A plasma processing apparatus wherein a layer structure consisting of plural layers formed in stack one upon another on a semiconductor wafer placed on the sample holder located in the process chamber, is etched with plasma generated in the process chamber by supplying high frequency power to the electrode disposed in the sample holder, the apparatus comprising a ring-shaped electrode disposed above the electrode and around the periphery of the top portion of the sample holder, an outer circumferential ring of dielectric material disposed above the ring-shaped electrode and opposite to the plasma, and a power source for supplying power at different values to the ring-shaped electrode depending on the sorts of layers of the layer structure.

Plasma Processing Apparatus

A plasma CVD reactor and associated process use magnetic field enhancement to provide high quality, very high deposition rate metal, dielectric and conformal semiconductor films. The reacter and process are designed for automated, high-throughout, in-line small dimension VLSI integrated circuit fabrication, and are applicable to multistep in-situ processing.

Apparatus and method for magnetron-enhanced plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition

A deposition system and method of operating thereof is described for depositing a conformal metal or other similarly responsive coating material film in a high aspect ratio feature using a high density plasma is described The deposition system includes a plasma source, and a distributed metal source for forming plasma and introducing metal vapor to the deposition system, respectively The deposition system is configured to form a plasma having a plasma density and generate metal vapor having a metal density, wherein the ratio of the metal density to the plasma density proximate the substrate is less than or equal to unity This ratio should exist at least within a distance from the surface of the substrate that is about twenty percent of the diameter of the substrate A ratio that is uniform within plus or minus twenty-five percent substantially across the surface of said substrate is desirable The ratio is particularly effective for plasma density exceeding 10 12 cm −3 , and for depositing film on substrates having nanoscale features with maximum film thickness less than half of the feature width, for example, at ten percent of the feature width

Method and apparatus of distributed plasma processing system for conformal ion stimulated nanoscale deposition process

A substrate processing system that includes a deposition chamber having a reaction zone, first and second electrodes, a mixed frequency RF power supply including a low frequency RF power source and a high frequency RF power source The high frequency RF power supply provides enough power to form a plasma from a process gas introduced into the reaction zone and the low frequency RF power supply is configured to supply an asymmetrical waveform to either said first or second electrodes to bias the plasma toward the substrate

Use of an asymmetric waveform to control ion bombardment during substrate processing

A machine for covering a substrate (FIG. 14, 540) by means of both cathodic arc plasma deposition (CAPD) (FIG. 2) and magnetron sputtering (FIG. 1) without breaking vacuum in a single chamber (FIG. 14, 421). A computer system monitors (FIG. 3, 403, 405) and controls all coating process parameters to coat in any sequence multiple thin film layers using either the CAPD or magnetron sputtering process. A rotating substrate table (FIG. 14, 470) used in conjunction with internal and external targets coats both sides of the substrate simultaneously.

Physical vapor deposition dual coating process

The magnetic field of a magnetron sputter coating apparatus is controlled in response to measurements of plasma parameters to control deposition parameters, such as sputter deposition rate and material deposition thickness profile. From time to time the apparatus is standardized to change preset values for parameters of the plasma to manage the deposition parameters.

Robert M. Smith

Papers

Apparatus for and method of controlling sputter coating