US5302803A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for uniform microwave plasma processing using TE1101 modes
Assignee: CONSORTIUM FOR SURFACE PROCESSING Inc A NJ CORP
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Filing: 1991-12-23
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Granted: 1994-04-12
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Expires: 2011-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A plasma processing apparatus and method using a predetermined proportion of relative power between a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode to produce radial uniformity of the plasma. A microwave coupler transforms microwave energy from a microwave source into approximately equal proportions of TE 11 and TM 01 modes. In one embodiment, the coupler includes a first arm for generating the TE 11 mode and a second arm for generating the TM 01 mode which are then combined in a cylindrical waveguide section having a sufficient inner diameter to support propagation of both modes. Other circuit components are provided to prevent cross-coupling of the TE 11 mode into the TM 01 generating arm, and vice versa. Thus, the relative proportion of power of each mode may be independently controlled. A magnetic field generator may be used in the apparatus to create an electron cyclotron resonance condition within the plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Stevens
- 👤 Joseph L. Cecchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:18
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32211; H01J37/32229; H01J37/32266; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/24; H05H1/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A plasma processing apparatus for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma, said apparatus comprising: a processing chamber; means for providing a feed gas within said processing chamber; microwave power source means communicating with said processing chamber for generating a plasma from the feed gas within said processing chamber; and a microwave coupler having an input portion communicating with said microwave power source means and an output portion communicating with said processing chamber, said microwave coupler including means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from said microwave power source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the output portion of said coupler to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within said processing chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A plasma processing apparatus for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma, said apparatus comprising: a processing chamber; means for providing a feed gas within said processing chamber; microwave power source means communicating with said processing chamber for generating a plasma from the feed gas within said processing chamber; and a microwave coupler having an input portion communicating with said microwave power source means and an output portion communicating with said processing chamber, said microwave coupler including means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from said microwave power source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the output portion of said coupler to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within said processing chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for generating the TE 11 mode and the TM 01 mode having predetermined relative proportions of power includes means for generating substantially equal relative proportions of power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said microwave power source means includes means for generating a predetermined mode at a predetermined frequency.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said microwave coupler further comprises: means for generating the TE 11 mode from the predetermined mode generated from said microwave power source means; and means for generating the TM 01 mode from the predetermined mode generated from said microwave power source means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said output portion of said microwave coupler includes means for combining the thus generated TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for combining the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode comprises a circular waveguide having an inner diameter sufficient to support propagation of both the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the predetermined frequency of said microwave power source means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for generating the TE 11 mode includes means for preventing the TM 01 mode from propagating therein, and wherein said means for generating the TM 01 mode includes means for preventing the TE 11 mode from propagating therein so that the relative power proportion of each of the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode is independently controllable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said input portion of said microwave coupler includes a first input port and a second input port; and further comprising a hybrid power splitter connecting said first and second input ports of said microwave coupler to said microwave power source means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma processing apparatus for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma, said apparatus comprising: a processing chamber; means for providing a feed gas within said processing chamber; microwave power source means communicating with said processing chamber for generating a plasma from the feed gas within said processing chamber; magnetic field generating means positioned adjacent said processing chamber and cooperating with said microwave power source means for generating an electron cyclotron resonance condition in the plasma; and a microwave coupler having an input portion communicating with said microwave power source means and an output portion communicating with said processing chamber, said microwave coupler including means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from said microwave power source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the output portion of said coupler to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within said processing chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma processing apparatus for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma, said apparatus comprising: a processing chamber; means for providing a feed gas within said processing chamber; microwave power source means communicating with said processing chamber for generating a plasma from the feed gas within said processing chamber; magnetic field generating means positioned adjacent said processing chamber and cooperating with said microwave power source means for generating an electron cyclotron resonance condition in the plasma; and a microwave coupler having an input portion communicating with said microwave power source means and an output portion communicating with said processing chamber, said microwave coupler including means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from said microwave power source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the output portion of said coupler to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within said processing chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the means for generating the TE 11 mode and the TM 01 mode having predetermined relative proportions of power includes means for generating substantially equal relative proportions of power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said microwave power source means includes means for generating a predetermined mode at a predetermined frequency.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said microwave coupler further comprises: means for generating the TE 11 mode from the predetermined mode generated from said microwave power source means; and means for generating the TM 01 mode from the predetermined mode generated from said microwave power source means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said output portion of said microwave coupler includes means for combining the thus generated TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said means for combining the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode comprises a circular waveguide having an inner diameter sufficient to support propagation of the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode at the predetermined frequency of said microwave power source means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said means for generating the TE 11 mode includes means for preventing the TM 01 mode from propagating therein and wherein the means for generating the TM 01 mode includes means for preventing the TE 11 mode from propagating therein so that the relative power of each of the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode is independently controllable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The ECR plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said input portion of said microwave coupler includes a first input port and a second input port; and further comprising a hybrid power splitter connecting said first and second input ports of said microwave coupler to said microwave power source means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
118 words
A microwave coupler for coupling microwave energy at a predetermined mode from a microwave power source means into a plasma processing chamber to generate a substantially radially uniform plasma therein, said microwave coupler comprising: an input portion adapted for connection to the microwave power source means; an output portion adapted for connection to the processing chamber; and means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from the microwave source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at said output portion to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within the processing chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
118 words
A microwave coupler for coupling microwave energy at a predetermined mode from a microwave power source means into a plasma processing chamber to generate a substantially radially uniform plasma therein, said microwave coupler comprising: an input portion adapted for connection to the microwave power source means; an output portion adapted for connection to the processing chamber; and means for generating a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode from the microwave source means having predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at said output portion to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within the processing chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 17 wherein the means for generating the TE 11 mode and the TM 01 mode having predetermined relative proportions of power includes means for generating substantially equal relative proportions of power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 17 further comprising: means for generating the TE 11 mode from the predetermined mode generated from the microwave power source means; and means for generating the TM 01 mode from the predetermined mode generated from the microwave power source means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 19 wherein said output portion includes means for combining the thus generated TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 20 wherein said means for combining the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode comprises a circular waveguide having an inner diameter sufficient to support propagation of both the TE 11 and TM 01 modes at the predetermined frequency of the microwave power source means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
68 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 17 wherein said means for generating the TE 11 mode includes means for preventing the TM 01 mode from propagating therein, and wherein said means for generating the TM 01 mode includes means for preventing the TE 11 mode from propagating therein so that the relative power proportion of each of the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode is independently controllable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave coupler according to claim 17 wherein said input portion comprises a hybrid power splitter.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma in the processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing apparatus including means for providing a feed gas within the processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: generating microwave power for producing a plasma from the feed gas within the processing chamber; and coupling the generated microwave power to the processing chamber at a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode in predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within the processing chamber.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for generating a substantially radially uniform plasma in the processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing apparatus including means for providing a feed gas within the processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of: generating microwave power for producing a plasma from the feed gas within the processing chamber; and coupling the generated microwave power to the processing chamber at a TE 11 mode and a TM 01 mode in predetermined relative proportions of power so that the TE 11 mode has about 30 to 70 percent of the combined power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes to provide substantially radially uniform plasma within the processing chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein the step of coupling the generated microwave power to the processing chamber comprises the step of generating substantially equal relative proportions of power of the TE 11 and TM 01 modes.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 24 wherein the step of generating the microwave power comprises the step of generating the microwave power at a predetermined mode at a predetermined frequency.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 26 wherein the step of coupling the generated microwave power to the processing chamber comprises the steps of: transforming a first portion of the predetermined mode generated to the TE 11 mode; and transforming a second portion of the predetermined mode generated to the TM 01 mode.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method according to claim 27 wherein the steps of transforming the first portion of the predetermined mode generated to the TE 11 mode and the second portion to the TM 01 mode comprises the step of controlling the relative power of each of the TE 11 mode and the TM 01 mode independent of the power of the other.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 27 wherein the step of coupling the generated microwave power to the processing chamber further comprises the step of combining the TE 11 mode and TM 01 mode.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 24 further comprising the step of producing an electron cyclotron resonance condition in the plasma within the processing chamber.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 30 wherein the step of producing an electron cyclotron resonance condition comprises generating a magnetic field having a predetermined shape and a predetermined intensity within the processing chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-04-11 | 1997-10-11 | 1998-04-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-11 | 2001-10-11 | 2002-04-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-11 | 2005-10-11 | 2006-04-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |