Plasma processing apparatus
First Claim
1. A plasma processing apparatus for subjecting a target object to a process, using plasma, comprising:
- an airtight process chamber;
a work table arranged in said process chamber for supporting said target object;
an exhaust for exhausting and setting said process chamber in a vacuum condition;
a process gas supply for supplying a process gas into said process chamber, said process gas being capable of providing different activated species along with a progress in its dissociation;
an electric field generator including an RF power supply and an antenna receiving RF power from said RF power supply, said electric field generator generating an RF inductive electric field in said process chamber, said inductive electric field turning said process gas into plasma by means of RF discharge; and
limiting means for limiting a mean free path of electrons in a skin-depth region of said plasma, said limiting means changing electron energy distribution in said skin-depth region of said plasma so as to optimize a dissociated state of said process gas relative to a certain process condition during said process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a plasma etching apparatus, an inactive gas and a reactive gas are supplied from gas spouting holes into a process chamber, and are turned into plasma by means of RF discharge, so that a semiconductor wafer placed on a susceptor is etched by the plasma. An antenna formed of a solenoidal coil is arranged around the side wall of the process chamber, so as to generate an RF inductive electric field in the process chamber. A plurality of barriers are arranged to extend into the skin-depth region of the plasma from the side wall of the process chamber, so as to limit a mean free path of electrons in the skin-depth region. The barriers decrease density of low energy electrons in the skin depth region, so as to suppress progress of dissociation of the reactive gas, thereby obtaining a predetermined etching selectivity.
69 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A plasma processing apparatus for subjecting a target object to a process, using plasma, comprising:
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an airtight process chamber; a work table arranged in said process chamber for supporting said target object; an exhaust for exhausting and setting said process chamber in a vacuum condition; a process gas supply for supplying a process gas into said process chamber, said process gas being capable of providing different activated species along with a progress in its dissociation; an electric field generator including an RF power supply and an antenna receiving RF power from said RF power supply, said electric field generator generating an RF inductive electric field in said process chamber, said inductive electric field turning said process gas into plasma by means of RF discharge; and limiting means for limiting a mean free path of electrons in a skin-depth region of said plasma, said limiting means changing electron energy distribution in said skin-depth region of said plasma so as to optimize a dissociated state of said process gas relative to a certain process condition during said process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A plasma etching apparatus for subjecting a target object to an etching process, using plasma, comprising:
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an airtight process chamber; a work table arranged in said process chamber for supporting said target object; an exhaust for exhausting and setting said process chamber in a vacuum condition; a process gas supply for supplying a process gas including a reactive gas into said process chamber, said reactive gas being capable of providing different activated species along with a progress in its dissociation; an electric field generator including an RF power supply and an antenna receiving RF power from said RF power supply, said electric field generator generating an RF inductive electric field in said process chamber, said inductive electric field turning said process gas into plasma by means of RF discharge; and limiting means for limiting a mean free path of electrons in a skin-depth region of said plasma, said limiting means changing electron energy distribution in said skin-depth region of said plasma so as to optimize a dissociated state of said reactive gas relative to a certain process condition during said etching process. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification