# US 2019/0244789 A1 · Microwave output device and plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2019/0244789 A1
- Document ID: US20190244789A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/341,932
- Filed: 2017-10-04
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-18
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO; Yuki KAWADA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190244789A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32201: {Generating means}
- G01R 23/16: Spectrum analysis; Fourier analysis
- H01J 37/32266: {Means for controlling power transmitted to the plasma}
- H01J 37/32311: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the microwave discharge}
- H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence)
- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- H01J 2237/327: Arrangements for generating the plasma
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- 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
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

In a microwave output device of an embodiment, a part of a travelling wave propagating from a microwave generation unit to an output are output from a directional coupler. A first measurement unit generates an analog signal corresponding to a power of the part of the travelling wave by using diode detection, and converts the analog signal into a digital value. One or more correction coefficients associated with a set frequency, a set power, a set bandwidth of a microwave designated for the microwave output device are selected. The selected one or more correction coefficients are multiplied by the digital value, and thus a measured value is determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A microwave output device comprising:
a microwave generation unit that generates a microwave having a center frequency, a power, and a bandwidth respectively corresponding to a set frequency, a set power, and a set bandwidth designated from a controller;
an output that outputs a microwave propagating from the microwave generation unit;
a first directional coupler that outputs a part of a travelling wave propagating toward the output from the microwave generation unit; and
a first measurement unit that determines a first measured value indicating a power of the travelling wave at the output on a basis of the part of the travelling wave output from the first directional coupler,
wherein the first measurement unit includes
a first wave detection unit that generates an analog signal corresponding to a power of the part of the travelling wave by using diode detection,
a first A/D converter that converts the analog signal generated by the first wave detection unit into a digital value, and
a first processing unit configured to select one or more first correction coefficients associated with the set frequency, the set power, and the set bandwidth designated by the controller from among a plurality of first correction coefficients which are preset to correct the digital value generated by the first A/D converter to a power of a travelling wave at the output, and to determine the first measured value by multiplying the selected one or more first correction coefficients by the digital value generated by the first A/D converter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The microwave output device according to claim 1,
wherein the plurality of first correction coefficients include a plurality of first coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set frequencies, a plurality of second coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set power levels, and a plurality of third coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set bandwidths, and
wherein the first processing unit is configured to determine the first measured value by multiplying a first coefficient, a second coefficient, and a third coefficient as the one or more first correction coefficients by the digital value generated by the first A/D converter, the first coefficient being one associated with the set frequency designated by the controller among the plurality of first coefficients, the second coefficient being one associated with the set power designated by the controller among the plurality of second coefficients, and the third coefficient being one associated with the set bandwidth designated by the controller among the plurality of third coefficients.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The microwave output device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second directional coupler that outputs a part of a reflected wave returning to the output; and
a second measurement unit that determines a second measured value indicating a power of the reflected wave at the output on a basis of the part of the reflected wave output from the second directional coupler,
wherein the second measurement unit includes
a second wave detection unit that generates an analog signal corresponding to a power of the part of the reflected wave by using diode detection,
a second A/D converter that converts the analog signal generated by the second wave detection unit into a digital value, and
a second processing unit configured to select one or more second correction coefficients associated with the set frequency, the set power, and the set bandwidth designated by the controller from among a plurality of second correction coefficients which are preset to correct the digital value generated by the second A/D converter to the power of the reflected wave at the output, and to determine the second measured value by multiplying the selected one or more second correction coefficients by the digital value generated by the second A/D converter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The microwave output device according to claim 3,
wherein the plurality of second correction coefficients include a plurality of fourth coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set frequencies, a plurality of fifth coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set power levels, and a plurality of sixth coefficients respectively associated with a plurality of set bandwidths, and
wherein the second processing unit is configured to determine the second measured value by multiplying a fourth coefficient, a fifth coefficient, and a sixth coefficient as the one or more second correction coefficients by the digital value generated by the second A/D converter, the fourth coefficient being one associated with the set frequency designated by the controller among the plurality of fourth coefficients, the fifth coefficient being one associated with the set power designated by the controller among the plurality of fifth coefficients, and the sixth coefficient being one associated with the set bandwidth designated by the controller among the plurality of sixth coefficients.

### Claim 5

A microwave output device comprising:
a microwave generation unit that generates a microwave having a center frequency, a power, and a bandwidth respectively corresponding to a set frequency, a set power, and a set bandwidth designated from a controller;
an output that outputs a microwave propagating from the microwave generation unit;
a first directional coupler that outputs a part of a travelling wave propagating toward the output from the microwave generation unit; and
a first measurement unit that determines a first measured value indicating a power of the travelling wave at the output on a basis of the part of the travelling wave output from the first directional coupler,
wherein the first measurement unit includes
a first spectrum analysis unit that obtains a plurality of digital values respectively indicating power levels of a plurality of frequency components in the part of the travelling wave through spectrum analysis, and
a first processing unit configured to determine the first measured value by obtaining a root mean square of a plurality of products obtained by multiplying a plurality of first correction coefficients, which are preset to correct the plurality of digital values obtained by the first spectrum analysis unit to the power levels of the plurality of frequency components of the travelling wave at the output unit, by the plurality of digital values, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The microwave output device according to claim 5, further comprising:
a second directional coupler that outputs a part of a reflected wave returning to the output; and
a second measurement unit that determines a second measured value indicating a power of the reflected wave at the output on a basis of the part of the reflected wave output from the second directional coupler,
wherein the second measurement unit includes
a second spectrum analysis unit that obtains a plurality of digital values respectively indicating power levels of a plurality of frequency components in the part of the reflected wave through spectrum analysis, and
a second processing unit configured to determine the second measured value by obtaining a root mean square of a plurality of products obtained by multiplying a plurality of second correction coefficients, which are preset to correct the plurality of digital values obtained by the second spectrum analysis unit to the power levels of the plurality of frequency components of the reflected wave in the output, by the plurality of digital values, respectively.

### Claim 7

A microwave output device comprising:
a microwave generation unit that generates a microwave having a center frequency, a power, and a bandwidth respectively corresponding to a set frequency, a set power, and a set bandwidth designated from a controller;
an output that outputs a microwave propagating from the microwave generation unit;
a first directional coupler that outputs a part of a travelling wave propagating toward the output from the microwave generation unit; and
a first measurement unit that determines a first measured value indicating a power of a travelling wave at the output on a basis of the part of the travelling wave output from the first directional coupler,
wherein the first measurement unit includes
a first spectrum analysis unit that obtains a plurality of digital values respectively indicating power levels of a plurality of frequency components in the part of the travelling wave through spectrum analysis, and
a first processing unit configured to determine the first measured value by obtaining a product of a root mean square of the plurality of digital values obtained by the first spectrum analysis unit and a predefined first correction coefficient.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The microwave output device according to claim 7, further comprising:
a second directional coupler that outputs a part of a reflected wave returning to the output; and
a second measurement unit that determines a second measured value indicating a power of the reflected wave at the output on a basis of the part of the reflected wave output from the second directional coupler,
wherein the second measurement unit includes
a second spectrum analysis unit that obtains a plurality of digital values respectively indicating power levels of a plurality of frequency components in the part of the reflected wave through spectrum analysis, and
a second processing unit that determines the second measured value by obtaining a product of a root mean square of the plurality of digital values obtained by the second spectrum analysis unit and a predefined second correction coefficient.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The microwave output device according to claim 3,
wherein the microwave generation unit includes a power control unit that adjusts a power of the microwave generated by the microwave generation unit to make a difference between the first measured value and the second measured value closer to the set power designated by the controller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a chamber body; and
the microwave output device according to claim 1 that outputs a microwave for exciting a gas to be supplied to the chamber body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The microwave output device according to claim 6,
wherein the microwave generation unit includes a power control unit that adjusts a power of the microwave generated by the microwave generation unit to make a difference between the first measured value and the second measured value closer to the set power designated by the controller.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The microwave output device according to claim 8,
wherein the microwave generation unit includes a power control unit that adjusts a power of the microwave generated by the microwave generation unit to make a difference between the first measured value and the second measured value closer to the set power designated by the controller.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a chamber body; and
the microwave output device according to claim 5 that outputs a microwave for exciting a gas to be supplied to the chamber body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a chamber body; and
the microwave output device according to claim 7 that outputs a microwave for exciting a gas to be supplied to the chamber body.