IP Library Granted Patent US 12676290
Granted Patent B2
US 12676290 · App. 18/770,268 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Plasma generator and method of using same

Inventor: Hongseub Kim (Hwaseong-si, KR)
Assignee: JEHARA CORPORATION
H01J37/32146H01J37/32183H01J37/32449H01J2237/334
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12676290
App. No.
18/770,268
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plasma generator and a method of using the same are proposed. The disclosed relates to a plasma generator and a method of using the same capable of improving the uniformity of plasma used in a semiconductor manufacturing process and forming fine patterns and patterns having a high aspect ratio by precisely controlling ion energy. The plasma generator includes a vacuum chamber, a source electrode provided in the vacuum chamber, a bias electrode provided to correspond to the source electrode in the vacuum chamber and on which a substrate seated thereon, a shower head unit provided on a lower part of the source electrode to supply reaction gas to a plasma space above the substrate, an RF power supply unit for applying RF power to the source electrode, and a bias power supply unit connected to the bias electrode to apply bias power.

Claims (35)

1 . A plasma generator comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a source electrode provided in the vacuum chamber;

a bias electrode provided to correspond to the source electrode in the vacuum chamber and on which a substrate is seated;

a shower head unit provided on a lower part of the source electrode to supply reaction gas to a plasma space above the substrate;

an RF power supply unit for applying RF power to the source electrode; and

a bias power supply unit connected to the bias electrode to apply bias power,

wherein the shower head unit is configured to control the reaction gas supplied to a center zone and an edge zone of the substrate,

wherein the bias power supply unit comprises a direct current (DC) pulse generation module for generating a DC bias pulse, and the DC pulse generation module comprising:

a pulse generator for generating an alternating current (AC) pulse;

a first rectifier for performing half-wave rectification of the pulse generated by the pulse generator to generate a positive (+) DC pulse; and

a second rectifier for performing half-wave rectification of the pulse generated by the pulse generator to generate a negative (−) DC pulse.

2 . The plasma generator of claim 1 , wherein the shower head unit comprises:

a first shower head unit having a first gas supply section provided with a first gas to be introduced to the edge zone of the substrate and a first gas inlet through which the first gas provided in the first gas supply section flows toward the edge zone of the substrate; and

a second shower head unit having a second gas supply section provided with a second gas to be introduced to the center zone of the substrate and a second gas inlet through which the second gas provided in the second gas supply section flows to the center zone of the substrate.

3 . The plasma generator of claim 2 , wherein the second shower head unit further comprises:

a third gas supply section provided with a partition for dividing an internal space of the second shower head unit into a center zone and an edge zone, and having a third gas inlet through which the first gas provided in the third gas supply section flows to the edge zone of the substrate.

4 . The plasma generator of claim 2 , wherein the source electrode comprises:

a first gas supply port for injecting the first gas;

a second gas supply port for injecting the second gas; and

a first baffle for diffusing the first gas injected through the first gas supply port to the first gas supply section.

5 . The plasma generator of claim 4 , wherein the first gas supply port is a contact point to which the RF power is applied.

6 . The plasma generator of claim 5 , wherein the first baffle is provided at a center of the source electrode.

7 . The plasma generator of claim 4 , wherein the first shower head unit further comprises:

a second baffle for diffusing the second gas supplied through the second gas supply port into the second gas supply section.

8 . The plasma generator of claim 7 , wherein the second baffle is provided at a center of the first shower head unit.

9 . The plasma generator of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bias matcher for controlling an impedance connected in parallel to the DC pulse generation module; and

an RF bias.

10 . A method of etching a substrate by using the plasma generator of claim 1 , the method comprising:

a first step S 10 of injecting gas;

a second step S 20 of controlling pressure in a vacuum chamber;

a third step S 30 of applying RF power by operating an RF power supply unit;

a fourth step S 40 of applying a negative (−) DC pulse to a bias power supply unit by using a DC pulse generation module; and

a fifth step S 50 of applying a positive (+) DC pulse to the bias power supply unit by using the DC pulse generation module.