Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method and storage medium

• US 8,636,871 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Sawada, Ikuo, Ventzek, Peter, Ohshita, Tatsuro, Matsuzaki, Kazuyoshi, Kang, Songyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Gramaglia, Maureen
• Application Number:
  US12/523,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20100006543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.33, 156/345.34, 156/345.37, 15634543-34547, 118/715, 118/722, 118/723.R, 118/723.E, 315/111.21
• US Class Current: 156/345.47
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32541 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32568 Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode so arranged in the upper portion of a processing chamber as to face a mounting table, a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas between the first electrode and the second electrode, a RF power supply unit for applying a RF power between the first electrode and the second electrode for converting the process gas supplied between the electrodes into a plasma, and a gas exhaust unit for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber to a vacuum level from the lower portion of the processing chamber. Since the electron temperature in the plasma is low near a substrate on the mounting table, damage to the substrate caused by the plasma can be suppressed. In addition, since a metal can be used as a material for the processing chamber, the processing chamber can have good temperature controllability.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber and a mounting table provided within the processing chamber for processing a substrate mounted on the mounting table by plasma of a processing gas, the apparatus comprising:

a grounded first electrode and a second electrode under the first electrode, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are provided in an upper portion of the processing chamber so as to face the mounting table;

a gas supply unit for supplying the processing gas between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a radio frequency (RF) power supply unit connected to the second electrode and configured to apply RF power to the second electrode; and

a gas exhaust unit coupled to a lower portion of the processing chamber for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber to a vacuum level,

wherein the first electrode includes a first plurality of linear members horizontally extending in parallel with each other, with the first plurality of linear members grounded, and the second electrode includes a second plurality of linear members horizontally extending in parallel with each other, with RF power applied to the second plurality of linear members,

wherein the first plurality of linear members are arranged to face the second plurality of linear members, with the second plurality of linear members under the first plurality of linear members, and with both the first plurality of linear members and the second plurality of linear members in the upper portion of the processing chamber,

wherein the first plurality of linear members is arranged in a one-to-one corresponding manner with the second plurality of linear members, and

wherein the plasma is generated between each of the first plurality of linear members and the second plurality of linear members,

wherein each of the first plurality of linear members is vertically opposite the corresponding one of the second plurality of linear members.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply unit is located above the first electrode and the second electrode to face the mounting table, and has a plate-type body in which a plurality of gas supply holes are formed.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply unit is formed as the entirety or a part of one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrode or the second electrode is provided with a plurality of holes for making an electric potential of the entire surface thereof uniform, the holes penetrating through the corresponding first electrode or second electrode.

5. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RF power supply is a first RF power supply, wherein a lower electrode is provided in the mounting table, and wherein a second RF power supply for biasing and attracting the plasma due to the processing gas toward the substrate is connected to the lower electrode.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have flow channels for a temperature adjustment fluid for adjusting temperatures of the first electrode and second electrode, respectively.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing chamber is made of a metal and is provided with a temperature adjustment mechanism for adjusting a temperature of the processing chamber.

8. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply unit includes a space through which the processing gas is supplied, wherein a first group of holes is formed through a peripheral edge portion of the gas supply unit in a thickness direction of the gas supply unit, and wherein the first group of holes does not communicate with the space and is provided for making an electric field potential of the entire surface of the gas supply unit uniform.

9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein a second group of holes is formed through the first plurality of linear members in a thickness direction of the gas supply unit so as to communicate with the space through which the processing gas is supplied, the second group of holes comprising gas supply holes.

10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein a third group of holes is formed in the first plurality of linear members along a horizontal direction, wherein the third group of holes does not communicate with the gas supply holes.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the gas supply holes is located between two of the first plurality of linear members.

12. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein a second group of holes is formed in the first plurality of linear members along a horizontal direction.

13. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply unit includes a space through which the processing gas is supplied, and wherein gas supply holes are formed through the first plurality of linear members in a thickness direction of the gas supply unit so that the gas supply holes communicates with the space.

14. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein additional holes are formed in the first plurality of linear members along a horizontal direction, and wherein the additional holes do not communicate with the gas supply holes and are provided for making an electric field potential of the entire surface of the first electrode uniform.

15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply unit includes a space through which the processing gas is supplied, and wherein gas supply holes are formed in a thickness direction of the gas supply unit, and wherein at least one of the gas supply holes is located between two of the first plurality of linear members.

16. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second electrode includes a base mounted to the processing chamber and wherein the second plurality of linear members extend from the base.

17. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising another RF power supply unit connected to the mounting table.

18. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of linear members is parallel to the second plurality of linear members.