Plasma reactor with magnet for protecting an electrostatic chuck from the plasma

Claim 2

A plasma reactor for processing substrates comprising: a chamber; an electrostatic chuck having a support portion for holding a substrate, said electrostatic chuck being disposed in said chamber and dividing said chamber into first and second chamber sections located on opposite sides of said support portion; a source of plasma precursor species; a power source for generating a plasma from said plasma precursor species in said first chamber sections; a side wall of said chamber surrounding a periphery of the chuck with a circumferential gap between said side wall and any substrate held by the chuck; and a magnet disposed adjacent to said circumferential gap, said magnet having a magnetic field having a substantial component directed through the gap to inhibit impingement of plasma on surfaces of the chuck and any substrate held by the chuck which exist in said second chamber section, said magnet being disposed in substantially the same plane as the support portion of the electrostatic chuck.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said magnet resides inside a circumferential shoulder extending out from said side wall.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said side wall is a cylindrical side wall surrounding said substrate and wherein said gap is annular and wherein said shoulder is a cylindrical shoulder and wherein said magnet comprises a circular ring magnet disposed adjacent said gap inside said shoulder of said side wall.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said magnet is a permanent magnet.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical shoulder has a top surface which is at all points thereon below a plane corresponding to the bottom surface of said substrate.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical shoulder extends out from the side wall a distance approximately equal to a width of the circumferential gap.

Claim 8

A plasma reactor for processing substrates comprising: a vacuum chamber defining a circumferential side wall; an electrostatic chuck disposed within said chamber and surrounded by said side wall, said chuck being adapted to hold a substrate on a support portion of said chuck in a position defining a circumferential gap between said side wall and any substrate held by the chuck, said chuck dividing said chamber into first and second chamber sections located on opposite sides of said support portion; a source of plasma precursor species; a power source for generating a plasma from said plasma precursor species in said first chamber section; a magnet disposed adjacent to said circumferential gap, said magnet having a magnetic field having a substantial component directed through the gap to inhibit impingement of plasma on surfaces of the chuck and any substrate held by the chuck which exist in said second chamber portion, said magnet being disposed in substantially the same plane as the support portion of the electrostatic chuck.

Claim 9

A plasma reactor for processing substrates comprising: a vacuum chamber defining a circumferential side wall; an electrostatic chuck disposed within said chamber and surrounded by said side wall, said chuck being adapted to hold a substrate on a support portion of said chuck in a position defining a circumferential gap between said side wall and any substrate held by the chuck, said chuck dividing said chamber into first and second chamber sections located on opposite sides of said support portion; a source of plasma precursor species; a power source for generating a plasma from said plasma precursor species in said first chamber section; a magnet disposed adjacent to said circumferential gap, said magnet having a magnetic field having a substantial component directed through the gap to inhibit impingement of plasma on surfaces of the chuck and any substrate held by the chuck which exist in said second chamber portion, said magnet being disposed in substantially the same plane as the support portion of the electrostatic chuck.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said magnet resides inside a circumferential shoulder extending out from said circumferential side wall.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said circumferential side wall is a cylindrical side wall surrounding said substrate; said circumferential gap is annular; said shoulder is a cylindrical shoulder; and said magnet comprises a circular ring magnet disposed adjacent said gap inside said shoulder of said side wall.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said magnet is a permanent magnet.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical shoulder has a top surface which is at all points thereon below a plane corresponding to the bottom surface of said substrate.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said cylindrical shoulder extends out from the side wall a distance approximately equal to a width of the circumferential gap.