Plasma generator, ozone generator, substrate processing apparatus and manufacturing method of semiconductor device

An ozone generator, comprising:

• an electrode part constituted of plural electrodes;
• a charge storage part connected with the electrode part in series, for storing charge;
• and
• an AC power source for applying AC voltage to a serial connection circuit formed of the electrode part and the charge storage part,
• wherein by applying the AC voltage to the serial connection circuit formed of the electrode part and the charge storage part by the AC power source, discharge is caused intermittently in each inter-electrodes of the plural electrodes of the electrode part, and ozone is generated by supplying gas containing oxygen atom in the discharge atmosphere.

A plasma generator, comprising:

• an electrode unit constituted of a first electrode, an insulating material or a dielectric material provided around the first electrode, and a second electrode provided around the insulating material or the dielectric material;
• a third electrode facing the first electrode;
• and
• a power source for applying voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode,
• wherein by the power source, the voltage is applied between the second electrode and the third electrode, discharge is thereby caused between the first electrode and the third electrode, and plasma is thereby generated.

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• an electrode unit constituted of a first electrode, an insulating material or a dielectric material provided around the first electrode, and a second electrode provided around the insulating material or the dielectric material;
• a third electrode facing the first electrode;
• and
• a power source for applying voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode,
• wherein by the power source, the voltage is applied between the second electrode and the third electrode, discharge is thereby caused between the first electrode and the third electrode, and in this discharge atmosphere, gas containing oxygen atom is supplied, and ozone is thereby generated.

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a processing chamber for processing a substrate;
• and
• a plasma generator for generating plasma,
• wherein the substrate is processed by using a reactant obtained by exposing a processing gas to the plasma generated by the plasma generator,
• the plasma generator comprising:
• an electrode unit constituted of a first electrode, an insulating material or a dielectric material provided around the first electrode, and a second electrode provided around the insulating material or the dielectric material;
• a third electrode facing the first electrode;
• and
• a power source for applying voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode, wherein by applying the voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode, discharge is caused between the first electrode and the third electrode, and plasma is thereby generated.

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a processing chamber for processing a substrate;
• and
• an ozone generator for generating ozone,
• wherein by using the ozone generated by the ozone generator, the substrate is processed,
• the ozone generator comprising:
• an electrode unit constituted of a first electrode, an insulating material or a dielectric material provided around the first electrode, and a second electrode provided around the insulating material or the dielectric material;
• a third electrode facing the first electrode;
• and
• a power source for applying voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode,
• wherein by applying the voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode, discharge is caused between the first electrode and the third electrode, and in such a discharge atmosphere, gas containing oxygen atom is supplied, and ozone is thereby generated.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, with a plasma generator having an electrode unit constituted of a first electrode, an insulating material or a dielectric material provided around the first electrode, and a second electrode provided around the insulating material or the dielectric material, and a third electrode facing the first electrode,

• the method comprising the steps of:
• generating plasma by causing discharge between the first electrode and the third electrode by applying voltage between the second electrode and the third electrode;
• and
• processing a substrate by using a reactant obtained by exposing a processing gas to the plasma thus generated.

A plasma generator, comprising:

• an electrode part constituted of plural electrodes;
• plural charge storage parts connected in series to the electrode part to store charge;
• and
• an AC power source for applying AC voltage to a circuit in which the plural serial connection parts formed of the electrode part and the plural charge storage parts are connected in parallel,
• wherein by applying the AC voltage by this AC power source to the circuit in which the serial connection part formed of the electrode part and the plural charge storage parts are connected in parallel, discharge is intermittently caused between plural electrodes of the electrode part, and plasma is thereby generated.