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Title: 450 mm dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma sources: Conventional, graded, and segmented electrodes

Abstract

Wafer diameters for microelectronics fabrication will soon transition from 300 to 450 mm at a time when excitation frequencies for capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) are increasing to 200 MHz or higher. Already for 300 mm tools, there is evidence that wave behavior (i.e., propagation, constructive, and destructive interference) affects the uniformity of processing. The increase in diameter to 450 mm is likely to exacerbate these effects, perhaps requiring nontraditional tool designs. This is particularly important in dual frequency (DF) CCP tools in which there are potential interactions between frequencies. In this paper, results from a two-dimensional computational investigation of Ar plasma properties in a 450 mm DF-CCP reactor, incorporating a full-wave solution of Maxwell's equations, are discussed. As in 300 mm DF-CCP reactors, the electron density collapses toward the center of the reactor with increasing high frequency (HF), however, with more pronounced finite wavelength effects. Graded conductivity electrodes with multilayer of dielectrics are computationally demonstrated as a possible means to suppress wave effects thereby increasing plasma uniformity. Segmentation of the HF electrode also improves the plasma uniformity by making the electrical distance between the feeds and the sheath edges as uniform as possible.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 (United States)
  2. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21537956
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 108; Journal Issue: 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3517104; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ARGON; BOUNDARY LAYERS; DESIGN; DIELECTRIC MATERIALS; ELECTRODES; ELECTRON DENSITY; EXCITATION; EXPLORATION; INTERACTIONS; INTERFERENCE; MAXWELL EQUATIONS; MHZ RANGE; PLASMA; PLASMA DENSITY; REGULATIONS; RESOLUTION; SPUTTERING; WAVELENGTHS; DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; ELEMENTS; ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS; EQUATIONS; FLUIDS; FREQUENCY RANGE; GASES; LAWS; LAYERS; MATERIALS; NONMETALS; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; RARE GASES

Citation Formats

Yang, Yang, and Kushner, Mark J. 450 mm dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma sources: Conventional, graded, and segmented electrodes. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3517104.
Yang, Yang, & Kushner, Mark J. 450 mm dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma sources: Conventional, graded, and segmented electrodes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3517104
Yang, Yang, and Kushner, Mark J. 2010. "450 mm dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma sources: Conventional, graded, and segmented electrodes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3517104.
@article{osti_21537956,
title = {450 mm dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma sources: Conventional, graded, and segmented electrodes},
author = {Yang, Yang and Kushner, Mark J},
abstractNote = {Wafer diameters for microelectronics fabrication will soon transition from 300 to 450 mm at a time when excitation frequencies for capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) are increasing to 200 MHz or higher. Already for 300 mm tools, there is evidence that wave behavior (i.e., propagation, constructive, and destructive interference) affects the uniformity of processing. The increase in diameter to 450 mm is likely to exacerbate these effects, perhaps requiring nontraditional tool designs. This is particularly important in dual frequency (DF) CCP tools in which there are potential interactions between frequencies. In this paper, results from a two-dimensional computational investigation of Ar plasma properties in a 450 mm DF-CCP reactor, incorporating a full-wave solution of Maxwell's equations, are discussed. As in 300 mm DF-CCP reactors, the electron density collapses toward the center of the reactor with increasing high frequency (HF), however, with more pronounced finite wavelength effects. Graded conductivity electrodes with multilayer of dielectrics are computationally demonstrated as a possible means to suppress wave effects thereby increasing plasma uniformity. Segmentation of the HF electrode also improves the plasma uniformity by making the electrical distance between the feeds and the sheath edges as uniform as possible.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3517104},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21537956}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 11,
volume = 108,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}