Tuner and microwave plasma source

• US 8,308,898 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kasai, Shigeru, Ikeda, Taro, Osada, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): DHINGRA, RAKESH KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US13/246,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20120067523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.36, 156/345.41, 118/723.MW, 118/723.R
• US Class Current: 156/345.41
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32256 Tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/705 using microwave tuning
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/80 Apparatus for specific applications stoves or ranges F24C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/463 using antennas or applicators

Abstract

A tuner for matching impedance includes: a body having a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the body forming a part of the microwave transmission path; an annular dielectric slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the slug being movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor; and a drive mechanism for moving the slug and including a drive part for applying a driving force; a drive transmission part for transmitting the driving force to the slug; a drive guide part for guiding movement of the slug; and a holding part for holding the slug at the drive transmission part, and wherein the drive transmission part, the drive guide part and the holding part are accommodated in the inner conductor.

Claims

1. A tuner, provided in a microwave transmission path for transmitting a microwave from a microwave power source to a chamber for performing a microwave plasma process, for matching an impedance of a load in the chamber to a characteristic impedance of the microwave power source, the tuner comprising:

a body having a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the body forming a part of the microwave transmission path;

an annular dielectric slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the slug being movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor; and

a drive mechanism for moving the slug,

wherein the drive mechanism comprises;

a drive part for applying a driving force;

a drive transmission part for transmitting the driving force from the drive part to the slug;

a drive guide part for guiding movement of the slug; and

a holding part for holding the slug at the drive transmission part,

wherein the drive transmission part, the drive guide part and the holding part are accommodated in the inner conductor.

2. The tuner of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes:

a sliding member inserted into the slug, the sliding member being slidable along the inner conductor while being in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor, the sliding member having a screw hole; and

a slug moving axle provided inside the inner conductor along the longitudinal direction thereof, the slug moving axle serving as a screw rod screw-coupled to the screw hole of the sliding member of the slug,

wherein the drive transmission part is a screw mechanism constituted by the slug moving axle and the sliding member;

the drive guide part is a sliding guide mechanism constituted by the sliding member and the inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor;

the holding part is formed by the sliding member; and

the drive part has a motor for rotating the slug moving axle,

wherein the slug held by the sliding member is driven by rotating the slug moving axle by the motor in a state where the sliding member is guided to slide on the inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor.

3. The tuner of claim 2, wherein the sliding member is made of a resin having sliding properties.

4. The tuner of claim 2, wherein at least two slugs in which the sliding member is inserted are provided;

and at least two slug moving axles and motors corresponding to the slugs are provided, and wherein the sliding member has a through hole through which the slug moving axle screw-coupled to another slug passes.

5. The tuner of claim 4, wherein said at least two motors are offset-arranged along the movement direction of the slugs.

6. The tuner of claim 2, further comprising an incremental encoder, provided at an output axle of the motor, for detecting a position of the slug based on a starting point of the slug, wherein the starting point is determined by detecting the position of the slug where a count of the encoder is unchanged when the slug reaches a mechanical stop and the motor stops.

7. The tuner of claim 2, wherein the inner conductor has slits for allowing movement of connecting portions between the sliding member and the slug, and the slits have a width of about 5 mm or less.

8. A microwave plasma source comprising:

a microwave power source;

a microwave transmission path which transmits a microwave from the microwave power source to a chamber for performing a plasma process on a substrate;

a tuner provided in the microwave transmission path for matching an impedance of a load in the chamber to a characteristic impedance of the microwave power source; and

an antenna unit for generating a plasma by radiating the microwave into the chamber,

wherein the tuner includes;

a body having a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the body forming a part of the microwave transmission path;

an annular dielectric slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor, the slug being movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor; and

a drive mechanism for moving the slug,

wherein the drive mechanism comprises;

a drive part for applying a driving force;

a drive transmission part for transmitting the driving force from the drive part to the slug;

a drive guide part for guiding movement of the slug; and

a holding part for holding the slug at the drive transmission part,

wherein the drive transmission part, the drive guide part and the holding part are accommodated in the inner conductor.

9. The microwave plasma source of claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism includes:

a sliding member inserted into the slug, the sliding member being slidable along the inner conductor while being in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor, the sliding member having a screw hole; and

a slug moving axle provided inside the inner conductor along the longitudinal direction thereof, the slug moving axle serving as a screw rod screw-coupled to the screw hole of the sliding member of the slug,

wherein the drive transmission part is a screw mechanism constituted by the slug moving axle and the sliding member;

the drive guide part is a sliding guide mechanism constituted by the sliding member and the inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor;

the holding part is formed by the sliding member; and

the drive part has a motor for rotating the slug moving axle,

wherein the slug held by the sliding member is driven by rotating the slug moving axle by the motor in a state where the sliding member is guided to slide on the inner peripheral surface of the inner conductor.

10. The microwave plasma source of claim 8, wherein the antenna unit is formed as one unit with the tuner.