Granted Patent B2

US 12,400,839 · App. 18/517,271 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Inventor: Hyungsik Ko (Suwon-si, KR)

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

H01J37/32642H01J37/32091H01J37/32715H01L21/6833H01J37/3211H01J37/32119H01J37/3244H01J2237/327

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A focus ring, comprising:

an inner ring on a periphery of an electrostatic chuck; and

an outer ring having an inner circumferential surface surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring,

wherein a lower gap between a lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and a lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is narrower than an upper gap between an upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and an upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and

wherein the outer ring includes a thickness-compensating portion on the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, the thickness-compensating portion being positioned higher than an imaginary straight line between the upper end and the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring.

2. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness-compensating portion includes:

a first inclined surface extended from the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a first inclined angle with respect to a lower surface of the outer ring; and

a second inclined surface extended from an upper end of the first inclined surface to the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a second inclined angle with respect to the lower surface of the outer ring.

3. The focus ring as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first inclined angle is greater than the second inclined angle.

4. The focus ring as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the thickness-compensating portion further includes a third inclined surface extended from the upper end of the first inclined surface to a lower end of the second inclined surface at a third inclined angle with respect to the lower surface of the outer ring.

5. The focus ring as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the third inclined angle is less than the first inclined angle and greater than the second inclined angle.

6. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness-compensating portion includes a curved inner circumferential surface connected between the upper end and the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring.

7. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is in contact with the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

8. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is spaced apart from the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

9. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the outer ring is substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the inner ring.

10. The focus ring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the outer ring is positioned lower than an upper surface of the inner ring.

11. A focus ring, comprising:

an inner ring on a periphery of an electrostatic chuck; and

an outer ring having an inner circumferential surface surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring,

wherein a lower gap between a lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and a lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is narrower than an upper gap between an upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and an upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring,

wherein the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring includes:

a first inclined surface extended from the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a first inclined angle with respect to a lower surface of the outer ring, and

a second inclined surface extended from an upper end of the first inclined surface to the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a second inclined angle with respect to the lower surface of the outer ring,

wherein the first inclined angle is greater than the second inclined angle, and

wherein an upper surface of the outer ring is positioned lower than an upper surface of the inner ring.

12. The focus ring as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is in contact with the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

13. The focus ring as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is spaced apart from the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

14. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a reaction chamber configured to receive the substrate;

an electrostatic chuck in the reaction chamber, the electrostatic chuck being configured to support the substrate;

a plasma generator configured to generate plasma from a reaction gas in the reaction chamber; and

a focus ring on a periphery of the electrostatic chuck, the focus ring being configured to surround the substrate, and the focus ring including:

an inner ring on the periphery of the electrostatic chuck and configured to surround the substrate, and

an outer ring having an inner circumferential surface configured to surround an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring,

wherein a lower gap between a lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and a lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring is narrower than an upper gap between an upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and an upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and

wherein the outer ring includes a thickness-compensating portion on the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, the thickness-compensating portion being positioned higher than an imaginary straight line between the upper end and the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the plasma generator includes a showerhead configured to inject the reaction gas into the reaction chamber.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the plasma generator includes:

an antenna arranged on an upper surface of the reaction chamber; and

a dielectric window arranged under the antenna.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the thickness-compensating portion includes:

a first inclined surface extended from the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a first inclined angle with respect to a lower surface of the outer ring; and

a second inclined surface extended from an upper end of the first inclined surface to the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring at a second inclined angle with respect to the lower surface of the outer ring, the first inclined angle being greater than the second inclined angle.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring makes is in contact with the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein an upper surface of the outer ring is substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the inner ring.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein an upper surface of the outer ring is positioned lower than an upper surface of the inner ring.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (36)