Patent ID: 7959984

Claim:
A method for reducing byproduct deposits on a set of plasma chamber surfaces of a plasma processing chamber in a plasma processing system for processing at least a substrate, said byproduct deposits being produced from said substrate, the method comprising: providing a deposition barrier in said plasma processing chamber, said deposition barrier is configured to be disposed in a plasma generating region of said plasma processing chamber, thereby permitting at least some process byproducts produced when a plasma is struck within said plasma processing chamber to adhere to said deposition barrier and reducing said byproduct deposits on said set of plasma processing chamber surfaces; providing a structure inside said plasma processing chamber and under said deposition barrier; supporting said deposition barrier using said structure, said structure being attached to a bottom of said plasma processing chamber, said structure enabling said deposition barrier to be repositioned relative to said bottom of said plasma processing chamber; positioning said deposition barrier at a first position inside said plasma processing chamber relative to said bottom of said plasma processing chamber; striking a first plasma in said plasma processing chamber when said deposition barrier is at said first position; using said deposition barrier to contact a first subset of said byproduct deposits when said deposit barrier is at said first position; re-positioning said deposition barrier to a second position inside said plasma processing chamber relative to said bottom of said plasma processing chamber; striking a second plasma in said plasma processing chamber when said deposition barrier is at said second position; using said deposition barrier to contact a second subset of said byproduct deposits when said deposition barrier is at said second position; and including a resistant material in said deposition barrier, said resistant material being resistant to attack of said plasma.