Bias supplies, plasma processing systems, and associated methods are disclosed. One bias supply comprises a bidirectional switch configured to enable bidirectional control of current. A controller is configured to control a direction of current through the bidirectional switch over a full current cycle, the full current cycle comprising a first half current cycle and a second half current cycle, the first half current cycle comprising positive current flow, starting from zero current that increases to a positive peak value and then decreases back to zero. The second half current cycle comprises negative current flow, starting from zero current that increases to a negative peak value and then decreases back to zero current to cause an application of the periodic voltage between the output node and the return node.

A film forming apparatus includes a vacuum-evacuable processing chamber, a lower electrode for mounting thereon a target substrate, an upper electrode disposed to face the lower electrode, a gas supply unit, a voltage application unit and a switching unit. The gas supply unit supplies a film forming source gas to be formed into plasma to a processing space between the upper and the lower electrode. The voltage application unit applies to the upper electrode a voltage outputted from at least one of a high frequency power supply and a DC power supply included therein. The switching unit selectively switches the voltage to be applied to the upper electrode among a high frequency voltage outputted from the high frequency power supply, a DC voltage outputted from the DC power supply, and a superimposed voltage in which the DC voltage is superimposed with the high frequency voltage.

There is a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a substrate support configured to support a substrate and an edge ring; high-frequency power supply configured to generate first high-frequency power via the substrate and second high-frequency power via the edge ring; and bias power supply configured to generate first electric bias energy supplied to the substrate and second electric bias energy supplied to the edge ring, wherein the first electric bias energy and the second electric bias energy have a waveform repeatedly at a cycle, the cycle includes a first period in which voltage of each of the first and second electric bias energies has a positive level with respect to an average value of the voltage within the cycle, and a second period in which the voltage of each of the first and second electric bias energies has a negative level with respect to the average value.

Systems and methods for using a transformer to achieve uniformity in processing a substrate are described. One of the systems includes a primary winding having a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to an output of an impedance matching circuit and the second end is coupled to a capacitor. The system further includes a secondary winding associated with the primary winding and coupled to a first end and a second end of a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) coil of a plasma chamber. The primary winding receives a modified radio frequency (RF) signal from the impedance matching circuit to generate a magnetic flux to induce a voltage in the secondary winding. An RF signal generated by the voltage is transferred from the secondary winding to the TCP coil.

Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a chamber body. The chambers may include a substrate support disposed within the chamber body. The substrate support may define a substrate support surface. The chambers may include a showerhead positioned supported atop the chamber body. The substrate support and a bottom surface of the showerhead may at least partially define a processing region within the semiconductor processing chamber. The showerhead may define a plurality of apertures through the showerhead. The bottom surface of the showerhead may define an annular groove or ridge that is positioned directly above at least a portion of the substrate support.

There is provided a plasma generating device that includes a first electrode connected to a high-frequency power supply, and a second electrode to be grounded, a buffer structure configured to form a buffer chamber that accommodates the first and second electrodes wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged such that a number of electrodes of the first electrode and the second electrode are in an odd number of three or more in total, and wherein the second electrode is used in common for two of the first electrode being respectively adjacent to the second electrode used in common, and wherein a gas supply port that supplies gas into a process chamber is installed on a wall surface of the buffer structure.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a balun having a first unbalanced terminal, a second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal, and a second balanced terminal, a grounded vacuum container, a first electrode electrically connected to the first balanced terminal, a second electrode electrically connected to the second balanced terminal, and a ground electrode arranged in the vacuum container and grounded.

Systems and methods for multi-level pulsing of a parameter and multi-level pulsing of a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal are described. The parameter is pulsed from a low level to a high level while the frequency is pulsed from a low level to a high level. The parameter and the frequency are simultaneously pulsed to increase a rate of processing a wafer, to increase mask selectivity, and to reduce angular spread of ions within a plasma chamber.

A control circuit for outputting a direct current (DC) signal in the form of a pulsed signal includes a switch circuit having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a fourth terminal, a first control terminal, and a second control terminal, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are input terminals of the DC signal, the third terminal and the fourth terminal are output terminals of the pulsed signal, the first control terminal and the second control terminal receive a first signal or a second signal to control outputting the pulsed signal, in response to the first control terminal and the second control terminal receiving the first signal, the third terminal and the fourth terminal output the pulsed signal, and in response to the first control terminal and the second control terminal receiving the second signal, the third terminal and the fourth terminal stop outputting the pulsed signal; and an energy storage circuit having two terminals connected to the first terminal and the second terminal of the switch circuit to store residual electric energy of the switch circuit when the switch circuit does not output the pulsed signal. The control circuit reduces the oscillation the voltage of occurred at the end of each pulse, and improving the accuracy of controlling the plasma energy and density used in the semiconductor processes.

A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a ceramic plate, a porous plug, an insulating lid, and pores. The ceramic plate has a wafer placement surface as an upper surface. The porous plug is disposed in a plug insertion hole penetrating the ceramic plate in an up-down direction, and allows a gas to flow. The insulating lid is provided in contact with an upper surface of the porous plug, and exposed to the wafer placement surface. A plurality of pores are provided in the insulating lid, and penetrate the insulating lid in an up-down direction.