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Valery Godyak
RF Plasma Consulting Brookline, MA, USA egodyak@comcast.net
Capacitive Coupled Plasmas (CCP) at 13.56 MHz were the first in plasma processing applications
Wafer Sheath Plasma
Sheath
In CCP the discharge current and plasma density are controlled by the electrode rf sheaths at the plasma boundary Good plasma uniformity due to rf sheath ballasting effect* Simple and relatively inexpensive construction b u t: No independent control of ion flux and ion energy Low plasma density at low gas pressure At large rf power and low gas pressure, most of it goes for ion acceleration rather than for plasma production
Chuck
*Sheath stabilizing effect is due to different sheath and plasma impedance dependence on plasma density, Zp ~ Np-1: Zsh ~ Np-1/2 (a good subject for study)
CCP equivalent circuit and rf power distribution between electron and ion heating
General
2 << 02 en2<< 02
Prf = Ppl + Pi
Since in plasma
CCP in Hg vapors at 40.8 MHz shows a linear V/A characteristic at Vrf >>Vp
Due to large M and relatively small rf voltage, Pi is negligibly small
For moderate rf voltage (Vp < V < 1 kV), V/A discharge characteristics are nearly linear, that does not obey to Childs-Langmuir law followed from Lieberman rf sheath model.
V. Godyak et al, IEEE Trans. PS, 19, 660, 1991
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2. to -mode transition
(13.56 MHz, He, 0.3 Torr)
Discharge parameters are not sensitive to discharge voltage when > eff
In the resonance, the rf current does not depends on gas pressure, while Np ~ 3
55 MHz
The analytic expression above and experiments suggest to utilize a higher frequency to achieve higher plasma density at fixed discharge voltage
100 MHz
2 MHz
250 W 1.0 0W
-2
750 W 500 W
-2
1.0
250 W
0.5
0.5
Plasma non-uniformity in front of 300 mm wafer in CCP driven at 100 MHz in Argon and processing gas mixtures (mode jump)
Ar, 10 mTorr 10 mTorr 750 W
Ar, 80 mTorr
80 mTorr 750 W
13
IV.
V. VI. VII.
All these problems became more severe at larger: rf frequency, wafer size and plasma density
(Gas flow distribution, segmenting and profiling of rf electrode have limited successes)
The interplay of many fundamental electro-magnetic effects with resonant conditions makes VHF CCPs too complicated for reliable their control in a wide range of their parameters 14
Current path
rf power supply
Wafer processing
Lighting
Lighting
15
Erf=Ewrw/r
r
Vp<< Vt
* Formulae 2 and 3 are valid only for an uniform plasma with planar boundary! ** Cases 4 and 5 process non exponential spatial variation of E & B
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Transformer formalism
Physicists, do not be arrogant, these eqs. are integrals of Maxwell Equations, but result in some universal relationships between ICP integral parameter independently of ICP geometry and specific mechanism of electron heating in RF field. 17
19
20
Argon pressure dependence of EEDF and plasma parameters in ICP driven at 6.78 MHz, 50 W
10
13
10 10
) cm
-3
12
11
-3/2
10
10
10
plasma density (cm )
-3
13
50W .3mT50W
6.78 MHz, 50 W 8 6
Plasma potential
9
10
10
12
10
300 mT 100
10
11
4 2 0 3 10
10 10
* i
6
10
0.3 50
10
10
10
-1
50
10
eepf (eV
21
22
23
Frequency effect exists at low density plasma in anomalous skin effect regime, but disappears at larger plasma density due to e-e collisions.
Negative (experienced)
Inability to operate at low plasma density (Np < 1011 cm-3) in inductive mode Can not operate with small gap (large residual time)
range of
frequencies.
Possibility to operate at low
frequency
Possibility of plasma profile
Mentioned above negative ICP features have promoted VHFCCP. Many of negative opinions on ICP limitations are based on experience with poorly designed commercial ICP reactors. Contrary to prevailed lore:
ICP can operate in inductive mode at small wattage and low plasma density ICP can operate with small gap (small residual time) Many commercial ICPs with two antennas do not produce peripheral maxima. ICP can provide process uniformity control over the large area Capacitive coupling and transmission line effect can be eliminated ICP source can operate at much lower frequency, more efficient and is less expensive than VHFCCP and ICP used today in the plasma processing of semiconductor materials
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Pa/Pd
no core rod 2.5 MHz
U-core 0.1
0.01 1
Inefficient coupling and huge antenna loss prevent low plasma density operation in commercial ICPs.
Ar sputter rate uniformity : +/- 2.5% Th-Ox etch rate uniformity : +/- 2.6% 300 mm , Th-Ox wafer (blanket)
28
29
Current path
rf power supply
30
2.5 MHz
2.5 MHz
10
no core
no core
U-core 0.1 rod core 2.5 MHz 0.01 1 no core 10 100 discharge power (W)
rod
2.5 MHz
U-core 0.1
0.01 1
Introduction of a ferromagnetic core reduces antenna coil current and voltage, together with increasing ICP power factor (Cos) and power transfer efficiency
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power factor
V. Godyak, Proc.
XVth
Intern. Conf. on Gas Discharge and their Appl. V. 2, p. 621, Toulouse, France, 2004
E &I
B Inductor current
Inductor current
B E
32
5 mTorr 5 mTorr
0.4
0.4
1mT, 9.1%
10
10 mT, 2.5%
0.1
0.1
100
400
35
RF
36
10
2.8x10
11
2.4x10
11
Ne [cm ]
ne [cm ]
10
11
2.0x10
11
-3
10
10
-3
1.6x10
11
1.2x10
11
-150
-100
-50
50
100
150
Power [W]
Position [mm]
1.0
1.0
0.9
0.8
Power factor
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 100 Power [W] 1000 2mtorr 5mtorr 10mtorr 20mtorr 50mtorr
0.7
10
Power(W)
37
ring window disk window ring window support support support support ring flange ring flange flat probes
winding winding
chamber chamber
No Faraday screen!
movable pedestal
2 Pd=100 W
1.5
0.5
38
1000
Coil voltage and current are falling with power!? The inductor coil voltage follows the plasma EMF (negative plasma V/A characteristic) High power transfer efficiency is due to strong coupling (thin window and 1000 ferrite core) Wide range of plasma density, including low plasma density in inductive mode
0.2
0 10
10
13
0.6
1000 100
0.5
2mT
10
12
-3
0.4
5 50
10
0.3
10
11
1 mTorr
10
0.2
20
0.1
10
10
10
1000
-8
-6
-4
-2
distance (cm)
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Twelve reasons why the future belongs to the distributed ICPs with ferromagnetic core
No external E-M radiation (all E-M flux is directed to plasma) No capacitive coupling (no plasma rf potential, no window erosion) No transmission line effect (no azimuthal non-uniformity) Ability to operate at low power and low plasma density Low driving frequency (0.4 - 2 MHz) reduces cost of rf equipment Simple, compact and ridged construction
Summary
VHFCCPs have fundamental limitations preventing them to scale up for next generation wafers processing (450-670 mm) The main problems in commercial ICPs are weak inductive and large capacitive coupling They are far from the optimal design and thus have room for improvement Properly designed ICP can operate without capacitive coupling and transmission line effect at low plasma density, small gap and can provide good process uniformity Low frequency distributed ICPs with ferromagnetic cores can do everything that other plasma source do, but more efficiently and cost effective
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