Plasma processing apparatus

• US 20070102403A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Tohoku University National Universities Corporation, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Future Vision, Inc. (Mattel Incorporated), Tohoku University National Universities Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmi, Tadahiro, Hirayama, Masaki, Horiguchi, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,723,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.360
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32229 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide homogeneous plasma in longitudinal direction of a plasma processing apparatus applicable to multiple processes. A microwave waveguide 10 with a plurality of variable couplers 12 is placed in a vacuum chamber 21. The microwave generated in a microwave generator 23 is introduced into the microwave waveguide 10 via a waveguide 24. And a plasma 22 in the chamber 21 is generated by the microwave 25. Intensity distribution of the microwave 25 in the microwave waveguide 10 can be varied by moving a plurality of variable couplers 12 individually upward or downward as shown by two-way arrow.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus, comprising a container in which

plasma is to be excited, a microwave feeding system for feeding microwave necessary to excite plasma in said container, at least one waveguide coupled to said microwave feeding system and having at least one slot to partially form an opening, and a dielectric plate for propagating the microwave emitted through the slot to the plasma, wherein:

at least one variable coupler is provided in said waveguide along a longitudinal direction of said waveguide.

2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of variable couplers are provided in said waveguide.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein a plurality of waveguides are provided.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein a plurality of slots are provided in said waveguide.

5. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein said variable coupler comprises means for changing a width of said slot and the coupling rate of said variable coupler is adjusted by changing the width of said slot.

6. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein said variable coupler comprises means for moving a part of the wall of said waveguide to adjust the coupling rate of said variable coupler.

7. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein said variable coupler comprises a dielectric member provided in said waveguide and the coupling rate of said variable coupler is adjusted by moving said dielectric member.

8. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide, and said slot is provided on the H surface of said waveguide.

9. The plasma processing apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 7,

wherein said waveguide is a rectangular waveguide, and said slot is provided on a surface of the wider wall of said waveguide.

10. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the longitudinal direction of said slot runs substantially in parallel to the longitudinal direction of said waveguide, and a length in longitudinal direction of said slot is longer than wavelength of the microwave propagated in said waveguide.

11. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein longitudinal direction of said slot runs substantially in parallel to longitudinal direction of said waveguide, and a length in longitudinal direction of said slot is longer than wavelength of the microwave propagated in said waveguide.

12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein an adjustment amount of said variable coupler is stored and read out to match various types of processes.

13. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an adjustment amount of said variable coupler is stored in memory means, and read out to match various types of processes.

14. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein adjustment amount of said variable coupler is stored in memory means, and read out to match various types of processes.