Patent attributes
An electrode assembly (50) and an associated plasma reactor system (10) and related methods for a variety of plasma processing applications. The electrode assembly provides control of a plasma density profile (202) within an interior region (30) of a plasma reactor chamber (20). The electrode assembly includes an upper electrode (54) having a lower surface (54L), an upper surface (54U) and an outer edge (54E). The lower surface of the upper electrode faces interior region of the plasma chamber housing the plasma (200), and thus interfaces with the plasma. The electrode assembly further includes a segmented electrode (60) arranged proximate to and preferably substantially parallel with the upper surface of the upper electrode. The segmented electrode comprises two or more separated electrode segments (62a, 62b, . . . 62n), each having an upper and lower surface. Each electrode segment is spaced apart from the upper electrode upper surface by a corresponding controlled gap (Ga, Gb, . . . Gn). The electrode assembly may further include one or more actuators (110) attached to one or more electrode segments at the upper surface of the one or more electrode segments. The actuators allow for movement of the one or more electrode segments to adjust one or more of the controlled gaps. The adjustable controlled gaps allow for controlling the shape of the plasma density profile within the interior region of the chamber, thereby allowing for a desired plasma process result.
