Continuous plasma and rf bias to regulate damage in a substrate processing system

Abstract

Methods of processing a substrate include supplying process gas to a processing chamber including the substrate. Plasma is created in the processing chamber. After performing a first substrate processing step, the plasma is maintained in the processing chamber and at least one operating parameter is adjusted. The operating parameters may include RF bias to a pedestal, a plasma voltage bias, a gas admixture, a gas flow, a gas pressure, an etch to deposition (E/D) ratio and/or combinations thereof. One or more additional substrate processing steps are performed without an interruption in the plasma between the first substrate processing step and the one or more additional substrate processing steps.