Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of processing a workpiece in which a plurality of holes are formed on a surface of the workpiece. The method includes a first sequence including a first process of forming a film with respect to an inner surface of each of the holes and a second process of isotropically etching the film. The first process includes a film forming process using a plasma CVD method, and the film contains silicon.

A plasma etching apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode, between which plasma of a process gas is generated to perform plasma etching on a wafer W. The apparatus further comprises a cooling ring disposed around the wafer, a correction ring disposed around the cooling ring, and a variable DC power supply directly connected to the correction ring, the DC voltage being preset to provide the correction ring with a negative bias, relative to ground potential, for attracting ions in the plasma and to increase temperature of the correction ring to compensate for a decrease in temperature of a space near the edge of the target substrate due to the cooling ring.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.

A device and method of spreading plasma which allows for plasma etching over a larger range of process chamber pressures. A plasma source, such as a linear inductive plasma source, may be choked to alter back pressure within the plasma source. The plasma may then be spread around a deflecting disc which spreads the plasma under a dome which then allows for very even plasma etch rates across the surface of a substrate. The apparatus may include a linear inductive plasma source above a plasma spreading portion which spreads plasma across a horizontally configured wafer or other substrate. The substrate support may include heating elements adapted to enhance the etching.

A dry etching device and an electrode thereof are disclosed in this application. The electrode of a dry etching device includes: an electrode plate, a surface of the electrode plate including a component-disposing area and an edge area surrounding the component-disposing area; a barrier ring, disposed in the edge area, and located on a periphery of the component-disposing area; and spacers, disposed on an outer side of the electrode plate, and abutting a periphery of the barrier ring, where the spacer has a plurality of through holes.

Systems and methods for active control of radial etch uniformity are described. One of the methods includes generating a radio frequency (RF) signal having a fundamental frequency and generating another RF signal having a harmonic frequency. The harmonic frequency, or a phase, or a parameter level, or a combination thereof of the other RF signal are controlled to control harmonics of RF plasma sheath within a plasma chamber to achieve radial etch uniformity.

A component of a plasma processing chamber having a protective liquid layer on a plasma exposed surface of the component The protective liquid layer can be replenished by supplying a liquid to a liquid channel and delivering the liquid through liquid feed passages in the component. The component can be an edge ring which surrounds a semiconductor substrate supported on a substrate support in a plasma processing apparatus wherein plasma is generated and used to process the semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, the protective liquid layer can be cured or cooled sufficiently to form a solid protective layer.

Described herein are technologies related to a radical source with a housing that includes a plasma cavity that is designed to contain a plasma created by a plasma generator. The housing has at least one gas injector designed to inject process gas into the plasma. The plasma produces radicals from the gas injected into the plasma. The cavity has an exit or opening formed therein that ejects the radicals from the cavity. The ejected radicals may be directed towards a subject wafer substrate under the radical source. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.