# US 12,603,255 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 12,603,255 B2
- Document ID: US12603255B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/277,438
- Filed: 2020-06-19
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-20
- Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
- Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
- Inventors: Shintarou Nakatani; Kyohei Horikawa; Kohei Sato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603255B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32541: {Shape}
- H01J 37/32183: {Matching circuits}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H01J 37/32577: {Electrical connecting means}
- H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings}
- H01J 37/32724: {Temperature}
- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile}
- H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support}
- H01J 2237/334: Etching
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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

A plasma processing apparatus including a sample stage; a ring-shaped electrode, made of a conductor, which surrounds the sample stage and to which radio frequency power is supplied; a dielectric cover above the ring-shaped electrode and covering the ring-shaped electrode; a rod suspended and disposed in a through hole disposed on an outer peripheral side portion of the base material having a disc or cylindrical shape and forming the sample stage, and having a connector portion on an upper end portion of the rod connected to the ring-shaped electrode; a beam-shaped member below the sample stage below the through hole with a gap therebetween and extending in a horizontal direction, and which urges the rod upward with respect to the ring-shaped electrode; and a radio frequency power source that is connected to the rod and to the ring-shaped electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
a processing chamber that is disposed inside a vacuum container;
a sample stage that is disposed inside the processing chamber and on an upper surface of which a wafer to be processed is placed;
a ring-shaped electrode made of a conductor, which is disposed on an outer peripheral side of the upper surface of the sample stage so as to surround the sample stage and to which radio frequency power is supplied;
a dielectric cover that is placed above the ring-shaped electrode and covers the ring-shaped electrode;
a base material that has a disc or cylindrical shape and forms the sample stage, the base material being configured to receive a first radio frequency power from a first radio frequency power source during processing of the wafer;
a rod that is suspended and disposed in a through hole disposed on an outer peripheral side portion of the base material, and has a connector portion on an upper end portion of the rod connected to the ring-shaped electrode and positioned at the ring-shaped electrode and at a lower end portion exposed in a space below a bottom surface of the base material;
a beam-shaped member that is disposed below the sample stage below the through hole with a gap therebetween and extends in a horizontal direction, one end of the beam-shaped member is connected to the lower end portion of the rod and a position of another end at least in an upper and lower direction is fixed with respect to the sample stage, and the another end is configured to urge the rod upward with respect to the ring-shaped electrode; and
a second radio frequency power source that is connected to the rod via a power supply path and which supplies second radio frequency power to the ring-shaped electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the other end of the beam-shaped member is positioned below a central portion of the base material with respect to the sample stage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the rod forms the power supply path.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the beam-shaped member is a leaf spring that urges the rod upward.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the beam-shaped member made of metal forms the power supply path.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a heater that is disposed inside the sample stage to heat the wafer.