Plasma device and plasma generating method

• US 7,243,610 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Makoto Ando, Masaharu Takahashi, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Makoto Ando, Masaharu Takahashi, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Ishii, Nobuo, Ando, Makoto, Takahashi, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh; Parviz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHINGRA, RAKESH KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US10/466,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.MW, 156/345.36, 156/345.41
• US Class Current: 118/723.0MW
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means

Abstract

A plasma device includes a slot antenna (30) for supplying a high frequency electromagnetic field (F) supplied through a feeding part into a processing vessel (11). The feeding part has a cavity (35) for forming a resonator and converting the fed high frequency electromagnetic field (F) into a rotating electromagnetic field and supplying the rotating electromagnetic field to the slot antenna (30).

Claims

1. A plasma device characterized by comprising:

a cavity for forming a resonator and outputting by converting the fed high frequency electromagnetic field into a rotating electromagnetic field;

a waveguide consisting of a first conductive plate in which said cavity opens and a second conductive plate in which a plurality of slots are formed opposing said first conductive plate;

a ring member which is formed externally around an opening of said cavity in said first conductive plate and is disposed within the waveguide, has an inner diameter which is the same as that of said cavity, and protrudes from said first conductive plate toward said second conductive plate; and

a processing vessel, in which a plasma is generated by the high frequency electromagnetic field supplied from said cavity through said waveguide;

wherein the cavity is formed of a circular conductor member connected to an outer conductor of a coaxial waveguide for feeding the high frequency electromagnetic field and a cylindrical conductor member having one end connected to the circular conductor member and the other end that opens in the waveguide,

wherein a feeding pin is provided at a position separate from a center of the circular conductor member in a radial direction thereof and having one end connected to an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide, and

wherein a perturbation pin is provided at a position that forms a predetermined angle with the feeding pin through the center of the circular conductor member and having one end connected to the circular conductor member.

2. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is open.

3. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is connected to an antenna surface having slots which forms a slot antenna.

4. A plasma device according to claim 3, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is provided with a conductive member which forms a frustoconical shape spreading toward the antenna surface.

5. A plasma device according to claim 3, characterized in that the other end of the perturbation pin is connected to the antenna surface.

6. A plasma device according to claim 3, characterized in that the other end of the perturbation pin is connected to the cylindrical conductor member.

7. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is connected to the cylindrical conductor member.

8. A plasma device according to claim 7, characterized in that the other end of the perturbation pin is connected to an antenna surface having slots which forms the slot antenna, or the cylindrical conductor member.

9. A plasma device according to claim 1, wherein a conductive member is opposedly arranged inside a side wall of the cylindrical conductor member.

10. A plasma device according to claim 9, characterized in that a length of the conductive member in an axial direction of the cylindrical conductor member is substantially ¼

a wavelength of the high frequency electromagnetic field.

11. A plasma device according to claim 9, characterized in that an end of the conductive member which is close to the waveguide is molded to form a slope.

12. A plasma device according to claim 11, characterized in that a length of a main body of the conductive member excluding one end thereof in an axial direction of the cylindrical conductor member is substantially ¼

a wavelength of the high frequency electromagnetic field.

13. A plasma device according to claim 9, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is connected to an antenna surface having a slot for forming a slot antenna.

14. A plasma device according to claim 9, characterized in that the other end of the feeding pin is connected to the conductor member at a position separate from the circular conductor member in an axial direction of the cylindrical conductor member by substantially ¼

a wavelength of the high frequency electromagnetic field.

15. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity is formed of an elliptic conductor member connected to an outer conductor of a coaxial waveguide for feeding the high frequency electromagnetic field and a cylindrical conductor member with an elliptic section having one end connected to the elliptic conductor member and the other end that opens in the waveguide, and

a feeding pin is provided at a position separate from a center of the elliptic conductor member in a radial direction thereof to form a predetermined angle with each of major and minor diameters of the elliptic conductor member and connected to an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide.

16. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity is formed of a circular conductor member connected to outer conductors of first and second coaxial waveguides for feeding the high frequency electromagnetic field and a cylindrical conductor member having one end connected to the circular conductor member and the other end that opens in the waveguide, and

the cavity includes two feeding pins

a first feeding pin is provided at a position separate from a center of the circular conductor member in a radial direction thereof and connected to an inner conductor of the first coaxial waveguide, and

a second feeding pin is provided at a position to form a predetermined angle with the first feeding pin through the center of the circular conductor member and connected to an inner conductor of the second axial waveguide.

17. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity is formed of a circular conductor member connected to an outer conductor of at least one coaxial waveguide for feeding a high frequency electromagnetic field, and

a cylindrical conductor member having one end connected to said circular conductor member and the other end that opens in said waveguide, and

the plasma device comprises a patch antenna for radiating the high frequency electromagnetic field fed from said at least one coaxial waveguide into the cavity as the rotating electromagnetic field,

said patch antenna including said circular conductor member and a conductor plate opposedly arranged at a predetermined gap from said circular conductor member and connected to an inner conductor of said at least one coaxial waveguide.

18. A plasma device according to claim 1, characterized in that

the cavity is formed of one side surface or terminal end face of a rectangular waveguide for feeding a high frequency electromagnetic field, and

a cylindrical conductor member having one end connected to one side surface or terminal end face of said rectangular waveguide and the other end that opens in said waveguide, and

a plurality of slots for radiating the high frequency electromagnetic field into the cavity as the rotating electromagnetic field are formed in one side surface or terminal end face of said rectangular waveguide.

19. A plasma device according to claim 18, characterized in that the plurality of slots comprise two slots intersecting at mid points thereof.

20. A plasma device according to claim 18, characterized in that the plurality of slots comprise two slots arranged separate from each other and extending in directions substantially perpendicular to each other.