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EP0379828A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Radio frequency induction/multipole plasma processing tool

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1989-12-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-19
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Abstract

Abstract A dry processing apparatus for plasma etching or deposi­tion includes a chamber for plasma processing having an external wall for housing a work piece with a surface to be plasma processed. A source of an induction field is located outside the chamber on its opposite side from the work piece. A radio frequency induction field applied to the chamber generates a plasma. The plasma is confined within the external wall in the chamber by magnetic dipoles providing a surface magnetic field for confining the plasma. The surface magnetic field is confined to the space adjacent to the external wall. An R.F. generator provides an R.F. generated bias to the work piece. The chamber is lined with a material inert to a plasma or noncontaminating to the work piece, and the induction source in the form of a spiral or involute shaped induc­tion coil is located on the exterior of the liner material on the opposite side of the chamber from the work piece. Distribution of gas to the chamber is uniform because a manifold located about the periphery of the chamber and an orifice formed by the surface of the chamber and the manifold admits gas from the manifold into the chamber at a uniform pressure about the periphery of the cover of the chamber. A surface magnetic field can be positioned adja­cent to the induction coil to confine the field at the top of the chamber. A capacitive or inductive reactance can be connected in series with the induction coil to adjust the R.F. generated bias.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dennis Keith Coultas
  • 👤 John Howard Keller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 17:53
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32623; H01J37/3266; H01J37/32688

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 92 words
A plasma dry processing apparatus characterized in that it includes : - a chamber for plasma processing having an exter­nal wall, said chamber containing within said wall at least one work piece having a surface to be processed in a plasma, - induction means for providing a radio frequency induction field within said chamber for generat­ing a plasma within said chamber, - confining means for providing a surface magnetic field for confining said plasma within said chamber, said surface magnetic field being substantially confined to the space adjacent to said external wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 92 words
A plasma dry processing apparatus characterized in that it includes : - a chamber for plasma processing having an exter­nal wall, said chamber containing within said wall at least one work piece having a surface to be processed in a plasma, - induction means for providing a radio frequency induction field within said chamber for generat­ing a plasma within said chamber, - confining means for providing a surface magnetic field for confining said plasma within said chamber, said surface magnetic field being substantially confined to the space adjacent to said external wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including radio frequency energization means for providing a R.F. generated bias to said work piece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said induction means is located on the exterior of said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said induction means is located on the opposite side of said chamber from said work piece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said chamber is lined with a liner material substantially inert to a plasma or substantially noncontaminating to said work piece and said induction means is located on the exterior of said liner material on the opposite side of said chamber from said work piece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 63 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that it includes : - manifold means located about the periphery of said chamber, and - orifice means located between the surface of said chamber and said manifold means for admit­ting said gas from said manifold into said chamber, whereby said gas is admitted to said chamber from said manifold with a substantially uniform pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including means for providing a surface magnetic field positioned adjacent to said induction means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including reactance means connected in series with said induc­tion means, whereby one can produce and adjust a radio frequency generated bias.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 79 words
A reactive ion etching system including : - cylindrical etching chamber formed by an elec­trode structure, a chamber top and sidewalls, - an R.F. biased structure for supporting the workpieces to be processed, and - means for applying an R.F. induction field to produce in the active plasma etching portion of the chamber a glow region which is separated from the internal chamber surfaces by means for providing a distributed magnetic confinement field about the periphery of said chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 79 words
A reactive ion etching system including : - cylindrical etching chamber formed by an elec­trode structure, a chamber top and sidewalls, - an R.F. biased structure for supporting the workpieces to be processed, and - means for applying an R.F. induction field to produce in the active plasma etching portion of the chamber a glow region which is separated from the internal chamber surfaces by means for providing a distributed magnetic confinement field about the periphery of said chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 85 words
A plasma dry processing apparatus including : - a chamber for plasma processing having an exter­nal wall, said chamber containing within said wall at least one work piece having a surface to be processed in a plasma, - induction means for providing a radio frequency induction field within said chamber for generat­ing a plasma within said chamber, - induction means is located on the exterior of said chamber, and said induction means is located on the opposite side of said chamber from said work piece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 85 words
A plasma dry processing apparatus including : - a chamber for plasma processing having an exter­nal wall, said chamber containing within said wall at least one work piece having a surface to be processed in a plasma, - induction means for providing a radio frequency induction field within said chamber for generat­ing a plasma within said chamber, - induction means is located on the exterior of said chamber, and said induction means is located on the opposite side of said chamber from said work piece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including reactance means connected in series with said induc­tion means, whereby one can adjust said R.F. generated bias.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said chamber is lined with a liner material substantially inert to a plasma or substantially noncontaminating to said work piece and said induction means is locat­ed on the exterior of said liner material on the opposite side of said chamber from said work piece.

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