Configurable Faraday Shield

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025293007-A1
Application number	US-202519219450-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2025
Priority date	Dec 28, 2020
Publication date	Sep 18, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A configurable Faraday shield is provided. The configurable Faraday shield includes a plurality of ribs. Each of the ribs can be spaced apart from one another along a circumferential direction. Furthermore, at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is movable between at least a first position and a second position to selectively couple the configurable Faraday shield to a radio frequency ground plane. When the at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is in the first position, the configurable Faraday shield can be decoupled from the radio frequency ground plane such that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically floating. Conversely, when the at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield is in the second position, the configurable Faraday shield can be coupled to the radio frequency ground plane such that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically grounded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma chamber; an induction coil positioned outside of the plasma chamber; and a configurable Faraday shield positioned outside of the plasma chamber such that the Faraday shield is positioned between the induction coil and an exterior surface of the plasma chamber, the configurable Faraday shield comprising a plurality of ribs, each of the ribs spaced apart from one another, wherein at least a portion of the configurable Faraday shield movable between at least a first position and a second position to selectively couple the configurable Faraday shield to a radio frequency ground plane.

2 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the configurable Faraday shield further comprises:
a plurality of conductive straps; and at least one locking member movable between at least the first position and the second position to selectively couple each of the plurality of ribs to a radio frequency ground plane via a corresponding conductive strap of the plurality of conductive straps.

3 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive straps is coupled to a corresponding rib of the plurality of ribs.

4 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive straps is coupled to the locking member.

5 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of conductive straps comprises:
a first portion coupled to a corresponding rib of the plurality of ribs; a second portion that is bent relative to the first portion; and a third portion that is bent relative to the second portion, the third portion being substantially parallel to the first portion.

6 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the configurable Faraday shield further comprises:
a dielectric spacer positioned between the radio frequency ground plane and the plurality of ribs along an axial direction.

7 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
when the at least one locking member is in the first position, each of the plurality of conductive straps is positioned within a corresponding notch of a plurality of notches defined by the at least one locking member such that the plurality of conductive straps are spaced apart from the radio frequency ground plane; and when the at least one locking member is in the second position, the at least one locking member presses the third portion of each of the plurality of conductive straps against the radio frequency ground plane.

8 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein when the at least one locking member is in an intermediate third position, the locking member locking member presses the second portion of each of the plurality of conductive straps against the dielectric spacer.

9 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one locking member configured to move along an axial direct in a first direction to move from the intermediate third position to the second position.

10 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one locking member comprises:
a first locking member movable between at least the first position and the second position to selectively couple each of the plurality of ribs to a first radio frequency ground plane; and a second locking member movable between at least the first position and the second position to selectively couple each of the plurality of ribs to a second radio frequency ground plane.

11 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one locking member comprises a ring defining a plurality of notches.

12 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ribs coupled between the radio frequency ground plane and a second radio frequency ground plane.

13 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the configurable Faraday shield further comprises:
a first dielectric spacer and a second dielectric spacer, the first dielectric spacer coupled between the radio frequency ground plane and the plurality of ribs, the second dielectric spacer coupled between the second radio frequency ground plane and the plurality of ribs.

14 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first dielectric spacer coupled between the radio frequency ground plane and the plurality of ribs and the second dielectric spacer coupled between the second radio frequency ground plane and the plurality of ribs along an axial direction.

15 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ribs configured to be decoupled from the radio frequency plane that that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically floating.

16 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ribs configured to be decoupled from the second radio frequency plane that that the configurable Faraday shield is electrically floating.

17 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the configurable Faraday shield contacts the plasma chamber.

Assignees

• Beijing E Town Semiconductor Tech Co Ltd
• Mattson Tech Inc

Inventors

• Long Maolin

Classifications

• H01J37/321 Primary

  the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma · CPC title

• H01J37/32651 Primary

  Shields, e.g. dark space shields, Faraday shields · CPC title

• H01J37/32082

  Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title