Processing apparatus and gas discharge suppressing member

• US 7,622,017 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kubota, Tomoya, Endoh, Shosuke, Himori, Shinji, Hayashi, Daisuke, Nagaseki, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Zervigon; Rudy
• Application Number:
  US10/856,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.E, 118/723.ER, 118/666, 118/663, 118/728, 15634543-34548, 156/345.27, 156/345.24
• US Class Current: 156/345.43
• 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 plasma 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, 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 space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on a lower electrode for attracting and holding the object to be processed, through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the lower electrode,

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway extends across the insulating member and a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway

     1) is formed in a zigzag shape with respect to a direction of the axis of at least one electric field line in the insulating member during the plasma process and

     2) is embedded within the insulating member and extended along a width of the insulating member, and

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is extended from an upper surface of the insulating member to a lower surface of the insulating member to extend across an entire height of the insulating member.

15. The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein an upper portion and a lower portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway are in contact with the lower electrode and a grounded conductive member provided under the insulating member and an electric field is generated between the lower electrode and the conductive member by the high frequency power.

19. The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding unit is an electrostatic chuck having a plurality of thermal transfer gas feed holes provided therein, and the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is connected to the thermal transfer gas feed holes such that the thermal transfer gas feed pathway supplies the thermal transfer gas to the space through the thermal transfer gas feed holes.

2. A processing apparatus for performing a plasma 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 space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on a lower electrode for attracting and holding the object to be processed, through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the lower electrode,

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway extends across the insulating member and a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway

     1) is formed in a zigzag shape wilt respect to a direction of the axis of at least one electric field line in the insulating member during the plasma process and

     2) is embedded within the insulating member and extended along a width of the insulating member, and

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is extended from an upper surface of the insulating member to a lower surface of the insulating member to extend across an entire height of the insulating member.

3. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway 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 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.

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

16. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein an upper portion and a lower portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway are in contact with the lower electrode and a grounded conductive member provided under the insulating member and an electric field is generated between the lower electrode and the conductive member by the high frequency power.

20. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the holding unit is an electrostatic chuck having a plurality of thermal transfer gas feed holes provided therein, and the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is connected to the thermal transfer gas feed holes such that the thermal transfer gas feed pathway supplies the thermal transfer gas to the space through the thermal transfer gas feed holes.

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 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, through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under a lower electrode on which the holding unit is installed,

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway extends across the insulating member and a portion of the feed pathway 1) is formed in a zigzag or a spiral shape with respect to a direction of the axis of at least one electric field line in the insulating member during the plasma process and 2) is embedded within the insulating member and extended along a width of the insulating member, and

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is extended from an upper surface of the insulating member to a lower surface of the insulating member to extend across an entire height of the insulating member.

8. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in the spiral shape, and a cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer feed pathway in the gas discharge suppressing member is smaller than a width thereof.

9. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 8, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in the spiral shape, and the cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer feed pathway in the gas discharge suppressing member is equal to or less than 1 mm.

10. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in the spiral shape, and 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 thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in the spiral shape, the gas discharge suppressing member is provided with a connecting member formed therein the 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 the direction of the axis of said at least one electric field line.

13. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is formed in the spiral shape, and a cross sectional thickness of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is smaller than a cross sectional width of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said at least one electric field line.

17. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein an upper portion and a lower portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway are in contact with the lower electrode and a grounded conductive member provided under the insulating member and an electric field is generated between the lower electrode and the conductive member by a high frequency power applied to the lower electrode.

21. The gas discharge suppressing member of claim 7, wherein the holding unit is an electrostatic chuck having a plurality of thermal transfer gas feed holes provided therein, and the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is connected to the thermal transfer gas feed holes such that the thermal transfer gas feed pathway supplies the thermal transfer gas to the space through the thermal transfer gas feed holes.

14. A processing apparatus for performing a plasma 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, comprising:

a thermal transfer gas feed pathway which supplies a thermal transfer gas, for control of a temperature of the object to be processed, to a space between the object to be processed and a holding unit installed on a lower electrode which attracts and holds the object to be processed,

wherein said thermal transfer gas feed pathway is provided through an inner portion of an insulating member disposed under the lower electrode and extends across the insulating member, and

a portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway inside the insulating member fonts a gas path

     1) acutely inclined with respect to a direction of the axis of at least one electric field line in the insulating member during the plasma process and

     2) embedded within the inner portion of the insulating member and extended along a width of the insulating member, and

wherein the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is extended from an upper surface of the insulating member to a lower surface of the insulating member to extend across an entire height of the insulating member.

18. The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein an upper portion and a lower portion of the thermal transfer gas feed pathway are in contact with the lower electrode and a grounded conductive member provided under the insulating member and an electric field is generated between the lower electrode and the conductive member by the high frequency power.

22. The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the holding unit is an electrostatic chuck having a plurality of thermal transfer gas feed holes provided therein, and the thermal transfer gas feed pathway is connected to the thermal transfer gas feed holes such that the thermal transfer gas feed pathway supplies the thermal transfer gas to the space through the thermal transfer gas feed holes.