Plasma processing device

• US 7,469,654 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nozawa, Toshihisa, Ishibashi, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): A; Minh Dieu
• Application Number:
  US10/515,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 315/111.21, 315/111.31, 315/111.41, 315/111.71, 118/723.MW, 118/728, 118/733, 219/121.21, 219/121.28, 219/121.3, 219/121.36, 219/121.43, 219/686, 219/770, 219/121.26
• 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 37/32238 Windows

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber for carrying out plasma processing inside, a top plate made of a dielectric material for sealing the upper side of this chamber, and an antenna section that serves as a high frequency supply for supplying high frequency waves into the chamber via this top plate. The top plate is provided with reflecting members inside thereof. The sidewalls of the reflecting members work as a wave reflector for reflecting high frequency waves that propagate inside the top plate in the radius direction. Alternatively, no reflecting members may be provided in a manner in which the sidewalls of a recess of the top plate serve as a wave reflector.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber for carrying out plasma processing inside;

a dielectric plate for sealing the upper side of said chamber; and

a high frequency supplying unit for supplying high frequency waves into said chamber via said dielectric plate,

wherein wave reflecting means for reflecting high frequency waves that propagate inside said dielectric plate is provided in a recess in the dielectric plate or wholly inside the dielectric plate within a region where high frequency waves transmit toward an interior space of said chamber.

2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wave reflecting means is provided in order to reflect high frequency waves that propagate in the radius direction of said dielectric plate.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wave reflecting means is placed at approximately the center of said dielectric plate.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wave reflecting means divides said dielectric plate.

5. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an antenna plate having a plurality of slots to supply said high frequency waves via said dielectric plate is provided, said slots being positioned within each region of said dielectric plate divided by said wave reflecting means.

6. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric plate has a recess provided on at least one surface from among the front and rear surfaces so that said wave reflecting means is a sidewall portion of said recess.

7. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said recess is in ring form.

8. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said recess is provided on the side of said dielectric plate that faces said high frequency supplying unit.

9. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said recess is provided on the side of said dielectric plate that faces said chamber.

10. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said wave reflecting means is plasma that has entered into said recess.

11. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting member made of a material different from that of said dielectric plate is placed inside said dielectric plate so that the sidewall of said reflecting member is provided as said wave reflecting means.

12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said reflecting member is formed of conductor or high dielectric material.

13. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of a portion of said dielectric plate located between said wave reflecting means which are adjacent to each other is no less than ½

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through the material of said dielectric plate.

14. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of said dielectric plate in the portion of said recess is no greater than ½

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through the material of said dielectric plate.

15. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of said dielectric plate in the portion of said recess is no greater than ¼

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through the material of said dielectric plate.

16. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric plate is segmented by said wave reflecting means concentrically.

17. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said dielectric plate is segmented by said wave reflecting means in multiple concentric forms.

18. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recess is provided in at least one of the front and rear surfaces said dielectric plate.

19. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said recess provides said dielectric plate with a reduced thickness of no greater than ½

of the wavelength of said frequency waves when propagating through said dielectric plate.

20. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said recess provides said dielectric plate with a reduced thickness of no greater than ¼

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through said dielectric plate.

21. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber for carrying out plasma processing inside;

a dielectric plate for sealing the upper side of said chamber;

a high frequency supplying unit for supplying high frequency waves into said chamber via said dielectric plate; and

an antenna unit arranged on said dielectric plate,

wherein said dielectric plate has a surface having a recess configured to reflect high frequency waves that propagate inside said dielectric plate, said recess being provided within a region where high frequency waves transmit toward an interior space of said chamber.

22. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said recess defines at least one annulus.

23. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said recess is provided outer than a periphery of a substrate to be subjected to said plasma processing, as seen downward.

24. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said antenna unit includes a planar antenna and has a plurality of slots.

25. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of slots are concentrically arranged.

26. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said plasma processing is performed using microwave plasma.

27. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber for carrying out plasma processing inside;

a dielectric plate for sealing the upper side of said chamber; and

a high frequency supplying unit for supplying high frequency waves into said chamber via said dielectric plate, wherein

said dielectric plate has a recess in at least one of front and rear surfaces thereof,

said dielectric plate has wave reflecting means for reflecting high frequency waves that propagate inside said dielectric plate, said wave reflecting means being provided in the recess or wholly inside the dielectric plate within a region where high frequency waves transmit toward an interior space of said chamber, and

said recess provides said dielectric plate with a reduced thickness of no greater than ½

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through said dielectric plate.

28. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said wave reflecting means is provided in order to reflect high frequency waves that propagate in the radius direction of said dielectric plate.

29. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said wave reflecting means is placed at approximately the center of said dielectric plate.

30. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said wave reflecting means divides said dielectric plate.

31. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein an antenna plate having a slot to supply said high frequency waves via said dielectric plate is provided, said slot being positioned within each region of said dielectric plate divided by said wave reflecting means.

32. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said wave reflecting means is a sidewall portion of said recess.

33. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recess is in ring form.

34. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27 or 33, wherein said recess is provided on the side of said dielectric plate adjacent to said high frequency supplying unit.

35. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27 or 33, wherein said recess is provided on side of said dielectric plate adjacent said chamber.

36. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said wave reflecting means is plasma that has entered into said recess.

37. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a reflecting member made of a material different from that of said dielectric plate is placed inside said recess so that the sidewall of said reflecting member is provided as said wave reflecting means.

38. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said reflecting member is formed of conductor or high dielectric material.

39. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the length of a portion of said dielectric plate located between said wave reflecting means which are adjacent to each other is no less than ½

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through the material of said dielectric plate.

40. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said recess provides said dielectric plate with a reduced thickness of no greater than ¼

of the wavelength of said high frequency waves when propagating through said dielectric plate.

41. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said dielectric plate is segmented by said wave reflecting means concentrically.

42. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said dielectric plate is segmented by said wave reflecting means in multiple concentric forms.