Plasma processing apparatus and liner assembly for tuning electrical skews

Abstract

The invention discloses a plasma processing apparatus comprising a chamber lid, a chamber body and a support assembly. The chamber body, defining a processing volume for containing a plasma, for supporting the chamber lid. The chamber body is comprised of a chamber sidewall, a bottom wall and a liner assembly. The chamber sidewall and the bottom wall define a processing volume for containing a plasma. The liner assembly, disposed inside the processing volume, comprises of two or more slots formed thereon for providing an axial symmetric RF current path. The support assembly supports a substrate for processing within the chamber body. With the liner assembly with several symmetric slots, the present invention can prevent electromagnetic fields thereof from being azimuthal asymmetry.

1 . A liner assembly, for use in a plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
 a cylindrical body having an outer wall dimensioned to slip inside of a sidewall of the plasma processing apparatus, comprising the body having a plurality of slots formed therethrough and arranged in a polar array, wherein at least one of the slots is configured to allow a substrate to pass through the liner.   
     
     
         2 . The liner assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots have the same size. 
     
     
         3 . The liner assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots are spaced equidistantly apart. 
     
     
         4 . The liner assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots are four slots spaced 90 degrees apart. 
     
     
         5 . The liner assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body further comprises:
 a bottom coupled to the outer wall; and   an inner wall coupled to the bottom and dimensioned to slip over a substrate support of the processing apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . The liner assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body further comprises:
 a coolant passage formed therein.   
     
     
         7 . A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber body having a sidewall and bottom wall, wherein the chamber sidewall and the bottom wall define a processing volume for containing a plasma, the sidewall having a slit valve tunnel formed therethrough;   a lid assembly disposed on the chamber body; and   a liner assembly disposed inside the processing volume and comprising a plurality of slots, the plurality of slots comprising a first slot aligned with the slit valve tunnel and at least a second slot, the first and second slots arranged to produce an axial symmetric RF return current path through the liner assembly.   
     
     
         8 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein first and second slots have the same size. 
     
     
         9 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of slots are spaced equidistantly apart. 
     
     
         10 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of slots further comprises:
 a third slot formed through the liner assembly, wherein the first, second and third slots are spaced 120 degrees apart.   
     
     
         11 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of slots further comprises:
 a third slot formed through the liner assembly; and   a fourth slot formed through the liner assembly, wherein the first, second, third and fourth slots are spaced 90 degrees apart.   
     
     
         12 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the liner assembly further comprises:
 an outer wall dimensioned to slip inside of the sidewall of the chamber body; and   a bottom coupled to the outer wall.   
     
     
         13 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the liner assembly further comprises:
 an inner wall coupled to the bottom and dimensioned to slip over the substrate support.   
     
     
         14 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the liner assembly further comprises:
 a coolant passage formed therein.   
     
     
         15 . A method for plasma processing a substrate, comprising:
 transferring a substrate into a plasma processing apparatus having a liner assembly lining a chamber body, the liner assembly having two or more slots formed therethrough, the slots selected to provide a symmetrical distribution of RF current flow through the liner assembly during processing;   introducing process gases into the chamber body from a gas source;   coupling power to an electrode to excite the process gases within the chamber body into a plasma; and   processing the substrate in the presence of the plasma.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein processing the substrate in the presence of the plasma comprises:
 performing at least one of an plasma etch process, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, a physical vapor deposition process, a plasma treatment process, or an ion implantation process.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein coupling power to the electrode to excite the process gases within the chamber body into the plasma further comprises:
 providing RF power to at least one of a showerhead or substrate support.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein two or more slots formed through the liner assembly further comprises:
 a plurality of slots having a same size and are arranged in a polar array about a centerline of the liner assembly, wherein one of the slots is aligned with a slit valve tunnel formed through the chamber body.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 flowing a coolant through a passage formed in the liner assembly.