US 2009/0214401 A1 · PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

The invention provides a plasma processing method capable of reducing particle caused by flinging up of particles by airflow due to the pressure fluctuation in the processing chamber during the time the sample is carried into the processing chamber, subjected to plasma processing and carried out of the processing chamber. The invention provides a plasma processing method using a plasma processing apparatus comprising multiple plasma processing chambers for processing samples, a transfer chamber connected to the processing chambers for transferring samples, and a supply system for supplying gas which is the same gas as a transferring gas supplied to the transfer chamber to both the processing chambers and transfer chamber or to only the processing chambers, wherein the process comprises (b) a step of transferring the sample into the processing chamber with the transferring gas supplied to the processing chamber; (c) thereafter, generating plasma from the transferring gas supplied to the processing chamber while maintaining the supply of transferring gas to the processing chamber; (d) a step of switching the gas supplied to the processing chamber from transferring gas to processing gas while maintaining plasma by supplying processing gas continuously to the processing chamber; and (e) a step of subjecting the sample to plasma processing.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A plasma processing method carried out in a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber for subjecting a sample to plasma processing, a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber for transferring the sample, and a supply system for feeding gas, which is a same gas as a transferring gas supplied to the transferring chamber, to both the processing chamber and the transfer chamber, or to only the processing chamber when transferring the sample from the transfer chamber to the processing chamber;

the plasma processing method comprising:
a step of transferring the sample into the processing chamber after introducing the transferring gas to the processing chamber;
after the transferring step, a step of generating a plasma of the transferring gas in the processing chamber while continuing to supply the transferring gas to the processing chamber;
and
after the step of generating the plasma of the transferring gas, a step of supplying processing gas into the processing chamber while continuing a plasma so as to change gases in the processing chamber from transferring gas to processing gas to thereby subject the sample to plasma processing by a plasma of the processing gas.

2 more elements

A plasma processing method carried out in a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber for subjecting a sample to plasma processing, a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber for transferring the sample, and a supply system for feeding gas which is a same gas as a transferring gas supplied to the transferring chamber, to both the processing chamber and the transfer chamber, or to only the processing chamber when transferring the sample from the transfer chamber to the processing chamber;

the plasma processing method comprising:
a step of transferring the sample into the processing chamber after introducing the transferring gas to the processing chamber;
after the transferring step, a step of generating a plasma of the transferring gas in the processing chamber while continuing to supply the transferring gas to the processing chamber;
after the step of generating the plasma of the transferring gas, a step of supplying processing gas into the processing chamber while continuing a plasma so as to change gases in the processing chamber from transferring gas to processing gas to thereby subject the sample to plasma processing by a plasma of the processing gas;
a step of changing gases supplied to the processing chamber from the processing gas to the transferring gas while continuing plasma processing of the sample by a plasma of the processing gas, thereby providing a plasma of the transferring gas;
a step of terminating the plasma of the transferring gas;
and
a step of transferring the sample from the processing chamber to the transfer chamber while continuing to supply transferring gas after terminating the plasma.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plasma processing method

Life of this patent

Plasma processing method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8