Plasma processing apparatus

• US 8,800,484 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Naoki, Kato, Kazuyuki, Shikata, Masafumi, Takai, Kazuto
• Primary Examiner(s): Baldwin, Gordon R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bennett, Charlee
• Application Number:
  US13/003,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20110114261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.MW, 156/345.41
• US Class Current: 118/723.MW
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container in which a plasma processing is performed on a substrate to be processed, a holding stage which is disposed in the processing container and holds thereon the substrate to be processed, a dielectric plate which is provided at a location facing the holding stage and transmits a microwave into the processing container, and a reactive gas supply unit which supplies a reactive gas for plasma processing toward the central region of the substrate to be processed held by the holding stage. Here, the reactive gas supply unit includes an injector base, which is disposed at a location more recessed inside the dielectric plate than a wall surface of the dielectric plate facing the holding stage. A supply hole, which supplies a reactive gas for plasma processing into the processing container, is formed in the injector base.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a processing container in which a plasma processing is performed on a substrate to be processed;

a holding stage which is disposed in the processing container and holds thereon the substrate to be processed;

a microwave generator which generates a microwave for exciting plasma;

a dielectric plate which is provided at a location facing the holding stage and transmits a microwave into the processing container, the dielectric plate having a bottom surface facing the holding stage;

a base housing portion, which penetrates an upper portion of the dielectric plate in a plate vertical thickness direction; and

a reactive gas supply unit which supplies a reactive gas for plasma processing toward a central region of the substrate to be processed held by the holding stage,

wherein the reactive gas supply unit includes an injector base, which is housed inside the base housing portion, and has a wall surface exposed to the inside of the processing container and directly open toward the holding stage and a supply hole formed in the wall surface, a reactive gas being supplied into the processing container through the supply hole, the wall surface and the supply hole being positioned vertically above the bottom surface of the dielectric plate, and

a seal provided between an inner wall of the base housing portion and the wall surface of the injector base.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the bottom surface of the dielectric plate and the wall surface, of the injector base, exposed to the inside of the processing container is different from a distance between the bottom surface of the dielectric plate and the wall surface, of the injector base, on which the seal is provided.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distance between the bottom surface of the dielectric plate and the wall surface, of the injector base, exposed to the inside of the processing container is greater than a distance between the bottom surface of the dielectric plate and the wall surface, of the injector base, on which the seal is provided.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the injector base includes a protrusion, which extends from the wall surface of the injector base facing the holding stage toward the holding stage and whose length is within a range of not reaching the wall surface of the dielectric plate facing the holding stage.

5. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the supply hole is formed in the front end portion of the protrusion.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1,

further comprising a step, which is formed between the wall surface, of the injector base, exposed to the inside of the processing container and the wall surface, of the injector base, on which the seal is provided,

the wall surface, on which the seal is provided, is disposed at a periphery of the step.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6,

wherein

a wall surface of the injector base forming the step includes a surface extending perpendicularly to at least one of the wall surface, of the injector base, exposed to the inside of the processing container and the wall surface, of the injector base, on which the seal is provided.

8. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6,

wherein

a recess portion, which is recessed from the wall surface of the injector base so as to house the seal, is formed in the wall surface of the injector base, on which the seal is provided.

9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6,

wherein

a plurality of the steps are formed.

10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein

the seal includes an O-ring.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein

the reactive gas includes a mixed gas containing oxygen.

12. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the injector base is formed of aluminated aluminum or Y₂O₃(yttria)-coated aluminum.