In forming semiconductor devices, thin films are often deposited using physical vapor deposition (“PVD”) or “sputtering” in a vacuum deposition chamber. Traditional PVD uses an atom of an inert gas, e.g. argon, ionized by an electric field and low pressure to bombard a target material. Released by the bombardment of the target with the inert gas, a neutral target atom travels to a semiconductor substrate and forms the thin film in conjunction with other atoms from the target. By ionizing the atoms released from the target as done in ionized PVD (“iPVD”), another type of sputtering, narrow vias may receive a thin film deposition by the ability to control the path of the ionized atoms released from the target by electric and magnetic fields, and therefore, where the atoms deposit on the semiconductor substrate.
In conventional PVD systems, however, fine control of the ionized atoms is limited. What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for fine control of the ion trajectory in a physical vapor deposition chamber.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds