Faraday Shield Disposed Within An Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for positioning and utilizing a Faraday shield in direct exposure to a plasma within an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus. Broadly speaking, the Faraday shield configuration maintains a condition of an etching chamber window. At a minimum, positioning the Faraday shield between the window and the plasma prevents erosion of the window resulting from plasma sputter and shunts heat generated by an etching process away from the window.

1 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a chamber having an interior cavity defined by a bottom and side walls, wherein each of the side walls has a top surface;    placing a thermally conductive adapter plate to interface with the top surface of the side walls so as to form a seal between the thermally conductive adapter plate and the side walls, wherein the thermally conductive adapter plate is defined to have a central opening over the chamber interior cavity;    placing a metal shield to cover the central opening of the thermally conductive adapter plate and establish a thermal connection between the metal shield and the thermally conductive adapter plate, whereby the metal shield is placed to be in direct exposure to the chamber interior cavity;    placing a window above the metal shield and thermally conductive adapter plate so as to form a seal between the window and the thermally conductive adapter plate; and    placing a coil above the window.    
   
   
       2 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein placing the window above the metal shield is performed such that a distance ranging from about 0.005 inch to about 0.04 inch exists between the metal shield and the window.  
   
   
       3 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 coating the metal shield.    
   
   
       4 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein placing the metal shield over the chamber interior cavity is performed such that the metal shield is electrically isolated from the chamber side walls.  
   
   
       5 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 applying an electric charge to the metal shield.    
   
   
       6 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the metal shield is defined to include a plurality of slits configured to control a flow of electrical current through the metal shield.  
   
   
       7 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 placing a liner proximate to the thermally conductive adapter plate such that the liner is in direct exposure to the chamber interior cavity.    
   
   
       8 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a chamber defined by a bottom, side walls, and an upper heat dissipation structure, wherein the upper heat dissipation structure is defined to include an opening through which an interior cavity of the chamber is exposed;    placing a thermally conductive metal shield in thermal communication with the upper heat dissipation structure so as to cover the opening within the heat dissipation structure, whereby the thermally conductive metal shield is directly exposed to the chamber interior cavity;    placing a window above the thermally conductive metal shield so as to form a seal between the window and the upper heat dissipation structure around the thermally conductive metal shield; and    placing a coil above the window.    
   
   
       9 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein placing the thermally conductive metal shield in thermal communication with the upper heat dissipation structure includes mating a surrounding support body of the thermally conductive metal shield with a complementary shaped portion of the upper heat dissipation structure.  
   
   
       10 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the surrounding support body of the thermally conductive metal shield is defined as a ring, and the complementary shaped portion of the upper heat dissipation structure is defined as a channel.  
   
   
       11 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the surrounding support body of the thermally conductive metal shield is defined to include an outer surface contoured to be inserted into and removed from the upper heat dissipation structure from a direction below the upper heat dissipation structure.  
   
   
       12 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the surrounding support body of the thermally conductive metal shield is defined to include an outer surface contoured to be inserted into and removed from the upper heat dissipation structure from a direction above the upper heat dissipation structure.  
   
   
       13 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the thermally conductive metal shield is defined to have a thickness ranging from about 0.03 inch to about 1 inch.  
   
   
       14 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein placing the window above the thermally conductive metal shield is performed such that a distance ranging from about 0.005 inch to about 0.04 inch exists between the thermally conductive metal shield and the window.  
   
   
       15 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a chamber defined by a bottom and side walls, wherein each of the side walls has a top surface;    forming a chamber top to include a heat dissipation structure and a metal shield thermally integrated with the heat dissipation structure, wherein the heat dissipation structure defines a peripheral portion of the chamber top and the metal shield defines a central portion of the chamber top such that the metal shield is substantially planar with a top surface of the heat dissipation structure;    placing the chamber top to interface with the top surface of the side walls so as to form a seal between the chamber top and the side walls;    placing a window above the chamber top so as to form a seal between the window and the peripheral portion of the chamber top; and    placing a coil above the window.    
   
   
       16 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein placing the window above the chamber top is performed such that a distance ranging from about 0.005 inch to about 0.04 inch exists between the metal shield and the window.  
   
   
       17 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the metal shield is defined to include a plurality of slits configured to control a flow of electrical current through the metal shield.  
   
   
       18 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 placing a liner proximate to the heat dissipation structure such that the liner is in direct exposure to an interior cavity of the chamber.    
   
   
       19 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 coating the metal shield.    
   
   
       20 . A method for making an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the metal shield is defined to have a thickness ranging from about 0.03 inch to about 1 inch.