[labnetwork] C4F8 polymer deposition in RIE - issues related to that

[Pramod C Karulkar]

You may  have succeeded in nearly tuning the matching network but does 
the system perform as it used to?  (process outcomes?)  You have to know 
where the RF power is going.   You may have deposited a non-insulating, 
carbon containing material all over your chamber including the electrode 
assembly.  Leakage to ground may be causing your problems. An extended, 
low power oxygen (plus inert gas optional) plasma cleaning (hour+)  
while heating the chamber components helps if  the system is set up to 
safely use oxygen.  In addition to cleaning the chamber, you may have to 
take apart, clean, and rebuild the cathode assembly with new 
insulators.   Instead of experimenting on the matching network with 
active plasma chemistries,  it is easier to use a basic discharge (e.g.  
pure argon)  to diagnose RF components and  to keep track of the 
parameters for system qualification.

Verify that the power supply is functioning properly  using a vendor 
suggested method or a dummy RF load.  Ditto for the matching network.  
You have to consider very small probability that the process you ran had 
nothing to do with the subsequent failure.

Plasma deposition is  a very complex process.  Inductively coupled 
systems that have simpler internal surfaces are easier to use instead of 
cathode based systems with intricate internal structure.

Please let the forum know about the solution to your problem once you 
resolve it.
Good luck.

Pramod Karulkar

Pramod C Karulkar Ph.D.
Home 2*5*3* 3*0*3 0*4*1*8
6024 33rd Street Ct NW
Gig Harbor WA 98335



On 5/20/2013 6:08 AM, N P VAMSI KRISHNA wrote:
> Dear Colleagues,
> Recently we had a problem in our RIE (Oxford Plasma lab system 100) 
> tool. The RF Lower electrode was giving very high reflected powers for 
> some recipes and DC bias close to 0V and we realized the auto match 
> capacitors are misaligned. After a long effort we could got that back 
> to almost normal, by manually tuning the RF auto match and doing error 
> corrections.
> The last recipe which ran on the tool was depositing C4F8 for 10 min. 
> Before this run chamber was clean. (We normally don't encourage 
> polymer deposition in our RIE tool for longer durations)
>
> Does any one face similar problem or any idea if C4F8 polymer 
> deposition could do this and why?
>
>
> -- 
> Thanks & Regards,
>
> /*Vamsi Krishna*/
> Sr.Facility Technologist - Process Integration
> National Nano Fabrication Center
> Center for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE)
> Indian Institute of Science(IISc)
> Bangalore560012, INDIA
> Mobile:  +91 9880988239
>
> /A bird sitting on the branch of a tree is not afraid of the branch 
> shaking or breaking, because it trusts not the branches but its OWN 
> WINGS. /
>
>
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