US 11,676,797 B2
DC plasma control for electron enhanced material processing
William Andrew Goddard, Pasadena, CA (US); Stewart Francis Sando, St. Petersburg, FL (US); Samir John Anz, La Crescenta, CA (US); and David Irwin Margolese, Pomona, CA (US)
Assigned to VELVETCH LLC, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed by VELVETCH LLC, Pasadena, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/946,434.
Application 17/946,434 is a continuation of application No. 17/524,330, filed on Nov. 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0140979 A1, May 11, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32027 (2013.01) [H01J 37/32045 (2013.01); H01J 37/32596 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A direct-current (DC) plasma system for processing of a substrate, comprising:
a DC plasma reaction chamber configured to contain a DC plasma that is generated between an anode and a cathode of the DC plasma reaction chamber;
an adjustable DC voltage source having an output that is electrically coupled to the anode;
a DC current source that is electrically coupled to the cathode; and
a substrate support stage arranged in a region of the DC plasma reaction chamber that contains a positive column of the DC plasma,
wherein
the adjustable DC voltage source and the DC current source are electrically coupled to a reference ground,
the DC current source is configured to set a constant DC current that flows between the anode and the cathode, and
the adjustable DC voltage source is configured to adjust, independently from the constant DC current, an electrical potential at the anode to set a substrate floating potential at a surface of the substrate support stage to a specific potential relative to a potential of the reference ground.