Effect of Segmenting Powered Electrode on Plasma Uniformity in Large-Area Capacitively Coupled Plasma Discharge

Chen, Zhigang; Kenney, Jason; Rauf, Shahid; Collins, Ken; Tanaka, Tom; Hammond, Ned; Kúdela, Jozef

doi:10.1109/tps.2011.2157118

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Due to continuous growth in both the driving frequency and the wafer size, plasma non-uniformities caused by the standing wave effect have become a major challenge in the material etching and film deposition processes. To optimize the plasma uniformity, several methods have been put forward, such as the use of specially shaped electrodes, [163][164][165][166][167] phase-shift control, [168][169][170] the use of the dual-frequency or multi-frequency source, [133,138,139,171,172] discharge symmetry control, [173,174] etc.…”

Section: Methods To Optimize the Plasma Uniformitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of specially shaped electrodes, e.g., Gaussianshaped electrode, stepped electrode, multi-electrode, graded conductivity and segmented electrodes, etc., has proven to be effective methods to improve the plasma uniformity in the semiconductor industries. [163][164][165][166][167] By applying two RF sources with the same excitation frequency on separate electrodes, it was shown that plasma uniformity can be optimized by tuning 085202-18 the phase shift between two sources over a wide range of discharge parameters. [168][169][170] This is the so-called "phase-shift control" method.…”

Section: Methods To Optimize the Plasma Uniformitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fundamental study towards a better understanding of low pressure radio-frequency plasmas for industrial applications

Liu¹,

Zhang²,

Zhao³

et al. 2022

Chinese Phys. B

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Two classic radio-frequency (RF) plasmas, i.e., the capacitively and the inductively coupled plasma (CCP and ICP), are widely employed in material processing, e.g., etching and thin film deposition, etc. Since RF plasmas are usually operated in particular circumstances, e.g., low pressures (mTorr ~ Torr), high-frequency electric field (13.56 MHz ~200 MHz), reactive feedstock gases, diverse reactor configurations, etc., a variety of physical phenomena, e.g., electron resonance heating, discharge mode transitions, striated structures, standing wave effects, etc., arise. These physical effects could significantly influence plasma-based material processing. Therefore, understanding the fundamental processes of RF plasma is not only of fundamental interest, but also of practical significance for the improvement of the performance of the plasma sources. In this article, we review the major progresses that have been achieved in the fundamental study on the RF plasmas, and the topics include 1) electron heating mechanism, 2) plasma operation mode, 3) pulse modulated plasma, and 4) electromagnetic effects. These topics cover the typical issues in RF plasma field, ranging from fundamental to application.

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Section: Methods To Optimize the Plasma Uniformitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methods To Optimize the Plasma Uniformitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fundamental study towards a better understanding of low pressure radio-frequency plasmas for industrial applications

Liu¹,

Zhang²,

Zhao³

et al. 2022

Chinese Phys. B

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“…The phase shift control in reducing the non-uniformity has been proved in experiments and simulations. Chen simulated the segmented powered electrodes structure with self-consistent plasma models [27] . Jung suggested a multi-electrodes design to lower the non-uniformity and configured a dual-electrodes system with equal electrode area to test [28] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of Dual-Electrode Capacitively Coupled Plasma Discharges

Lu¹,

Ji²,

Cheng

2016

Plasma Sci. Technol.

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Dual-electrode capacitively coupled plasma discharges are investigated here to lower the non-uniformity of plasma density. The dual-electrode structure proposed by Jung splits the electrode region and increases the flexibility of fine tuning non-uniformity. Different RF voltages, frequencies, phase-shifts and electrode areas are simulated and the influences are discussed. RF voltage and electrode area have a non-monotonic effect on non-uniformity, while frequency has a monotonic effect. Phase-shift has a cyclical influence on non-uniformity. A special combination of 224 V voltage and 11% area ratio with 10 MHz lowers the non-uniformity of the original set (200 V voltage and 0% area ratio with 10 MHz) by 46.5%. The position of the plasma density peak at the probe line has been tracked and properly tuning the phase-shift can obtain the same trace as tuning frequency or voltage.

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“…One is to partition the energy source. For instance, the solution that the electrode is partitioned into multi independently controllable sub-electrodes can be refined and flexible regulate the uniformity of plasma profile with proper configuration of the power and phase of each sub-electrode, such as the multi-tile electrodes, [18][19][20] segmented electrodes, 21 and multi electrodes. 22 The other is to design the structure or material property of the media in which the energy transfers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New simulation-based approach for the profile control in a process chamber: Fluid, thermal, and plasma profile

Xiang

Xia

Wang

et al. 2015

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E:

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Process chamber is the core unit of chemical vapor deposition and etching, and the physical fields in it have fatal effect on process quality. It is significant and difficult for improving the process performance to regulate the fields' profiles finely. Two design solutions for the profile regulation are proposed: controllable type and resistance type. A novel profile error feedback method is presented, and a simulation-based auto-design framework is established. The profile error feedback method is in a quasi-closed-loop-control mode. It starts from an initial guessed sequence of the design/control variables and predicts a better sequence via feedback of the profile error between the output-targeted profile and the expected one. It never stops until the profile error is narrowed in the preset tolerance. Three kinds of numerical experiments about the regulation of the thermal, fluid, and plasma profile are set to test the effectiveness and feasibility of the profile error feedback method and the two kinds of design schemes.

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Effect of Segmenting Powered Electrode on Plasma Uniformity in Large-Area Capacitively Coupled Plasma Discharge

Cited by 12 publications

References 1 publication

Fundamental study towards a better understanding of low pressure radio-frequency plasmas for industrial applications

Fundamental study towards a better understanding of low pressure radio-frequency plasmas for industrial applications

Simulation of Dual-Electrode Capacitively Coupled Plasma Discharges

New simulation-based approach for the profile control in a process chamber: Fluid, thermal, and plasma profile

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