A first radiofrequency signal generator is set to generate a low frequency signal. A second radiofrequency signal generator is set to generate a high frequency signal. An impedance matching system has a first input connected to an output of the first radiofrequency signal generator and a second input connected to an output of the second radiofrequency signal generator. The impedance matching system controls impedances at the outputs of the first and second radiofrequency signal generators. An output of the impedance matching system is connected to a radiofrequency supply input of a plasma processing system. A control module monitors reflected voltage at the output of the second radiofrequency signal generator. The control module determines when the reflected voltage indicates a change in impedance along a transmission path of the high frequency signal that is indicative of a particular process condition and/or event within the plasma processing system.

The disclosure concerns a method of operating a plasma reactor having an electron beam plasma source for independently adjusting electron beam energy, plasma ion energy and radical population. The disclosure further concerns an electron beam source for a plasma reactor having an RF-driven electrode for producing the electron beam.

The plasma processing system includes a plasma processing device, an assistance device, and a control device, in which the assistance device includes a first determination unit for determining, using a first machine learning model, a plurality of control parameters for processing a pre-processing substrate so that a predicted shape of the post-processing substrate conforms a required shape of the post-processing substrate based on a first input related to a structure of the pre-processing substrate, a second input related to a required shape of the post-processing substrate, a third input related to a specification of the plasma processing device, and a fourth input related to a state of the plasma processing device, and a second determination 10 unit for determining an operating condition of the plasma processing device using a second machine learning model, based on the plurality of determined control parameters, the third input, and the fourth input.

A plasma processing method includes: providing a substrate including a silicon-containing film and a mask film having an opening pattern, on a substrate support; and etching the silicon-containing film using the mask film as a mask, with a plasma generated by a plasma generator provided in the chamber. The etching includes: supplying a processing gas containing one or more gases including carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine into the chamber; generating a plasma from the processing gas by supplying a source RF signal to the plasma generator; and supplying a bias RF signal to the substrate support unit. In the etching, the silicon-containing film is etched by at least hydrogen fluoride generated from the processing gas, while forming a carbon-containing film on at least a part of a surface of the mask film.

A method includes providing a workpiece in an etching apparatus at ambient temperature, the workpiece comprising a dielectric layer adjacent a conductive layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes performing an etching process to selectively remove the dielectric layer relative to the conductive layer. The method further includes, while performing the etching process, cooling the workpiece to a processing temperature that is below the ambient temperature.

An ion angle detector includes a front plate that includes an aperture configured to form an ion beam from incident ions. An ion collector of the detector is configured to measure ion flux from the ion beam. A linear actuator is mechanically coupled to the ion collector and configured to move the ion collector in a direction parallel to the ion beam. Ion angular distribution of a plasma may be measured using the detector by moving the ion collector parallel to the ion beam, measuring ion flux while moving the ion collector to obtain the flux as a function of distance from the source location, and obtaining the angular distribution from the flux and the distance. The ion angle detector may be disposed in a chamber of a plasma system that has a controller operatively coupled to the detector and configured to measure ion angular distribution.

An ion energy detector includes an ion shield that includes an aperture configured to produce an ion beam from incident ions, an ion collector disposed in a fixed position behind the ion shield, and an ion deflector that includes a pair of parallel plates disposed behind the ion shield. The ion beam travels behind the ion shield along an axis of the aperture. The ion collector is offset from the axis of the aperture. The pair of parallel plates are configured to generate an electric field to deflect the ion beam off the axis and toward the ion collector. The ion energy detector may be included in a detection system and be in physical contact with a substrate, such as on or embedded in the substrate. The ion shield may include an outer surface that has the same electric potential as the substrate.

A placing pedestal on which a substrate is to be mounted is provided in the interior of a chamber. When etching a substrate mounted on the placing pedestal by alternately performing a first step of forming a film on the substrate and a second step of etching the substrate in the chamber, the power source periodically applies, to the placing pedestal, pulsed voltages in which the duty ratio in one cycle is set differently between the first step and the second step.