Plasma processing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A plasma processing method for processing a linear portion of an object to be processed by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object, the method comprising:
- detecting an inclination of the plasma source along a direction of an x-axis when the x-axis is taken in a linear direction of the linear portion of the object; and
processing the linear portion of the object by the generated linear plasma by moving the plasma source along the x-axis direction while maintaining relative positions of the plasma source and the object so that the detected inclination of the plasma source becomes approximately zero.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma processing method for processing a linear portion of an object to be processed by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object to be processed while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in the neighborhood of the object to be processed and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object to be processed, the method comprising: detecting an inclination of the plasma source along a direction of an x-axis when the x-axis is taken in a linear direction of the linear portion of the object to be processed; and processing the linear portion of the object to be processed by the generated linear plasma by moving the plasma source along the x-axis direction while maintaining relative positions of the plasma source and the object to be processed so that the detected inclination of the plasma source becomes approximately zero.
16 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A plasma processing method for processing a linear portion of an object to be processed by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object, the method comprising:
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detecting an inclination of the plasma source along a direction of an x-axis when the x-axis is taken in a linear direction of the linear portion of the object; and
processing the linear portion of the object by the generated linear plasma by moving the plasma source along the x-axis direction while maintaining relative positions of the plasma source and the object so that the detected inclination of the plasma source becomes approximately zero. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source that is provided with an electrode, for generating a linear plasma;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying an electric power to the electrode or an object to be processed;
a detection unit for detecting an inclination of the plasma source along a direction of an x-axis when the x-axis is taken in a linear direction of a linear portion of the object; and
a transport unit for moving the plasma source along the x-axis direction while maintaining relative positions of the plasma source and the object so that the inclination of the plasma source detected by the detection unit becomes almost zero, whereby the linear portion of the object is processed by the generated linear plasma while moving the plasma source along the x-axis direction by the transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A plasma processing method comprising:
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carrying out plasma processing for processing a surface of an object to be processed for a test by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object for a test while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object for a test with their relative positions fixed and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object for a test;
measuring a processing speed in a processed portion on the surface of the object for a test;
carrying out calibration of a length measuring unit for measuring a distance between the plasma source and an object to be processed, which is different from the object for a test and to be subjected to plasma processing, on basis of a measurement result of the measuring; and
carrying out plasma processing for processing a surface of the object to be subjected to the plasma processing by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to the electrode provided at the plasma source or the object to be subjected to the plasma processing while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and measuring the distance between the plasma source and the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and making activated particles generated by the linear plasma act on the object to be subjected to the plasma processing.
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11. A plasma processing method comprising:
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processing a linear portion of an object to be processed for a test by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or an object to be processed for a test while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object for a test with their relative positions fixed and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object for a test;
measuring a distribution in a linear direction of a processing speed in the processed linear portion of the object for a test;
carrying out calibration of a length measuring unit for measuring a distance between the plasma source and an object to be processed, which is different from the object for a test and to be subjected to plasma processing, in different two x-coordinate positions on basis of a measurement result of the measuring when an x-axis is taken in the linear direction; and
carrying out plasma processing for processing the object to be subjected to the plasma processing by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to the electrode provided at the plasma source or the object to be subjected to the plasma processing while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and measuring the distance between the plasma source and the object to be subjected to the plasma processing in the different two x-coordinate positions and making activated particles generated by the linear plasma act on the object to be subjected to the plasma processing.
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12. A plasma processing method comprising:
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processing an object to be processed for a test by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at the plasma source or the object for a test while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object for a test with their relative positions fixed and monitoring a light emission intensity of the plasma and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object for a test;
carrying out calibration of a length measuring unit for measuring a distance between the plasma source and an object to be processed, which is different from the object for a test and to be subjected to plasma processing, on basis of a result of monitoring the light emission intensity in the object processing; and
carrying out plasma processing for processing the object to be subjected to the plasma processing by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to the electrode provided at the plasma source or the object to be subjected to the plasma processing while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and measuring the distance between the plasma source and the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and making activated particles generated by the linear plasma act on the object to be subjected to the plasma processing.
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13. A plasma processing method comprising:
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processing a linear portion of an object to be processed for a test by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object for a test while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object for a test with their relative positions fixed and monitoring light emission intensities of the plasma in different two x-coordinate positions when an x-axis is taken in a linear direction and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object for a test;
carrying out calibration of a length measuring unit for measuring a distance between the plasma source located in the different two x-coordinate positions and an object to be processed, which is different from the object for a test and to be subjected to plasma processing, on basis of a result of monitoring the light emission intensities in the processing; and
carrying out plasma processing for processing the object to be subjected to the plasma processing by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to the electrode provided at the plasma source or the object to be subjected to the plasma processing while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and measuring the distance between the plasma source located in the different two x-coordinate positions and the object to be subjected to the plasma processing and making activated particles generated by the linear plasma act on the object to be subjected to the plasma processing.
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14. A plasma processing method for processing a linear portion of an object to be processed by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at the plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and moving the plasma source in a linear direction with a distance between the object and the plasma source maintained almost constant while making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object,
the method comprising processing the linear portion of the object by using a length measuring unit arranged in a position located apart from the plasma source in a direction in which the plasma source moves and moving the plasma source in the linear direction while maintaining the distance between the object and the plasma source almost constant on basis of a result of measuring the distance between the plasma source and the object measured by the length measuring unit.
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15. A plasma processing method for processing a linear portion of an object to be processed by generating a linear plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at the plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and moving the object in a linear direction with a distance between the object and the plasma source maintained almost constant while making activated particles generated by the plasma act on the object,
the method comprising processing the linear portion of the object by using a length measuring unit arranged in a position located apart from the plasma source in a direction opposite to a direction in which the object is moved and moving the object in the linear direction while maintaining the distance between the object and the plasma source almost constant on basis of a result of measuring the distance between the plasma source and the object by the length measuring unit.
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16. A plasma processing method for carrying out plasma processing for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object,
the method comprising executing end point detection of the processing of the object by monitoring a light emission intensity of the plasma.
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17. A plasma processing method for carrying out plasma processing for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object while changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object,
the method comprising processing the object by feeding back a result of monitoring a light emission intensity of the plasma to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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18. A plasma processing method for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object,
the method comprising executing end point detection of the processing by monitoring an electric power, a voltage, or a current supplied to the electrode or the object.
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19. A plasma processing method for carrying out plasma processing for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying an electric power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object while changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object,
the method comprising processing the object by feeding back a result of monitoring an electric power, a voltage, or a current supplied to the electrode or the object to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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20. A plasma processing method for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying a high-frequency power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object via a matching circuit while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object,
the method comprising executing end point detection of the processing of the object by monitoring a value of a variable reactance element in the matching circuit.
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21. A plasma processing method for processing an object to be processed by generating a plasma by supplying a high-frequency power to an electrode provided at a plasma source or the object via a matching circuit while supplying gas to the plasma source arranged in neighborhood of the object and making activated particles generated by the plasma act on a portion of the object while changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object,
the method comprising processing the object by feeding back a result of monitoring a value of a variable reactance element in the matching circuit to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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23. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma in a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying an electric power to the electrode or the object;
a light emission monitor for monitoring a light emission intensity of the plasma; and
an end point detector for executing end point detection of the plasma processing on basis of a result of monitoring the light emission intensity.
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24. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma on a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying an electric power to the electrode or the object;
a mechanism for changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object;
a light emission monitor for monitoring a light emission intensity of the plasma; and
a mechanism for feeding back a result of is monitoring the light emission intensity to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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25. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma on a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying an electric power to the electrode or the object;
a monitor of an electric power, a voltage, or a current for monitoring an electric power, a voltage, or a current; and
an end point detector for executing end point detection of the plasma processing on basis of a result of monitoring the electric power, voltage, or current.
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26. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma on a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying an electric power to the electrode or the object;
a mechanism for changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object;
a monitor of an electric power, a voltage, or a current for monitoring an electric power, a voltage, or a current; and
a mechanism for feeding back a result of monitoring the electric power, voltage, or current to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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27. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma on a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying a high-frequency power to the electrode or the object via a matching circuit;
a mechanism for monitoring a value of a variable reactance element in the matching circuit; and
an end point detector for executing end point detection of the plasma processing on basis of a result of monitoring the value of the variable reactance element.
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28. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a plasma source, which is provided with an electrode, for generating a plasma on a portion of a surface of an object to be processed;
a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the plasma source;
a power supply for supplying a high-frequency power to the electrode or the object via a matching circuit;
a mechanism for changing relative positions of the plasma source and the object;
a mechanism for monitoring a value of a variable reactance element in the matching circuit; and
a mechanism for feeding back a result of monitoring the value of the variable reactance element to a relative position change rate of the plasma source and the object.
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Specification