# US 2025/0149291 A1 · Plasma processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2025/0149291 A1
- Document ID: US20250149291A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/935,537
- Filed: 2024-11-03
- Published: 2025-05-08
- Earliest claimed: 2023-11-07
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Hiroyuki MATSUURA; Takeshi KOBAYASHI; Takahiro SHINDO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250149291A1

## CPC

- H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma}
- H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means}
- H01J 37/32568: {Relative arrangement or disposition of electrodes; moving means}
- H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings}
- H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder}
- H01J 37/32834: {Exhausting}
- H01J 2237/332: Coating
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container, a substrate holder that is inserted into the processing container and holds a plurality of substrates in a plurality of tiers, a rotating shaft capable of rotating the substrate holder inside the processing container, a gas supply pipe that supplies a processing gas into the processing container, an exhaust unit that evacuates an inside of the processing container, a pair of electrodes arranged outside the processing container and positioned to face each other with respect to a center of the processing container, and a radio-frequency power supply that applies a radio-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes, thereby generating a capacitively-coupled plasma in the processing container. The substrate holder includes a ring member that holds a substrate, and surrounds a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a processing container;
a substrate holder inserted into the processing container and configured to hold a plurality of substrates in a plurality of tiers;
a rotating shaft configured to rotate the substrate holder inside the processing container;
a gas supply pipe configured to supply a processing gas into the processing container;
an exhaust port configured to evacuate an inside of the processing container;
a pair of electrodes arranged outside the processing container and positioned to face each other with respect to a center of the processing container; and
a radio-frequency power supply configured to apply a radio-frequency power to the pair of the electrodes, thereby generating a capacitively-coupled plasma in the processing container,
wherein the substrate holder includes a ring plate configured to hold the substrate, and surrounding a radial outer side of the substrate in a plan view.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ring plate is made of an insulating material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of ring plates is arranged in a height direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of ring plates has an annular-shaped portion configured to hold the substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ring plate includes:
an annular-shaped portion configured to hold the substrate; and
a vertical wall portion provided on an upper surface of the annular-shaped portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ring plate includes:
a plurality of first ring plates each configured to hold the substrate; and
a plurality of second ring plates each positioned between the first ring plates adjacent to each other in the height direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when viewed from one electrode toward a remaining electrode, an opening height above the second ring plate is greater than an opening height below the second ring plate.