Plasma processing apparatus and semiconductor fabrication method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12362216-B2
Application number	US-202117165594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus comprising a plasma electrode, an electrostatic chuck, and a diode board. The electrostatic chuck includes a microheater layer and a chuck electrode. The microheater layer includes an inner heater part and an outer heater part. The inner heater part includes a first inner heater in a first inner region that circumferentially surrounds a center of the microheater layer, and a second inner heater in a second inner region that circumferentially surrounds the first inner region. The outer heater part includes a first outer heater in a first outer region that circumferentially surrounds the second inner region, and a second outer heater in a second outer region that circumferentially surrounds the first outer region. A distance between centers of the first and second outer heaters is less than that between centers of the first and second inner heaters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
a plasma electrode;
an electrostatic chuck on the plasma electrode;
a distribution member below the plasma electrode and having a board receiving hole;
a control board in the board receiving hole of the distribution member;
a diode board on the control board and in the board receiving hole of the distribution member;
a plurality of heater power transfer members penetrating the distribution member; and
spring connectors connected between the control board and the diode board and between the control board and the plurality of heater power transfer members,
wherein the diode board is configured to prevent a heater power transfer to the control board,
wherein the plurality of heater power transfer members are symmetrically arranged with each other about a center of the distribution member,
wherein the spring connectors contact surfaces of the control board, surfaces of the diode board and the plurality of heater power transfer members, thereby electrically connecting them to each other,
wherein the distribution member circularly contacts an edge of the plasma electrode and transmits a radio-frequency power to the plasma electrode,
wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:
a microheater layer to heat a wafer; and
a chuck electrode on the microheater layer,

wherein the microheater layer includes:
an inner heater part on an inside of the microheater layer; and
an outer heater part outside the inner heater part,

wherein the inner heater part includes:
a first inner heater in a first inner region that circumferentially surrounds a center of the microheater layer; and
a second inner heater in a second inner region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the first inner region,
wherein the outer heater part includes:
a first outer heater in a first outer region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the second inner region; and
a second outer heater in a second outer region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the first outer region, and
wherein a distance in a diameter direction between a center of the first outer heater and a center of the second outer heater is less than a distance in the diameter direction between a center of the first inner heater and a center of the second inner heater.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the first outer region is divided into a plurality of first fine outer regions along a circumferential direction,
the first outer heater is provided on each of the plurality of first fine outer regions,
the second outer region is divided into a plurality of second fine outer regions along the circumferential direction, and
the second outer heater is provided on each of the plurality of second fine outer regions.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein a width in the circumferential direction of each of the plurality of first fine outer regions is in a range of about 15 mm to about 20 mm.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the first inner heater, the second inner heater, the first outer heater, and the second outer heater are controlled independently of each other.

5. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the outer heater part further includes a third outer heater in a third outer region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the second outer region.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 5 ,
wherein a distance in the diameter direction between the center of the second outer heater and a center of the third outer heater is less than the distance in the diameter direction between the center of the first inner heater and the center of the second inner heater.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 5 ,
wherein a distance in the diameter direction between the first outer region and the center of the microheater layer is in a range of about 120 mm to about 130 mm.

8. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a macroheater layer below the microheater layer.

9. A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
a plasma electrode;
an electrostatic chuck on the plasma electrode;
a distribution member coupled to the plasma electrode, wherein the distribution member includes a disk-type distribution plate and a contact member that extends from an edge of the disk-type distribution plate toward a bottom surface of the plasma electrode;
a control board between the plasma electrode and the disk-type distribution plate of the distribution member;
a diode board between the control board and the plasma electrode;
a heater power transmitter including a heater power distribution plate and a plurality of heater power transfer members vertically erected from an upper surface of the heater power distribution plate;
first spring connectors electrically connecting the plurality of heater power transfer members and the control board therebetween; and
second spring connectors electrically connecting the control board and the diode board therebetween,
wherein the diode board is configured to prevent a heater power transfer to the control board,
wherein the plurality of heater power transfer members penetrate the disk-type distribution plate and are symmetrically arranged with each other about a center of the heater power distribution plate,
wherein the first spring connectors contact a bottom surface of the control board,
wherein the second spring connectors contact a bottom surface of the diode board,
wherein the electrostatic chuck includes:
a macroheater layer;
a microheater layer on the macroheater layer; and
a chuck electrode on the microheater layer,
wherein the microheater layer includes:
an inner heater part on an inside of the microheater layer; and
an outer heater part outside the inner heater part,
wherein the inner heater part includes a first inner heater in a first inner region that circumferentially surrounds a center of the microheater layer,
wherein the outer heater part includes:
a first outer heater in a first outer region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the first inner region; and
a second outer heater in a second outer region that is outside and circumferentially surrounds the first outer region, and
wherein each of a thickness in a diameter direction of the first outer region and a thickness in the diameter direction of the second outer region is less than a thickness in the diameter direction of the first inner region.

10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 9 ,
wherein the first outer heater is provided in plural along a circumferential direction, and the second outer heater is provided in plural along the circumferential direction.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a controller that controls heater power,
wherein the controller independently controls the plurality of first outer heaters and the plurality of second outer heaters.

12. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the controller controls on/off of every second one of the plurality of first outer heaters in the circumferential direction.

13. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a bias power source that supplies the plasma electrode with a radio-frequency power.

14. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a supply line that connects the distribution member to the bias power source,
wherein the supply line is on the center of the heater power distribution plate.

15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein
the co

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Daehyun
• Kang Youngil
• Kim Youngeun
• Kim Jaesuk
• Park Minji
• Park Sangwook
• Shin Dongho
• Yeo Dongyun
• Lee Chunghun
• Choi Kyoung-Mi

Classifications

• H10P72/722 Primary

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7624

  characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• H10P72/72

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/0432

  mainly by conduction · CPC title

• H01J37/32724 Primary

  Temperature · CPC title