Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

• US 20040050495A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tamura, Tomoyuki, Yasui, Naoki, Sumiya, Masahiro
• Application Number:
  US10/364,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050495A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.48
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32165 Plural frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32706 Polarising the substrate

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing chamber 102 to which is connected an exhaust pump 124 for decompressing the chamber, a gas feeding apparatus 107 for feeding gas into the processing chamber 102, an object 116 to be processed, a wafer electrode 115 for mounting the object 116, an antenna electrode 103 for generating plasma and opposed to the plate electrode 115, a plasma generating high frequency power supply 111 connected to the antenna electrode 103, a first high frequency power supply 119 connected to the wafer electrode 115, and a second high frequency power supply 114 connected to the antenna electrode 103, further comprising a phase control means 122 for controlling the phase difference of high frequencies applied from the first high frequency power supply 119 and the second high frequency power supply 114 and having the same frequency, according to which the phase of the high frequencies from the first and second power supplies are varied by 180°.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a processing chamber to which is connected an evacuator for decompressing the inner space of the processing chamber;

a gas feeding apparatus for feeding gas into the processing chamber;

a wafer electrode on which is mounted an object to be processed;

an antenna electrode for generating plasma which is disposed so as to oppose to the wafer electrode;

a plasma-generating high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode;

a first high frequency power supply connected to the wafer electrode;

a second high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode; and

a phase control means for controlling a phase difference of two high frequencies having the same frequency and applied from the first high frequency power supply and the second high frequency power supply, respectively.

3. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the phase difference of the high frequencies can be controlled within the range of 0°

to 360°

.

4. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a means for switching by steps the phase difference of the high frequencies while the object is being processed.

5. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a means for varying the phase difference of high frequencies with time.

6. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an inner wall of the processing chamber is coated with a film containing carbon.

7. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a cover containing carbon is disposed at an inner side of the processing chamber.

8. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an innerwall of the processing chamber is coated with polyimide.

9. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a cover formed of polyimide is disposed at an inner side of the processing chamber.

10. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a surface of an inner side of the processing chamber is coated with an oxide of an element in the III A family of the periodic table.

2. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a processing chamber to which is connected an evacuator for decompressing the inner space of the processing chamber;

a gas feeding apparatus for feeding gas into the processing chamber;

a wafer electrode on which is mounted an object to be processed;

an antenna electrode for generating plasma which is disposed so as to oppose to the wafer electrode;

a plasma-generating high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode;

a magnetic field generating means;

a first high frequency power supply connected to the plate electrode;

a second high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode; and

a phase control means for controlling a phase difference of two high frequencies having the same frequency and applied from the first high frequency power supply and the second high frequency power supply, respectively.

11. A plasma processing method utilizing a plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing chamber to which is connected an evacuator for decompressing the inner space of the processing chamber;

a gas feeding apparatus for feeding gas into the processing chamber;

a wafer electrode on which is mounted an object to be processed;

an antenna electrode for generating plasma which is disposed so as to oppose to the wafer electrode;

a plasma-generating high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode;

a first high frequency power supply connected to the plate electrode; and

a second high frequency power supply connected to the antenna electrode;

wherein

the plasma processing method comprises setting the frequency of the high frequency applied from the first high frequency power supply and that applied from the second high frequency power supply to be equal, and controlling the phase difference of the two high frequencies.

12. A plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference of the high frequencies is controlled within the range of 0°

to 360°

.

13. A plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference of the high frequencies is switched by steps while the object is being processed.

14. A plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference of the high frequencies is switched by steps within the range of 0°

to 360°

while the object is being processed.

15. A plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference of the high frequencies is varied with time.

16. A plasma processing method according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference of high frequencies is varied with time within the range of 0°

to 360°

while the object is being processed.