Hall effect enhanced capacitively coupled plasma source, an abatement system, and vacuum processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016133442-A1
Application number	US-201614995187-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include an abatement system for abating compounds produced in semiconductor processes. The abatement system includes a plasma source that has a first plate and a second plate parallel to the first plate. An electrode is disposed between the first and second plates and an outer wall is disposed between the first and second plates surrounding the electrode. The plasma source has a first plurality of magnets disposed on the first plate and a second plurality of magnets disposed on the second plate. The magnetic field created by the first and second plurality of magnets is substantially perpendicular to the electric field created between the electrode and the outer wall. In this configuration, a dense plasma is created.

First claim

1 . An abatement system, comprising:
a plasma source, comprising:
a body having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to couple to the foreline; and
an electrode disposed in the body; and
an exhaust cooling apparatus coupled to the plasma source.

2 . The abatement system of claim 1 , wherein the body of the plasma source further comprises:
a first plate; and a second plate, wherein the first plate is parallel to the second plate.

3 . The abatement system of claim 2 , wherein the plasma source further comprises:
a first plurality of magnets disposed on the first plate of the body; and a second plurality of magnets disposed on the second plate of the body.

4 . The abatement system of claim 2 , wherein the plasma source further comprises:
a first shield disposed adjacent to the first plate; and a second shield disposed adjacent to the second plate.

5 . The abatement system of claim 4 , wherein the first shield and the second shield each comprises a stack of plates.

6 . The abatement system of claim 5 , wherein the plates of the first and second shields are annular and each plate has an inner edge and an outer edge, wherein each plate has a different distance between the inner edge and the outer edge.

7 . The abatement system of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust cooling apparatus comprises:
a first end configured to couple to the plasma source; a second end configure to couple to a conduit, wherein a cavity is formed between the first end and the second end; and a cooling plate disposed in the cavity.

8 . The abatement system of claim 7 , wherein cooling plate comprises a plurality of holes.

9 . A vacuum processing system, comprising:
a vacuum plasma processing chamber; a plasma source coupled to the vacuum plasma processing chamber via a foreline, wherein the plasma source comprises:
a body having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to couple to the foreline; and
an electrode disposed in the body; and
an exhaust cooling apparatus coupled to the plasma source.

10 . The vacuum processing system of claim 9 , further comprising an abatement reagent source coupled to the foreline and/or the plasma source.

11 . The vacuum processing system of claim 9 , further comprising a pressure regulating module coupled to an exhaust conduit that is coupled to the exhaust cooling apparatus.

12 . The vacuum processing system of claim 9 , wherein the body of the plasma source further comprises:
a first plate; and a second plate, wherein the first plate is parallel to the second plate.

13 . The vacuum processing system of claim 12 , wherein the plasma source further comprises:
a first plurality of magnets disposed on the first plate of the body; and a second plurality of magnets disposed on the second plate of the body.

14 . The vacuum processing system of claim 12 , wherein the plasma source further comprises:
a first shield disposed adjacent to the first plate; and a second shield disposed adjacent to the second plate.

15 . The vacuum processing system of claim 9 , wherein the exhaust cooling apparatus comprises:
a first end configured to couple to the plasma source; a second end configure to couple to a conduit, wherein a cavity is formed between the first end and the second end; and a cooling plate disposed in the cavity.

16 . The vacuum processing system of claim 15 , wherein cooling plate comprises a plurality of holes.

17 . A method, comprising:
energizing an abatement reagent; forming a composition by reacting the energized abatement reagent with gases existing a vacuum processing chamber; and cooling the composition.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the abatement reagent is energized by a plasma source, and the cooling the composition is performed by an exhaust cooling apparatus coupled to the plasma source.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the plasma source comprises:
a body; and an electrode disposed in the body.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the exhaust cooling apparatus comprises:
a first end configured to couple to the plasma source; a second end configure to couple to a conduit, wherein a cavity is formed between the first end and the second end; and a cooling plate disposed in the cavity.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Cox Michael S
• Wang Rongping
• West Brian T
• Johnson Roger M
• Dickinson Colin John

Classifications

• H10P14/6903

  containing silicon · CPC title

• H10P14/6336

  in the presence of a plasma [PECVD] · CPC title

• H01J37/32568

  Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means · CPC title

• B01D2258/0216

  from CVD treatment or semi-conductor manufacturing · CPC title

• H01J37/32357

  Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream · CPC title