H01J2237/3343

MEMBER FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING APPARATUS
20250079134 · 2025-03-06 · ·

A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a central ceramic member having a wafer placement surface on an upper surface; an annular outer circumferential ceramic member having a focus ring placement surface on an upper surface; and a conductive base member having a central support joined to the central ceramic member, and an outer circumferential support joined to the outer circumferential ceramic member, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the central ceramic member and an inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential ceramic member each change in diameter in an up-down direction, and a maximum diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the central ceramic member is smaller than a maximum diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential ceramic member, and larger than a minimum diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential ceramic member, and the central ceramic member is insulating ceramics.

Single-Wafer Real-Time Etch Rate and Uniformity Predictor For Plasma Etch Processes

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to a real-time method for qualifying the etch rate for plasma etch processes. A method for testing a semiconductor plasma etch chamber may include: depositing a film on a substrate of a wafer, the wafer including a center region and an edge region; depositing photoresist on top of the film in a pattern that isolates the center region from the edge region of the wafer; and performing an etch process on the wafer that includes at least three process steps. The three process steps may include: etching the film in any areas without photoresist covering the areas until a first clear endpoint signal is achieved; performing an in-situ ash to remove any photoresist; and etching the film in any areas exposed by the removal of the photoresist until a second clear endpoint is achieved. The method may further include determining whether both endpoints are achieved within respective previously set tolerances, and, if both endpoints are achieved within the previously set tolerance, qualifying the plasma etch chamber as verified.

Process for etching metal using a combination of plasma and solid state sources

An apparatus configured to remove metal etch byproducts from the surface of substrates and from the interior of a substrate processing chamber. A plasma is used in combination with a solid state light source, such as an LED, to desorb metal etch byproducts. The desorbed byproducts may then be removed from the chamber.

MICROWAVE HIGH-DENSITY PLASMA FOR SELECTIVE ETCH

Semiconductor processing systems and methods for increased etch selectivity and rate are provided. Methods include etching a target material of a semiconductor substrate by flowing one or more plasma precursors through a microwave applicator into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. Generating a remote plasma within the remote plasma region at a microwave frequency, where the generated remote plasma comprises a density of greater than 110.sup.10 per cm.sup.3, an ion energy of less than or about 50 eV, or a combination thereof. Flowing the plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The microwave applicator includes a resonator body and a plate, where the resonator body is formed from or coated with a first dielectric material and the plate is formed from or coated with a second dielectric material.

Heated showerhead assembly

The present disclosure generally comprises a heated showerhead assembly that may be used to supply processing gases into a processing chamber. The processing chamber may be an etching chamber. When processing gas is evacuated from the processing chamber, the uniform processing of the substrate may be difficult. As the processing gas is pulled away from the substrate and towards the vacuum pump, the plasma, in the case of etching, may not be uniform across the substrate. Uneven plasma may lead to uneven etching. To prevent uneven etching, the showerhead assembly may be separated into two zones each having independently controllable gas introduction and temperature control. The first zone corresponds to the perimeter of the substrate while the second zone corresponds to the center of the substrate. By independently controlling the temperature and the gas flow through the showerhead zones, etching uniformity of the substrate may be increased.

WAFER EDGE TILT AND ETCH RATE UNIFORMITY
20250149306 · 2025-05-08 ·

An edge ring for use in a plasma chamber includes a first pair of edge ring segments with each one of the first pair of edge ring segments having a first thickness and a second pair of edge ring segments with each one of the second pair of edge ring segments having a second thickness. Each of the first pair of edge ring segments is oriented adjacent to each of the second pair of edge ring segments and each of the second pair of edge ring segments is oriented adjacent to each of the first pair of edge ring segments.

Method of uniformity control

A method of processing a substrate that includes: loading the substrate in a plasma processing chamber, the substrate including an underlying layer; maintaining a steady state flow of a process gas into the plasma processing chamber in the plasma processing chamber; generating a plasma in the plasma processing chamber; exposing the substrate to the plasma to etch the underlying layer; and pulsing a first additional gas, using a first effusive gas injector, towards a first region of the substrate to disrupt the steady state flow of the process gas over the first region, the pulsing locally changing a composition of the plasma near the first region.

Stage, plasma processing apparatus, and cleaning method
12300471 · 2025-05-13 · ·

A stage including a mounting section and an adhesive layer is provided. The mounting section is disposed in a plasma space, and a substrate is placed on the mounting section. The adhesive layer bonds the mounting section to a base. A through-hole penetrating the mounting section, the base, and the adhesive layer is formed in the stage. The through-hole is configured to supply a heat transfer gas. The stage includes a sleeve member provided in the through-hole. On a portion of a surface of the sleeve member, multiple fine holes connecting the through-hole with the plasma space are formed, and the portion is positioned at a higher level than the adhesive layer.

Substrate treating apparatus having edge impedance control circuit
12300470 · 2025-05-13 · ·

A substrate treating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a process chamber having a treating space defined therein, a support unit for supporting a substrate in the treating space, a gas supply unit for supplying process gas into the treating space, and an RF power source for supplying an RF signal to excite the process gas to a plasma state, wherein the support unit includes an edge ring surrounding the substrate, a coupling ring disposed below the edge ring and including an electrode therein, and an edge impedance control circuit connected to the electrode wherein the edge impedance control circuit includes a harmonics control circuit unit for controlling harmonics caused by the RF power source, and an ion flux control circuit unit for controlling an ion flux in an edge region of the substrate.

PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND END POINT DETECTION METHOD
20250157787 · 2025-05-15 · ·

A power supply supplies, to a chamber, periodic power for forming a gas supplied into the chamber into a plasma, a power level of the periodic power being changed for each period during one cycle. Circuitry is configured to detect an end point of a first etching based on at least one of a voltage, a current, or a phase difference between the voltage or the current measured by a sensor at a first timing during the one cycle. The circuitry is configured to detect an end point of a second etching based on at least one of a voltage, a current, or a phase difference between the voltage or the current measured by the sensor at a second timing different from the first timing during the one cycle.