Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method, and storage medium

• US 9,362,090 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Honda, Masanobu, Matsui, Yutaka, Sato, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Keath
• Application Number:
  US12/973,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,996 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.24, 156/345.28, 15634543-34547, 118/715, 118/722, 118/723.R, 118/723.E, 315/111.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32165 Plural frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32174 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3255 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32706 Polarising the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32926 Software, data control or modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31122 of layers not containing Si, e.g. PZT, Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31138 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31144 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus that enables polymer to be removed from an electrically insulated electrode. A susceptor of the plasma processing apparatus is disposed in a substrate processing chamber having a processing space therein. A radio frequency power source is connected to the susceptor. An upper electrode plate is electrically insulated from a wall of the substrate processing chamber and from the susceptor. A DC power source is connected to the upper electrode plate. A controller of the plasma processing apparatus determines a value of a negative DC voltage to be applied to the upper electrode plate in accordance with processing conditions for RIE processing to be carried out.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus for performing a method on a substrate having an inorganic film and an organic film formed thereon, the plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which the substrate is transferred and which carries out the plasma processing on the substrate in the processing space;

a first electrode that is disposed in the substrate processing chamber and is connected to a radio frequency power source;

a second electrode that has an exposed portion exposed to the processing space and is electrically insulated from the substrate processing chamber and the first electrode, the exposed portion comprising a silicon-based material;

wherein the second electrode is connected to a DC power source;

a switching device disposed between the second electrode and the DC power source,

and

a controller configured to control the apparatus to perform;

a first step of carrying out plasma processing on the inorganic film under a condition where a potential difference between a plasma generated in the processing space and the second electrode is set to a value of the DC power source which enables the exposed portion of the second electrode to be sputtered by the generated plasma, and

a second step of carrying out plasma processing on the organic film under a condition where the switching device cuts off electrical connection between the second electrode and the DC power source so as to electrically insulate the second electrode in a floating state and the potential difference between the generated plasma and the second electrode is set to a value which avoids the exposed portion of the second electrode from being sputtered by the generated plasma.

2. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to ground the second electrode.

3. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, in the first step, apply a radio frequency electrical power of frequency not more than 27 MHz that produces a desired DC voltage to the second electrode.

4. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set a potential on the second electrode to be not more than 50 eV which corresponds to a threshold value at which sputtering yield of the silicon based material rises in the second step.