US 2012/0223060 A1Published application

Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited

InventorYohei Yamazawa

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Abstract

In an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, an RF antenna 54 provided on a dielectric window 52 is split into an inner coil 58, an intermediate coil 60, and an outer coil 62 in a radial direction. When traveling along each of the coils from a high frequency power supply 72 to a ground potential member via a RF power supply line 68, the RF antenna 54, and an earth line 70, a direction passing through the inner coil 58 and the outer coil 62 is a counterclockwise direction, whereas a direction passing through the intermediate coil 60 is a clockwise direction. Further, a variable intermediate capacitor 86 and a variable outer capacitor 88 are electrically connected in series with the intermediate coil 60 and the outer coil 62, respectively, between the first and second nodes NA and NB.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing chamber having a dielectric window;
a substrate holding unit for holding thereon a processing target substrate within the processing chamber;
a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber in order to perform a plasma process on the processing target substrate;
an RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window and configured to generate plasma of the processing gas within the processing chamber by inductive coupling;
and
a high frequency power supply unit configured to supply a high frequency power having a frequency for generating a high frequency electric discharge of the processing gas to the RF antenna,
wherein the RF antenna includes an inner coil and an outer coil with a gap therebetween in a radial direction, and the inner coil and the outer coil are electrically connected in parallel to each other between a first node and a second node on high frequency transmission lines of the high frequency power supply unit,
when traveling along each of the inner coil and the outer coil from the first node to the second node via the high frequency transmission lines, a direction passing through the inner coil and a direction passing through the outer coil are opposite to each other in a circumferential direction, and
a first capacitor electrically connected in series with one coil of the inner coil and the outer coil is provided between the first node and the second node.

6 more elements

A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing chamber having a dielectric window;
a substrate holding unit for holding thereon a processing target substrate within the processing chamber;
a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber in order to perform a plasma process on the processing target substrate;
an RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window and configured to generate plasma of the processing gas within the processing chamber by inductive coupling;
and
a high frequency power supply unit configured to supply a high frequency power having a frequency for generating a high frequency electric discharge of the processing gas to the RF antenna,
wherein the RF antenna includes an inner coil, an intermediate coil, and an outer coil with gaps therebetween in a radial direction, and the inner coil, the intermediate coil, and the outer coil are electrically connected in parallel with one another between a first node and a second node on high frequency transmission lines of the high frequency power supply unit,
when traveling along each of the inner coil, the intermediate coil, and the outer coil from the first node to the second node via the high frequency transmission lines, a direction passing through the intermediate coil is opposite to directions passing through the inner coil and the outer coil in a circumferential direction, and
a first capacitor electrically connected in series with the intermediate coil is provided between the first node and the second node.

6 more elements

A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a processing target substrate by using a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a dielectric window;

a substrate holding unit for holding thereon a processing target substrate within the processing chamber;
a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber in order to perform a plasma process on the processing target substrate;
an RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window and configured to generate plasma of the processing gas within the processing chamber by inductive coupling;
and a high frequency power supply unit configured to supply a high frequency power having a frequency for generating a high frequency electric discharge of the processing gas to the RF antenna, the plasma processing method comprising:
splitting the RF antenna into an inner coil, an intermediate coil, and an outer coil with gaps therebetween in a radial direction, and electrically connecting the inner coil, the intermediate coil, and the outer coil in parallel with one another between a first node and a second node on high frequency transmission lines of the high frequency power supply unit;
connecting each of the inner coil, the intermediate coil, and the outer coil such that a direction passing through the intermediate coil is opposite to directions passing through the inner coil and the outer coil in a circumferential direction when traveling along the inner coil, the intermediate coil, and the outer coil from the first node to the second node via the high frequency transmission lines;
providing a first variable capacitor electrically connected in series with the intermediate coil between the first node and the second node;
and
controlling a plasma density distribution on the processing target substrate by setting or varying an electrostatic capacitance of the first variable capacitor.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.