Power supply antenna and power supply method

• US 20060027168A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuda, Ryuichi, Ueda, Noriaki, Yoshida, Kazuto
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.I
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/366 using an ionized gas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A power supply antenna comprises a plurality of coils disposed concentrically. Power supply portions formed at opposite ends of the respective coils are located in different phases on the same plane such that spacing between the adjacent power supply portions is equal. The power supply antenna can generate a uniform electric field and a uniform magnetic field, although it has the plural coils.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply antenna comprising a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc; and

matching means having capacitors connected in parallel to the respective coils of the power supply antenna, and wherein

the matching means has

a first tubular capacitor and a second tubular capacitor each having electrodes at axially opposite ends thereof, and also has

a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode disposed parallel to the power supply antenna, with electrical insulation being established with respect to each other,

one of the electrodes of the first capacitor being connected to the first electrode, one of the electrodes of the second capacitor being connected to the second electrode, and the other electrodes of the first and second capacitors being connected to the third electrode.

7. The power supply apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein

the power supply antenna comprises a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc, and

power supply portions formed at opposite ends of the respective coils so as to be connected to a high frequency power source are located in different phases on a same plane.

8. The power supply apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein

the power supply antenna comprises a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc,

power supply portions formed at opposite ends of the respective coils so as to be connected to a high frequency power source are located in different phases on a same plane, and

radii or thicknesses of the respective coils are adjusted to vary self inductances and mutual inductances, thereby varying electric currents flowing through the respective coils so that a distribution of energy absorbed to a plasma can be adjusted.

9. The power supply apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein

the power supply antenna comprises a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc,

power supply portions formed at opposite ends of the respective coils so as to be connected to a high frequency power source are located in different phases on a same plane, and

at least one of the coils is disposed on a plane other than the same plane to vary mutual inductances so that a distribution of energy absorbed to a plasma is adjusted.

10. The power supply apparatus of claim 5 or 6, wherein

the power supply antenna comprises a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc,

power supply portions formed at opposite ends of the respective coils so as to be connected to a high frequency power source are located in different phases on a same plane, and

spacing between the adjacent power supply portions in the respective coils is equal.

16. The power supply apparatus of claim 5 or 6, including

a plurality of types of power sources for supplying high frequency voltages of different frequencies, and wherein

the high frequency power source for an output voltage of the lowest frequency is connected to the coil on an outermost periphery, and

the high frequency power source for an output voltage of a relatively high frequency is connected to the other coil.

6. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply antenna comprising a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc; and

matching means having capacitors connected in parallel to the respective coils of the power supply antenna, and wherein

the matching means has

a first tubular capacitor and a second tubular capacitor each having electrodes at axially opposite ends thereof, and also has

a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode disposed parallel to the power supply antenna, with electrical insulation being established with respect to each other,

one of the electrodes of the first capacitor being connected to the first electrode, one of the electrodes of the second capacitor being connected to the second electrode, and the other electrodes of the first and second capacitors being connected to the third electrode,

the first electrode and the third electrode are disposed at opposite ends thereof,

the second electrode comprising a flat plate portion having through-holes and a concave portion protruding from the flat plate portion toward the first electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode,

the first capacitor passes through the through-hole and has one of the electrodes thereof connected to the first electrode,

the second capacitor fits into the concave portion and has one of the electrodes thereof connected to the second electrode, and

at least one of power supply portions of each of the coils constituting the power supply antenna passes through at least the first electrode and establishes an electrically connected relationship with the second electrode.

11. (canceled)

12. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a vessel having an electromagnetic wave transparent window;

a power supply antenna provided outside the vessel and opposed to the electromagnetic wave transparent window; and

a power source for applying a high frequency voltage to the power supply antenna, and

being adapted to apply the high frequency voltage from the power source to the power supply antenna to generate an electromagnetic wave, and pass the electromagnetic wave through the electromagnetic wave transparent window into the vessel to generate a plasma, thereby treating a surface of a substrate in the vessel, and further including

a power supply apparatus comprising;

the power supply antenna comprising a plurality of coils disposed concentrically, the plurality of coils being prepared by bending a plurality of conductors each into a form of an arc; and

matching means having capacitors connected in parallel to the respective coils of the power supply antenna, and configured such that

the matching means has

a first tubular capacitor and a second tubular capacitor each having electrodes at axially opposite ends thereof, and also has

a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode disposed parallel to the power supply antenna, with electrical insulation being established with respect to each other,

one of the electrodes of the first capacitor being connected to the first electrode, one of the electrodes of the second capacitor being connected to the second electrode, and the other electrodes of the first and second capacitors being connected to the third electrode.

17. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, including

a plurality of types of power sources for supplying high frequency voltages of different frequencies, and wherein

the high frequency power source for an output voltage of the lowest frequency is connected to the coil on an outermost periphery, and

the high frequency power source for an output voltage of a relatively high frequency is connected to the other coil.

13-15. -15. (canceled)