Patent ID: 6190513
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
An apparatus for energizing a plasma within a semiconductor fabrication system to sputter material from a target onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:an RF signal source;a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a wall, a conductive darkspace shield positioned adjacent said target to shield a periphery of said target, and a plasma generation region adjacent to said target; anda coil-shield positioned within the chamber to protect at least a portion of the chamber wall from deposition materials, said coil-shield having a slot which defines first and second ends wherein one of said coil-shield ends is electrically coupled to said RF signal source and the other of said coil-shield ends is coupled to ground, said coil-shield being positioned to couple RF energy into said plasma generation region, to produce ions to ionize sputtered material, wherein said darkspace shield has a discontinuity of sufficient size to substantially reduce eddy currents from flowing in said darkspace shield in response to said RF energy coupled into said plasma generation region.