EP0732728A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma reactor and pedestal for supporting semiconductor substrate in a plasma reactor
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-03-08
Abstract
Abstract A pedestal (10) for supporting a semiconductor substrate (12) in an R.F. plasma reactor chamber (14) includes a conductive disk platen (48) having a diameter exceeding the diameter of the substrate (12) so that an outer annular portion of the conductive disk platen (48) provides a direct path of R.F. power from the plasma while a remaining inner portion of the conductive disk provides a path of R.F. power from the plasma through the substrate (12), an etch-resistant cover shielding the conductive platen (48) from the plasma, a portion of the etch-resistant layer underlying the substrate (12). The etch-resistant cover includes a raised disk (50) overlying a central portion of the conductive disk platen (48) and underlying the substrate (12) and having a diameter less than the diameter of the substrate (12) so that a peripheral portion of the substrate (12) extends beyond the circumference of the raised disk (50).
Inventors
- 👤 Yoichiro Tanaka
- 👤 Megumi Taoka
- 👤 Barney Cohen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:57
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32532; H01J37/32541; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor substrate (12), said reactor comprising: a reactor chamber (14); a gas source (40) for supplying a process gas into the interior of said chamber (14); an electrical power supply for coupling electromagnetic power into the interior of said chamber (14) so as to create a plasma of said process gas; a pedestal (10) inside said chamber (14) for supporting said semiconductor substrate (12) thereon and electrically connected to provide a return path for said electromagnetic power, said pedestal comprising: a conductive disk platen (16;48) having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said substrate (12) so that an outer annular portion of said conductive disk platen (16;48) provides a direct path for said electromagnetic power from said plasma while a remaining inner portion of said conductive disk platen (16;48) provides a path for said electromagnetic power through said substrate (12).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor substrate (12), said reactor comprising: a reactor chamber (14); a gas source (40) for supplying a process gas into the interior of said chamber (14); a radiant source for irradiating the interior of said chamber (14) with electromagnetic energy so as to maintain a plasma of said process gas; and a pedestal (10) inside said chamber (14) for supporting said semiconductor substrate (12) and electrically connected to provide a return path for said electromagnetic energy, said pedestal (10) comprising: a conductive disk platen (16;48) having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said substrate (12), whereby an outer annular portion of said conductive disk platen (16;48) provides a direct path of R.F. power from said plasma while a remaining inner portion of said conductive disk platen (16;48) provides a path of R.F. power from said plasma through said substrate (12).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The plasma reactor of claim 1 or 2 wherein said pedestal (10) further comprises: an etch-resistant cover (20) shielding said conductive disk platen (16;48) from said plasma.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The plasma reactor of claim 3, wherein a portion of said etch-resistant cover (20) is underlying said substrate (12).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The plasma reactor of claim 3 or 4 wherein a central portion of said etch-resistant cover (20) underlies said substrate so that said substrate and said platen are capacitively coupled to one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 3 to 5 wherein said etch resistant cover (20) comprises quartz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
A plasma reactor, especially according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a reactor chamber (14); a reactant gas source for supplying a reactant gas into the interior of said chamber (14); a radiant source for irradiating the interior of said chamber (14) with electromagnetic energy so as to maintain a plasma of said reactant gas; a pedestal (10) inside said chamber (14) for supporting a substrate (12) thereon, said pedestal comprising: a conductive disk platen (48) having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said substrate (12) so that an outer annular portion of said conductive disk platen (48) provides a direct path of R.F. power from said plasma while a remaining inner portion of said conductive disk platen (48) provides a path of R.F. power from said plasma through said substrate (12), said conductive disk platen (48) comprising a base portion and a raised disk portion (48';50) extending above said base portion and underlying said substrate (12) and having a diameter less than the diameter of said substrate (12) so that a peripheral portion of said substrate extends beyond the circumference of said raised disk portion (48';50).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The plasma reactor of claim 7, wherein said pedestal (10) further comprises an etch-resistant cover shielding said base portion of said conductive disk platen (48) from said plasma, a portion of said etch-resistant cover underlying said substrate (12).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
The plasma reactor of claim 7 or 8 wherein said etch-resistant cover comprises: a ring annulus (52) overlying an outer portion of said base portion of said conductive disk platen (48) and having a top surface which is below a top surface of said raised disk portion (48';50), an inner portion of said ring annulus (52) underlying said peripheral portion of said substrate (12), leaving a top portion of a side wall of said raised disk portion (48';50) exposed to said plasma.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The plasma reactor of claim 9 wherein the displacement between said top surface of said ring annulus (52) and said peripheral portion of said substrate (12) is sufficient to permit said plasma to contact the entirety of said top surface of said recessed ring annulus (52).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 7 to 10 wherein said diameter of said raised disk portion (48';50) is less than said diameter of said disk by an amount at least as great as substrate-to-substrate position variations on said pedestal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 9 to 11 wherein said etch resistant cover including said recessed ring annulus (52), comprises quartz.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
132 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 3 to 12, wherein said etch-resistant cover (20) comprises: a raised disk (50) overlying a central portion of said conductive disk platen (48) and underlying said substrate (12) and having a diameter less than the diameter of said substrate (12) so that a peripheral portion of said substrate (12) extends beyond the circumference of said raised disk (50), a recessed ring annulus (52) overlying an outer portion of said conductive disk platen (48) and having a top surface which is depressed below a top surface of said raised disk (50), an inner portion of said recessed ring annulus (52) underlying said peripheral portion of said substrate (12), leaving a top portion (50a) of a side wall of said raised disk (50) exposed to said plasma.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The plasma reactor of claim 13 wherein the displacement between said top surface of said recessed ring annulus (52) and said peripheral portion of said substrate (12) being sufficient to permit said plasma to contact the entirety of said top surface of said recessed ring annulus (52).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 13 or 14 wherein said diameter of said raised disk (50) is less than said diameter of said wafer (12) by an amount at least as great as substrate-to-substrate lateral position variations on said pedestal (10).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 13 to 15 wherein said etch resistant cover (20), including said raised disk (50) and said recessed ring annulus (52), comprises a dielectric material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
The plasma reactor of one of claims 3 to 16 wherein said etch-resistant cover further comprises: a base disk (56) covering a bottom surface of said conductive platen (48) and having a peripheral annular portion thereof extending beyond the circumference of said conductive disk platen (48), said recessed ring annulus (52) having a peripheral annular portion thereof extending beyond the circumference of said conductive disk platen (48); an outer ring (54) sandwiched between said peripheral annular portion of said base disk (56) and said peripheral annular portion of said recessed ring annulus (52) and covering a cylindrical side wall of said conductive disk platen (48).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The plasma reactor of claim 17 wherein said base disk (56) and said outer ring (54) comprise quartz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The plasma reactor of claim 17 or 18 wherein said base disk (56) and said outer ring (54) constitute a single integral quartz piece.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
64 words
The plasma reactor of one of the preceding claims wherein said radiant source comprises an inductive coil antenna (32) around a portion of said chamber (14) and an R.F. plasma source power supply (34) connected to said inductive coil antenna (32), said plasma reactor further comprising: a bias R.F. power supply (18) connected to said conductive disk platen (16;48) of said wafer pedestal (10).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
The plasma reactor of claim 20 wherein said bias R.F. power supply (18) is connected to said conductive disk platen (16;48) of said pedestal (10) for independent control of plasma D.C. bias and plasma ion density in accordance with the respective power levels of said R.F. plasma source power supply (34) and said bias R.F. power supply (18).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
170 words
A pedestal (10) for supporting a semiconductor substrate (12) in the interior of a plasma reactor vacuum chamber (14) containing a plasma formed from a processing gas by applied R.F. power, said pedestal (10) comprising: a conductive disk platen (48) having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said substrate (12) so that an outer annular portion of said conductive disk platen (48) provides a direct path of R.F. power from said plasma while a remaining inner portion of said conductive disk platen (48) provides a path of R.F. power from said plasma through said substrate (12); an etch-resistant cover shielding said conductive disk platen (48) from said plasma, a portion of said etch-resistant cover underlying said substrate (12), said etch-resistant cover comprising: a raised disk (50) overlying a central portion of said conductive disk platen (48) and underlying said substrate (12) and having a diameter less than the diameter of said substrate (12) so that a peripheral portion of said substrate extends beyond the circumference of said raised disk (50).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
78 words
The pedestal of claim 22, wherein said etch-resistant cover further comprises a recessed ring annulus (52) overlying an outer portion of said conductive disk platen (48) and having a top surface which is depressed below a top surface of said raised disk (50), an inner portion of said recessed ring annulus (52) underlying said peripheral portion of said substrate (12), leaving a top portion (50a) of a side wall of said raised disk (50) exposed to said plasma.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The pedestal of claim 23 wherein the displacement between said top surface of said recessing ring annulus (52) and said peripheral portion of said substrate (12) being sufficient to permit said plasma to contact the entirety of said top surface of said recessed ring annulus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The pedestal of one of claims 22 to 24 wherein said diameter of said raised disk (50) is less than said diameter of said conductive disk platen (48) by an amount at least as great as substrate-to-substrate position variations on said pedestal (10).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pedestal of one of claims 23 to 25 wherein said etch-resistant cover, including said raised disk (50) and said recessed ring annulus (52), comprises quartz.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
104 words
The pedestal of one of claims 23 to 26 wherein said etch-resistant cover further comprises: a base disk (56) covering a bottom surface of said conductive platen (48) and having a peripheral annular portion thereof extending beyond the circumference of said conductive disk platen (48), said recessed ring annulus (52) having a peripheral annular portion thereof extending beyond the circumference of said conductive disk platen (48); an outer ring (54) sandwiched between said peripheral annular portion of said base disk (56) and said peripheral annular portion of said recessed ring annulus (52) and covering a cylindrical side wall of said conductive disk platen (48).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pedestal of claim 27 wherein said base disk (56) and said outer ring (54) constitute a single quartz element.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The pedestal of one of claims 24 to 28 wherein said displacement is on the order of at least about 1 mm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pedestal of one of claims 25 to 29 wherein said amount is on the order of about 1 mm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma reactor, especially according to one of claims 1 to 21, comprising a pedestal according to one of claims 22 to 30.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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