Low frequency RF generator and associated electrostatic chuck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12387909-B2
Application number	US-202118011062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2021
Priority date	Dec 8, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A system having the low frequency RF generator is described. The low frequency RF has an operating frequency range between 10 kilohertz (kHz) and 330 kHz. The low frequency RF generator generates an RF signal. The system further includes an impedance matching circuit coupled to the low frequency RF generator for receiving the RF signal. The impedance matching circuit modifies an impedance of the RF signal to output a modified RF signal. The system includes a plasma chamber coupled to the RF generator for receiving the modified RF signal. The plasma chamber includes a chuck having a dielectric layer and a base metal layer. The dielectric layer is located on top of the base metal layer. The dielectric layer has a bottom surface, and the base metal layer has a top surface. The base metal layer has a porous plug and the bottom surface of the dielectric layer has a portion that is in contact with the porous plug.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first radio frequency (RF) generator having a first operating frequency range between 10 kilohertz (kHz) and 330 kHz, wherein the first RF generator is configured to generate a first RF signal;
a first impedance matching circuit coupled to the first RF generator to receive the first RF signal and modify an impedance of the first RF signal to output a first modified RF signal; and
a plasma chamber configured to receive the first modified RF signal, wherein the plasma chamber includes a chuck having a dielectric layer and a base metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer is located on top of the base metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer has a bottom surface, wherein the base metal layer has a porous plug, wherein the bottom surface of the dielectric layer has a portion that is in contact with the porous plug, wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness less than a thickness of a conventional dielectric layer that is used with a conventional RF generator having an operating frequency greater than the first operating frequency range.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plasma chamber includes an edge ring that surrounds the chuck, the system further comprising:
a second RF generator having a second operating frequency range between 10 kHz and 330 kHz, wherein the second RF generator is configured to generate a second RF signal;
a second impedance matching circuit coupled to the second RF generator for receiving the second RF signal and modifying an impedance of the second RF signal to output a second modified RF signal,
wherein the edge ring is coupled to the second impedance circuit to receive the second modified RF signal.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a host computer coupled to the first and second RF generators, wherein the host computer is configured to:
control the second RF generator until a frequency of the second modified RF signal is within a pre-determined range from a frequency of the first modified RF signal;
control the second RF generator until a phase of the second modified RF signal to be within a pre-set range from a phase of the first modified RF signal; and
control the second RF generator to achieve a voltage setpoint.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the pre-determined range is achieved when the frequencies of operation of the first and second modified RF signals are the same, wherein the thickness of the dielectric layer ranges from 0.7 millimeters to 0.9 millimeters.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the pre-set range is achieved when the phases of the first and second modified RF signals are the same.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer excludes any porous plugs, wherein the first operating frequency range is from 90 kHz to 110 kHz.

7. A system comprising:
a first radio frequency (RF) generator having an operating frequency range between 10 kilohertz (kHz) and 330 kHz, wherein the first RF generator is configured to generate a first RF signal;
a first impedance matching circuit coupled to the first RF generator for receiving the first RF signal and modifying an impedance of the first RF signal to output a first modified RF signal;
a plasma chamber configured to receive the first modified RF signal, wherein the plasma chamber includes a chuck having a dielectric layer and a base metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer is located on top of the base metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer has a bottom surface, wherein the base metal layer has a porous plug, wherein the bottom surface of the dielectric layer has a portion that is in contact with the porous plug;
a second RF generator configured to generate a second RF signal;
a host computer coupled to the first and second RF generators, wherein the host computer is configured to:
receive an indication that the first RF generator has replaced a third RF generator, wherein the third RF generator has a higher operating frequency than the first RF generator;
receive a voltage signal having a frequency of the first RF signal;
divide the voltage signal into a first number of bins that is different from a second number of bins, wherein the second number of bins is generated when the third RF generator is used.

8. A plasma chamber comprising:
a top electrode; and
a chuck facing the top electrode, wherein the chuck includes:
a dielectric layer having a bottom surface; and
a base metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer is located on top of the base metal layer, wherein the base metal layer has a porous plug, wherein the bottom surface of the dielectric layer has a portion that is in contact with the porous plug,

wherein the chuck is configured to be coupled to a first RF transmission line to receive a first modified RF signal having a first frequency that ranges between 10 kilohertz (kHz) and 330 kHz, wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness less than a thickness of a conventional dielectric layer that is configured to be coupled to a conventional RF generator having a frequency of operation that is greater than the first frequency.

9. The plasma chamber of claim 8 , wherein the first RF transmission line is coupled via a first impedance matching circuit to a first RF generator, wherein the first RF generator has a frequency of operation that ranges between 10 kHz and 330 kHz.

10. The plasma chamber of claim 9 , further comprising:
an edge electrode that surrounds the chuck,
wherein the edge electrode is configured to be coupled to a second RF transmission line to receive a second modified RF signal having a frequency that ranges between 10 kHz and 330 kHz.

11. The plasma chamber of claim 10 , wherein the second RF transmission line is coupled via a second impedance matching circuit to a second RF generator, wherein the second RF generator has a frequency of operation that ranges between 10 kHz and 330 kHz.

12. The plasma chamber of claim 11 , wherein a phase of the first modified RF signal is within a pre-set range from a phase of the second modified RF signal.

13. The plasma chamber of claim 11 , wherein the first frequency of the first modified RF signal is within a pre-determined range from a second frequency of the second modified RF signal.

14. The plasma chamber of claim 8 , wherein the dielectric layer excludes any porous plugs, wherein the first RF transmission line is coupled via a first impedance matching circuit to a first RF generator, wherein the first RF generator has an operating frequency range from 90 kHz to 110 kHz, wherein the thickness of the dielectric layer ranges from 0.7 millimeters to 0.9 millimeters.

15. A method comprising:
generating a first radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the first RF signal is generated by a first RF generator that has an operating frequency range between 10 kilohertz (kHz) and 330 kHz;
modifying an impedance of the first RF signal to output a first modified RF signal; and
receiving, by a lower electrode of a chuck, the first modified RF signal via a base metal layer of the chuck and a portion of a first dielectric layer of the chuck,
wherein the first dielectric layer is located on top of the base metal layer,
wherein the first dielectric layer has a bottom surface, wherein the first dielectric layer has a thickness less than a thickness of a conventional dielectric layer that is configured to be coupled to a conventional RF generator having an operating frequency greater than the operating frequency range,
wherein the base metal layer has a porous plug, wherein the bottom surface of the first dielectric layer has a portion that is in contact with the porous plug

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Marakhtanov Alexei M
• Kozakevich Felix Leib
• Ji Bing
• Bhowmick Ranadeep
• Holland John Patrick
• Matyushkin Alexander

Classifications

• H10P72/722

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title

• H01J2237/2007

  Holding mechanisms · CPC title

• H01J37/32715 Primary

  Workpiece holder · CPC title