A method for performing a feedback sequence for patterning CD control. The method including performing a series of process steps on a wafer to obtain a plurality of features, wherein a process step is performed under a process condition. The method including measuring a dimension of the plurality of features after performing the series of process steps. The method including determining a difference between the dimension that is measured and a target dimension for the plurality of features. The method including modifying the process condition for the process step based on the difference and a sensitivity factor for the plurality of features relating change in dimension and change in process condition.

A high frequency plasma apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a plurality of feed points located at one of the two electrodes at least. The feed points are used to simultaneously generate a first standing wave and a second standing wave, with different temporal and spatial patterns. By adjusting amplitudes of the two standing waves and the temporal and spatial phase differences between the two standing waves appropriately, plasma uniformity of the high frequency plasma apparatus can be effectively improved.

Embodiments described herein provide a lid assembly of a chamber for independent control of plasma density and gas distribution within the interior volume of the chamber. The lid assembly includes a plasma generation system and a gas distribution assembly. The plasma generation system includes a plurality of dielectric plates having a bottom surface oriented with respect to vacuum pressure and a top surface operable to be oriented with respect to atmospheric pressure. One or more coils are positioned on or over the plurality of dielectric plates. The gas distribution assembly includes a first diffuser and a second diffuser. The first diffuser includes a plurality of first channels intersecting a plurality of second channels of the second diffuser.

The present invention improves the in-plane uniformity of film formation via a plasma treatment. It is provided a plasma treatment device constituted so that process gas introduced between an electrode plate and a shower plate is exhausted toward a counter electrode through a plurality of small holes formed in the shower plate, the plasma treatment device comprising a diffuser plate having a plurality of small holes, the diffuser plate being arranged substantially parallel with the shower plate, wherein the process gas is introduced between the electrode plate and the diffuser plate, passes through the plural small holes of the diffuser plate, reaches the shower plate and flows out from the plural small holes of the shower plate toward the electrode plate, and wherein within the small holes formed in the diffuser plate and the small holes formed in the shower plate, the small holes formed in a plate which exists more downstream along a flowing direction of the process gas are made in smaller diameters and an aperture ratio of each plate is made smaller in a plate which exists more upstream along the flowing direction of the process gas.

Embodiments described herein provide a lid assembly of a chamber for independent control of plasma density and gas distribution within the interior volume of the chamber. The lid assembly includes a plasma generation system and a gas distribution assembly. The plasma generation system includes a plurality of dielectric plates having a bottom surface oriented with respect to vacuum pressure and a top surface operable to be oriented with respect to atmospheric pressure. One or more coils are positioned on or over the plurality of dielectric plates. The gas distribution assembly includes a first diffuser and a second diffuser. The first diffuser includes a plurality of first channels intersecting a plurality of second channels of the second diffuser.

A plasma processing chamber includes a chamber body and a lid assembly coupled to the chamber body to define a processing volume. The lid assembly includes a backing plate coupled to the chamber body, a diffuser with a plurality of openings formed therethrough, and a heat conductive spacer disposed between and coupled to the backing plate and the diffuser to transfer heat from the diffuser to the backing plate. The plasma processing chamber further includes a substrate support disposed within the processing volume.

The present invention relates to a hollow cathode plasma source and to methods for surface treating or coating using such a plasma source, comprising first and second electrodes (1, 2), each electrode comprising an elongated cavity (4), wherein dimensions for at least one of the following parameters is selected so as to ensure high electron density and/or low amount of sputtering of plasma source cavity surfaces, those parameters being cavity cross section shape, cavity cross section area cavity distance (11), and outlet nozzle width (12).

Embodiments of a method of depositing a thin film on a substrate is provided that includes placing a substrate on a substrate support that is mounted in a processing region of a processing chamber, flowing a process fluid through a plurality of gas passages in a diffuser plate toward the substrate supported on the substrate support, wherein the diffuser plate has an upstream side and a downstream side and the downstream side has a substantially concave curvature, and each of the gas passages are formed between the upstream side and the downstream side, and creating a plasma between the downstream side of the diffuser plate and the substrate support.

Embodiments of a gas diffuser plate for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. The gas distribution plate includes a diffuser plate having an upstream side and a downstream side, and a plurality of gas passages passing between the upstream and downstream sides of the diffuser plate. The gas passages include hollow cathode cavities at the downstream side to enhance plasma ionization. The depths, the diameters, the surface area and density of hollow cathode cavities of the gas passages that extend to the downstream end can be gradually increased from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate to improve the film thickness and property uniformity across the substrate. The increasing diameters, depths and surface areas from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate can be created by bending the diffuser plate toward downstream side, followed by machining out the convex downstream side. Bending the diffuser plate can be accomplished by a thermal process or a vacuum process. The increasing diameters, depths and surface areas from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate can also be created computer numerically controlled machining. Diffuser plates with gradually increasing diameters, depths and surface areas of the hollow cathode cavities from the center to the edge of the diffuser plate have been shown to produce improved uniformities of film thickness and film properties.

The present invention improves the in-plane uniformity of film formation via a plasma treatment. It is provided a plasma treatment device constituted so that process gas introduced between an electrode plate and a shower plate is exhausted toward a counter electrode through a plurality of small holes formed in the shower plate, the plasma treatment device comprising a diffuser plate having a plurality of small holes, the diffuser plate being arranged substantially parallel with the shower plate, wherein the process gas is introduced between the electrode plate and the diffuser plate, passes through the plural small holes of the diffuser plate, reaches the shower plate and flows out from the plural small holes of the shower plate toward the electrode plate, and wherein within the small holes formed in the diffuser plate and the small holes formed in the shower plate, the small holes formed in a plate which exists more downstream along a flowing direction of the process gas are made in smaller diameters and an aperture ratio of each plate is made smaller in a plate which exists more upstream along the flowing direction of the process gas.