Processing apparatus and gas discharge suppressing member

• US 20050011456A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Daisuke, Kubota, Tomoya, Endoh, Shosuke, Himori, Shinji, Nagaseki, Kazuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/724
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2001 Maintaining constant desired temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

A processing apparatus for performing a process on a surface of an object to be processed by applying a high frequency power to an electrode installed in an airtight processing chamber to convert a processing gas introduced therein into a plasma, includes a thermal transfer gas feed pathway for supplying a thermal transfer gas for controlling a temperature of the object to be processed to a minute space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on the electrode for attracting and holding the object to be processed through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the electrode. A portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway, which passes through the inner portion of the insulating member, is formed in a zigzag shape or a spiral shape with respect to a normal direction of a holding surface of the holding unit.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus for performing a process on a surface of an object to be processed by applying a high frequency power to an electrode installed in an airtight processing chamber to convert a processing gas introduced therein into a plasma, comprising:

a thermal transfer gas feed pathway for supplying a thermal transfer gas for controlling a temperature of the object to be processed to a minute space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on the electrode for attracting and holding the object to be processed through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the electrode,

wherein a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway, which passes through the inner portion of the insulating member, is formed in a zigzag shape with respect to a normal direction of a holding surface of the holding unit.

2. A processing apparatus for performing a process on a surface of an object to be processed by applying a high frequency power to an electrode installed in an airtight processing chamber to convert a processing gas introduced therein into a plasma, comprising:

a thermal transfer gas feed pathway for supplying a thermal transfer gas for controlling a temperature of the object to be processed to a minute space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on the electrode for attracting and holding the object to be processed through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the electrode,

wherein a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway, which passes through the inner portion of the insulating member, is formed in a spiral shape with respect to a normal direction of a holding surface of the holding unit.

3. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway in a direction of electric field is smaller than a width thereof.

4. The processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway in the direction of electric field is equal to or less than 1 mm.

5. The processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in a member having a dielectric constant equal to or less than 4.

6. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed of a plurality of paths.

7. A gas discharge suppressing member installed in a thermal transfer gas feed pathway for supplying a thermal transfer gas for controlling a temperature of the object to be processed to a minute space between an object to be processed and a holding unit for attracting and holding the object to be processed in an airtight processing chamber, the gas discharge suppressing member having a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway,

wherein the feed pathway in the gas discharge suppressing member is formed in a spiral shape.

8. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein a cross sectional thickness of the feed pathway in the gas discharge suppressing member along a direction of electric field is smaller than a width thereof.

9. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 8, cross sectional thickness of the feed pathway in the gas discharge suppressing the direction of electric field is equal to or less than 1 mm.

10. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the gas discharge suppressing member is formed of a material having a dielectric constant equal to or less than 4.

11. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the gas discharge suppressing member is provided with a connecting member formed therein a thermal transfer gas passageway at either or each of an inlet side and an outlet side of the thermal transfer gas, and at least a portion of the thermal transfer gas passageway is inclined with respect to a normal direction of a holding surface of the holding unit.