Plasma processing device and a method of plasma process

• US 6,161,498 A
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited), Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.), Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited), Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kawakami, Satoru, Toraguchi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zervigon, Rudy
• Application Number:
  US08/885,954
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.43, 219/696, 427/575, 118/723 MW, 118/723 MR
• US Class Current: 118/723.0MW
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3266 Magnetic control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02164 the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02211 the compound being a silane, e.g. disilane, methylsilane or chlorosilane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31612 on a silicon body

Abstract

Disclosed is a plasma process apparatus which permits generating microwaves and a magnetic field so as to bring about electron cyclotron resonance and, thus, to generate a plasma which is applied to a semiconductor wafer, comprising microwave generating means for generating said microwaves, microwave transmitting means for transmitting the microwaves, a process chamber having said semiconductor wafer arranged therein, the microwaves being introduced into said process chamber through said microwave transmitting means, process gas supply means for supplying a process gas into said process chamber, and magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the process chamber. The frequency of the microwave falls within a range between a lower limit of a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber and an upper limit of a maximum frequency at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object.

Claims

1. A plasma process apparatus which permits generating microwaves and a magnetic field so as to bring about electron cyclotron resonance and, thus, to generate a plasma which is applied to an object to be processed, comprising:

microwave generating means for generating said microwaves;

microwave transmitting means for transmitting the microwaves;

a process chamber having said object arranged therein, the microwaves being introduced into said process chamber through said microwave transmitting means;

process gas supply means for supplying a process gas into said process chamber; and

magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the process chamber,

wherein the frequency of the microwave falls within a range between a lower limit of a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber and an upper limit of a maximum frequency at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object,

wherein the upper limit and the lower limit in the frequency range of the microwave are 1.5 GHz and 580 MHz, respectively, where the diameter of the object to be processed is 8 inches and the microwave oscillates in TE 11 mode within the process chamber,

wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with matching means for freely varying the impedance of the microwaves in the microwave transmitting means, and

wherein said matching means comprises first and second adjustment pipes connected to said transmitting means having adjustable respective first and second plates disposed perpendicular to each other.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave has a frequency of 915 MHz.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said matching means is controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the matching means is provided with an electric field plane adjusting unit and a magnetic field plane adjusting unit which have, respectively, adjustment pipes comprising said first and second adjustment pipes connected to a rectangular waveguide to correspond to electric and magnetic field planes perpendicular to each other, and short plates comprising said first and second plates provided movably along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the matching means is provided with moving mechanisms for moving the short plates along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said moving mechanisms are controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

7. A plasma process apparatus which permits generating microwaves and a magnetic field so as to bring about electron cyclotron resonance and, thus, to generate a plasma which is applied to an object to be processed, comprising:

microwave generating means for generating said microwaves;

microwave transmitting means for transmitting the microwaves;

a process chamber having said object arranged therein, the microwaves being introduced into said process chamber through said microwave transmitting means;

process gas supply means for supplying a process gas into said process chamber; and

magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the process chamber,

wherein the frequency of the microwave falls within a range between a lower limit of a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber and an upper limit of a maximum frequency at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object,

wherein the upper limit and the lower limit in the frequency range of the microwave are 1.5 GHz and 770 MHz, respectively, where the diameter of the object to be processed is 8 inches and the microwave oscillates in TM 01 mode within the process chamber,

wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with matching means for freely varying the impedance of the microwaves in the microwave transmitting means, and

wherein said matching means comprises first and second adjustment pipes connected to said transmitting means having adjustable respective first and second plates disposed perpendicular to each other.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the microwave has a frequency of 915 MHz.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said matching means is controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the matching means is provided with an electric field plane adjusting unit and a magnetic field plane adjusting unit which have, respectively, adjustment pipes comprising said first and second adjustment pipes connected to a rectangular waveguide to corresponds to electric and magnetic field planes perpendicular to each other, and short plates comprising said first and second plates provided movably along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the matching means is provided with moving mechanisms for moving the short plates along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said moving mechanisms are controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

13. A plasma process apparatus which permits generating microwaves and a magnetic field so as to bring about electron cyclotron resonance and, thus, to generate a plasma which is applied to an object to be processed, comprising:

microwave generating means for generating said microwaves;

microwave transmitting means for transmitting the microwaves;

a process chamber having said object arranged therein, the microwaves being introduced into said process chamber through said microwave transmitting means;

process gas supply means for supplying a process gas into said process chamber; and

magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the process chamber,

wherein the frequency of the microwave falls within a range between a lower limit of a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber and an upper limit of a maximum frequency at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object,

wherein the upper limit and the lower limit in the frequency range of the microwave are 1.0 GHz and 440 MHz, respectively, where the diameter of the object to be processed is 12 inches and the microwave oscillates in TE 11 mode within the process chamber,

wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with matching means for freely varying the impedance of the microwaves in the microwave transmitting means, and

wherein said matching means comprises first and second adjustment pipes connected to said transmitting means having adjustable respective first and second plates disposed perpendicular to each other.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the microwave has a frequency of 915 MHz.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said matching means is controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the matching means is provided with an electric field plane adjusting unit and a magnetic field plane adjusting unit which have, respectively, adjustment pipes comprising said first and second adjustment pipes connected to a rectangular waveguide to corresponds to electric and magnetic field planes perpendicular to each other, and short plates comprising said first and second plates provided movably along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the matching means is provided with moving mechanisms for moving the short plates along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said moving mechanisms are controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

19. A plasma process apparatus which permits generating microwaves and a magnetic field so as to bring about electron cyclotron resonance and, thus, to generate a plasma which is applied to an object to be processed, comprising:

microwave generating means for generating said microwaves;

microwave transmitting means for transmitting the microwaves;

a process chamber having said object arranged therein, the microwaves being introduced into said process chamber through said microwave transmitting means;

process gas supply means for supplying a process gas into said process chamber; and

magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field within the process chamber,

wherein the frequency of the microwave falls within a range between a lower limit of a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber and an upper limit of a maximum frequency at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object,

wherein the upper limit and the lower limit in the frequency range of the microwave are 1.0 GHz and 570 MHz, respectively, where the diameter of the object to be processed is 12 inches and the microwave oscillates in TM 01 mode within the process chambers

wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with matching means for freely varying the impedance of the microwaves in the microwave transmitting means, and

wherein said matching means comprises first and second adjustment pipes connected to said transmitting means having a adjustable respective first and second plates disposed perpendicular to each other.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the microwave has a frequency of 915 MHz.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said matching means is controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the matching means is provided with an electric field plane adjusting unit and a magnetic field plane adjusting unit which have, respectively, adjustment pipes comprising said first and second adjustment pipes connected to a rectangular waveguide to corresponds to electric and magnetic field planes perpendicular to each other, and short plates comprising said first and second plates provided movably along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the matching means is provided with moving mechanisms for moving the short plates along the insides of the adjustment pipes.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the microwave transmitting means is provided with reflection power measuring means for measuring power of reflection waves from the process chamber, said moving mechanisms are controlled on the basis of measurement values obtained by the reflection power measuring means, and the impedance of the microwave transmitting means is varied so as to substantially eliminate power of the reflection waves.