Emily M Gallagher

US Patent:

20060191638, Aug 31, 2006

Filed:

Feb 28, 2005

Appl. No.:

10/906627

Inventors:

Timothy Dalton - Ridgefield CT, US
Emily Gallagher - Burlington VT, US
Louis Kindt - Milton VT, US
Carey Thiel - Williston VT, US
Andrew Watts - Essex VT, US

Assignee:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION - Armonk NY

International Classification:

C23F 1/00
C23C 16/00

US Classification:

156345430, 11872300E

Abstract:

An apparatus (and method for operating the same) which allows etching different substrate etch areas of a substrate having different pattern densities at essentially the same etch rate. The apparatus includes (a) a chamber; (b) an anode and a cathode in the chamber; and (c) a bias power system coupled to the cathode, wherein the cathode includes multiple cathode segments. The operation method includes the steps of: (i) placing a substrate to be etched between the anode and cathode, wherein the substrate includes N substrate etch areas, and the N substrate etch areas are directly above the N cathode segments; (ii) determining N bias powers which, when being applied to the N cathode segments during an etching of the substrate, will result in essentially a same etch rate for the N substrate etch areas; and (iii) using the bias power system to apply the N bias powers the N cathode segments.

US Patent:

20080093342, Apr 24, 2008

Filed:

Dec 21, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/962271

Inventors:

Timothy Dalton - Ridgefield CT, US
Emily Gallagher - Burlington VT, US
Louis Kindt - Milton VT, US
Carey Thiel - Williston VT, US
Andrew Watts - Essex VT, US

International Classification:

C23F 1/00

US Classification:

216071000

Abstract:

Method of operating an apparatus which allows etching different substrate etch areas of a substrate having different pattern densities at essentially the same etch rate. The apparatus includes (a) a chamber; (b) an anode and a cathode in the chamber; and (c) a bias power system coupled to the cathode, wherein the cathode includes multiple cathode segments. The operation method is as follows. A substrate to be etched is placed between the anode and cathode, wherein the substrate includes N substrate etch areas, and the N substrate etch areas are directly above the N cathode segments. N bias powers are determined which when being applied to the N cathode segments during an etching of the substrate, will result in essentially a same etch rate for the N substrate etch areas. Then, the bias power system is used to apply the N bias powers the N cathode segments.