Plasma processing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a processing chamber for processing a sample;
a plasma generation power supply for generating a plasma within said processing chamber;
a high-frequency power supply for applying a high frequency wave to a sample stage installed within said processing chamber; and
control means for controlling said plasma generation power supply or said high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step;
wherein when said process steps are switched, said control means compares parameters for a current process step with those for a next process step and then switches either said output intensities or said output modes before switching said output modes or said output intensities, respectively.
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Abstract
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus and method capable of performing etching with high precision without damaging the semiconductor wafer. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber for processing a sample; a plasma generation power supply for generating a plasma within the processing chamber; a high-frequency power supply for applying a high frequency wave to a sample stage installed within the processing chamber; and control means for controlling the plasma generation power supply or the high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step; wherein when the process steps are switched, the control means compares parameters for a current process step with those for a next process step and then switches either the output intensities or the output modes before switching the output modes or the output intensities, respectively.
27 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a processing chamber for processing a sample;
a plasma generation power supply for generating a plasma within said processing chamber;
a high-frequency power supply for applying a high frequency wave to a sample stage installed within said processing chamber; and
control means for controlling said plasma generation power supply or said high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step;
wherein when said process steps are switched, said control means compares parameters for a current process step with those for a next process step and then switches either said output intensities or said output modes before switching said output modes or said output intensities, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A plasma processing method wherein a plasma is generated within a processing chamber by use of a plasma generation power supply, a high frequency wave is applied to a sample stage installed within said processing chamber by use of a high-frequency power supply, and a sample mounted on said sample stage is processed, said method comprising the steps of:
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controlling said plasma generation power supply or said high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step; and
when said process steps are switched, comparing parameters for a current process step with those for a next process step, and then switching either said output intensities or said output modes before switching said output modes or said output intensities, respectively, to process said sample. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A plasma processing method wherein a plasma is generated within a processing chamber by use of a plasma generation power supply, a high frequency wave is applied to a sample stage installed within said processing chamber by use of a high-frequency power supply, and a sample mounted on said sample stage is processed, said method comprising the steps of:
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controlling said plasma generation power supply or said high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step;
when a modulation output mode is to be switched to a continuous output mode between a current process step and a next process step, performing a process step of maintaining said modulation output mode but switching to said output intensity for said next process step to process said sample, said process step being provided between said current process step and said next process step; and
when said continuous output mode is to be switched to said modulation output mode between said current process step and said next process step, performing another process step of switching to said modulation output mode but maintaining said output intensity for said current process step to process said sample, said another process step being provided between said current process step and said next process step.
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16. A plasma processing method wherein a plasma is generated within a processing chamber by use of a plasma generation power supply, a high frequency wave is applied to a sample stage installed within said processing chamber by use of a high-frequency power supply, and a sample mounted on said sample stage is processed, said method comprising the steps of:
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controlling said plasma generation power supply or said high-frequency power supply based on parameter settings for an output intensity and an output mode for each process step;
when said output intensity is increased at a time of switching from a current process step to a next process step, performing a switchover process step of switching to said output mode for said next process step but maintaining said output intensity for said current process step to process said sample; and
when said output intensity is decreased at a time of switching from said current process step to said next process step, performing another switchover process step of maintaining said output mode for said current process step but switching to said output intensity for said next process step to process said sample.
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Specification