PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS, PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20070221493A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Matsui, Yutaka, Sato, Manabu, HONDA, Masanobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.100
• 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 comprising:

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

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

a second electrode that has an exposed portion exposed to said processing space and is electrically insulated from said substrate processing chamber and said first electrode,

wherein said second electrode is connected to a DC power source.

2. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to control a value of a DC voltage applied to said second electrode,

wherein said controller is configured to determine the value of the applied DC voltage in accordance with an amount of deposit attached to the exposed portion.

3. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to control a value of a DC voltage applied to said second electrode,

wherein said controller is configured to determine the value of the applied DC voltage in accordance with at least one of a type of a gas introduced into said processing space, a magnitude of radio frequency electrical power supplied to said first electrode, and a pressure in said processing space.

4. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said DC power source applies a DC voltage to said second electrode at least while said radio frequency power source is supplying radio frequency electrical power to said first electrode.

5. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said DC power source applies a DC voltage to said second electrode at least while plasma is being produced in said processing space.

6. A plasma processing method for a plasma processing apparatus having a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which a substrate is transferred and is configured to carry out 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, and 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 method comprising:

a DC voltage application step of applying a DC voltage to the second electrode.

7. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a voltage value determining step of determining a value of the DC voltage applied to the second electrode in accordance with an amount of deposit attached to the exposed portion.

8. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a voltage value determining step of determining a value of the DC voltage applied to the second electrode in accordance with at least one of a type of a gas introduced into the processing space, a magnitude of radio frequency electrical power supplied to the first electrode, and a pressure in the processing space.

9. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein in said DC voltage application step, the DC voltage is applied to the second electrode at least while the radio frequency power source is supplying radio frequency electrical power to the first electrode.

10. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein in said DC voltage application step, the DC voltage is applied to the second electrode at least while plasma is being produced in the processing space.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement a plasma processing method for a plasma processing apparatus having a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which a substrate is transferred and is configured to carry out 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, and 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 method comprising:

a DC voltage application step of applying a DC voltage to the second electrode.

12. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which a substrate is transferred and is configured to carry out plasma processing on the substrate in said processing space;

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

a second electrode that has an exposed portion exposed to said processing space and is electrically insulated from said substrate processing chamber and said first electrode,

wherein the substrate has an inorganic film and an organic film formed thereon,

when plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film on the substrate, a potential difference between said processing space and said second electrode is set to a value at which said exposed portion of said second electrode is sputtered by plasma produced in said processing space,

and when plasma processing is being carried out on the organic film on the substrate, the potential difference between said processing space and said second electrode is set to a value lower than the value of the potential difference for when the plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film.

13. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second electrode is connected to a DC power source.

14. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a switching device disposed between said second electrode and said DC power source, wherein when the plasma processing is being carried out on the organic film on the substrate, said switching device cuts off electrical connection between said second electrode and said DC power source so as to electrically insulate said second electrode.

15. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film on the substrate, said second electrode is grounded.

16. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film on the substrate, radio frequency electrical power of frequency not more than 27 MHz that produces a desired DC voltage is applied to said second electrode.

17. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the plasma processing is being carried out on the organic film on the substrate, said second electrode is electrically insulated.

18. A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said exposed portion comprises a silicon-based material.

19. A plasma processing method for a plasma processing apparatus having a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which a substrate is transferred and is configured to carry out 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, and 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 substrate having an inorganic film and an organic film formed thereon, the method comprising:

an inorganic film processing step of carrying out plasma processing on the inorganic film on the substrate; and

an organic film processing step of carrying out plasma processing on the organic film on the substrate,

wherein in said inorganic film processing step, a potential difference between the processing space and the second electrode is set to a value at which the exposed portion of the second electrode is sputtered by plasma produced in the processing space, and

in said organic film processing step, the potential difference between the processing space and the second electrode is set to a value lower than the value of the potential difference for when the plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film.

20. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a DC power source connection step of connecting a DC power source to the second electrode.

21. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein in said inorganic film processing step, the second electrode is grounded.

22. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein in said inorganic film processing step, radio frequency electrical power of frequency not more than 27 MHz that produces a desired DC voltage is applied to the second electrode.

23. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein in said organic film processing step, the second electrode is electrically insulated.

24. A plasma processing method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the exposed portion comprises a silicon-based material.

25. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement a plasma processing method for a plasma processing apparatus having a substrate processing chamber that has therein a processing space into which a substrate is transferred and is configured to carry out 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, and 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 substrate having an inorganic film and an organic film formed thereon, the method comprising:

an inorganic film processing step of carrying out plasma processing on the inorganic film on the substrate; and

an organic film processing step of carrying out plasma processing on the organic film on the substrate,

wherein in said inorganic film processing step, a potential difference between the processing space and the second electrode is set to a value at which the exposed portion of the second electrode is sputtered by plasma produced in the processing space, and

in said organic film processing step, the potential difference between the processing space and the second electrode is set to a value lower than the value of the potential difference for when the plasma processing is being carried out on the inorganic film.