Plasma processing method and apparatus

• US 6,346,915 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• 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, Matsui, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/631,671
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 343/701, 343/700.MS, 118/723.AN, 118/723.I
• US Class Current: 343/701
• 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 37/32697 Electrostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/26 with electric discharge tube

Abstract

A substrate is processed while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap made up of a groove-shaped space between a dielectric plate and a dielectric ring provided around the dielectric plate, and a groove-shaped space between an antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna.

Claims

1. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is generally equal in outer dimensions to the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap made up of a groove-shaped space between the dielectric plate and a dielectric ring provided around the dielectric plate, and a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna.

2. A plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is processed while a short pin short-circuits the antenna and the vacuum chamber to each other so as to give an isotropic electromagnetic field distribution to the antenna.

3. A plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is processed while a surface of the antenna is covered with an insulating cover.

4. A plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is processed while the dielectric plate is made up of a plurality of dielectric plates different in material from each other or one another.

5. A plasma processing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is processed while no DC magnetic fields are present within the vacuum chamber.

6. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is larger in outer dimensions than the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap formed of a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna.

7. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is larger in outer dimensions than the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap made up of a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna and a groove-shaped space between the dielectric plate and the conductor ring.

8. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being generally equal in outer dimensions to the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap made up of a groove-shaped space between the dielectric plate and a dielectric ring provided around the dielectric plate, and a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna, is provided.

9. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a short pin for short-circuiting the antenna and the vacuum chamber to each other.

10. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a surface of the antenna is covered with an insulating cover.

11. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the dielectric plate is made up of a plurality of dielectric plates different in material from each other or one another.

12. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vacuum chamber is equipped inside with no coil or permanent magnet for applying a DC magnetic field into the vacuum chamber.

13. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a diameter of the antenna is 50-90% of a diameter of the substrate.

14. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being larger in outer dimensions than the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap formed of a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna, is provided.

15. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being larger in outer dimensions than the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap made up of a groove-shaped space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna and a groove-shaped space between the dielectric plate and the conductor ring, is provided.

16. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is generally equal in outer dimensions to the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap made up of a space between the dielectric plate and a dielectric ring provided around the dielectric plate, and a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna.

17. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency of 50 MHz to 3 MHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is larger in outer dimensions than the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap formed of a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna.

18. A plasma processing method for generating plasma within a vacuum chamber and processing a substrate placed on a substrate electrode within the vacuum chamber, the method comprising:

supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50MHz to 3GHz to an antenna, provided within the vacuum chamber opposite to the substrate, via a through hole provided in a dielectric plate which is sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and which is larger in outer dimensions than the antenna, while interior of the vacuum chamber is controlled to a specified pressure by introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber and, simultaneously therewith, exhausting the interior of the vacuum chamber, thus generating plasma; and

processing the substrate while plasma distribution on the substrate is controlled by a plasma trap made up of a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna and a space between the dielectric plate and the conductor ring.

19. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being generally equal in outer dimensions to the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap made up of a space between the dielectric plate and a dieletric ring provided around the dielectric plate, and a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna, is provided.

20. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being larger in outer dimensions than the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap formed of a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna, is provided.

21. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a gas supply device for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an exhausting device for exhausting interior of the vacuum chamber;

a substrate electrode for placing thereon a substrate within the vacuum chamber;

an antenna provided opposite to the substrate electrode;

a dielectric plate sandwiched between the antenna and the vacuum chamber and being larger in outer dimensions than the antenna; and

high-frequency power supply for supplying a high-frequency power having a frequency of 50 MHz to 3 GHz to the antenna via a through hole provided in the dielectric plate,

wherein a plasma trap made up of a space between the antenna and a conductor ring provided around the antenna and a space between the dieletric plate and the conductor ring, is provided.