The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 04, 2021
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2019
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Mks Instruments, Inc., Andover, MA (US);
Yusuke Yoshida, Albany, NY (US);
Sergey Voronin, Albany, NY (US);
Alok Ranjan, Austin, TX (US);
David J. Coumou, Rochester, NY (US);
Scott E. White, Rochester, NY (US);
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Plasma ion energy distribution for ions having different masses is controlled by controlling the relationship between a base RF frequency and a harmonic RF frequency. By the controlling the RF power frequencies, characteristics of the plasma process may be changed based on ion mass. The ions that dominate etching may be selectively based upon whether an ion is lighter or heavier than other ions. Similarly, atomic layer etch processes may be controlled such that the process may be switched between a layer modification step and a layer etch step though adjustment of the RF frequencies. Such switching is capable of being performed within the same gas phase of the plasma process. The control of the RF power includes controlling the phase difference and/or amplitude ratios between a base RF frequency and a harmonic frequency based upon the detection of one or more electrical characteristics within the plasma apparatus.