Plasma reactor magnet with independently controllable parallel axial

Abstract

The invention is embodied in a magnetically enhanced plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece, including a reactor enclosure defining a vacuum chamber, a wafer support for holding the workpiece inside the chamber, a plasma power source for applying plasma source power into the chamber, a first plurality of electrically conductive elongate filaments, each being of a finite length, distributed about a periphery of the chamber enclosure, each of said filaments extending at least generally in an axial direction relative to the chamber. The plurality of filaments is capable of permitting different currents through different ones of at least some of the filaments in accordance with a distribution of currents among the filaments corresponding to a desired magnetic field configuration. Respective current sources are preferably connected to deliver respective currents to different ones of the plurality of filaments. Preferably, the respective current sources apply different currents to different ones of the filaments in accordance with the distribution of currents among the filaments corresponding to the desired magnetic field configuration Preferably, the filaments are generally mutually parallel. Preferably, the currents flowing through adjacent ones of the plural filaments are in the same direction.