# US 2018/0025923 A1 · Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

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- Number: US 2018/0025923 A1
- Document ID: US20180025923A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/720,768
- Filed: 2017-09-29
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-18
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Naoki MATSUMOTO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025923A1

## CPC

- H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching}
- C23C 16/405: {of refractory metals or yttrium}
- C23C 16/511: using microwave discharges
- H01J 37/32192: {Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence)}
- H01J 37/3222: {Antennas}
- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 95/90: Thermal treatments, e.g. annealing or sintering
- H05H 1/463: {using antennas or applicators}
- 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)
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS

## Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container which defines a processing space; a microwave generator; a dielectric having an opposing surface which faces the processing space; a slot plate formed with a plurality of slots; and a heating member provided within the slot plate. The slot plate is provided on a surface of the dielectric at an opposite side to the opposing surface to radiate microwaves for plasma excitation to the processing space through the dielectric based on the microwaves generated by the microwave generator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of performing a plasma processing by using a plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing apparatus including a processing container which defines a processing space; a microwave generator; a dielectric having an opposing surface which faces the processing space; a slot plate formed with a plurality of slots and provided on a surface of the dielectric at an opposite side to the opposing surface to radiate microwaves for plasma excitation to the processing space through the dielectric based on the microwaves generated by the microwave generator; and a heating member provided within the slot plate, the method comprising:
performing a heating processing by the heating member before the plasma processing of irradiating the microwaves for plasma excitation to the processing space is performed;
performing the plasma processing after the heating processing is initiated; and
stopping the heating processing by the heating member after the plasma processing is initiated.