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:
Nov. 07, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1998
Stephen E Savas, Alameda, CA (US);
Brad S Mattson, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Martin L Hammond, Cupertino, CA (US);
Steven C Selbrede, San Jose, CA (US);
Mattson Technology, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A plasma reactor and methods for processing semiconductor wafers are described. Gases are introduced into a reactor chamber. An induction coil surrounds the reactor chamber. RF power is applied to the induction coil and is inductively coupled into the reactor chamber causing a plasma to form. A split Faraday shield is interposed between the induction coil and the reactor chamber to substantially block the capacitive coupling of energy into the reactor chamber which may modulate the plasma potential. The configuration of the split Faraday shield may be selected to control the level of modulation of the plasma potential. For etch processes, a separate powered electrode may be used to accelerate ions toward a wafer surface. For isotropic etching processes, charged particles may be filtered from the gas flow, while a neutral activated species passes unimpeded to a wafer surface.