Semiconductor processing apparatus for generating plasma

Abstract

A Faraday shield, a semiconductor processing apparatus, and an etching apparatus are provided. The Faraday shield includes a plurality of conductive slices and a spacer interposed between adjacent two of the conductive slices to electrically isolate the adjacent two of conductive slices from one another. The conductive slices are separately arranged aside one another and oriented along a circumference of the Faraday shield. A coil is wound around the circumference of the Faraday shield.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising:
 a plasma-generating chamber adapted to generate plasma therein;   a shield disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and comprising:
 a plurality of conductive slices separately arranged aside one another and oriented along a circumference of the shield; and 
 a spacer interposed between adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices; and 
   a coil wound around the circumference of the shield.   
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices are electrically isolated from one another through the spacer. 
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices are adhered to one another through the spacer. 
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive slices comprises a facet facing the coil, and a facet width of the facet is defined by two side edges of each of the plurality of conductive slices extending along a height direction of the shield. 
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shield further comprises:
 a casing provided with a window opening, the plurality of conductive slices and the spacer being disposed within the window opening of the casing.   
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the window of the casing is at a middle portion of the casing, and the coil overlaps the window. 
     
     
         7 . A semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising:
 a plasma-generating chamber adapted to generate plasma therein;   a coil wound around an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and coupled to a power source; and   a shield interposed between the coil and the plasma-generating chamber and comprising:
 a casing provided with a window opening; and 
 a plurality of conductive slices discontinuously arranged along a winding direction of the coil in the window opening. 
   
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the shield further comprises:
 a spacer disposed between any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices to spaced apart any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices from one another along the winding direction of the coil.   
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the spacer comprises an adhesive material to adhere the any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices. 
     
     
         10 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of conductive slices is electrically isolated from the casing by the spacer. 
     
     
         11 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the spacer fills a first gap spacing apart the casing and one of the plurality of conductive slices adjacent to the casing, and a second gap spacing apart adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices. 
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a dimension of the first gap is different from a dimension of the second gap. 
     
     
         13 . The semiconductor processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive slices of the shield comprises a facet facing the coil, and a length of the facet extends along a height direction of the shield. 
     
     
         14 . An etching apparatus, comprising:
 a plasma-generating chamber adapted to generate plasma therein;   a processing chamber disposed below the plasma-generating chamber and adapted to process a semiconductor workpiece;   a shield disposed on an exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and comprising:
 a plurality of conductive slices arranged parallel to one another along the exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber; 
 a casing provided with a window opening, the plurality of conductive slices separately disposed within the window opening; and 
 an insulating spacer provided with the window opening, wherein the plurality of conductive slices are separated from one another through the insulating spacer; and 
   a coil surrounding the plurality of conductive slices of the shield and coupled to a power source to supply a plasma-creating power.   
     
     
         15 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein any adjacent two of the plurality of conductive slices are electrically isolated from one another through the insulating spacer. 
     
     
         16 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive slices is surrounded by the insulating spacer. 
     
     
         17 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive slices of the shield comprises a length extending along the exterior wall of the plasma-generating chamber and a width extending along a circumference of the plasma-generating chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive slices of the shield comprises a facet exposed by the insulating spacer and facing an inner peripheral surface of the coil. 
     
     
         19 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of conductive slices comprises a plurality of first conductive slices and a plurality of second conductive slices alternately arranged within the window opening, and a width of the plurality of first conductive slices is different from a width of the plurality of second conductive slices. 
     
     
         20 . The etching apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of conductive slices is made of the same conductive material as the casing.