PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM, ANTENNA, AND USE OF PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20080303744A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tohoku University National Universities Corporation, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tohoku University National Universities Corporation, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: OHMI, Tadahiro, HIRAYAMA, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US12/137,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303744A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/900
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/00 Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0035 by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45572 Cooled nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• 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 37/3222 Antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32229 Waveguides

Abstract

A plasma processing system 10 includes a processing chamber 100, a microwave source 900 that outputs a microwave, an inner conductor of a coaxial waveguide 315a that transfers the microwave, a through-hole 305a, a dielectric plate 305 that transmits the microwave transferred through the inner conductor 315a and discharges it into a processing chamber 100, and a metal electrode 310 that is coupled to the inner conductor 315a via the through-hole 305a, the metal electrode 310 being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate 305 that faces the substrate with at least a portion of the metal electrode 310 being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate 305 that faces the substrate. A surface of the exposed surface of the metal electrode 310 is covered by the dielectric cover 320.

Claims

1. A plasma processing system that excites a gas using an electromagnetic wave and applies a plasma process to a target object, the system comprising:

a processing chamber;

an electromagnetic source that outputs an electromagnetic wave;

a conductor rod that transfers the electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic source;

a dielectric plate that has a through-hole formed thereon, the dielectric plate transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred by the conductor rod into the processing chamber; and

a metal electrode that is coupled to the conductor rod via the through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object,

a surface of the exposed surface of the metal electrode being covered by a dielectric cover.

3. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the metal electrode has a larger diameter than the conductor rod.

4. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the exposed surface of the metal electrode is formed into a substantially-cone shape or a substantially-hemisphere shape.

5. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the surface of the exposed surface of the metal electrode that is substantially parallel to the target object is covered by the dielectric cover.

6. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the dielectric cover is made of porous ceramic.

7. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the through-hole of the dielectric plate is formed at a substantially center of the dielectric plate.

8. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the surface of the metal electrode is covered by a protection film.

9. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the conductor rod has a gas introduction path formed therein for flowing a gas, and

the metal electrode has a gas passage formed therein, the gas passage communicating with the gas introduction path formed in the conductor rod, and the gas passage introducing the gas flowing in the gas introduction path into the processing chamber.

10. The plasma processing system according to claim 9, wherein

the gas passage is formed in the metal electrode to introduce the gas in a direction substantially parallel to the target object.

11. The plasma processing system according to claim 9, wherein

the gas passage is formed in the metal electrode to introduce the gas in a direction substantially perpendicular to the target object.

12. The plasma processing system according to claim 9, wherein

the gas passage is formed in the metal electrode to radially introduce the gas.

13. The plasma processing system according to claim 9, wherein

the gas is directly introduced from the gas passage into the processing chamber.

14. The plasma processing system according to claim 9, wherein

the gas is introduced from the gas passage into the processing chamber via the dielectric cover.

15. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the dielectric plate is provided in a plurality and the metal electrode is provided in a plurality corresponding to the respective dielectric plates.

16. The plasma processing system according to claim 15, wherein each of the dielectric plates is formed to have a substantially rectangular surface facing the target object.

17. The plasma processing system according to claim 16, wherein each of the dielectric plates is formed to have a substantially square surface facing the target object.

18. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the electromagnetic source outputs an electromagnetic wave at a frequency of 1 GHz or less.

19. The plasma processing system according to claim 1, wherein

during the process, the side of the dielectric plate is in contact with the plasma.

24. The plasma processing system according to claim 5, wherein

the exposed surfaces of the metal electrode and the dielectric cover are formed into a substantially cone shape.

25. The plasma processing system according to claim 24, wherein

the dielectric cover has a flat end.

26. The plasma processing system according to claim 25, wherein the height of the dielectric cover in a direction perpendicular to the target object is 10 mm or less.

2. A plasma processing system that excites a gas using an electromagnetic wave and applies a plasma process to a target object, the system comprising:

a processing chamber;

an electromagnetic source that outputs an electromagnetic wave;

a conductor rod that transfers the electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic source;

a dielectric plate that has a through-hole formed thereon, the dielectric plate transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred by the conductor rod into the processing chamber; and

a metal electrode that is coupled to the conductor rod via the through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object,

the exposed surface of the metal electrode does not include a surface that is substantially parallel to the target object.

20. An antenna comprising:

a conductor rod that transfers an electromagnetic wave;

a dielectric plate that has a through-hole formed therein, the dielectric plate transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred by the conductor rod into the processing chamber; and

a metal electrode that is coupled to the conductor rod via the through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces a target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object,

a surface of the exposed surface of the metal electrode being covered by a dielectric cover.

21. An antenna comprising:

a conductor rod that transfers an electromagnetic wave;

a dielectric plate that has a through-hole formed therein, the dielectric plate transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred by the conductor rod into the processing chamber; and

a metal electrode that is coupled to the conductor rod via the through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces a target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object,

the exposed surface of the metal electrode does not include a surface that is substantially parallel to the target object.

22. A method of using a plasma processing system, the method comprising:

outputting an electromagnetic wave at a frequency of 1 GHz or less from an electromagnetic source,

transferring the electromagnetic wave through a conductor rod;

transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred from the conductor rod through a dielectric plate held on an interior wall of a processing chamber and discharging the electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber, the dielectric plate being held on the interior wall by a metal electrode, the metal electrode being coupled to the conductor rod via the through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces a target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object; and

exciting a process gas introduced into the processing chamber using the discharged electromagnetic wave and applying a desired plasma processing on the target object.

23. A method of cleaning a plasma processing system, the method comprising:

outputting an electromagnetic wave at a frequency of 1 GHz or less from an electromagnetic source,

transferring the electromagnetic wave through a conductor rod;

transmitting the electromagnetic wave transferred from the conductor rod through a dielectric plate held on an interior wall of a processing chamber and discharging the electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber, the dielectric plate being held on the interior wall by a metal electrode, the metal electrode being coupled to the conductor rod via a through-hole formed on the dielectric plate, at least a portion of the metal electrode being adjacent to the surface of the dielectric plate that faces a target object, and the metal electrode being exposed on the surface of the dielectric plate that faces the target object; and

exciting a cleaning gas introduced into the processing chamber using the discharged electromagnetic wave and cleaning the plasma processing chamber.