Method of producing flat ECR layer in microwave plasma device and apparatus therefor
First Claim
1. A microwave plasma generating device, comprising:
- a plasma chamber for generating plasma;
a reaction chamber having a specimen stage on which a specimen is treated with the plasma;
gas supply means for supplying gas to the plasma generating chamber;
means for generating a microwave electric field in the plasma and reaction chambers;
means comprising axially spaced apart and concentric electromagnet coils for generating a magnetic field in the plasma and reaction chambers, the microwave electric field and magnetic field having perpendicularly crossing components of the magnetic field and electric field, respectively, the magnetic field having a strength which decreases in an axial direction from the plasma chamber towards the reaction chamber and having constant strength magnetic flux density lines lying in planes which are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction, the magnetic field producing a flat ECR condition wherein an ECR layer extends perpendicular to the axial direction over at least 50% of the width of the plasma chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microwave plasma generating device including a plasma chamber for generating plasma, a reaction chamber having a specimen stage on which a specimen is treated with the plasma, a gas supply for supplying gas to the plasma generating chamber, a microwave generator for generating a microwave electric field in the plasma and reaction chambers and a plurality of axially spaced apart and concentric electromagnet coils for generating a magnetic field in the plasma and reaction chambers. The microwave electric field and the magnetic field have perpendicularly crossing components and the magnetic field has a strength which decreases in the axial direction from the plasma chamber towards the reaction chamber with constant strength magnetic flux density lines lying in planes which are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction. The magnetic field produces a flat ECR condition wherein the ECR layer extends perpendicularly to the axial direction over at least 50% of the width of the plasma chamber. In a method of using this device, upper and lower electromagnets produce magnetic fields such that the magnetic field produced by the lower electromagnet is weaker than that produced by the first electromagnet. For instance, the upper electromagnet can be supplied a higher amount of current than the lower electromagnet. Alternatively, the upper and lower electromagnets can be supplied the same amount of current but the lower electromagnet can be larger in diameter than the first electromagnet. This allows the ECR layer to be made thicker in the axial direction than an ECR layer produced by a conventional plasma generating device.
131 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A microwave plasma generating device, comprising:
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a plasma chamber for generating plasma; a reaction chamber having a specimen stage on which a specimen is treated with the plasma; gas supply means for supplying gas to the plasma generating chamber; means for generating a microwave electric field in the plasma and reaction chambers; means comprising axially spaced apart and concentric electromagnet coils for generating a magnetic field in the plasma and reaction chambers, the microwave electric field and magnetic field having perpendicularly crossing components of the magnetic field and electric field, respectively, the magnetic field having a strength which decreases in an axial direction from the plasma chamber towards the reaction chamber and having constant strength magnetic flux density lines lying in planes which are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction, the magnetic field producing a flat ECR condition wherein an ECR layer extends perpendicular to the axial direction over at least 50% of the width of the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of forming a flat ECR layer in a microwave plasma generating device, the device including a plasma generating chamber into which gas is introduced for generating plasma therein, a microwave introducing system for supplying microwave energy into the plasma generating chamber, a specimen chamber communicated with the plasma generating chamber, a substrate holder in the specimen chamber for supporting a specimen to be treated by plasma generated in the plasma generating chamber, and at least first and second electromagnets, the first electromagnet being located further from the substrate holder than the second electromagnet, the first and second electromagnets being spaced apart in an axial direction, the first electromagnet having coils which are concentric with coils of the second electromagnet for generating a magnetic field in the plasma and specimen chambers, the method comprising the steps of:
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introducing gas into the plasma generating chamber; introducing microwave energy into the plasma generating chamber and generating plasma in the plasma generating chamber; and supplying a first amount of direct current to the first electromagnet and supplying a second amount of direct current to the second electromagnet so as to form constant strength magnetic field flux density lines lying in planes which are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial direction and a flat ECR layer in the plasma wherein the ECR layer extends perpendicular to the axial direction over at least 50% of the width of the plasma chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification