# US 2017/0256381 A1 · Substrate processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2017/0256381 A1
- Document ID: US20170256381A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/441,324
- Filed: 2017-02-24
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-02
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Kazuki DENPOH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170256381A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32128: {using particular waveforms, e.g. polarised waves}
- C23C 16/08: from metal halides
- C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields}
- C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus}
- C23C 16/505: using radio frequency discharges
- C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)}
- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/321: {the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32724: {Temperature}
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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)

## Abstract

There is provided a substrate processing apparatus which performs a film forming process by supplying a raw material gas to a substrate and irradiating plasma onto the substrate, the apparatus including: a processing container configured to hermetically accommodate a mounting table on which the substrate is mounted; and a plasma source configured to generate plasma in the processing container. The plasma source includes a high-frequency power source that generates plasma and a sheath potential reducing means configured to reduce a sheath potential of the generated plasma.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing apparatus which performs a film forming process by supplying a raw material gas to a substrate and irradiating plasma onto the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a processing container configured to hermetically accommodate a mounting table on which the substrate is mounted; and
a plasma source configured to generate plasma in the processing container,
wherein the plasma source includes:
a high-frequency power source that generates plasma; and
a sheath potential reducing means configured to reduce a sheath potential of the generated plasma.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath potential reducing means is a direct current power source installed to duplicately apply a voltage to the high-frequency power source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the voltage applied to the high-frequency power source from the direct current power source is a negative voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath potential reducing means includes a waveform tailoring mechanism configured to tailor a high-frequency waveform in the plasma source, and
the waveform tailoring mechanism tailors the high-frequency waveform of the plasma source to have a shape configured by a portion corresponding to one wavelength having positive-negative potentials and a portion in which an application voltage is not changed, in a length of one cycle of waveform.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, in the high-frequency waveform tailored by the waveform tailoring mechanism, the portion corresponding to one wavelength having positive-negative potentials has a negative slope.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, in the high-frequency waveform tailored by the waveform tailoring mechanism, a frequency of the portion corresponding to one wavelength having positive-negative potentials exceeds 13.56 MHz.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheath potential reducing means includes:
a direct current power source configured to duplicately apply a voltage to the high-frequency power source; and
a waveform tailoring mechanism configured to tailor a high-frequency waveform in the plasma source.