicated coil arrangements. A pair of dielectric discs support respective coils. In one aspect, the ferrite cage is constituted by ferrite pieces which fan out from a central portion of the dielectric discs and are connected at an outer periphery of the dielectric discs, and at the central portion of the dielectric discs. In one aspect, the fanned-out ferrite pieces comprises either manganese-zinc or magnesium-zinc ferrites, and the ferrite pieces connecting the fanned-out ferrite pieces comprise nickel-zinc ferrites.

Ferrite cage RF isolator for power circuitry

A RF detector is provided and includes LO and RF paths, a mixer and a filter. The LO path includes a first buffer and a sine-to-square wave converter. The first buffer receives a first RF signal that is based on a RF input signal received by the RF detector. The RF input signal is detected within a substrate processing system. The sine-to-square wave converter converts a sine wave of the first RF signal to a square wave and outputs a LO signal having the square wave. The RF path includes a second buffer that receives a second RF signal and outputs a RF output signal. The second RF signal is based on the RF input signal. The mixer generates an IF signal based on the LO and RF output signals. The filter filters the IF signal to generate a DC signal, which is representative of the second RF signal.

RF detector with double balanced linear mixer and corresponding method of operation

A heating plate for a substrate support assembly in a semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, comprises multiple independently controllable heater zones arranged in a scalable multiplexing layout, and electronics to independently control and power the heater zones. A substrate support assembly in which the heating plate is incorporated includes an electrostatic clamping electrode and a temperature controlled base plate. Methods for manufacturing the heating plate include bonding together ceramic or polymer sheets having heater zones, branch transmission lines, common transmission lines and vias. The heating plate is capable of being driven by AC current or direct current phase alternating power, which has an advantage of minimizing DC magnetic field effects above the substrate support assembly and reduce plasma non-uniformity caused by DC magnetic fields.

Multiplexed heater array using AC drive for semiconductor processing

A system for measuring temperatures of and controlling a multi-zone heating plate in a substrate support assembly used to support a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing includes a current measurement device and switching arrangements. A first switching arrangement connects power return lines selectively to an electrical ground, a voltage supply or an electrically isolated terminal, independent of the other power return lines. A second switching arrangement connects power supply lines selectively to the electrical ground, a power supply, the current measurement device or an electrically isolated terminal, independent of the other power supply lines. The system can be used to maintain a desired temperature profile of the heater plate by taking current readings of reverse saturation currents of diodes serially connected to planar heating zones, calculating temperatures of the heating zones and powering each heater zone to achieve the desired temperature profile.

System and method for monitoring temperatures of and controlling multiplexed heater array

A heating plate for a substrate support assembly in a semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, comprises multiple independently controllable planar heater zones arranged in a scalable multiplexing layout, and electronics to independently control and power the planar heater zones. A substrate support assembly in which the heating plate is incorporated includes an electrostatic clamping electrode and a temperature controlled base plate. Methods for manufacturing the heating plate include bonding together ceramic or polymer sheets having planar heater zones, branch transmission lines, common transmission lines and vias. The heating plate is capable of being driven by AC current or direct current phase alternating power, which has an advantage of minimizing DC magnetic field effects above the substrate support assembly and reduce plasma non-uniformity caused by DC magnetic fields.

A system for detecting unconfined-plasma events in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed. The system may include a sensor disposed in the plasma processing chamber for providing a current when unconfined plasma is present in the plasma processing chamber. The system may also include a converter for converting the current into a voltage and a filter for removing noise from the voltage to provide a first signal. The system may also include a detector for determining presence of the unconfined plasma using an amplified level of the first signal and/or the first signal. The system may also include a conductor for coupling the sensor and the converter to conduct the current from the sensor to the converter. The system may also include a shield for enclosing at least a portion of the conductor to at least reduce electromagnetic noise received by the conductor.

Systems for detecting unconfined-plasma events

A method of operating a heating plate for a substrate support assembly used to support a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing apparatus, wherein the heating plate comprises power supply lines and power return lines and respective heater zone connected between every pair of power supply line and power return line. The method reduces maximum currents carried by the power supply lines and power return lines by temporally spreading current pulses for powering the heater zones.

Growing community of inventors

San Mateo, CA, United States of America

John Pease