PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20110005684A1
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPP Technologies Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPP Technologies Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayami, Toshihiro, Hayashi, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,771,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.35
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32458 Vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68742 characterised by a lifting arrangement, e.g. lift pins

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus in which it is possible to efficiently perform maintenance of a processing chamber. A plasma processing apparatus 1 has a processing chamber 11 including a lower chamber 12 and an upper chamber 13, a platen 20 on which a silicon substrate K is placed, a processing gas supply device 27, coils 32, high-frequency power supply unit for coil 33, an elevating board 41 with a through hole 41a provided to be vertically movable, an elevating mechanism 42 for supporting and moving up and down the elevating board 41, and a fixing mechanism 46 for fixing the upper chamber 13. The fixing member 46 is configured from a fixing board 47, first fixing bolts 48, 49 for connecting and fixing an top plate 16 to the elevating board 41 using the fixing board 47, second fixing bolts 50 for fixing a flange portion 32b of a holding member 32 to an annular plate 14, and third fixing bolts 51 for fixing the annular plate 14 to a sidewall 12a of the lower chamber 12.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a processing chamber configured in a vertically two-divided configuration of an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber having a substrate disposed therein;

gas supply means for supplying a processing gas into the upper chamber;

plasma generating means for forming a plasma from a processing gas supplied into the upper chamber; and

voltage applying means for applying high-frequency voltage to the plasma generating means,

the lower chamber having an inner space open at the top thereof, the upper chamber having an inner space open at the bottom thereof, said inner spaces communicating with each other,

wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises

an elevating board which is disposed horizontally and provided to be vertically movable and to which at least a part of members configuring the upper chamber is attached,

elevating means for supporting and moving up and down the elevating board, and

at least three fixing means, first, second and third fixing means, for fixing the upper chamber;

the upper chamber is configured from at least an annular plate the lower surface on the outer peripheral side of which is in contact with the upper portion of the lower chamber, a sidewall member which is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and the lower end portion of which is placed on the annular plate, and a top plate which is placed on the upper end portion of the sidewall member;

the elevating board has a vertically penetrating through hole having such a size that the top plate can pass therethrough;

the plasma generating means is disposed outside the sidewall member and fixed on the lower surface of the elevating board;

the first fixing means is configured to connect and fix the elevating board and the top plate and to be capable of releasing the connection and fixing;

the second fixing means is configured to connect and fix the elevating board and the annular plate and to be capable of releasing the connection and fixing; and

the third fixing means is configured to fix the annular plate to the lower chamber and to be capable of releasing the fixing.

2. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein engagement portions are formed on the top plate and at the upper end portion of the sidewall member respectively, the engagement portions engaging with each other to position the top plate with respect to the sidewall member.

3. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein engagement portions are formed on the annular plate and at the lower end portion of the sidewall member respectively, the engagement portions engaging with each other to position the sidewall member with respect to annular plate.

4. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein engagement portions are formed in the lower surface of the annular plate and at the upper portion of the lower chamber respectively, the engagement portions engaging with each other to position the annular plate with respect to the lower chamber.

5. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cover body for covering at least the elevating board, the elevating means and the upper chamber, and

the cover body has an operation hole penetrating from the outside to the inside thereof at a lateral position relative to the upper chamber, and a door for opening and closing the operation hole.

6. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cover body for covering at least the elevating board, the elevating means and the upper chamber, and

the cover body has an operation hole penetrating from the outside to the inside thereof at a lateral position relative to the upper chamber, and a door for opening and closing the operation hole.

7. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cover body for covering at least the elevating board, the elevating means and the upper chamber, and

the cover body has an operation hole penetrating from the outside to the inside thereof at a lateral position relative to the upper chamber, and a door for opening and closing the operation hole.

8. The plasma processing apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cover body for covering at least the elevating board, the elevating means and the upper chamber, and

the cover body has an operation hole penetrating from the outside to the inside thereof at a lateral position relative to the upper chamber, and a door for opening and closing the operation hole.