Method and apparatus for surface treatment by plasma
First Claim
1. In a method of treating the surface of a specimen in which a vacuum chamber is evacuated, a gas is introduced into said vacuum chamber, a plasma is generated within at least part of said vacuum chamber, and the surface of said specimen is treated by said plasma, a plasma surface treatment method characterized in that a first quantity of said gas is introduced, and the quantity of gas introduced is changed during the surface treatment of said specimen, the introducing of the first quantity of gas and the changed quantity of gas constituting a cycle, and wherein said cycle is repeated at least once.
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Abstract
A gas is introduced into a vacuum chamber after the vacuum chamber is evacuated, and a plasma is generated within at least part of the vacuum chamber. The specimen surface is exposed to the plasma so that the surface is treated. A plurality of different gases, such as SF6, N2, and the like, are used as the gas being introduced. The quantity of the gas is changed during the surface treatment. A controller is used as a mechanism for changing the quantity of gas introduced. The controller is operated in accordance with a predetermined program, or by signals obtained by detecting the surface conditions of the specimen during the surface treatment.
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33 Claims
- 1. In a method of treating the surface of a specimen in which a vacuum chamber is evacuated, a gas is introduced into said vacuum chamber, a plasma is generated within at least part of said vacuum chamber, and the surface of said specimen is treated by said plasma, a plasma surface treatment method characterized in that a first quantity of said gas is introduced, and the quantity of gas introduced is changed during the surface treatment of said specimen, the introducing of the first quantity of gas and the changed quantity of gas constituting a cycle, and wherein said cycle is repeated at least once.
- 4. In an apparatus consisting essentially of a vacuum chamber, means for evacuating said vacuum chamber, means for introducing a gas into said vacuum chamber, means for generating plasma within at least part of said vacuum chamber, and means for holding a specimen being surface-treated by said plasma, a plasma surface treatment apparatus characterized in that said gas introduction means is equipped with a mechanism for changing the quantity of said gas introduced during surface treatment, to introduce a first quantity of gas and then a changed quantity of gas during surface treatment, the introduction of the first quantity of gas and the changed quantity of gas being a cycle of gas introduction, the gas introduction means further including means to repeat said cycle at least once.
- 10. In an apparatus consisting essentially of a vacuum chamber, means for evacuating said vacuum chamber, means for introducing a gas into said vacuum chamber, means for generating plasma within at least part of said vacuum chamber, means for holding a specimen being surface-treated by said plasma, and means for applying an external voltage to said specimen, a plasma surface treatment apparatus characterized in that said gas introduction means is equipped with a mechanism for changing the quantity of said gas introduced during said surface treatment, to introduce a first quantity of gas and then a changed quantity of gas during said surface treatment, the introduction of the first quantity of gas and the changed quantity of gas being a cycle of gas introduction, the gas introduction means further including means to repeat said cycle at least once.
- 14. In an apparatus consisting essentially of a vacuum chamber, means for evacuating said vacuum chamber, means for introducing a gas into said vacuum chamber, means for generating plasma within at least part of said vacuum chamber, and means for holding a specimen being surface-treated by said plasma, a plasma surface treatment apparatus characterized by including a mechanism for changing the quantity of said gas introduced, to introduce a first quantity of gas and then a changed quantity of gas into the vacuum chamber during the plasma surface treatment, the introduction of the first quantity of gas and the changed quantity of gas being a cycle of gas introduction, the mechanism further including means to repeat said cycle at least once, and means for detecting the end point of the surface treatment of said specimen from signals from said mechanism.
Specification