Patent Application
20220208528
This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Patent Application No(s). 202011627023.7 filed in China on Dec. 31, 2020, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a plasma processing device in semiconductor manufacturing and, more particularly, to a device for adjusting a plasma field distribution in a processing chamber and a control method thereof.
Plasma processing is used for depositing a substance on a substrate to form a thin film, such as using a known plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method to form a dielectric film on a substrate. In plasma processing, plasma distribution, uniformity and density affecting the formation of a thin film are critical, and this is because these factors lead to a difference between a film thickness at the center of a substrate and a film thickness at the edge of a substrate. Appropriate plasma distribution, uniformity and density can result in a thin film with a uniform thickness. The ideal outcome above relies on adjustment and control of a plasma distribution curve during processing.
Therefore, there is a need for developing a device that effectively adjusts, modulates or controls a plasma field distribution in a processing chamber during a processing period and a control method thereof, which are also advantageous in terms of cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for adjusting a plasma curve. The device includes a metal adjusting ring, which has an inner side surface, an inclined surface and a top surface. The inclined surface extends downwards from the top surface to the inner side surface, and the inclined surface and the top surface define an included angle, wherein the included angle is within a range of 150 degrees to 120 degrees.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for adjusting a plasma curve. The device includes: a support plate, having a carrier region and a peripheral region around the carrier region; and a metal adjusting ring, embedded and extended in the peripheral region of the support plate, the metal adjusting ring having an inner side surface facing the carrier region, an inclined surface and a top surface. The inclined surface extends downwards from the top surface to the inner side surface, and the inclined surface and the top surface define an included angle, wherein the included angle is within a range of 150 degrees to 120 degrees.
In a specific embodiment, the peripheral region of the support plate is provided with a ceramic ring, and the ceramic ring envelops the metal adjusting ring in the peripheral region of the support plate.
In a specific embodiment, at least a portion of the peripheral region of the support plate is higher than the carrier region. In a specific embodiment, the support plate has a connector element. The connector element provides an electrical connection between a conducting wire and the metal adjusting ring, for the metal adjusting ring to receive a direct-current (DC) voltage through the conducting wire.
In a specific embodiment, the connector element includes: a wiring sleeve, at least partially embedded in the support plate and enveloping the conducting wire; a fixing cap, securing the wiring sleeve in the support plate; and a protection cover, at least partially extending to an exterior of the support plate and enveloping at least a portion of the wiring sleeve.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling the device. The method includes: lifting the support plate in a processing cavity by a motor; lifting the conducting wire by a motion element to lift the conducting wire and the support plate synchronously. The motion element is mechanically connected to the motor, such that the motor and the motion element are moved synchronously.
In a specific embodiment, the motion assembly includes: an adaptor, connected to a terminal of the conducting wire; a sealing portion, connected to the adaptor and sealing the terminal of the conducting wire; a corrugated tube, connected to the sealing portion and enveloping the adaptor; and a motion support, connected to the sealing portion and coupled to a motor controlling the support plate.
The above and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention become more apparent by referring to the embodiments described with the accompanying drawings below.
In the detailed description of the various exemplary embodiments below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the present invention. It is to be understood that the embodiments are given by way of examples, and the implementation of these specific embodiments can be carried out on the basis of the description of the examples. Thus, sufficient details are given for a person skilled in the art to perform the specific embodiments. Moreover, it is to be understood that, other specific embodiments can be used and other modifications can be made without departing form the spirit or scope of the specific embodiments. In addition, the reference to “a specific embodiment” does not need to belong to the same or such single specific embodiment. Thus, the detailed description below is not to be construed as limitations, and the scope of the specific embodiments described shall be defined by the appended claims only.
Throughout the present application and the claims, unless otherwise explicitly specified in the context, the terms used below contain meanings associated with the explanations given below. When in use, unless otherwise explicitly specified, the term “or” refers to the “or” which means “including . . . ”, and the term is equivalent to “and/or”. Unless otherwise explicitly specified in the context, the term “according to” is non-exclusive, and allows being in accordance with numerous other factors not described herein. Moreover, throughout the present application, meanings of “a/an”, “one” and “the” include references of plural forms. The meaning of “in . . . ” includes “inside . . . ” and “on . . . ”.
The description below provides a brief summary of the innovative subject matter to provide fundamental understanding for certain implementations. The summary given is not expected to serve as a comprehensive overview. Moreover, the summary is not expected to serve for identifying main or critical elements, or for describing or limiting the range. The object of the summary is to present certain concepts in a brief form, and to act as a preamble of the more detailed description that follows.
A typical processing apparatus used for plasma processing includes a radio-frequency (RF) signal generator 120 and a matcher 122. An output terminal of the RF signal generator 120 is electrically coupled to an input terminal of the matcher 122. An output terminal of the matcher 122 is electrically coupled to an electrode 103 in a housing 100. As shown, the processing chamber 100 is provided therein with an electrode 103 close to the top, and the electrode is generally a part of a showerhead element. The matcher 122 is electrically coupled to the electrode 103. The arrangement of the RF signal generator and the matcher are not limited to the example given in the disclosure.
The RF signal generator 120 is configured to generate one or more RF signals. In one embodiment, the RF signal generator 120 may include one or more RF signal generating units, wherein an operating frequency of each of the multiple RF signal generating units may be different from that of another. In the prior art, the RF signal generator 120 may be implemented by at least one low-frequency RF signal generating unit and at least one high-frequency RF signal generating unit.
The support plate 200 is provided with a metal adjusting ring 204, which is on the same side as the substrate carried and is configured to extend in the peripheral region 202. Basically, the metal adjusting ring 204 is located at a position on an outer side of the substrate carried and may be slightly higher or slightly lower than the substrate. As shown in
The support plate 200 includes a ceramic ring 208 configured in the peripheral region 202 and enveloping the metal adjusting ring 204, so as to embed and seal the metal adjusting ring 204 in the support plate 200.
Although not indicated, the support plate 200 is embedded with components such as an electrode, a heating coil, a thermal insulator, an electrostatic adsorption panel and/or conductor channel, and these components are not further described herein.
The support plate 200 has a connector element that stabilizes the electrical connection between the conducting wire 210 and the metal adjusting ring 204. The connector element includes a wiring sleeve 211, a fixing cap 212 and a protection cover 213. The conducting wire 210 extends downwards from the support plate 200 and is enveloped by the wiring sleeve 211. The wiring sleeve 211 may be made of a ceramic material. The wiring sleeve 211 is at least partially embedded in the support plate 200, and another portion of the wiring sleeve 211 extends downwards from the support plate 200 to an exterior of the processing chamber, as shown in
Referring to
Regarding control of the device, when the support plate 200 is lifted up from a substrate transfer position (a low position) to a processing position (a high position) in the processing chamber, or vice versa, the motor also drives the motion element to lift the conducting wire 210 and the support plate 200 synchronously, thus implementing plasma processing regulated by a voltage.
The disclosure above provides comprehensive description of the manufacturing and use of combinations of the specific embodiments. Various other embodiments can be formed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure above, and therefore these embodiments are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202011627023.7 | Dec 2020 | CN | national |
