Plasma spatial nonuniformities in the 100MHz rf driven capacitively coupled reactor used for reactive ion etching of 300mm substrates were experimentally studied using a linear scanning optical emission spectroscopy probe. Radial profiles of plasma emission intensity were measured both in argon and fluorocarbon-containing gas mixtures in the pressure interval of 10–80mTorr and the rf power range of 500–1250W. It was demonstrated that the plasma emission profiles strongly depend on the working gas composition and pressure. The profiles have a bell-like shape at pressures about 10mTorr for all gases. As the pressure increases, the profile shape becomes more complex with the central and peripheral peaks, and the amplitudes of the peaks strongly depend on the working gas composition. It is suggested that the emission profiles show plasma spatial nonuniformities that can influence the etching rate profiles obtained with such systems. According to the existing theoretical models, the most probable reasons for these plasma nonuniformities are charged particle radial diffusion at low pressures (about 10mTorr), as well as the standing wave and skin and edge effects at higher pressures. Using the experimental emission profiles, the working conditions have been found that allow one to achieve the most uniform plasma for discharges in argon and fluorocarbon-containing gas mixtures.

Plasma parameters of inductively coupled plasma system with an annular plasma source have been studied experimentally. At low pressures (about 1mTorr), electron temperature inside the plasma source is rather high (8–13eV) and is much greater than in the diffusion (main) chamber (4–5eV). The plasma potential inside the source is also much higher than in the main chamber. There is a rapid drop of the electron temperature and plasma potential at the boundary between the plasma source and the main chamber. The drop of the plasma potential at the boundary (about 20V) means the existence of a strong axial electric field, which retards the electrons inside the plasma source and accelerates the ions from the source into the main chamber. Measurements of ion energy distributions in the main chamber volume reveal the existence of ions with kinetic energies about 15eV.

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