In situ control of ion angular distribution in a processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620335-B2
Application number	US-201615065141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A processing apparatus may include a plasma source coupled to a plasma chamber to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber, an extraction plate having an aperture disposed along a side of the plasma chamber; a deflection electrode disposed proximate the aperture and configured to define a pair of plasma menisci when the plasma is present in the plasma chamber; and a deflection electrode power supply to apply a bias voltage to the deflection electrode with respect to the plasma, wherein a first bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a first angle of incidence for ions extracted through the aperture from the plasma, and a second bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a second angle of incidence of ions extracted through the aperture from the plasma, the second angle of incidence being different from the first angle of incidence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma source coupled to a plasma chamber to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber;
an extraction plate disposed along a side of the plasma chamber, the extraction plate having an aperture;
a deflection electrode comprising an electrically conductive material, the deflection electrode disposed within the plasma chamber above the aperture and in contact with the plasma, the deflection electrode forming a pair of openings between the deflection electrode and edges of the extraction plate defining the aperture; and
a deflection electrode power supply connected to the deflection electrode to generate a variable bias voltage with respect to the plasma chamber, wherein a first bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a first angle of incidence for ions extracted from the plasma through at least one opening of the pair of openings, and a second bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode is configured to generate a second angle of incidence for ions extracted from the plasma through the at least one opening, the second angle of incidence being different from the first angle of incidence.

2. The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the deflection electrode is configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by a plane of the extraction plate, wherein in a first deflection electrode position a first distance from the plane, ions extracted from the plasma have a first angular incidence, and wherein in a second deflection electrode position a second distance from the plane, the second distance being greater than the first distance, ions extracted from the plasma have a second angular incidence different from the first angular incidence.

3. The processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an extraction plate power supply configured to apply an extraction plate voltage to the extraction plate independently of the variable bias voltage being applied to the deflection electrode.

4. The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extraction plate includes a first portion and second portion and defines a plane, the processing apparatus further comprising a first extraction plate power supply configured to supply a first bias voltage to the first portion, and a second extraction plate power supply configured to supply a second bias voltage to the second portion.

5. The processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the aperture comprises a first aperture and the deflection electrode comprises a first deflection electrode, and wherein the extraction plate comprises a third portion disposed adjacent the second portion and configured to define a second aperture therebetween.

6. The processing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the pair of openings comprises a first pair, the process apparatus further comprising a second deflection electrode disposed adjacent to the second aperture and configured to generate a second pair of openings between the second deflection electrode and edges of the extraction plate defining the second aperture.

7. The processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pair of openings define a pair of plasma menisci, wherein a meniscus shape of the pair of plasma menisci varies when power from the plasma source is varied over a plasma power range, wherein an average angle of incidence of ions extracted through the pair of plasma menisci varies by at least ten degrees.

8. A processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma source coupled to a plasma chamber to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber;
an extraction plate disposed along a side of the plasma chamber, the extraction plate comprising:
an outer portion, the outer portion being electrically insulating; and
an inner portion, the inner portion being electrically conductive and defining an aperture;
a deflection electrode comprising an electrically conductive material, the deflection electrode being in contact with the plasma and disposed adjacent the aperture and forming a pair of openings between the deflection electrode and edges of the extraction plate defining the aperture;
a deflection electrode power supply connected to the deflection electrode to generate a bias voltage with respect to the plasma chamber; and
an extraction plate power supply configured to apply an extraction plate voltage to the extraction plate independently of the bias voltage applied to the deflection electrode.

9. The processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the deflection electrode is disposed within the plasma chamber.

10. The processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the deflection electrode comprises a first deflection electrode part and second deflection electrode part that are electrically conductive and electrically isolated from one another, wherein the deflection electrode power supply is a first deflection electrode power supply, the first deflection electrode part is coupled to the first deflection electrode power supply, the processing apparatus further comprising a second deflection electrode power supply coupled to the second deflection electrode part, wherein the first deflection electrode part and second deflection electrode part are coupled to receive bias voltages independently from one another from the respective first and second deflection electrode bias supplies.

11. The processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the aperture comprises a first aperture and the deflection electrode comprises a first deflection electrode, wherein the extraction plate comprises a second inner portion disposed adjacent the outer portion, the second inner portion being electrically conductive and configured to define a second aperture therebetween, and wherein the pair of openings comprises a first pair, the processing apparatus further comprising:
a second deflection electrode disposed adjacent to the second aperture and configured to generate a second pair of openings between the second deflection electrode and edges of the extraction plate defining the second aperture.

12. A processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma source coupled to a plasma chamber to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber;
an extraction plate disposed along a side of the plasma chamber and lying parallel to a plane, the extraction plate comprising a first portion and a second portion defining an aperture, wherein the first portion and second portion are independently movable along an axis perpendicular to the plane;
a deflection electrode comprising an electrically conductive material, the deflection electrode being in contact with the plasma and disposed adjacent the aperture and forming a pair of openings between the deflection electrode and edges of the extraction plate defining the aperture,
wherein movement of the first portion and second portion with respect to one another generates a first ion beam having a first angle of incidence and a second ion beam having a second angle of incidence.

13. The processing apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a deflection electrode power supply connected to the deflection electrode to generate a variable bias voltage with respect to the plasma chamber.

14. The processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the extraction plate comprises:
an outer portion, the outer portion being electrically insulating; and
an inner portion, the inner portion being electrically conductive and defining the aperture.

Assignees

• Varian Semiconductor Equipment Ass Inc

Inventors

• Biloiu Costel
• Munoz Nini
• Godet Ludovic
• Renau Anthony

Classifications

• H01J37/32532 Primary

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H01J37/32357

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

• H01J37/32412 Primary

  Plasma immersion ion implantation · CPC title

• H01J37/32568

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

• H01J2237/3365

  Plasma source implantation · CPC title