Characteristics of Large Area Inductively Coupled Plasma Using a Multiple Linear Antennas with U-Type Parallel Connection for Flat Panel Display Processing

In this study, the characteristics of large area internal linear inductively coupled plasma (ICP) sources of 1,020×920 mm2 (substrate area is 880×660 mm2) were investigated using a multiple linear antennas with U-type parallel connection. Using the multiple linear antennas with U-type parallel connection, a high plasma density of 2×1011 cm-3 and a high power transfer efficiency of about 88% could be obtained at 5 kW of RF power and with 20 mTorr Ar. A low plasma potential of less than 26 V and a low electron temperature of 2.6–3.2 eV could be also obtained. The measured plasma uniformity on the substrate size of fourth generation (880×660 mm2) was about 4%, therefore, it is believed that the multiple linear antennas with U-type parallel connection can be successfully applicable to the large area flat panel display processing.