Devices and methods for controlling wafer uniformity in plasma-based process is disclosed. In one example, a device for plasma-based processes is disclosed. The device includes: a housing defining a process chamber and a gas distribution plate (GDP) arranged in the process chamber. The housing comprises: a gas inlet configured to receive a process gas, and a gas outlet configured to expel processed gas. The GDP is configured to distribute the process gas within the process chamber. The GDP has a plurality of holes evenly distributed thereon. The GDP comprises a first zone and a second zone. The first zone is closer to the gas outlet than the second zone. At least one hole in the first zone is closed.

Devices and methods for controlling wafer uniformity using a gas baffle plate are disclosed. In one example, a device for plasma-based processes is disclosed. The device includes: a housing defining a process chamber and a baffle plate arranged above a wafer in the process chamber. The baffle plate is configured to control plasma distribution on the wafer. The baffle plate has a shape of an annulus that comprises a first annulus sector and a second annulus sector. The first annulus sector has a first inner radius. The second annulus sector has a second inner radius that is different from the first inner radius.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided. For example, a method of processing a substrate comprises supplying oxygen (O.sub.2) into a processing volume of an etch chamber to react with a silicon-based hardmask layer atop a base layer of ruthenium to form a covering of an SiO-like material over the silicon-based hardmask layer and etching the base layer of ruthenium using at least one of O.sub.2 or chloride (Cl.sub.2) while supplying nitrogen (N.sub.2) to sputter some of the SiO-like material onto an exposed ruthenium sidewall created during etching.

Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.

The present disclosure provides a radio frequency (RF) source control method. An RF source includes at least one pair of a main power supply and a secondary power supply with a same frequency. The RF source control method includes dividing each process step of process steps of a plasma process into a plurality of time periods, and when performing each process step, maintaining a common exciter (CEX) phase locking delay angle of the at least one pair of the main power supply and the secondary power supply corresponding to each of the time periods at a predetermined value to provide an increased angular distribution uniformity of plasma. The RF source control method provided by the present disclosure may be used to adjust plasma distribution above a to-be-processed workpiece to average the plasma angular direction distribution of the entire process step as a whole to increase process uniformity of the to-be-processed workpiece.

Devices and methods for controlling wafer uniformity using a gas baffle plate are disclosed. In one example, a device for plasma-based processes is disclosed. The device includes: a housing defining a process chamber and a baffle plate arranged above a wafer in the process chamber. The baffle plate is configured to control plasma distribution on the wafer. The baffle plate has a shape of an annulus that comprises a first annulus sector and a second annulus sector. The first annulus sector has a first inner radius. The second annulus sector has a second inner radius that is different from the first inner radius.

There is provided a method of filling one or more recesses by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, wherein the first and the second doses overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially substantially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant to form deposited material; and etching the deposited material. An apparatus for filling a recess is also disclosed.

A shower head assembly for a plasma processing apparatus in which a substrate is accommodatable on a substrate stage within a chamber, a plasma processing apparatus, and a plasma processing method, the shower head assembly including a shower plate including a plurality of injection holes through which a gas is sprayable out toward the substrate; and a compensation plate on a lower surface of the shower plate and facing the substrate, the compensation plate including a first compensating portion having first gas passages of a first length and a second compensating portion having second gas passages of a second length that is greater than the first length, wherein the first gas passage and the second gas passage are respectively in fluid communication with the injection holes.

An apparatus includes a chamber, a pedestal configured to receive and support a semiconductor wafer in the chamber, and an edge ring disposed over the pedestal. The edge ring includes a first portion having a first top surface, a second portion coupled to the first portion and having a second top surface lower than the first top surface, and a recess defined in the first portion. The second top surface is under the semiconductor wafer. The recess has a depth, and a distance between the pedestal and an inner surface of the recess is substantially equal to the depth of the recess.

A target object processing method is provided for processing a target object using a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a mounting table which is disposed in the processing chamber and on which the target object is mounted, an outer peripheral member disposed around the mounting table, and a first voltage application device configured to apply a voltage to the outer peripheral member. The method comprises preparing the target object having an etching target film and a patterned mask formed on the etching target film, and processing the mask. The step of processing the mask includes supplying a first processing gas containing a first rare gas to the processing chamber, and a first plasma processing for processing the mask positioned at an outer peripheral portion of the target object using plasma of the first processing gas while applying a DC voltage to the outer peripheral member.