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:
Jun. 28, 2011
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2007
Kenneth S. Collins, San Jose, CA (US);
Hiroji Hanawa, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kartik Ramaswamy, San Jose, CA (US);
Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Livermore, CA (US);
Shahid Rauf, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Kallol Bera, San Jose, CA (US);
Lawrence Wong, Fremont, CA (US);
Walter R. Merry, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Matthew L. Miller, Fremont, CA (US);
Steven C. Shannon, San Mateo, CA (US);
Andrew Nguyen, San Jose, CA (US);
James P. Cruse, Soquel, CA (US);
James Carducci, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Troy S. Detrick, Los Altos, CA (US);
Subhash Deshmukh, San Jose, CA (US);
Jennifer Y. Sun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kenneth S. Collins, San Jose, CA (US);
Hiroji Hanawa, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Kartik Ramaswamy, San Jose, CA (US);
Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Livermore, CA (US);
Shahid Rauf, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Kallol Bera, San Jose, CA (US);
Lawrence Wong, Fremont, CA (US);
Walter R. Merry, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Matthew L. Miller, Fremont, CA (US);
Steven C. Shannon, San Mateo, CA (US);
Andrew Nguyen, San Jose, CA (US);
James P. Cruse, Soquel, CA (US);
James Carducci, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Troy S. Detrick, Los Altos, CA (US);
Subhash Deshmukh, San Jose, CA (US);
Jennifer Y. Sun, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber includes coupling RF power at a first VHF frequency fto a plasma via one of the electrodes of the chamber, and providing a center ground return path for RF current passing directly between the ceiling electrode and the workpiece support electrode for the frequency f. The method further includes providing a variable height edge ground annular element and providing a ground return path through the edge ground annular element for the frequency f. The method controls the uniformity of plasma ion density distribution by controlling the distance between the variable height edge ground annular element and one of: (a) height of ceiling electrode or (b) height of workpiece support electrode.