Plasma processing apparatus

• US 7,565,879 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Satoshi, Hamasaki, Ryoji, Okamura, Kouichi, Kanai, Saburo, Takahashi, Kazue
• Primary Examiner(s): Zervigon; Rudy
• Application Number:
  US10/953,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.MW, 118/663, 118/666, 156/345.24, 156/345.27, 156/345.36, 156/345.37
• US Class Current: 118/723.0MW
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/022 Avoiding or removing foreign or contaminating particles, debris or deposits on sample or tube
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32504 Means for preventing sputtering of the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus having a plasma generating unit, a process chamber including an outer cylinder for withstanding a reduced pressure, and an inner cylinder made of non-magnetic material and being replaceable, arranged inside the outer cylinder, a process gas supply unit for supplying gas to the process chamber, a specimen table for holding a specimen and a vacuum pumping unit. A temperature monitoring unit monitors temperature of the inner cylinder, and a controller controls temperature of the outer cylinder. A desired inner cylinder temperature which is inputted in advance in response to a processing condition of the specimen is compared with the monitored temperature of the inner cylinder, and the controller controls the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to a result of the comparison so as to control the inner cylinder temperature to a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a specimen comprising:

a process chamber capable of having an inside pressure thereof reduced, the process chamber including an outer cylinder having a metallic surface and having the capability of withstanding a reduced pressure, and an inner cylinder arranged inside the outer cylinder so as to delimit a gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being made of non-magnetic material and being detachably connected to the outer cylinder so as to be detachable from the outer cylinder;

a process gas supply unit for supplying gas to the process chamber;

a plasma generating unit for generating a plasma inside of the inner cylinder of the process chamber;

a heat transfer gas supply system for supplying heat transfer gas into the gap;

a pressure controller for controlling pressure in the gap so as to control a temperature difference between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;

a specimen table disposed inside of the inner cylinder for holding a specimen;

a vacuum pumping unit for evacuating the process chamber;

a temperature monitoring unit for monitoring a temperature of the inner cylinder; and

a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the outer cylinder using a heater mounted on the outer cylinder, the temperature controller enabling comparison of a predetermined inner cylinder temperature which is given in advance in response to a processing condition of the specimens with the monitored temperature of the inner cylinder and for controlling the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to a result of the comparison so as to control the inner cylinder temperature to the predetermined inner cylinder temperature.

2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined inner cylinder temperature is given in advance in response to a processing condition of a lot of the specimens, and the temperature controller is configured to control the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to the result of the comparison so as to correct the inner cylinder temperature at the initial stage of processing of the lot.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature controller is configured to control the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to the result of the comparison so as to control the inner cylinder temperature to the predetermined inner cylinder temperature so as to make a constant processing performance of the specimens during one lot processing.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cleaning processing is carried out under utilization of a cleaning gas plasma one of before plasma processing for the specimen, during plasma processing for a plurality of specimens and after plasma processing for the specimen;

wherein the temperature monitoring unit monitors the temperature of the inner cylinder after the cleaning processing and before starting of the plasma processing for the specimen; and

wherein the temperature controller is configured to control the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to the result of the comparison so as to control the temperature of the inner cylinder to the predetermined inner cylinder temperature.