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. 12, 2018
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2016
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Ishtak Karim, Portland, OR (US);
Yukinori Sakiyama, West Linn, OR (US);
Yaswanth Rangineni, Beaverton, OR (US);
Edward Augustyniak, Tualatin, OR (US);
Douglas Keil, West Linn, OR (US);
Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Portland, OR (US);
Adrien LaVoie, Newberg, OR (US);
Karl Leeser, West Linn, OR (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A wafer is positioned on a wafer support apparatus beneath an electrode such that a plasma generation region exists between the wafer and the electrode. Radiofrequency signals of a first signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region to generate a plasma within the plasma generation region. Formation of a plasma instability is detected within the plasma based on supply of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency. After detecting formation of the plasma instability, radiofrequency signals of a second signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region in lieu of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency to generate the plasma. The second signal frequency is greater than the first signal frequency and is set to cause a reduction in ion energy within the plasma and a corresponding reduction in secondary electron emission from the wafer caused by ion interaction with the wafer.