New simulation-based approach for the profile control in a process chamber: Fluid, thermal, and plasma profile

Process chamber is the core unit of chemical vapor deposition and etching, and the physical fields in it have fatal effect on process quality. It is significant and difficult for improving the process performance to regulate the fields' profiles finely. Two design solutions for the profile regulation are proposed: controllable type and resistance type. A novel profile error feedback method is presented, and a simulation-based auto-design framework is established. The profile error feedback method is in a quasi-closed-loop-control mode. It starts from an initial guessed sequence of the design/control variables and predicts a better sequence via feedback of the profile error between the output-targeted profile and the expected one. It never stops until the profile error is narrowed in the preset tolerance. Three kinds of numerical experiments about the regulation of the thermal, fluid, and plasma profile are set to test the effectiveness and feasibility of the profile error feedback method and the two kinds of design schemes.