PLASMA CVD APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH PLASMA BLOCKING INSULATION PLATE

• US 20070266945A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Shuto, Mitsutoshi, Suzuki, Yasuaki, Nakano, Ryu, Fukasawa, Yasushi
• Application Number:
  US11/748,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266945A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.E
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4585 Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32642 Focus rings

Abstract

A plasma CVD apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate includes: a vacuum chamber; an upper electrode; a susceptor as a lower electrode; and a ring-shaped insulation plate disposed in a gap between the susceptor and an inner wall of the chamber in the vicinity of or in contact with the susceptor to minimize a floating potential charged on the substrate while processing the substrate.

Claims

1. A plasma CVD apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber having an inner wall;

an upper electrode installed inside the vacuum chamber;

a susceptor serving as a lower electrode provided with a heater and having a substrate-supporting area for placing the substrate thereon, said susceptor facing the upper electrode, enclosed by the inner wall with a gap between an outer periphery of the susceptor and the inner wall, and positioned at a processing position for processing the substrate; and

at least one plasma blocking insulation plate disposed in the gap in the vicinity of or in contact with the susceptor and surrounding all around the susceptor when at the processing position, the insulation plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an outer periphery, wherein the lower surface of the insulation plate is not higher than a top surface of the susceptor in an axial direction of the susceptor, the upper surface of the insulation plate is not lower than a lower end of the susceptor, the outer periphery of the insulation plate is located closer to the inner wall of the chamber than to the periphery of the susceptor when at the processing position.

2. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation plate has an inner periphery which has a diameter greater than a diameter of the substrate-supporting area to be placed on the susceptor.

3. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance A from the outer periphery of the susceptor to the outer periphery of the insulation plate and a distance B from the outer periphery of the insulation plate to the inner wall of the chamber satisfy the following equation:

A/(A+B)=70-99%.

4. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped and attached to the susceptor.

5. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped and fixed to the chamber.

6. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the susceptor has an annular lip portion on its top surface outside the substrate-supporting area, and the insulation plate is disposed on the top surface outside the lip portion.

7. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the top plate has no annular lip portion on a top surface outside the substrate-supporting area, and the insulation plate is disposed on the top surface outside the substrate-supporting area.

8. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised of a top plate and a heating block on which the top plate is placed, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped and attached to the top plate.

9. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised of a top plate and a heating block on which the top plate is placed, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped and interposed between the top plate and the heating block.

10. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised of a top plate and a heating block on which the top plate is placed, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped and attached to a side of the heating block.

11. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised of a top plate and a heating block on which the top plate is placed, wherein the insulation plate has a ring portion and an annular upright peripheral portion, said ring portion being attached to a side of the heating block.

12. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the susceptor is comprised of a top plate and a heating block on which the top plate is placed, wherein the insulation plate is ring-shaped, fixed to a bottom of the chamber with a support, and disposed at or near a boundary between the top plate and the heating block when at the processing position.

13. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insulation plate is composed of two insulation plates installed in different positions.

14. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 13, wherein one of the insulation plates is attached to a top surface of the susceptor, and the other insulation plate is fixed to a bottom of the chamber with a support.

15. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation plate is placed to minimize a floating potential charged on the substrate when a plasma is generated.

16. The plasma CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation plate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, and fluorides of aluminum, magnesium, silicon, titanium, and zirconium.

17. A plasma CVD apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber having an inner wall;

an upper electrode installed inside the vacuum chamber;

a susceptor serving as a lower electrode provided with a heater and having a substrate-supporting area for placing the substrate thereon, said susceptor facing the upper electrode, enclosed by the inner wall with a gap between an outer periphery of the susceptor and the inner wall, and positioned at a processing position for processing the substrate; and

a means for minimizing a floating potential charged on the substrate when a plasma is generated.

18. A method for processing a substrate using a plasma CVD apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber having an inner wall;

an upper electrode installed inside the vacuum chamber;

a susceptor serving as a lower electrode provided with a heater and having a substrate-supporting area for placing the substrate thereon, said susceptor facing the upper electrode, enclosed by the inner wall with a gap between an outer periphery of the susceptor and the inner wall, and positioned at a processing position for processing the substrate; and

at least on insulation plate disposed in the gap in the vicinity of or in contact with the susceptor and surrounding all around the susceptor when at the processing position, the insulation plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an outer periphery, wherein the lower surface of the insulation plate is not higher than a top surface of the susceptor in an axial direction of the susceptor, the upper surface of the insulation plate is not lower than a lower end of the susceptor, the outer periphery of the insulation plate is located closer to the inner wall of the chamber than to the periphery of the susceptor when at the processing position,

said method comprising;

placing the substrate on a top surface of the susceptor;

generating a plasma in the chamber; and

confining the plasma above the substrate using the insulation plate, thereby minimizing a floating potential charged on the substrate.

19. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

a step of placing a substrate on a susceptor installed in a chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus;

a step of generating a plasma in the chamber; and

a step for minimizing a floating potential charged on the substrate, thereby processing the substrate.