Patent ID: 9435029
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: C23C,H01J

Claim Text:
1. A system for plasma-based processing, comprising: a plasma processing chamber configured to contain a plasma; an electrostatic chuck positioned within the plasma processing chamber and coupled to a substrate, an ion-energy control portion, the ion-energy control portion including a controllable DC voltage source to provide a DC output voltage defined by a potential difference between a first voltage and a ground potential, wherein the potential difference has a magnitude that is determined by at least one ion-energy distribution setting, wherein the ion-energy distribution setting is indicative of a desired ion energy distribution of the ions at the surface of the substrate; a first switching component disposed to switchably couple the first voltage of the DC voltage source to the electrostatic chuck; a second switching component disposed to switchably couple the ground potential of the DC voltage source to the electrostatic chuck; a first controller to alternately open and close the first and second switching components to alternately apply the first voltage and the ground potential of the DC voltage source to the electrostatic chuck; a DC offset supply coupled to the electrostatic chuck; a DC offset controller to control a DC offset voltage applied by the DC offset supply; and an ion current compensation component coupled to the electrostatic chuck, the ion current compensation component, including a controllable DC current source coupled to the electrostatic chuck to provide an uninterrupted compensation current, which is fixed in magnitude to the substrate support, wherein DC power including the DC voltage source, the DC offset supply, and the DC current source is the sole source of power applied to the electrostatic chuck.