Microwave Plasma Processing Apparatus
First Claim
1. A microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a chamber in which an object to be processed is housed;
a process gas supply unit that supplies a process gas into the chamber;
a microwave generating source that generates a microwave for forming a plasma due to the process gas in the chamber;
a waveguide unit that guides the microwave generated by the microwave generating source toward the chamber;
a planar antenna made of a conductive material provided with a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating the microwave guided by the waveguide unit toward the chamber;
a microwave transmitting plate made of a dielectric material, the microwave transmitting plate serving as a top wall of the chamber and transmitting the microwave that has passed through the microwave radiating holes of the planar antenna; and
a slow-wave plate disposed on an opposite side of the planar antenna relative to the microwave transmitting plate, the slow-wave plate having a function of shortening a wavelength of the microwave that reaches the planar antenna;
wherein the planar antenna and the microwave transmitting plate are in contact with each other, with substantially no air therebetween,the slow-wave plate and the microwave transmitting plate are made of the same material, andan equivalent circuit formed by the slow-wave plate, the planar antenna, the microwave transmitting plate, and the plasma due to the process gas formed in the chamber satisfies a resonance condition.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber in which an object to be processed is housed; a process gas supply unit that supplies a process gas into the chamber; a microwave generating source that generates a microwave for forming a plasma due to the process gas in the chamber; a waveguide unit that guides the microwave generated by the microwave generating source toward the chamber; a planar antenna made of a conductive material provided with a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating the microwave guided by the waveguide unit toward the chamber; a microwave transmitting plate made of a dielectric material, the microwave transmitting plate serving as a top wall of the chamber and transmitting the microwave that has passed through the microwave radiating holes of the planar antenna; and a slow-wave plate disposed on an opposite side of the planar antenna relative to the microwave transmitting plate, the slow-wave plate having a function of shortening a wavelength of the microwave that reaches the planar antenna. The planar antenna and the microwave transmitting plate are in contact with each other, with substantially no air therebetween, the slow-wave plate and the microwave transmitting plate are made of the same material, and an equivalent circuit formed by the slow-wave plate, the planar antenna, the microwave transmitting plate, and the plasma due to the process gas formed in the chamber satisfies a resonance condition.
12 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a chamber in which an object to be processed is housed; a process gas supply unit that supplies a process gas into the chamber; a microwave generating source that generates a microwave for forming a plasma due to the process gas in the chamber; a waveguide unit that guides the microwave generated by the microwave generating source toward the chamber; a planar antenna made of a conductive material provided with a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating the microwave guided by the waveguide unit toward the chamber; a microwave transmitting plate made of a dielectric material, the microwave transmitting plate serving as a top wall of the chamber and transmitting the microwave that has passed through the microwave radiating holes of the planar antenna; and a slow-wave plate disposed on an opposite side of the planar antenna relative to the microwave transmitting plate, the slow-wave plate having a function of shortening a wavelength of the microwave that reaches the planar antenna; wherein the planar antenna and the microwave transmitting plate are in contact with each other, with substantially no air therebetween, the slow-wave plate and the microwave transmitting plate are made of the same material, and an equivalent circuit formed by the slow-wave plate, the planar antenna, the microwave transmitting plate, and the plasma due to the process gas formed in the chamber satisfies a resonance condition. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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2. A microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising:
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a chamber in which an object to be processed is housed; a process gas supply unit that supplies a process gas into the chamber; a microwave generating source that generates a microwave for forming a plasma due to the process gas in the chamber; a waveguide unit that guides the microwave generated by the microwave generating source toward the chamber; a planar antenna made of a conductive material provided with a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating the microwave guided by the waveguide unit toward the chamber; a microwave transmitting plate made of a dielectric material, the microwave transmitting plate serving as a top wall of the chamber and transmitting the microwave that has passed through the microwave radiating holes of the planar antenna; and a slow-wave plate disposed on an opposite side of the planar antenna relative to the microwave transmitting plate, the slow-wave plate having a function of shortening a wavelength of the microwave that reaches the planar antenna; wherein the planar antenna and the microwave transmitting plate are in contact with each other, with substantially no air therebetween, the slow-wave plate and the microwave transmitting plate are made of materials with a ratio between dielectric constants of these materials being within a range between 70% and 130%, and an equivalent circuit formed by the slow-wave plate, the planar antenna, the microwave transmitting plate, and the plasma due to the process gas formed in the chamber satisfies a resonance condition.
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Specification