ETCHING AND PLASMA UNIFORMITY CONTROL USING MAGNETICS

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer programs are presented for controlling etch rate and plasma uniformity using magnetic fields. A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber including a processing zone for processing a substrate using capacitively coupled plasma (CCP). The apparatus further includes a magnetic field sensor configured to detect a signal representing a residual magnetic field associated with the vacuum chamber. At least one magnetic field source is configured to generate one or more supplemental magnetic fields through the processing zone of the vacuum chamber. A magnetic field controller is coupled to the magnetic field sensor and the at least one magnetic field source. The magnetic field controller is configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the one or more supplemental magnetic fields, causing the one or more supplemental magnetic fields to reduce the residual magnetic field to a pre-determined value.