Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

• US 5,792,376 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoneda, Ikuo, Itoh, Masamitsu, Kanai, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, THI D
• Application Number:
  US08/580,824
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345, 156/643.1, 204/298.34, 204/298.06, 118/723 E, 216/67, 216/71, 438/715, 438/716, 438/729
• US Class Current: 216/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3343 Problems associated with etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode which is substantially flat and has a substrate mounting region mounted with a substrate to be treated, a chamber for containing the first electrode, gas introducing means for introducing a predetermined gas into the chamber, gas exhausting means for exhausting the gas from the chamber, a second electrode constituted of one of a metal portion of the chamber and a metal plate provided inside the chamber, power supply means for supplying high-frequency power between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an insulative cover for covering a surface of the first electrode other than the substrate mounting region. The substrate mounting region is formed as a convex portion on the first electrode, and an outside shape thereof is smaller than that of the substrate. The substrate is mounted on the substrate mounting region so as to completely cover the substrate mounting region.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:

preparing a plasma processing apparatus comprising a first electrode which is substantially flat and has a substrate mounting region mounted with a specified substrate to be treated, said substrate mounting region being made in an island region surrounded by a groove portion, an outside shape of said island region being smaller than that of said specified substrate, and said groove portion extending under an insulative cover, which is provided on said first electrode apart from and surrounding said substrate mounting region, and being filled with an insulator such that a surface of said insulator is equal to or lower than that of said substrate mounting region, a chamber for containing said first electrode, gas introducing means for introducing a reactive gas into said chamber, gas exhausting means for exhausting said gas from said chamber, a second electrode provided inside said chamber, power supply means for supplying high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode and said insulative cover whose inner periphery surrounds said substrate, for covering a surface of said first electrode other than said substrate mounting region;

mounting said specified substrate on said substrate mounting region of said first electrode in such a manner that said specified substrate completely covers said substrate mounting region;

introducing said gas into said chamber; and

supplying said high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode.

2. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein said step of preparing a plasma processing apparatus includes a step of making a surface of said insulative cover to be substantially flush with that of said specified substrate, when said specified substrate is mounted on said substrate mounting region.

3. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein an impedance of said insulative cover to a high frequency of said high-frequency power is substantially equal to an impedance of said specified substrate to the high frequency.

4. The plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein said gas introduced into said chamber is a gas for etching said specified substrate.

5. A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:

preparing a plasma processing apparatus comprising a first electrode which is substantially flat and has a substrate mounting region mounted with a specified substrate to be treated, said substrate mounting region being formed as a concave portion which is larger than an outside shape of said specified substrate, a chamber for containing said first electrode, gas introducing means for introducing a reactive gas into said chamber, gas exhausting means for exhausting said reactive gas from said chamber, a second electrode provided in said chamber, power supply means for supplying high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode and an insulative cover for covering at least a surface of said first electrode other than said substrate mounting region, said cover having hook portions to fix said specified substrate to said substrate mounting region and being formed with a thickness such that an electric field over said specified substrate is substantially uniform,

mounting said specified substrate on said substrate mounting region of said first electrode and then fixing said substrate to said first electrode with said hook of said insulative cover;

introducing said reactive gas into said chamber; and

supplying said high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode.

6. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a first electrode which is substantially flat and has a substrate mounting region mounted with a specified substrate to be treated;

a chamber for containing said first electrode;

gas introducing means for introducing a reactive gas into said chamber;

gas exhausting means for exhausting said reactive gas from said chamber;

a second electrode constituted of one of a metal portion of said chamber and a metal plate provided inside said chamber;

power supply means for supplying high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode; and

an insulative cover whose inner periphery surrounds said substrate, for covering a surface of said first electrode other than said substrate mounting region,

wherein said substrate mounting region is an island region surrounded by a groove portion and an outside shape of said island region is smaller than that of said specified substrate, said groove portion extends under said insulative cover and is filled with an insulator such that a surface of said insulator is equal to or lower than that of said substrate mounting region, in order that said specified substrate is mounted on said substrate mounting region so as to completely cover said substrate mounting region.

7. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said groove portion is formed such that an outer periphery thereof is located 2 mm or more outward from an inner periphery of said insulative cover.

8. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a first electrode which is substantially flat and has a substrate mounting region mounted with a specified substrate to be treated;

a chamber for containing said first electrode;

gas introducing means for introducing a reactive gas into said chamber;

gas exhausting means for exhausting said gas from said chamber;

a second electrode constituted of one of a metal portion of said chamber and a metal plate provided inside said chamber;

power supply means for supplying high-frequency power between said first electrode and said second electrode; and

an insulative cover for covering at least a surface of said first electrode other than said substrate mounting region, said cover having hook portions to fix said specified substrate to said substrate mounting region,

wherein said substrate mounting region is formed as a concave portion which is larger than an outside shape of said specified substrate, and

wherein said insulative cover is formed with a thickness such that an electric field over said specified substrate is substantially uniform.