METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLASMA FORMING INNER MAGNETIC BUCKET TO CONTROL A VOLUME OF A PLASMA

摘要

A plasma confinement arrangement for controlling the volume of a plasma while processing a substrate inside a process chamber includes a chamber within which a plasma is both ignited and sustained for processing. The chamber is defined at least in part by a wall and further includes a plasma confinement arrangement. The plasma confinement arrangement includes a magnetic array disposed inside of the chamber. The magnetic array has a plurality of magnetic elements that are disposed around a plasma region within the process chamber.The magnetic field establishes a containment field (a type of "magnetic wall") within the chamber. The containment field can be shifted in a preselected manner to improve operation of the substrate processing system and to reduce the damage and/or cleaning problems caused by the plasma's interaction with other elements of the processing system. Shifting of the containment field can be accomplished by moving magnetic elements in the magnetic array.