Postplasma particle dynamics in a Gaseous Electronics Conference RF Reference Cell

Particle contamination in plasma tools used for the manufacture of very large scale integrated semiconductor devices on silicon wafers is a major cause of yield loss. Understanding the dynamics of particle movement in the postplasma regime is important to explain the process of their transport to the wafer. The movement of particle contamination in a Gaseous Electronics Conference RF Reference Cell in the postplasma regime was investigated using a novel technique. Particle clouds were observed using laser light scattering together with an image intensifier and a monochromator. This technique allowed particle clouds of low density, that could not otherwise be detected, to be seen. Video analysis of the particles showed movement of the cloud front during the first second after the plasma was extinguished. Using the particle terminal velocity to estimate particle size, we estimate diameters of 0.11 μm in argon and 0.05 μm in krypton. The role of the thermophoretic force on particles during the postplasma was shown to be larger than gravitational forces and to dominate particle transport for small particles under the conditions investigated. A temperature gradient of 12 °C/cm was observed to move these particles away from a warm electrode as the plasma was extinguished and the particles were released from the electrostatic confinement forces generated by the plasma.