# US 2012/0234491 A1 · Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2012/0234491 A1
- Document ID: US20120234491A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/469,851
- Filed: 2012-05-11
- Published: 2012-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-25
- Assignees: Tadahiro Ohmi
- Inventors: Tadahiro OHMI; Akinobu Teramoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120234491A1

## CPC

- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- C23C 16/402: {Silicon dioxide}
- C23C 16/511: using microwave discharges
- H01J 37/32192: {Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence)}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus in which consumption of expensive krypton and xenon gases is suppressed as much as possible while reducing damage on a workpiece during plasma processing. In plasma processing of a substrate using a rare gas, two or more kinds of different rare gases are employed, and an inexpensive argon gas is used as one rare gas and any one or both of krypton and xenon gases having a larger collision cross-sectional area against electron than that of the argon gas is used as the other gas. Consequently, consumption of expensive krypton and xenon gases is suppressed as much as possible and damage on a workpiece is reduced during plasma processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
an upper shower plate which introduces a mixed rare gas including an argon gas and either one of xenon gas and krypton gas to generate plasma within a plasma process chamber; and
a lower shower member which is placed in a space between the upper shower plate and a workpiece to be treated; and
wherein the lower shower member has a plurality of holes for ejecting the reactive gas; and
wherein the mixed gas is controlled so that an amount of the argon gas becomes less than 80%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising microwave excitation means for generating a plasma in said plasma process chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a nitriding gas or an oxidizing gas into said plasma process chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a gas, for use in performing film formation on the workpiece, into said plasma process chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a gas, for use in etching at least a portion of the workpiece, into said plasma process chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower shower member is structured by a lattice-shaped pipe with gaps left among the lattice-shaped pipe.