Plasma process system for multi-station
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there can be provided a plasma processing system for multi-station, the system including a processing chamber including at least two or more stations, one plasma generator provided for each of the stations, one inverter provided for each of the plasma generators, a sensing unit configured to measure an electric characteristic of each of the plasma generators, and a controller configured to acquire sensing data from the sensing unit and control each of the inverters.
1 . A system for plasma processing for multi station, the system comprising:
a processing chamber including a first station and a second station;
a first plasma generator coupled to the first station;
a first inverter configured to provide AC power to the first plasma generator;
a first sensing unit configured to sense electric characteristics related to the first plasma generator;
a second plasma generator coupled to the second station;
a second inverter configured to provide AC power to the second plasma generator;
a second sensing unit configured to sense electric characteristics related to the second plasma generator; and
a controller configured to control the first inverter and the second inverter,
wherein the first plasma generator includes a first discharge tube fluidically coupled to the first station and a first antenna structure placed to surround the first discharge tube,
wherein the second plasma generator includes a second discharge tube fluidically coupled to the second station and a second antenna structure placed to surround the second discharge tube,
wherein the first antenna structure is configured to receive AC power from the first inverter and induce plasma inside the first discharge tube, and
wherein the second antenna structure is configured to receive AC power from the second inverter and induce plasma inside the second discharge tube.
2 . The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
provide a first switch signal corresponding to a first driving frequency to the first inverter based on first sensing data obtained from the first sensing unit, and
provide a second switch signal corresponding to a second driving frequency to the second inverter based on second sensing data obtained from the second sensing unit.
3 . The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
receive third sensing data after receiving the first sensing data,
determine whether to change the first switch signal provided to the first inverter based on the third sensing data,
receive fourth sensing data after receiving the second sensing data,
determine whether to change the second switch signal provided to the second inverter based on the fourth sensing data.
4 . The system of claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
obtain first phase difference data and first power comparison data by using the third sensing data,
determine whether to change the first switch signal provided to the first inverter by using the first phase difference data and the first power comparison data,
wherein the first phase difference data corresponds to a phase difference between a voltage and a current applied to the first plasma generator, and
wherein the first power comparison data corresponds to a difference between first power applied to the first inverter and first target power.
5 . The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
provide a third switch signal corresponding to a third driving frequency smaller than the first driving frequency to the first inverter, when the first phase difference data indicates a lagging state and the first power comparison data indicates that the first power is smaller than the first target power.
6 . The system of claim 5 ,
wherein a difference between the first driving frequency and the third driving frequency is determined based on the first target power.
7 . The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
maintain the first switch signal applied to the first inverter, when the first phase difference data indicates a lagging state and the first power comparison data indicates that the first power is same with the first target power.
8 . The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
provide a third switch signal corresponding to a third driving frequency greater than the first driving frequency to the first inverter, when the first phase difference data indicates a lagging state and the first power comparison data indicates that the first power is greater than the first target power.
9 . The system of claim 8 ,
wherein a difference between the first driving frequency and the third driving frequency is determined based on the first target power.
10 . The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
provide a third switch signal corresponding to a third driving frequency greater than the first driving frequency to the first inverter, when the first phase difference data indicates a leading state.
11 . The system of claim 10 ,
wherein a difference between the first driving frequency and the third driving frequency is a fixed value.
12 . The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the first sensing unit is configured to acquire the first sensing data at a first predetermined interval and provide the first sensing data to the controller,
wherein the second sensing unit is configured to acquire the second sensing data at a second predetermined interval and provide the second sensing data to the controller, and
wherein the controller is configured to:
change the first switch signal provided to the first inverter based on the first sensing data obtained periodically, such that a frequency of AC power provided to the first plasma generator changes to a third driving frequency from the first driving frequency, and
change the second switch signal provided to the second inverter based on the second sensing data obtained periodically, such that a frequency of AC power provided to the second plasma generator changes to a fourth driving frequency from the second driving frequency.
13 . The system of claim 12 ,
wherein the controller is configured to:
obtain a first phase difference data representing a phase difference of a voltage and a current applied to the first plasma generator based on the first sensing data and the first switch signal,
change the first switch signal provided to the first inverter when the first phase difference data does not satisfy a first allowable phase difference condition,
obtain a second phase difference data representing a phase difference of a voltage and a current applied to the second plasma generator based on the second sensing data and the second switch signal, and
change the second switch signal provided to the second inverter when the second phase difference data does not satisfy a second allowable phase difference condition.
14 . The system of claim 13 ,
wherein the first sensing data corresponds to a phase of the current applied to the first plasma generator and the first switch signal corresponds to a phase of the voltage applied to the first plasma generator, and
wherein the second sensing data corresponds to a phase of the current applied to the second plasma generator and the second switch signal corresponds to a phase of the voltage applied to the second plasma generator.
15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power distributor electrically coupled to the first inverter and the second inverter;
wherein the power distributor is configured to provide first DC power to the first inverter and provide second DC power different in magnitude from the first DC power to the second inverter.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first discharge tube or the second discharge tube include a non-conductive material or a material having thermal conductivity.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plasma generator or the second plasma generator includes an electrode configured to DC discharge in the first discharge tube or the second discharge tube.
18 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a robot arm coupled to the processing chamber and configured to move a process object to the first station or the second station.
19 . The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first station includes a first head and a first substrate holder on which a first substrate is placed, the first head fluidically coupled to the first plasma generator.
20 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first gas supplier configured to provide gas to the first station and the second station; and
a second gas supplier configured to provide the gas to at least one of the first plasma generator or the second plasma generator.