Lam Research Corporation

Wenli Z Collison

Tuqiang Q Ni

David J Hemker

Lumin Li

Michael S Barnes

Brian K McMillin

Butch Berney

Wayne W Vereb

John Patrick Holland

Kenji Takeshita

Tom K Choi

Frank Lin

Tiqiang Ni

A system and method for controlling plasma. The system includes a semiconductor chamber comprising a powered electrode, another electrode, and an adjustable coupling to ground circuit. The powered electrode is configured to receive a wafer or substrate. There is at least one grounded electrode configured to generate an electrical connection with the powered electrode. At least one of the grounded electrodes is electrically coupled to the adjustable coupling to ground circuit. The adjustable coupling to ground circuit is configured to modify the impedance of the grounded electrode. The ion energy of the plasma is controlled by the adjustable coupling to ground circuit.

System and method for controlling plasma with an adjustable coupling to ground circuit

A vacuum plasma processor includes a roof structure including a dielectric window carrying (1) a semiconductor plate having a high electric conductivity so it functions as an electrode, (2) a hollow coil and (3) at least one electric shield. The shield, coil and semiconductor plate are positioned to prevent substantial coil generated electric field components from being incident on the semiconductor plate. During a first interval the coil produces an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that strips photoresist from a semiconductor wafer. During a second interval the semiconductor plate and another electrode produce an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that etches electric layers, underlayers and photoresist layers from the wafer.

Vacuum plasma processor having a chamber with electrodes and a coil for plasma excitation and method of operating same

Methods for detecting the endpoint of a photoresist stripping process provide O for reaction with the photoresist for a wafer to be stripped of photoresist. NO is also supplied for reaction with O not reacted with the photoresist. After substantially all the photoresist is stripped from the wafer, the rate of a reaction of O and NO to form NOincreases, which increases the intensity of emitted light. An operation of detecting this increase in light intensity signals the endpoint of the photoresist stripping process.

Methods for detecting the endpoint of a photoresist stripping process

A vacuum plasma processor includes a roof structure including a dielectric window carrying ( ) a semiconductor plate having a high electric conductivity so it functions as an electrode, ( ) a hollow coil and ( ) at least one electric shield. The shield, coil and semiconductor plate are positioned to prevent substantial coil generated electric field components from being incident on the semiconductor plate. During a first interval the coil produces an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that strips photoresist from a semiconductor wafer. During a second interval the semiconductor plate and another electrode produce an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that etches electric layers, underlayers and photoresist layers from the wafer.

A plasma processing module for processing a substrate includes a plasma containment chamber having a feed gas inlet port capable of allowing a feed gas to enter the plasma containment chamber of the plasma processing module during the processing of the substrate. An inductively coupled source is used to energize the feed gas and striking a plasma within the plasma containment chamber. The specific configuration of the inductively coupled source causes the plasma to be formed such that the plasma includes a primary dissociation zone within the plasma containment chamber. A secondary chamber is separated from the plasma containment chamber by a plasma containment plate. The secondary chamber includes a chuck and an exhaust port. The chuck is configured to support the substrate during the processing of the substrate and the exhaust port is connected to the secondary chamber such that the exhaust port allows gases to be removed from the secondary chamber during the processing of the substrate. A chamber interconnecting port interconnects the plasma containment chamber and the secondary chamber. The chamber interconnecting port allows gases from the plasma containment chamber to flow into the secondary chamber during the processing of the substrate. The chamber interconnecting port is positioned between the plasma containment chamber and the secondary chamber such that, when the substrate is positioned on the chuck in the secondary chamber, there is no substantial direct line-of-sight exposure of the substrate to the primary dissociation zone of the plasma formed within the plasma containment chamber.

Inductively coupled plasma downstream strip module

An apparatus and method for consecutively processing a series of semiconductor substrates with minimal plasma etch rate variation following cleaning with fluorine-containing gas and/or seasoning of the plasma etch chamber. The method includes steps of (a) placing a semiconductor substrate on a substrate support in a plasma etching chamber, (b) maintaining a vacuum in the chamber, (c) etching an exposed surface of the substrate by supplying an etching gas to the chamber and energizing the etching gas to form a plasma in the chamber, (d) removing the substrate from the chamber; and (e) consecutively etching additional substrates in the chamber by repeating steps (a-d), the etching step being carried out by minimizing a recombination rate of H and Br on a silicon carbide edge ring surrounding the substrate at a rate sufficient to offset a rate at which Br is consumed across the substrate. The method can be carried out using pure HBr or combination of HBr with other gases.

Method for improving uniformity and reducing etch rate variation of etching polysilicon

A method and apparatus for detecting the endpoint of a photoresist stripping process. A wafer to be stripped of photoresist is disposed inside a stripping chamber. After substantially all the photoresist is stripped from the wafer, the rate of a reaction of O and NO to form NO increases, which increases the intensity of emitted light. A light detecting apparatus detects this increase in light intensity, which signals the endpoint of the photoresist stripping process.

Apparatus for detecting the endpoint of a photoresist stripping process

A downstream stripper includes a source of dissociated electrically neutral gas atoms derived by a plasma generator responsive to gas molecules including the atoms. The plasma generator includes a chamber responsive to RF electromagnetic fields derived by two coils on opposed sides of the chamber. The coils supply the fields to the interior of the chamber via windows on the opposed sides. The chamber includes metal, electrically grounded walls and an outlet with such walls for attracting charge particles in the plasma. The interiors of the outlet and chamber walls are lined with quartz for capturing the charge particles. The electrically neutral gas atoms have a high concentration and a very low percentage of electrically charged particles flowing with them.

Method of an apparatus for obtaining neutral dissociated gas atoms

A plasma processing reactor for processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a chamber. Additionally, the chamber includes a bottom electrode that is configured for holding the substrate. The apparatus further includes a stationary uniformity ring that is configured to surround the periphery of the substrate. Furthermore, the stationary uniformity ring is coupled to a portion of the chamber and disposed above the bottom electrode in a spaced apart relationship to form a vertical space above the bottom electrode. Further, the vertical space is configured to provide room for ingress and egress of the substrate. Also, the stationary uniformity ring has a thickness that substantially reduces diffusion of a first species from outside the stationary uniformity ring toward an edge of the substrate.

Elevated stationary uniformity ring design

A coil for exciting an r.f. plasma in a vacuum plasma processing chamber includes plural radially and circumferentially extending turns connected between a pair of r.f. excitation terminals. In one embodiment, a drive mechanism varies r.f. field coupling coefficients between different radial and circumferential portions of the coil and the plasma. The drive mechanism includes plural drive shafts which drive different portions of the coil toward and away from the plasma. In a second embodiment, the drive mechanism drives an r.f. shield having at least one moving part for intercepting a portion of an r.f. plasma excitation field derived by the coil.

Plasma processor with coil having variable rf coupling

An apparatus is provided including a semiconductor processing chamber enclosed by a plurality of walls. Also included is a source of process gas that is required for processing a wafer within the processing chamber. Mounted on one of the walls of the processing chamber is a window. An inlet is positioned adjacent to the window and remains in communication with the processing chamber. The inlet is further coupled to the source of process gas to channel the process gas into the processing chamber for both preventing the deposition of byproducts on the window and further processing the wafer within the processing chamber. In another embodiment, a source of light, an analysis mechanism, and an optical transmission medium are provided. Such optical transmission medium is coupled between the source of light and the analysis mechanism and is further aligned with the window for directing light into the processing chamber and analyzing the wafer within the processing chamber. The window is configured to reflect the light received from the optical transmission medium at an angle so as to not interfere with light reflected from the wafer within the processing chamber.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Wenli Z Collison