PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING PLASMA DENSITY DISTRIBUTION

• US 20100252412A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Tian, Caizhong, Nozawa, Toshihisa, Ishibashi, Kiyotaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,273,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/157.150
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32266 Means for controlling power transmitted to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

In the plasma processing apparatus 1, microwaves supplied from a coaxial waveguide 30 are introduced into a processing container 2 via a wavelength-shortening plate 25, a process gas is plasmatized in the processing container 2, and a substrate W is processed using the plasma. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, a dielectric member 45 is disposed at a connecting area between the coaxial waveguide 30 and the wavelength-shortening plate 25. Inside an outer conductor 32 of the coaxial waveguide 30, the dielectric member 45 is disposed to surround a part of a circumference of an inner conductor 31 of the coaxial waveguide 30, and is disposed at any position around the circumference of the inner conductor 31.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus in which microwaves supplied from a coaxial waveguide are introduced into a processing container via a wavelength-shortening plate, a process gas is plasmatized in the processing container, and a substrate is processed using the plasma,

wherein a dielectric member is disposed at a connecting area between the coaxial waveguide and the wavelength-shortening plate;

and

inside an outer conductor of the coaxial waveguide, the dielectric member is disposed to surround a part of a circumference of an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide, and is disposed at any position around the circumference of the inner conductor.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dielectric member is freely rotatable around the inner conductor.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a part of the outer conductor is formed of a ring which is freely rotatable, and the dielectric member is attached to an inner surface of the ring.

4. A method of adjusting a plasma density distribution in a plasma processing apparatus in which microwaves supplied from a coaxial waveguide are introduced into a processing container via a wavelength-shortening plate, a process gas is plasmatized in the processing container, and a substrate is processed using the plasma,

wherein at a connecting area between the coaxial waveguide and the wavelength-shortening plate, a dielectric member is disposed to surround a part of a circumference of an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide, inside an outer conductor of the coaxial waveguide, in order to adjust the plasma density distribution around the circumference of the inner conductor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dielectric member rotates around the inner conductor.

6. A plasma processing apparatus in which microwaves supplied from a coaxial waveguide are introduced into a processing container via a wavelength-shortening plate, a process gas is plasmatized in the processing container, and a substrate is processed using the plasma,

wherein a member is disposed at a connecting area between the coaxial waveguide and the wavelength-shortening plate;

and

inside an outer conductor of the coaxial waveguide, the member is disposed to surround a part of a circumference of an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide, and is disposed at any position around the circumference of the inner conductor,

wherein the plasma density is lower than at the area corresponding to the member than at the area not corresponding to the member.