A plasma processing apparatus including: a chamber configured to provide a space for processing a substrate; a substrate stage configured to support the substrate within the chamber and including a first electrode, the first electrode configured to receive a first radio frequency signal; a second electrode disposed on an upper portion of the chamber to face the first electrode, the second electrode configured to receive a second radio frequency signal; a gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas onto the substrate within the chamber; and a thermal control unit configured to circulate a heat transfer medium through a first fluid passage provided in the first electrode and a second fluid passage provided in the second electrode to maintain the first and second electrodes at the same temperature.

Radio frequency power conveyed to individual process stations of a multi-station integrated circuit fabrication chamber may be adjusted so as to bring the rates at which fabrication processes occur, and/or fabrication process results, into alignment with one another. Such adjustment in radio frequency power, which may be accomplished via adjusting one or more reactive elements of a RF distribution network, may give rise to an imbalance in power delivered to each individual process station.

A substrate processing system for processing a substrate within a processing chamber includes a matching network, a tuning circuit, and a controller. The matching network receives a first RF signal having a first frequency from a RF generator and impedance matches an input of the matching network to an output of the RF generator. The tuning circuit is distinct from the matching network and includes a circuit component having a first impedance. The tuning circuit receives an output of the matching network and outputs a second RF signal to a first electrode in a substrate support. The controller determines a target impedance for the circuit component, and based on the target impedance, signal the RF generator to adjust the first frequency of the first RF signal received at the matching network to a second frequency to alter the first impedance of the circuit component to match the target impedance.

A plasma processing method includes: (a) mounting a substrate including a first mask layer, which is a removal target, formed on a first layer with a metal-containing layer that is included therein to be partially exposed, on a stage disposed inside a processing container of the plasma processing apparatus; (b) supplying a process gas containing one or more of fluorocarbon gas and hydrofluorocarbon gas into the processing container; (c) supplying a first radio-frequency power that forms a plasma from the process gas into the processing container; (d) supplying a second radio-frequency power having a frequency lower than a frequency of the first radio-frequency power to the stage after a predetermined time is elapsed from stop of the first radio-frequency power; and (e) repeating (c) and (d).

Exemplary substrate support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body that defines a substrate support surface. The substrate support surface may define a plurality of protrusions that extend upward from the substrate support surface. A density of the plurality of protrusions within an outer region of the substrate support surface may be greater than in an inner region of the substrate support surface. The substrate support assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include an electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body.

A circuit tuning radio frequency (RF) power. The circuit includes a low to mid frequency (LF/HF) tuning circuit including a variable LF/MF capacitor coupled in series with an LF/MF inductor. The LF/MF tuning circuit is coupled between ground and a common node configured to receive an RF input. The circuit includes a high frequency (HF) tuning circuit coupled in parallel to the LF/MF tuning circuit between ground and the common node. The HF tuning circuit includes a variable HF capacitor coupled in series with an HF inductor. Cross parallel isolation occurs between the LF/MF inductor of the LF/MF tuning circuit and the HF inductor of the HF tuning circuit when adjusting the variable LF/MF capacitor or variable HF capacitor.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a stage for supporting a target object in a chamber defined by a chamber body. The stage includes a lower electrode, an electrostatic chuck provided on the lower electrode, heaters provided in the electrostatic chuck, and terminals electrically connected to the heaters. A conductor pipe electrically connects a high frequency power supply and the lower electrode and extends from the lower electrode to the outside of the chamber body. Power supply lines supply power from a heater controller to the heaters. Filters partially forming the power supply lines prevent the inflow of high frequency power from the heaters to the heater controller. The power supply lines include wirings which respectively connect the terminals and the filters and extend to the outside of the chamber body through an inner bore of the conductor pipe.

A plasma treatment chamber comprises one or more sidewalls and a support surface within the sidewalls holds a workpiece. An array of individual gas injectors is distributed about the sidewalls. Pump ports are along the sidewalls to eject gas from the chamber. Aa etch rate uniformity of a material on the workpiece is controlled by: using the array gas injectors to inject one or more gas flows in across the workpiece; injecting a first gas flow from a first set of adjacent individual gas injectors to etch the materials on the workpiece; and simultaneously injecting a second gas flow from remaining gas injectors. The second gas flow either dilutes the first gas flow to reduce an area on the workpiece having a faster etch rate, or acts as an additional etchant to increase the etch rate in the area of the workpiece having the faster etch rate.

The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.

A plasma processing apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck including an electrode, a first switch, a second switch, and a control unit. The control unit controls the first switch and the second switch to be in a closed state, causes a power supply to output a first voltage, and determines that the first switch and the second switch are in the closed state when the first voltage is detected by a detector. Further, after it is determined that the first switch and the second switch are in the closed state, the control unit controls the first switch and the second switch to be in an open state to start a processing of the substrate using the plasma in a state where the electrode is controlled to be in a floating state.