Processing apparatus and processing method, and gas cluster generating apparatus and gas cluster generating method

A processing apparatus for performing a processing on a workpiece using gas clusters, the apparatus comprising:

• a processing container configured to dispose therein the workpiece and maintained in a vacuum state;
• an exhaust configured to exhaust an atmosphere in the processing container;
• a first gas supply configured to supply a cluster generating gas for generating the gas clusters and a second gas supply configured to supply a reactive gas;
• a cluster nozzle including a nozzle tip and a base positioned above the nozzle tip, the base being attached to the processing container via an insulator and the cluster nozzle being provided in the processing container and configured to generate the gas clusters by adiabatically expanding the cluster generating gas supplied from the first gas supply therein and inject a gas component containing the generated gas clusters into the processing container;
• a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the cluster nozzle and including a DC power source connected directly to the base;
• and
• a controller configured to control an overall operation of the processing apparatus,
• wherein the controller controls the processing apparatus such that the gas clusters are ionized by the plasma generated in the cluster nozzle, so that the ionized gas clusters are ejected from the cluster nozzle and irradiated onto the workpiece so as to perform a predetermined processing, and
• wherein the reactive gas is excited by the plasma in the cluster nozzle to become monomer ions or radicals so that the monomer ions or the radicals are supplied to the processing container, thereby exerting a chemical action on a substance present on a surface of the workpiece.