초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for generating and controlling a plasma (130) formed in a capacitively coupled plasma system ( 100) having a plasma electrode (140) and a bias electrode in the form of a workpiece support member (170), wherein the plasma electrode is unitary and has multiple regions (Ri) defin

A method and apparatus for generating and controlling a plasma (130) formed in a capacitively coupled plasma system ( 100) having a plasma electrode (140) and a bias electrode in the form of a workpiece support member (170), wherein the plasma electrode is unitary and has multiple regions (Ri) defined by a plurality of RF power feed lines (156) and the RF power delivered thereto. The electrode regions may also be defined as electrode segments (420) separated by insulators (426). A set of process parameters A={n, τi, Φi, Pi, S; L i} is defined; wherein n is the number of RF feed lines connected to the electrode upper surface at locations Li, τi is the on-time of the RF power for the ith RF feed line, Φi is the phase of the ith RF feed line relative to a select one of the other RF feed lines, Pi is the RF power delivered to the electrode through the ith RF feed line at location L i, and S is the sequencing of RF power to the electrode through the RF feed lines. One or more of these parameters are adjusted so that operation of the plasma system results in a workpiece (176) being processed with a desired amount or degree of process uniformity.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of determining a set of optimum plasma process parameters A*={n*, τi*, Φi*, Pi*, S*; Li*} for plasma processing, with a high degree of uniformity, a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having an electrode with an upper surface as part of a plasma reactor

What is claimed is: 1. A method of determining a set of optimum plasma process parameters A*={n*, τi*, Φi*, Pi*, S*; Li*} for plasma processing, with a high degree of uniformity, a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having an electrode with an upper surface as part of a plasma reactor system, wherein n is the number of RF feed lines connected to the electrode upper surface at locations L i, τi is the on-time of the RF power for the ith RF feed line, Φi is the phase of the ith RF feed line relative to a select one of the other RF feed lines, Pi is the RF power delivered to the electrode to location Li through the ith RF feed line, and S is the sequencing of RF power to the electrode through the RF feed lines, the method comprising the steps of: a) setting initial values for process parameters n, τ i, Φi, Pi, and S; and b) processing one or more workpieces while varying one or more of said process parameters to determine the optimized set of process parameters A*={n*, τi*, Φi*, Pi*, S*} that achieve a process non-uniformity less than a predetermined standard, including use of at least one of a linear or a non-linear processing model as a basis for varying at least one of the process parameters. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step b) includes the steps of: i) forming a first plasma within the reactor chamber having characteristics corresponding to said process parameters and processing a first workpiece for a predetermined process time; ii) measuring the workpiece process uniformity; and iii) comparing the workpiece process uniformity to a predetermined standard. 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step b) further includes the step of: iv) reducing the workpiece process non-uniformity by changing at least one of said process parameters and repeating said steps i) through iii) using one of said first workpiece and a workpiece other than said first workpiece, until the workpiece process non-uniformity is less than said predetermined standard. 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein in said steps a) and b), the locations Li of the RF feed lines are parameters in the set A of process parameters that are varied. 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the initial process parameter values are determined with the assistance of computer modeling. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step b) includes use of a linear processing model as a basis for varying at least one of the process parameters. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step b) includes use of a non-linear processing model as a basis for varying at least one of the process parameters. 8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step b) includes providing RF power Pi to a plurality of electrode segments in a multi-segment electrode by multiplexing RF power via RF power multiplexing. 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said RF power multiplexing is accomplished by programming a control system electrically connected to a plurality of RF power supplies and electronically controlling the activation of the RF power supplies. 10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step b) involves providing RF power Pi to a unitary electrode via RF power multiplexing. 11. A method of processing a workpiece to be processed according to claim 1, further including the steps, after said step b), of: c) providing the workpiece to be processed in the reactor chamber; d) forming an optimized plasma with the process chamber using the set of optimized process parameters determined in said step b); and e) processing the workpiece to be processed with the optimized plasma. 12. A method of determining a set of optimum plasma process parameters A*={n*, τi*, Φi*, Pi*, S*; Li*} for plasma processing, with a desired degree of uniformity, a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having an electrode with an upper surface as part of a plasma reactor system, wherein n is the number of RF feed lines connected to the electrode upper surface at locations L i, τi is the on-time of the RF power for the ith RF feed line, Φi is the phase of the ith RF feed line relative to a select one of the other RF feed lines, Pi is the RF power delivered to the electrode to location Li through the ith RF feed line, and S is the sequencing of RF power to the electrode through the RF feed lines, the method comprising the steps of: a) setting initial values for process parameters n, τ i, Φi, Pi, and S; and b) processing one or more workpieces while varying one or more of said process parameters to determine the optimized set of process parameters A*={n*, τi*, Φi*, Pi*, S*} that achieve a desired process uniformity, including use of at least one of a linear or a non-linear processing model as a basis for varying at least one of the process parameters. 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step b) includes the steps of: i) forming a first plasma within the reactor chamber having characteristics corresponding to said process parameters and processing a first workpiece for a predetermined process time; ii) measuring the workpiece process uniformity; and iii) comparing the workpiece process uniformity to a predetermined standard. 14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step b) further includes the step of: iv) reducing the workpiece process non-uniformity by changing at least one of said process parameters and repeating said steps i) through iii) using one of said first workpiece and a workpiece other than said first workpiece, until the workpiece process non-uniformity is less than said predetermined standard. 15. A method of processing a workpiece to be processed according to claim 12, further including the steps, after said step b), of: c) providing the workpiece to be processed in the reactor chamber; d) forming an optimized plasma with the process chamber using the set of optimized process parameters determined in said step b); and e) processing the workpiece to be processed with the optimized plasma.