Electron energy control in inductively coupled plasma employing multimode antenna

A method of electron energy control was studied in an inductively coupled plasma employing a multimode antenna, for high etching performance in ultra large-scale-integrated circuit (ULSI) fabrication processes. Electron energy was reduced by changing the azimuthal mode of the antenna from m = 0 to m = 1 with no notable change in electron density. The electron energy reduction at the m = 1 mode was found by Langmuir probe measurement. This behavior was also confirmed by optical emission spectroscopy. Since the energy reduction was more remarkable at lower pressures, it was considered to be due to the revel-sc of the induction field with a smaller length in the higher mode antenna.