FIELD

The present embodiments relate to a plasma processing apparatus, and more particularly to angled ion beams extracted from a plasma source using a novel ion extraction assembly.

BACKGROUND

Fabrication of complex 3D semiconductor structures often employs ion assisted plasma processes. Many of such processes use an ion beam having zero or small incidence angle, with respect to normal to the substrate plane. There are processes such as controlled etching of trench sidewalls, where ion beams having ion angular distributions (IAD) characterized by a high mean angle)(>50°) with respect to normal are called for. Such high incidence angles can be obtained by extracting the beam at zero degrees (with respect to the wafer normal when a wafer is oriented at a default “horizontal” orientation) and tilting the wafer at the desired angle. For example, an ion beam having a smaller cross-section than the area of a substrate to be processed may be directed to impinge generally along a normal orientation to the horizontal plane, while the tilted substrate (with respect to the horizontal plane) is scanned along the horizontal direction to expose in a sequential fashion the entirety of the substrate to the ion beam. The drawback of this approach is the process non-uniformity across the wafer surface: given the inherent beam divergence, there will be a variation in the ion beam dose as the wafer (substrate) is scanned in front of the beam.

With respect to these and other considerations the present disclosure is provided.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is the summary intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

An ion beam processing system in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plasma chamber, a plasma plate, disposed alongside the plasma chamber, the plasma plate defining a first extraction aperture, a beam blocker, disposed within the plasma chamber and facing the extraction aperture, a blocker electrode, disposed on a surface of the beam blocker outside of the plasma chamber, and an extraction electrode disposed on a surface of the plasma plate outside of the plasma chamber.

An ion beam processing system in accordance with another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plasma chamber, a plasma plate formed of an electrically insulating material, disposed alongside the plasma chamber, the plasma plate defining a first extraction aperture, a beam blocker formed of an electrically insulating material, disposed within the plasma chamber and facing the extraction aperture, a blocker electrode formed of an electrically conductive material and covered by a first dielectric coating, disposed on a surface of the beam blocker outside of the plasma chamber, wherein the blocker electrode is planar and has a thickness measured in a direction perpendicular to a front surface of the beam blocker, wherein the thickness of the blocker electrode is less than 1 millimeter, an extraction electrode formed of an electrically conductive material and covered by a first dielectric coating, disposed on a surface of the plasma plate outside of the plasma chamber, wherein the extraction electrode is planar and has a thickness measured in a direction perpendicular to a front surface of the plasma plate, wherein the thickness of the extraction electrode is less than 1 millimeter; and a pulsed voltage supply electrically coupled to the plasma chamber and the extraction electrode to generate a bias voltage between the extraction electrode and the plasma chamber.

A method of manufacturing a plasma plate assembly of an ion beam processing system in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure may include providing a plasma plate formed of an electrically insulating material, the plasma plate defining an elongated extraction aperture, applying an electrically conductive material to a front surface of the plasma plate surrounding the extraction aperture to form an extraction electrode, the extraction electrode being planar and having a thickness of less than 1 millimeter measured in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the plasma plate, and applying a dielectric coating to the plasma plate and the extraction electrode, the dielectric coating covering the front surface of the plasma plate and the extraction electrode.

A method of manufacturing a blocker assembly of an ion beam processing system in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure may include providing a beam blocker formed of an electrically insulating material, applying an electrically conductive material to a front surface of the beam blocker to form a blocker electrode, the blocker electrode being planar and having a thickness of less than 1 millimeter measured in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the beam blocker, and applying a dielectric coating to the beam blocker and the blocker electrode, the dielectric coating covering the front surface of the beam blocker and the blocker electrode.

