Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for generation of a waveform for plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. One embodiment includes a waveform generator having a voltage source selectively coupled to an output node, where the output node is configured to be coupled to an electrode disposed within a processing chamber, and where the output node is selectively coupled to a ground node. The waveform generator may also include a radio frequency (RF) signal generator, and a first filter coupled between the RF signal generator and the output node.

A radio frequency plasma processing system including a reaction chamber, a pedestal disposed in the reaction chamber, and a plurality of sector plates disposed azimuthally around the pedestal in an annulus between the pedestal and the reaction chamber.

Provided is a plasma processing method capable of improving an etching selectivity of a material to be etched with respect to a mask material and reducing a roughness of a side wall of a mask pattern. The plasma processing method of selectively depositing a deposition film on the mask material with respect to the material to be etched includes controlling an etching parameter so that an incubation time of the mask material is shorter than an incubation time of the material to be etched.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a matching network for use with a plasma processing chamber comprises an input configured to connect to a power source, an output configured to connect to the plasma processing chamber, a V/I sensor connected between the input of the matching network and an output of the power source, a load capacitor connected in parallel with at least one capacitor connected in series with a load switch, a tuning capacitor connected in series with at least one capacitor connected in parallel with a tuning switch, and a multiple level pulsing phase/magnitude module connected to the V/I sensor and to a multiple level pulsing synchronization switch driver connected to each of the load switch and the tuning switch for activating at least one of the load switch and the tuning switch in response to a control signal, which is based on a V/I sensor measurement, received from the power source.

An apparatus for plasma processing is configured to generate plasma in a chamber and periodically apply a pulsed negative DC voltage to an upper electrode from a DC power supply in the plasma processing on a substrate and in plasma cleaning. A duty ratio of the pulsed negative DC voltage used for the plasma processing is smaller than a duty ratio of the pulsed negative DC voltage used for the plasma cleaning. An absolute value of an average value of an output voltage of the DC power supply used for the plasma processing is smaller than an absolute value of an average value of the output voltage of the DC power supply used for the plasma cleaning.

Some embodiments include a thermal management system for a nanosecond pulser. In some embodiments, the thermal management system may include a switch cold plates coupled with switches, a core cold plate coupled with one or more transformers, resistor cold plates coupled with resistors, or tubing coupled with the switch cold plates, the core cold plates, and the resistor cold plates. The thermal management system may include a heat exchanger coupled with the resistor cold plates, the core cold plate, the switch cold plate, and the tubing. The heat exchanger may also be coupled with a facility fluid supply.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system for pulsed direct-current (DC) biasing and clamping a substrate. In one embodiment, the system includes a plasma chamber having an electrostatic chuck (ESC) for supporting a substrate. An electrode is embedded in the ESC and is electrically coupled to a biasing and clamping network. The biasing and clamping network includes at least a shaped DC pulse voltage source and a clamping network. The clamping network includes a DC source and a diode, and a resistor. The shaped DC pulse voltage source and the clamping network are connected in parallel. The biasing and clamping network automatically maintains a substantially constant clamping voltage, which is a voltage drop across the electrode and the substrate when the substrate is biased with pulsed DC voltage, leading to improved clamping of the substrate.

Various embodiments of systems and methods are described herein for controlling a pulsed plasma. Pulse timing parameters (e.g., the pulse on-time and/or the pulse-off time) of the plasma generation source may be controlled based on the measurement data received from measurement device(s), to control the plasma exposure of the substrate during a sequence of dynamically controlled pulses within the plasma process chamber. In addition or alternatively, pulse timing parameters (e.g., the pulse on-time and/or the pulse-off time) can be applied to the source power, bias power, and/or both based on the measurement data received from measurement device(s), to control a plasma exposure of the substrate. The pulse timing changes may be made in a feedforward or feedback manner.

Radio frequency (RF) generators are disclosed. A RF generator may include an analog signal generator configured to generate a pulsed analog signal responsive to a digital pulsed waveform defined by one or more commands. The RF generator may also include a modulator configured to generate a pulsed radio frequency (RF) signal by modulating an RF carrier using the pulsed analog signal as a modulating signal. Further, the RF generator may include an amplification stage configured to amplify the pulsed RF signal output by the modulator. RF generation systems and methods of generating a pulsed RF signal also disclosed.

Methods and systems for multi-level RF pulse monitoring and RF pulsing parameter optimization at a manufacturing system are provided. A radio frequency (RF) signal is pulsed within a processing chamber in accordance with a set of RF pulsing parameters. Sensor data is received from one or more sensors that indicates a multi-level RF pulse waveform detected within the processing chamber based on the RF signal pulsing. One or more peaks are identified in the detected multi-level RF pulse waveform. Each identified peak corresponds to at least one RF signal pulse of the RF signal pulsing within the processing chamber. A determination is made, based on the identified one or more peaks, whether the detected multi-level RF pulse waveform corresponds to the target multi-level RF pulse waveform. An indication of whether the detected multi-level RF pulse waveform corresponds to the target multi-level RF pulse waveform is provided to a client device.