Method and apparatus for plasma processing

• US 20020117473A1
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Yanase, Toshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,764,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/69
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32238 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

In a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, a gas inlet port and a discharge port are provided on a chamber for introducing and discharging gas into and from the chamber respectively. A sample to be etched is placed on an electrode part, so that a high-frequency power source applies a high-frequency bias to the sample. An electromagnet provided on the periphery of a plasma generation area generates a magnetic field while a waveguide connected to an upper potion of the chamber introduces a microwave into the plasma generation area through a microwave introduction window. Electron cyclotron resonance is excited for the gas for generating plasma. At least a surface of the microwave introduction window exposed to the plasma generation area is made of quartz, while the gas contains fluorine. The apparatus having the aforementioned structure can remove a material adhering to the surface of the microwave introduction window when the sample is etched.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method introducing a microwave and gas into a chamber capable of storing a sample having a conductive layer through a microwave introduction mechanism and from a gas inlet port respectively for processing said conductive layer with plasma, wherein

at least a part of said microwave introduction mechanism exposed to said plasma consists of quartz,

said gas contains at least fluorine, and

said part of quartz is etched at the same time during said processing.

2. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein said gas contains no halogen element but fluorine.

9. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein said conductive layer contains gold, silver, copper, a platinum metal, indium, gallium, germanium, arsenic or phosphorus, or an alloy of any of these metals.

10. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein said conductive layer contains a metal oxide.

3. A plasma processing method introducing a microwave and gas into a chamber capable of storing a sample having a conductive layer through a microwave introduction mechanism and from a gas inlet port respectively for processing said conductive layer with first plasma, wherein

said sample is discharged and a part of said microwave introduction mechanism exposed to said first plasma is cleaned with second plasma when prescribed information changed by processing said conductive layer with said first plasma satisfies a prescribed condition.

4. The plasma processing method according to claim 3, wherein said prescribed information is the number of processed samples.

5. The plasma processing method according to claim 3, wherein said prescribed information reflects the state of said first plasma.

6. The plasma processing method according to claim 5, wherein said microwave is introduced from a microwave generation source into said chamber through a microwave matcher, and

said prescribed information is match position information of said microwave matcher.

7. The plasma processing method according to claim 5, wherein said prescribed information is a reflected power value of said microwave.

8. The plasma processing method according to claim 3, wherein at least said part of said microwave introduction mechanism exposed to said first plasma consists of quartz, and said second plasma is generated from gas containing fluorine.

11. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber capable of storing a sample having a conductive layer to be etched with plasma;

a gas inlet port for introducing gas containing fluorine into said chamber; and

a microwave introduction mechanism, consisting of quartz at least in a part exposed to said plasma, for introducing a microwave for generating said plasma from said gas into said chamber.

12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said microwave introduction mechanism has a microwave introduction window of quartz.

13. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said microwave introduction window of quartz is provided to fill up a through hole of a conductor member having said through hole.

14. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said microwave introduction mechanism has a microwave introduction window and a separator, consisting of quartz at least in a part exposed to said plasma, for separating said microwave introduction window from said plasma.

15. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said microwave introduction window is a conductor member having a through hole.

17. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the upper end of said sample holder cover is located downward beyond a position of said sample holder for receiving said sample.

16. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a sample holder, receiving a sample having a conductive layer to be etched with plasma, capable of applying high-frequency power to said sample;

a sample holder cover, consisting of quartz at least in a part exposed to said plasma, for covering the periphery of said sample holder without coming into contact with said sample;

a chamber capable of storing said sample holder and said sample holder cover;

a gas inlet port for introducing gas containing fluorine into said chamber; and

a microwave introduction mechanism for introducing a microwave for generating said plasma from said gas into said chamber.

18. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber capable of storing a sample having a conductive layer to be etched with plasma;

a gas inlet port for introducing gas into said chamber; and

a microwave introduction mechanism for introducing a microwave for generating said plasma from said gas into said chamber, wherein

said microwave introduction mechanism includes;

a waveguide for propagating said microwave,

a microwave introduction window having microwave transmissibility interposed between said waveguide and said chamber, and

reflection quantity detection means detecting the quantity of reflected said microwave, and

plasma for cleaning a part of said microwave introduction window exposed to said plasma is generated in said chamber when the quantity of reflected said microwave exceeds a prescribed level.

19. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber capable of storing a sample having a conductive layer to be processed with plasma;

a gas inlet port for introducing gas into said chamber; and

a microwave introduction mechanism for introducing a microwave for generating said plasma from said gas into said chamber, wherein

said microwave introduction mechanism includes;

a waveguide for propagating said microwave,

a microwave introduction window having microwave transmissibility interposed between said waveguide and said chamber, and

a microwave matcher for matching said microwave with said plasma by controlling the position or the quantity of a member inserted into a part propagating said microwave, and

plasma for cleaning a part of said microwave introduction window exposed to said plasma is generated in said chamber when the position or the quantity of said member of said microwave matcher inserted into said part propagating said microwave is out of a prescribed range.