US 12,451,329 B2
Plasma processing apparatus with tunable electrical characteristic
Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Austin, TX (US); Mitsunori Ohata, Taiwa-cho (JP); Alok Ranjan, Austin, TX (US); and Yun Han, Albany, NY (US)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/337,067.
Prior Publication US 2022/0392749 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32146 (2013.01) [H01J 37/32486 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processing chamber;
a source power (SP) coupling element configured to generate plasma in an interior of the plasma processing chamber by coupling source power to the plasma processing chamber;
a direct current (DC) pulse generator configured to generate a DC pulse train at a DC pulse frequency;
a substrate holder disposed in the interior of the plasma processing chamber;
a DC coupling element coupled to the DC pulse generator;
a DC current path comprising the DC coupling element, the plasma, and a reference potential node in a series configuration, the DC coupling element being configured to bias the substrate holder relative to the reference potential node using the DC pulse train; and
a capacitive pre-coat layer disposed between the DC coupling element and the plasma, the capacitive pre-coat layer increasing the RC time constant of the DC current path according to the DC pulse frequency.