RF configuration in a plasma processing system

Details RF configuration in a plasma processing system RF configuration in a plasma processing system

2002-06-24

2004-06-22

Deb, Anjan K. (Department: 2858)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Impedance, admittance or other quantities representative of...

Distributive type parameters

C324S668000, C324S688000, C438S017000, C118S712000, C118S7230ER, C315S111210

Reexamination Certificate

active

06753689

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit manufacturing equipment, and more particularly but not exclusively to plasma processing systems.
2. Description of the Background Art
A plasma processing system may be used to fabricate integrated circuits. Examples of plasma processing systems include physical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, high density plasma chemical vapor deposition, and etching systems. In a plasma processing system, radio frequency (RF) signal source is employed to ignite and maintain plasma inside a process chamber containing one or more substrates. The RF signal source is typically coupled to the process chamber by an electrode, referred to as an “RF electrode”. The RF electrode may be located inside a vacuum portion of the plasma processing system such as the interior of the chamber, or in an atmospheric portion near the chamber. Other electrodes, referred to as “non-RF electrodes”, may also be in the same general location as the RF electrodes.
FIG. 1
schematically shows a conventional plasma processing system
100
. System.
100
includes a process chamber
101
containing a substrate
102
. Substrate
102
is supported by a support member
110
, which is also inside process chamber
101
. An RF signal source
103
drives RF electrodes
121
(i.e.,
121
A,
121
B) with an RF signal required for process chamber
101
. RF electrodes
121
are inside support member
110
along with non-RF electrodes
131
(i.e.,
131
A,
131
B), which may be coupled to remotely located electronic modules
151
(i.e.,
151
A,
151
B). Examples of electronic modules
151
include power supplies, controllers, and the like. A non-RF electrode
131
may be connected to a cable
161
(i.e.,
161
A,
161
B) at a terminal
160
(i.e.,
160
A,
160
B). A cable
161
in turn may be connected to a filter
141
(i.e.,
141
A,
141
B), which is connected to an electronic module
151
.
If precautions are not taken, RF signal may reach an electronic module
151
by way of a non-RF electrode
131
. Accordingly, a filter
141
is typically employed to prevent damaging an electronic module
151
. Typically, a filter
141
is a low-pass filter that shunts high frequency signals to ground. A filter
141
is also typically installed near an electronic module
151
, which may be several feet away from chamber
101
.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, a radio frequency (RF) configuration in a plasma processing system includes an RF electrode driven by an RF signal source and a non-RF electrode coupled to an electronic module. A filter coupled to the non-RF electrode may be configured to provide maximum attenuation at or near an RF signal frequency, while allowing signals associated with the electronic module to pass. The filter may be placed as close to the non-RF electrode as possible. The filter may be, for example, a band stop filter such as a parallel resonant circuit having a resonant frequency at or near an RF signal frequency.
These and other features of the present invention will be readily apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the entirety of this disclosure, which includes the accompanying drawings and claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4812712 (1989-03-01), Ohnishi et al.
patent: 6063234 (2000-05-01), Chen et al.
patent: 6361645 (2002-03-01), Schoepp et al.
patent: 6577113 (2003-06-01), Sill et al.
patent: 6630792 (2003-10-01), Okumura

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