# US 12,191,124 B2 · Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,124 B2 - Document ID: US12191124B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/022,921 - Filed: 2021-08-24 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-07 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Tatsuo Matsudo; Yasushi Morita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191124B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32834: {Exhausting} - C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - H01J 37/32541: {Shape} - H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means} - H01J 37/32577: {Electrical connecting means} - H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) - H10P 14/60: of insulating materials - H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials} - H01J 2237/182: Obtaining or maintaining desired pressure - H01J 2237/24564: Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency - H01J 2237/332: Coating - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a gas supply configured to supply a gas into the chamber; an exhaust device configured to exhaust a gas in the chamber; a substrate support including a lower electrode and provided in the chamber; an upper electrode provided above the substrate support; a high-frequency power supply configured to supply high-frequency power to the upper electrode; an impedance circuit connected between the lower electrode and ground; and a controller configured to control the gas supply and the exhaust device such that a pressure of the gas in the chamber is 26.66 Pa or higher. A frequency of the high-frequency power is lower than 13.56 MHz, and an impedance of the impedance circuit is set such that an impedance of an electrical path from the lower electrode through the impedance circuit to the ground is higher than an impedance of an electrical path from a wall of the chamber to the ground. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a gas supply configured to supply a gas into the chamber; an exhaust device configured to exhaust a gas in the chamber; a substrate support including a lower electrode and provided in the chamber; an upper electrode provided above the substrate support; a high-frequency power supply configured to supply high-frequency power to the upper electrode; an impedance circuit connected between the lower electrode and ground; and a controller configured to control the gas supply and the exhaust device such that a pressure of the gas in the chamber is 26.66 Pa or higher, wherein a frequency of the high-frequency power is lower than 13.56 MHz, and an impedance of the impedance circuit is set such that an impedance of an electrical path from the lower electrode through the impedance circuit to the ground is higher than an impedance of an electrical path from a wall of the chamber to the ground. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a ring electrode having a ring shape and provided outside a space between the lower electrode and the upper electrode and inside the chamber; and a second impedance circuit that is different from a first impedance circuit that is the impedance circuit connected between the lower electrode and the ground, and that is connected between the ring electrode and the ground, wherein an impedance of the second impedance circuit is set such that an impedance of an electrical path from the ring electrode through the second impedance circuit to the ground is lower than the impedance of the electrical path from the lower electrode through the first impedance circuit to the ground. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a current sensor that measures a current value in the electrical path from the ring electrode through the second impedance circuit to the ground, wherein the controller sets the impedance of the second impedance circuit to maximize the current value measured by the current sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ring electrode extends along a sidewall of the chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ring electrode extends to surround the upper electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ring electrode extends to surround the substrate support. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the high-frequency power is 2 MHz or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply is configured to supply a film forming gas. ### Claim 9 A plasma processing method comprising: (a) preparing a substrate on a substrate support in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the substrate support including a lower electrode; (b) supplying a gas into the chamber, a pressure of the gas in the chamber being set to a pressure of 26.66 Pa or higher; and (c) supplying high-frequency power to an upper electrode, the upper electrode being provided above the substrate support; wherein in a state where the pressure of the gas in the chamber is set to 26.66 Pa or higher in the (b), the high-frequency power having a frequency lower than 13.56 MHz is supplied to the upper electrode in the (c), and during a period in which the (c) is performed, an impedance of an impedance circuit connected between the lower electrode and ground is set such that an impedance of an electrical path from the lower electrode through the impedance circuit to the ground is higher than an impedance of an electrical path from a wall of the chamber to the ground. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The plasma processing method of claim 9, wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises: a ring electrode having a ring shape and provided outside a space between the lower electrode and the upper electrode and inside the chamber; and a second impedance circuit that is different from a first impedance circuit that is the impedance circuit connected between the lower electrode and the ground, and that is connected between the ring electrode and the ground, wherein during a period in which the (c) is performed, an impedance of the second impedance circuit is set such that an impedance of an electrical path from the ring electrode through the second impedance circuit to the ground is lower than the impedance of the electrical path from the lower electrode through the first impedance circuit to the ground. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The plasma processing method of claim 10, wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises a current sensor that measures a current value in the electrical path from the ring electrode through the second impedance circuit to the ground, and during a period in which the (c) is performed, the impedance of the second impedance circuit is set to maximize the current value measured by the current sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The plasma processing method of claim 10, wherein the ring electrode extends along a sidewall of the chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The plasma processing method of claim 10, wherein the ring electrode extends to surround the upper electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The plasma processing method of claim 10, wherein the ring electrode extends to surround the substrate support. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The plasma processing method of claim 9, wherein the frequency of the high-frequency power is 2 MHz or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The plasma processing method of claim 9, wherein the gas supplied into the chamber in the (b) is a film forming gas.