Patent ID: 6399507
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A method for ensuring a stable plasma in a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the plasma stability is achieved by choosing both an RF power level applied to an inductively coupled plasma source, and an operating pressure applied in a processing chamber in which a plasma is produced from said inductively coupled plasma source, to be within a stable region for a particular combination of plasma source gases, wherein said plasma is generated from a plasma source which is inductively coupled to an RF power input, the RF power input having a power level PRF, with a part of said RF power input being deposited into said plasma source as a capacitive power component, Pcap, and wherein âˆ‚Pcap/PRF is greater than 0, or by choosing a âˆ‚Pcap/âˆ‚PRF which is less than zero, wherein a magnitude of a calculated plasma capacitive power component Pcap is 10% or less than a magnitude of PRF.