Substrate processing apparatus and sustrate processing method

• US 20060252283A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sugihara, Ken, Hamano, Katsuyoshi, Takeda, Tomohiko, Yoshino, Teruo
• Application Number:
  US10/549,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252283A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/798
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0206 Extinguishing, preventing or controlling unwanted discharges
• 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 37/32174 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge

Abstract

To effectively prevent a micro arc causing damage to an apparatus and a substrate, by detecting a generation of the micro arc. A substrate processing apparatus is constituted so as to generate a plasma P, by applying a high frequency power to an electrode 210 provided in a processing chamber 200 from a high frequency power supply part 100 through a matching unit 300. A directional coupler 121 is provided between a high frequency power source 111 and the matching unit 300, so that a reflected wave reflected from the electrode 210 and a traveling wave advancing toward the electrode 210 are coupled to a detector 122. The detector 122 outputs a detection signal, when a level of a reflected wave Pr and a differential level thereof exceed each set value. In order to place an initial period of discharge out of a detection period, a delay traveling wave, which is a delayed traveling wave, is also outputted. A controller 130 determines the generation of a harmful micro arc, when coincidence of three detection signals outputted from the detector 122 is obtained, supplies an RF cut signal to a CPU 116, and temporarily stops or temporarily decreases a high frequency power from the high frequency power source 111.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, which has a high frequency power supply part with a controllable high frequency power source, applies a high frequency power from the high frequency power source to a discharge electrode provided in a processing chamber through a matching unit, and generates a plasma in the processing chamber, comprising:

at least a detector provided between the high frequency power source and the matching unit, or between the matching unit and the discharge electrode, for detecting a reflected wave of the high frequency power reflected from the discharge electrode; and

a controller controlling the high frequency power source so as to temporarily stop or temporarily decrease an application of the high frequency power to the discharge electrode, in accordance with a detection result of the detector,

wherein the controller functions to control the high frequency power source so as to temporarily stop or temporarily decrease the application of the high frequency power to the discharge electrode, and when the high frequency power is applied again, continuously apply the high frequency power without temporarily stopping or temporarily decreasing the application of the high frequency power before a predetermined time period passes, and after the predetermined time period passes, temporarily stop or temporarily decrease the application of the high frequency power to the discharge electrode in accordance with the detection result of the detector.

2. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate by inserting a substrate in a processing chamber, exhausting an atmosphere out of the processing chamber while introducing the gas thereinto, applying the high frequency power to the discharge electrode from the high frequency power source through a matching unit, and thereby generating a plasma in the processing chamber, wherein an application of the high frequency power is controlled to make it possible to:

temporarily stop or temporarily decrease the application of a high frequency power to a discharge electrode when a reflected wave of the high frequency power from the discharge electrode is detected;

thereafter when the high frequency power is applied again,

continuously apply the high frequency power without temporarily stopping or temporarily decreasing the application of the high frequency power before a predetermined time period passes; and

after a predetermined time period passes,

temporarily stop or temporarily decrease the application of the high frequency power to the discharge electrode when the reflected wave is detected.