Applied Materials, Inc.

Robert J Steger

Brian C Lue

Dan Maydan

Timothy S Dyer

Arik Donde

Edwin Charles Weldon

Fred Conrad Redeker

Kenneth S Collins

Ananda H Kumar

Shamouil Shamouilian

Arnold Kholodenko

Kadthala Ramaya Narendrnath

Dennis Stanley Grimard

Alexander M Veytser

Semyon L Kats

Tetsuya Ishikawa

Shijian Li

David Walter Groechel

Michael N Sugarman

Shannon J Kelsey

Michael Beesely

Hiroji Hanawa

Ashok K Sinha

Gerald Z Yin

Farhad K Moghadam

Anand Gupta

Masato M Toshima

Semyon Sherstinsky

Xue-Yu Qian

Terrance Y Lee

Jerry Yuen Wong

Graham W Hills

Charles S Rhoades

Steven C Murdoch

Manus K Wong

Petru N Nitescu

Gregory Shmunis

Maya Shendon

James Taoka

Samuel Luong

Tetsuhiko Sambei

Regga Tekeste

Mahasukh Vora

Yaxin Wong

Method and apparatus for improving the reproducibility of chucking forces of an electrostatic chuck used in plasma enhanced CVD processing of substrates provides for precoating of the electrostatic chuck with a dielectric layer, such as SiO, after every chamber cleaning process. The uniform and tightly bonded dielectric layer deposited on the electrostatic chuck eliminates the need for a cover wafer over the chuck surface during the chamber cleaning and provides for more reliable gripping of wafers.

Technique for improving chucking reproducibility

An electrostatic chuck has an electrode capable of being electrically charged to electrostatically hold a substrate. A composite layer covers the electrode. The composite layer comprises (1) a first dielectric material covering a central portion of the electrode, and (2) a second dielectric material covering a peripheral portion of the electrode, the second dielectric material having a different composition than the composition of the first dielectric material. The chuck is useful in a plasma process chamber to process substrates, such as semiconductor wafers.

Electrostatic chuck having composite dielectric layer and method of manufacture

An electrostatic chuck useful for holding a substrate in a high density plasma, comprises an electrode at least partially covered by a semiconducting dielectric , wherein the semiconducting dielectric may have an electrical resistance of from about 5&times;10 &OHgr;cm to about 8&times;10 &OHgr;cm.

Dielectric covered electrostatic chuck

The present invention provides an HDP-CVD tool using simultaneous deposition and sputtering of doped and undoped silicon dioxide capable of excellent gap fill and blanket film deposition on wafers having sub 0.5 micron feature sizes having aspect ratios higher than 1.2:1. The system of the present invention includes: a dual RF zone inductively coupled plasma source configuration capable of producing radially tunable ion currents across the wafer; a dual zone gas distribution system to provide uniform deposition properties across the wafer surface; temperature controlled surfaces to improve film adhesion and to control extraneous particle generation; a symmetrically shaped turbomolecular pumped chamber body to eliminate gas flow or plasma ground azimuthal asymmetries; a dual helium cooling zone electrostatic chuck to provide and maintain uniform wafer temperature during processing; an all ceramic/aluminum alloy chamber construction to eliminate chamber consumables; and a remote fluorine based plasma chamber cleaning system for high chamber cleaning rate without chuck cover plates.

Symmetric tunable inductively coupled HDP-CVD reactor

An electrostatic chuck 100 useful for holding a substrate 55 in a high density plasma, comprises a dielectric covered electrode 110 having at least one heat transfer gas flow conduit 150 therein. An electrical isolator 200 comprising dielectric material is positioned in the gas flow conduit 150 to (i) electrically isolate the gas in the conduit from the plasma or electrode 110, and (ii) allow passage of heat transfer gas through the conduit. Preferably, the dielectric material comprises a plasma-deactivating material that has a high surface area that reduces plasma formation of gas passing through the conduit 150 in a plasma process. A semiconducting dielectric member 115 useful for rapidly charging and discharging electrostatic chucks is also described.

Electrostatic chuck having improved gas conduits

The present invention discloses a two basic structures (including multiple variations within one of the basic structures) and methods for fabrication of the structures which facilitate the flow of cooling gas or other heat transfer fluid to the surface of an electrostatic chuck. The basic structures address both the problem of breakdown of a heat transfer gas in an RF plasma environment and the problem of arcing between a semiconductor substrate and the conductive pedestal portion of the electrostatic chuck in such an RF plasma environment.

Conduits for flow of heat transfer fluid to the surface of an

In accordance with the present invention, a temperature-controlled ceramic liner or barrier is used adjacent to process chamber surfaces during a plasma-comprising process, with the liner or barrier temperature being set to reduce the formation of deposits upon or to aid in the removal of deposits from the liner surface during the processing of a semiconductor substrate within the process chamber. In the alternative, cleaning of the process chamber surface is carried out after the semiconductor substrate is removed from the chamber, and the liner or barrier temperature is set to assist in the removal of deposits from the liner or barrier surface. Deposits accumulate on some process chamber surfaces faster than on others. Since the rate of deposit formation or removal is temperature dependent, the temperature-controlled ceramic liner may be constructed to enable independent temperature settings at different locations within the liner. When multiple temperature-controllable barriers are used, each barrier may be set at a different temperature in proportion to the deposit formation reduction or removal requirements in the area of the process chamber protected by the particular barrier. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plasma used either during the semiconductor substrate processing or during a cleaning process after removal of the substrate from the process chamber is generated externally from the process chamber and is fed into the process chamber through a conduit. The conduit or at least the interior surface of the conduit which contacts the plasma is comprised of a halogen-containing material. The halogen used in the conduit material may be selected in consideration of the active species which is to be fed through the interior of the conduit.

Apparatus and method for cleaning of semiconductor process chamber

The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for transferring heat from a hot electrostatic chuck to an underlying cold plate. Further, the overall structure of the electrostatic chuck in combination with the heat transfer apparatus of the present invention permits the thermal and pressure isolation of the high-temperature, vacuum process chamber containing the work piece processing surface of the electrostatic chuck from the low-temperature, atmospheric pressured heat transfer apparatus of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the heat transfer apparatus, the apparatus comprises: an electrostatic chuck body having a buried electrode for high voltage DC and RF electrical input and a buried heating element, whereby the electrostatic chuck can be heated; a controlled heat transfer apparatus, including a heat transfer plate having a first surface in thermal contact with the electrostatic chuck body and a second surface in contact with at least one heat transfer thermal well; a cold body in thermal contact with the at least one heat transfer thermal well; and a thermal grease between the thermal well and the cold body.

Apparatus and method for transferring heat from a hot electrostatic

The basic structure facilitates the flow of cooling gas or other heat transfer fluid to the surface of an electrostatic chuck addresses the problem of the RF plasma environment which seeks the interface between the electrostatic chuck dielectric surface layer and its underlying conductive layer, and includes an underlying conductive layer which contains at least one gas flow passageway and at least one dielectric layer overlying said conductive layer. The dielectric layer forms the upper surface of the chuck and contains at least one opening or passageway which connects with the fluid flow passageway in the conductive layer. The distance between the upper surface of the conductive layer and the upper surface of the chuck is greater in the area adjacent to the opening to a fluid flow passageway to the upper surface of the chuck. As a result, the dielectric layer thickness is greater in the area adjacent to the opening or passageway than at other locations on the surface of the chuck. The insulative dielectric structure as the upper surface of the chuck and improve the isolation of the dielectric surface from the underlying conductive layer. Typically, the conductive layer is an aluminum pedestal and the dielectric layer is a spray-applied alumina. Other materials can be used so long as they meet electrical requirements and their relative thermal coefficients of expansion do not create problems in the integrity of the electrostatic chuck after multiple cycles in the intended processing environment.

Method and structure for improving gas breakdown resistance and reducing

The present invention discloses a basic structure and a method for fabrication of the structure which facilitates the flow of cooling gas or other heat transfer fluid to the surface of an electrostatic chuck. The basic structure addresses the problem of the rf plasma environment which seeks the interface between the electrostatic chuck dielectric surface layer and its underlying conductive layer. The basic structure includes an underlying conductive layer which contains at least one gas flow passageway and at least one dielectric layer overlying said conductive layer. The dielectric layer forms the upper surface of the dielectric chuck and contains at least one opening or passageway which connects with the fluid flow passageway in the conductive layer. The dielectric layer thickness is greater in the area of the opening or passageway than at other locations on the surface of the dielectric chuck. The basic structure provides an insulative dielectric structure as the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck and improves the isolation of the electrostatic chuck dielectric surface from the underlying conductive layer. Typically, the conductive layer is an aluminum pedestal and the overlaying dielectric layer is a spray-applied alumina. Other materials of construction can be used so long as they meet electrical requirements and their relative thermal coefficients of expansion do not create problems in the integrity of the electrostatic chuck after multiple cycles in the intended processing environment.

A combined wafer support and thermocouple assembly comprising a wafer support basket having a plurality of wafer support fingers, one of which includes a low mass, low heat constant support for supporting a thermocouple against the backside of a wafer positioned on the basket.

Method for supporting a wafer in a combined wafer support and

A magnetic field enhanced plasma etch reactor system and method of operation is disclosed. In the system and operation, modulated sinusoidal currents are generated and applied 90.degree. out of phase to opposing pairs of series connected electromagnets to produce a modified rotating magnetic field parallel to a substrate processed in the system. The modification of the rotating magnetic field, in turn, results in an improvement in the uniformity of the etch pattern over the upper surface of the substrate.

Method and apparatus for altering magnetic coil current to produce etch

An electrostatic chuck (113) having grooves (130, 132, 134) to uniformly distribute a heat transfer medium, e.g., a gas, and a method of fabricating such an electrostatic chuck. Specifically, a grooved layer (112) is formed upon a surface (110) of a conventional chuck body (111). Typically, a conventional chuck body contains a substrate (100) having one or more electrodes (104, 106) deposited thereupon and a first layer (108), typically formed of an insulating material, disposed over the electrodes and a surface of the substrate which supports the electrodes. A second layer (112), typically formed of an insulating material, is formed by screen printing a paste of insulating material over a surface of the first layer. The paste is applied in a pattern which includes at least one gap. After curing the paste into a hard layer, the second layer contains the gap or gaps defined by the screen pattern. The combination of the surface of the first layer and the gaps in the second layer define a grooved surface pattern. The second layer supports a workpiece (122) during subsequent workpiece processing. A hole (216) through the substrate and the first layer provides a portal through which a gas can be pumped into the grooves. With this arrangement, the medium promotes substantially uniform heat exchange between the workpiece and the electrostatic chuck.

Electrostatic chuck having a grooved surface

A plasma processing apparatus including a wafer supporting pedestal which is designed to reduce particle trapping phenomena. In a region of the pedestal surface which surrounds or abuts the wafer, the pedestal has a permittivity which is substantially equal to or greater than that of the wafer surface. As a result, the sheath boundary is reshaped to reduce particle trapping.

Controlling plasma particulates by contouring the plasma sheath using

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Robert J Steger