Plasma processing method and apparatus

• US 5,888,413 A
• Filed: 05/30/1996
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okumura, Tomohiro, Nakayama, Ichiro, Yanagi, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Lynette F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brumback, Brenda G.
• Application Number:
  US08/656,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345, 204/298.37, 204/298.38, 118/723 E, 118/723 IR, 216/59, 216/68
• US Class Current: 216/68
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma

Abstract

In a plasma processing method, a substrate is processed by placing the substrate on an electrode in a vacuum chamber, introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber while discharging gas from inside vacuum chamber, applying a high frequency voltage to a spiral discharge coil while keeping the vacuum chamber internally at a pressure to generate a plasma inside the vacuum chamber. At least one of the control parameters of gas type, gas flow rate, pressure, magnitudes of high frequency powers applied to the coil and the electrode, and their high frequency power frequencies is varied while the substrate is processed. The method includes a step of allowing a plasma density in-plane distribution to be controlled in accordance with the timing of varying any of the control parameters.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method for processing a substrate, said method comprising:

placing the substrate on an electrode in a vacuum chamber;

introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber while discharging gas from the interior of the vacuum chamber;

applying a high frequency voltage to a spiral discharge coil while maintaining a pressure in the vacuum chamber so as to generate plasma inside of the vacuum chamber, wherein the spiral discharge coil has a coil pitch;

varying at least one control parameter while the substrate is being processed, wherein the control parameters include gas type, gas flow rate, pressure, magnitude of the high frequency power applied to the spiral discharge coil and the electrode, and their power frequency; and

changing the pitch of the spiral discharge coil in a diameter direction of the coil in accordance with the timing of the varying of any of the control parameters so as to control the plasma density in-plane distribution.

2. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plasma density in-plane distribution is uniformly controlled.

3. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spiral discharge coil has a planar spiral shape.

4. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spiral discharge coil comprises a plurality of planar spiral discharge coil elements.

5. A plasma processing method for forming a film on a substrate, said method comprising:

placing the substrate on an electrode disposed in a vacuum chamber;

introducing gas into the vacuum chamber while discharging gas from the interior of the vacuum chamber;

applying a high frequency voltage to a spiral discharge coil while maintaining the pressure in the vacuum chamber at a level to generate a plasma inside of the vacuum chamber;

varying at least one control parameter while the substrate is processed, wherein the control parameters include gas type, gas flow rate, pressure, magnitude of high frequency power applied to the spiral discharge coil and the electrode, and their power frequency; and

changing a shape of the spiral discharge coil so that uniformity of film forming rate, obtained before and after varying the control parameter, is compensated in accordance with a timing of varying the control parameter during the course of forming the film.

6. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control parameter varying operation is performed in accordance with the timing of formation of a film on the substrate which is as the film is deposited up to about 60% to 100% of a step height formed on the substrate, and compensating the uniformity of film forming rate, obtained before and after varying the control parameter, by changing the spiral discharge coil shape in accordance with the timing of varying the control parameter.

7. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gas is used for CVD.

8. A plasma processing method for etching a substrate, the method comprising:

placing the substrate on an electrode in a vacuum chamber;

introducing gas into the vacuum chamber while discharging gas from inside of the vacuum chamber;

applying a high frequency voltage to a spiral discharge coil while maintaining an interior pressure in the vacuum chamber so as to generate a plasma inside of the vacuum chamber;

varying at least one of a plurality of control parameters while the substrate is being processed, wherein the control parameters includes gas flow type, gas flow rate, pressure, magnitude of the high frequency power applied to the spiral discharge coil and the electrode, and the power frequency; and

changing a shape of the spiral discharge coil so that a uniformity of etching rate, obtained before and after said varying of the at least one control parameter, is compensated in accordance with a timing of varying the at least one control parameter during the course of etching.

9. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a multi-layer film is formed as a film to be etched on the substrate, and the timing of the control parameter varying operation occurs in proximity to a terminating point of an upper layer film which is a constituent element of the multi-layer film.

10. The plasma processing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas is used for dry etching.

11. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

an electrode for receiving a substrate thereon, said electrode being disposed in said vacuum chamber;

a spiral discharge coil provided on a surface of said vacuum chamber, said spiral discharge coil having a shape and a coil pitch;

a high frequency voltage source for applying a high frequency voltage to said spiral discharge coil in order to generate a plasma; and

a device for changing the shape of said spiral discharge coil so that the coil pitch, in a diameter direction of said spiral discharge coil, is partially changed, thereby allowing a plasma density in-plane distribution to be controlled.

12. The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spiral discharge coil comprises a plurality of planar spiral discharge coil elements.

13. The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said device for changing said spiral discharge coil shape comprises a mechanism for turning a center side end of said spiral discharge coil relative to an outer peripheral side end of said spiral discharge coil.

14. The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said device for changing said spiral discharge coil shape comprises:

a rotary shaft connected to a central portion of said spiral discharge coil; and

a stepping motor for rotating said rotary shaft.

15. The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of pairs of guide members, wherein each pair of guide members includes first and second guide members disposed on opposite sides of said spiral discharge coil of guide members.

16. The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of coil taps provided at said spiral discharge coil, wherein said device for changing said spiral discharge coil shape comprises a mechanism for switching between said coil taps.