MICROWAVE PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS, SLOT ANTENNA, AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 20150013912A1
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: FUJII, Toru, IWAO, Toshihiko
• Application Number:
  US14/326,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20150013912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.37
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3222 Antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32229 Waveguides

Abstract

A microwave plasma processing apparatus includes an inner slow-wave plate installed above a first slot in an inner waveguide which transmits microwaves to the first slot by transmitting the microwaves in a center side space, which is positioned closer to the center than the convex portion in the space between the slot plate and the intermediate metal body, through the space between the inner conductor and the intermediate conductor. An outer slow-wave plate is installed above a second slot in an outer waveguide which transmits microwaves to the second slot by transmitting the microwaves in an outer periphery side space, which is positioned closer to an outer periphery than the convex portion in the space between the slot antenna plate and the intermediate metal body, sequentially through the space between the intermediate conductor and the outer conductor, and the space between the intermediate metal body and cooling plate.

Claims

1. A microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a cooling plate;

an intermediate metal body installed on a processing container side of the cooling plate to be spaced apart from the cooling plate, wherein the intermediate metal body includes a donut-shaped convex portion that separates the processing container side surface of the intermediate metal body into a center side portion and an outer side portion;

a slot plate installed on the processing container side of the intermediate metal body to be in contact with the convex portion, wherein, on the processing container side surface of the slot plate, the slot plate includes, as slots for radiating microwaves, a first slot formed in a more center side portion than a portion which is in contact with the convex portion and a microwave transmission slot formed in a more outer periphery side portion than the portion which is in contact with the convex portion;

a coaxial waveguide installed in a through hole which is provided in a center side portion in the intermediate metal body to extend continuously through the cooling plate and the intermediate metal body, wherein the coaxial waveguide includes an inner conductor, an intermediate conductor, and an outer conductor, and the microwaves are transmitted by each of a space between the inner conductor installed in a hollow portion of the intermediate conductor and the intermediate conductor, and a space between the intermediate conductor installed in a hollow portion of the outer conductor and the outer conductor;

an inner slow-wave plate installed above the first slot in an inner waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the first slot by transmitting the microwaves in a center side space, which is positioned at the more center side than the convex portion in the space between the slot plate and the intermediate metal body, through the space between the inner conductor and the intermediate conductor;

an outer slow-wave plate installed above the second slot in an outer waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the second slot by transmitting the microwaves in an outer periphery side space, which is positioned in a more outer periphery side portion than the convex portion in the space between the slot antenna plate and the intermediate metal body, sequentially through the space between the intermediate conductor and the outer conductor, and the space between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate;

a dielectric window installed on the processing container side of the slot antenna plate; and

the processing container installed to be sealed by the dielectric window.

2. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner slow-wave plate is installed in a portion of the center side space or all over the center side space, including a portion above the microwave transmission slots.

3. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the intermediate metal body facing the second slot and a surface of the intermediate metal body facing the intermediate metal body are the same each other.

4. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer slow-wave plate is installed along the outer periphery of the intermediate metal body to be continued from the outer periphery side space to a portion of the space between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate.

5. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer slow-wave plate includes a first outer slow-wave plate which is installed in the outer periphery side space, and a second slow-wave plate which is installed to be continued from an end of the first outer slow-wave plate to be installed in a portion of the space between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate.

6. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the outer slow-wave plate installed in the outer inner waveguide is longer than a length of the inner slow-wave plate installed in the outer waveguide.

7. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intermediate metal body has a constant thickness.

8. A slot antenna comprising:

a cooling plate;

an intermediate metal body installed on a processing container side of the cooling plate to be spaced apart from the cooling plate, wherein the intermediate metal body includes a donut-shaped convex portion that separates the processing container side surface of the intermediate metal body into a center side portion and an outer side portion;

a slot plate installed on the processing container side of the intermediate metal body to be in contact with the convex portion, wherein, on the processing container side surface of the slot plate, the slot plate includes, as slots for radiating microwaves, a first slot formed in a more center side portion than a portion which is in contact with the convex portion and a microwave transmission slot formed in a more outer periphery side portion than the portion which is in contact with the convex portion;

a coaxial waveguide installed in a through hole which is provided in a center side portion in the intermediate metal body to extend continuously through the cooling plate and the intermediate metal body, wherein the coaxial waveguide includes an inner conductor, an intermediate conductor, and an outer conductor, and the microwaves are transmitted by each of a space between the inner conductor installed in a hollow portion of the intermediate conductor and the intermediate conductor, and a space between the intermediate conductor installed in a hollow portion of the outer conductor and the outer conductor;

an inner slow-wave plate installed above the first slot in an inner waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the microwave transmission sloe by transmitting the microwaves in a center side space, which is positioned at the more center side than the convex portion in the space between the slot plate and the intermediate metal body, through the space between the inner conductor and the intermediate conductor;

an outer slow-wave plate installed above the microwave transmission slot in an outer waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the microwave transmission slot by transmitting the microwaves in an outer periphery side space, which is positioned in a more outer periphery side portion than the convex portion in the space between the slot antenna plate and the intermediate metal body, sequentially through the space between the intermediate conductor and the outer conductor, and the space between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate;

an intermediate metal body installed on a processing container side of the cooling plate to be spaced apart from the cooling plate, wherein the intermediate metal body includes a donut-shaped convex portion that separates the processing container side surface of the intermediate metal body into a center side portion and an outer side portion;

a slot plate installed on the processing container side of the intermediate metal body to be in contact with the convex portion, wherein, on the processing container side surface of the slot plate, the slot plate includes, as slots for radiating microwaves, a first slot formed in a more center side portion than a portion which is in contact with the convex portion and a microwave transmission slot formed in a more outer periphery side portion than the portion which is in contact with the convex portion;

a coaxial waveguide installed in a through hole which is provided in a center side portion in the intermediate metal body to extend continuously through the cooling plate and the intermediate metal body, wherein the coaxial waveguide includes an inner conductor, an intermediate conductor, and an outer conductor, and the microwaves are transmitted by each of a space between the inner conductor installed in a hollow portion of the intermediate conductor and the intermediate conductor, and a space between the intermediate conductor installed in a hollow portion of the outer conductor and the outer conductor;

an inner slow-wave plate installed above the first slot in an inner waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the microwave transmission sloe by transmitting the microwaves in a center side space, which is positioned at the more center side than the convex portion in the space between the slot plate and the intermediate metal body, through the space between the inner conductor and the intermediate conductor; and

an outer slow-wave plate installed above the microwave transmission slot in an outer waveguide which transmits the microwaves to the microwave transmission slot by transmitting the microwaves in an outer periphery side space, which is positioned in a more outer periphery side portion than the convex portion in the space between the slot antenna plate and the intermediate metal body, sequentially through the space between the intermediate conductor and the outer conductor, and the space between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate.