Plasma processing apparatus

• US 20050257891A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ekisho Sentan Gijutsu Kaihatsu Center
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ekisho Sentan Gijutsu Kaihatsu Center
• Inventors: Goto, Masashi, Nakata, Yukihiko
• Application Number:
  US10/388,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20050257891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.410
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• 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

Abstract

There is provided a plasma treatment apparatus capable of treating a square shaped substrate having a large area even in the case of using reactive plasma, the plasma treatment apparatus including a waveguide 1, a waveguide antenna 2 made up of slots provided on the H-surface of the waveguide 1, an electromagnetic wave radiation window 4 made of a dielectric, a dielectric space 10 sandwiched between the waveguide 2 and the electromagnetic wave radiation window 4, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from the waveguide antenna 2 through the electromagnetic wave radiation window 4, wherein an uneven portion 11 is provided on the surface of the waveguide 1 opposite to the electromagnetic wave radiation window 4.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

an electromagnetic wave source;

one of a waveguide or a coaxial transmission line for transmitting an electromagnetic wave from said electromagnetic wave source;

a vacuum container operatively coupled to said waveguide or coaxial transmission line to expose said electromagnetic wave to a dielectric space and in which a plasma generated by said electromagnetic wave radiated within said vacuum container; and

scattering means for scattering the electromagnetic wave radiated within said dielectric space.

2. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the size or the depth or the pitch of said uneven portion is made larger than ⅛

of the wavelength of the microwave.

3. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the size or the depth or the pitch of said uneven portion is made in order to improve the uniformity of said generating plasma.

15. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

16. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

17. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

4. A plasma treatment apparatus having a waveguide, a waveguide antenna and an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from said waveguide antenna through said electromagnetic wave radiation window,

wherein an uneven portion is provided on the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window opposite to said waveguide.

5. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size or the depth or the pitch of said uneven portion is made larger than ⅛

of the wavelength of the microwave.

6. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size or the depth or the pitch of said uneven portion is made in order to improve the uniformity of said generating plasma.

18. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

19. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

20. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

7. A plasma treatment apparatus having a waveguide, a waveguide antenna and an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from said waveguide antenna through said electromagnetic wave radiation window,

wherein said electromagnetic wave radiation window is made of a mixture of the first member and at least one sort of the second member having a dielectric constant different form that of the first member.

8. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the size of said second member is made larger than ⅛

of the wavelength of the microwave.

21. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

22. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

9. A plasma treatment apparatus having a waveguide, a waveguide antenna, an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from said waveguide antenna through said electromagnetic wave radiation window,

wherein a mesh made of a conductive material is provided between said waveguide antenna and said electromagnetic wave radiation window.

10. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the size of said mesh is made narrower under said waveguide antenna and is made gradually wider according to the distance apart from said waveguide antenna.

23. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

24. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

11. A plasma treatment apparatus having a coaxial transmission line, an electromagnetic wave radiation plate with a plurality of openings, and an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using said electromagnetic wave radiated from said electromagnetic wave radiation plate through said electromagnetic wave radiation window by said coaxial transmission line,

wherein an uneven portion is provided on the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window opposite to said electromagnetic wave radiation plate.

25. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

12. A plasma treatment apparatus having a coaxial transmission line, an electromagnetic wave radiation plate with a plurality of openings, and an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from said electromagnetic wave radiation plate through said electromagnetic wave radiation window by said coaxial transmission line,

wherein said electromagnetic wave radiation window is made of a mixture of the first member and at least one sort of the second member having a dielectric constant different from that said first member.

13. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the size of said second member is made larger than ⅛

of the wavelength of said electromagnetic wave.

26. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

27. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.

14. A plasma treatment apparatus having a coaxial transmission line, an electromagnetic wave radiation plate with a plurality of openings, an electromagnetic wave radiation window made of a dielectric, and generating plasma by using the electromagnetic wave radiated from said electromagnetic wave radiation plate through said electromagnetic wave radiation window by said coaxial transmission line,

wherein a mesh made of an electric conductive material is provided between a waveguide antenna and said electromagnetic wave radiation window.

28. A plasma treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the surface of said electromagnetic wave radiation window coming in contact with said plasma is a flat surface.