Plasma treating apparatus and its electrode structure

An electrode structure of a plasma processing apparatus for plasmatizing a processing gas in a discharge space and jetting the plasmatized gas so as to be contacted to a workpiece to be processed, said electrode structure forming said discharge space in said apparatus, said electrode structure comprising:

• a first electrode row including a plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation in one direction;
• a second electrode row including another plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation with each other and in a parallel relation with said first electrode row;
• one of said electrode members of said first electrode row and one of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged in substantially same positions in the side-by-side arranging directions, having opposite polarities and forming a row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said row-to-row partial gap serving as a part of said discharge space;
• a row-to-row gap including said row-to-row partial gap formed between said first and second electrode rows;
• and
• two of said electrode members of each of said electrode rows arranged adjacent to each other in said side-by-side arranging directions being opposite in polarity with respect to each other.

An electrode structure of a plasma processing apparatus for plasmatizing a processing gas in a discharge space and jetting the plasmatized gas so as to be contacted to a workpiece to be processed, said electrode structure forming said discharge space in said apparatus, said electrode structure comprising:

• a first electrode row including a plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation in one direction;
• a second electrode row including another plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation with each other and in a parallel relation with said first electrode row;
• one of said electrode members of said first electrode row and one of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged in substantially same positions in the side-by-side arranging directions, having opposite polarities and forming a row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said row-to-row partial gap serving as a part of said discharge space;
• a row-to-row gap including said row-to-row partial gap formed between said first and second electrode rows;
• and
• two of said electrode members of each of said electrode rows arranged adjacent to each other in said side-by-side arranging directions being same in polarity with respect to each other.

A plasma processing apparatus for introducing a processing gas into a discharge space from an introduction port, plasmatizing the gas in said discharge space and jetting the plasmatized gas through a jet port so as to be contacted to a workpiece to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

• an electrode structure including a first electrode row consisting of a plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation in a direction intersecting with a direction toward said jet port from said introduction port, and another plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation with each other and in parallel with said first electrode row;
• and
• one of said electrode members of said first electrode row and one of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged at a first position in said side-by-side arranging directions, having opposite polarities and forming a first row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said first row-to-row partial gap serving as a part of said discharge space, and another of said electrode members of said first electrode row and another of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged at a second position adjacent to said first position having opposite polarities with each other and forming a second row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said second row-to-row partial gap serving as another part of said discharge space;
• said apparatus further comprising a gas guide which guides a processing gas flow passing through a part near said second position in said first row-to-row partial gap to a boundary between said first position and said second position or in a direction toward said second position.

A plasma processing apparatus for introducing a processing gas into a discharge space from an introduction port, plasmatizing the gas in said discharge space and jetting the plasmatized gas through a jet port so as to be contact to a workpiece to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

• an electrode structure including a first electrode row consisting of a plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation in a direction intersecting with a direction toward said jet port from said introduction port, and another plurality of electrode members arranged in a side-by-side relation with each other and in parallel with said first electrode row;
• and
• one of said electrode members of said first electrode row and one of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged at a first position in said side-by-side arranging directions, having opposite polarities and forming a first row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said first row-to-row partial gap serving as a part of said discharge space, and another of said electrode members of said first electrode row and another of said electrode members of said second electrode rows, which are arranged at a second position adjacent to said first position having opposite polarities with each other and forming a second row-to-row partial gap therebetween, said second row-to-row partial gap serving as another part of said discharge space, said electrode member which is arranged at the first position in said first electrode row and said electrode member which is arranged at the second position in said first electrode row having opposite polarities each other and forming an in-row gap therebetween;
• said apparatus further comprising an introduction port forming part for forming said introduction port;
• and
• said introduction port of said introduction port forming part including a row-to-row introduction port disposed astride said first row-to-row partial gap and said second row-to-row partial gap and an in-row introduction port directly connected to said in-row gap.

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

• an electric field applying electrode including a first and a second divided electrode member;
• a grounding electrode for forming a processing gas path between said first and second electric field applying electrodes;
• a first power source device for applying an electric field for plasmatizing said processing gas between said first divided electrode member and said grounding electrode;
• a second power source device for applying an electric field for plasmatizing said processing gas between said second divided electrode member and said grounding electrode;
• and
• a synchronizer which synchronizes said first and second power source devices.