Plasma processing method
AssigneeSemiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
InventorsAkiharu Miyanaga, Tohru Inoue, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Abstract
A method for forming a film by a plasma CVD process in which a high density plasma is generated in the presence of a magnetic field is described, characterized by that the electric power for generating the plasma has a pulsed waveform. The electric power typically is supplied by microwave, and the pulsed wave may be a complex wave having a two-step peak, or may be a complex wave obtained by complexing a pulsed wave with a stationary continuous wave of an electromagnetic wave having the same or different wavelength as that of the pulsed wave. The process enables deposition of a uniform film having an excellent adhesion to the substrate, at a reduced power consumption.
Claims15
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- inputting pulsed high frequency electromagnetic waves to said reaction chamber in order to produce a plasma of said reactive gas;
- treating a substrate with said plasma in said chamber;
- wherein the high frequency electromagnetic waves are complex such that each pulse of said pulsed high frequency electromagnetic waves comprises at least first and second rectangular pulses having a different pulse height and occurring with a lapse of time therebetween, said second pulse occurring after said first pulse.
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed high frequency electric power to said reactive gas in said reaction chamber;
- supplying a pulsed magnetic field in said reaction chamber by using an electromagnetic means;
- exciting said reactive gas by said pulsed high frequency electric power and said pulsed magnetic field.
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- supplying a pulsed electromagnetic energy having a high frequency to said reactive gas sufficient to convert said reactive gas into a plasma;
- and
- treating a surface of the substrate with said plasma,
- wherein a photo energy is applied to said reactive gas during said pulsed electromagnetic energy to maintain an activated state of said plasma.
A method for plasma processing of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed electric power to said reactive gas to convert said gas into a plasma;
- applying a continuous electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas so that said continuous electromagnetic wave is superposed on said pulsed electric power to keep the plasma stable;
- and
- processing a substrate in the reaction chamber using the plasma,
- wherein said pulsed electric power is a pulsed microwave, said continuous wave is a high frequency wave, and an effective power value of said pulsed electric power is higher than an effective power value of said continuous electromagnetic wave.
A method for plasma processing of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed DC electric power to said reactive gas to convert said gas into a plasma;
- applying a continuous electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas so that said continuous electromagnetic wave is superposed on said pulsed electric power to keep the plasma stable;
- and
- processing a substrate in the reaction chamber using the plasma,
- wherein an effective power value of said pulsed electric power is higher than an effective power value of said continuous electromagnetic wave.
A method for plasma processing of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed DC electric power to said reactive gas to convert said gas into a plasma;
- applying a continuous electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas so that said continuous electromagnetic wave is superposed on said pulsed electric power to keep the plasma stable;
- and
- processing a substrate in the reaction chamber using the plasma,
- wherein said pulsed electric power is pulsed DC, said continuous wave is a microwave, and an effective power value of said pulsed electric power is higher than an effective power value of said continuous electromagnetic wave.
A method tier plasma processing of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas to convert said gas into a plasma;
- applying a continuous electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas so that said continuous electromagnetic wave is superposed on said pulsed electromagnetic wave to keep the plasma stable;
- and
- processing a substrate in the reaction chamber using the plasma,
- wherein said pulsed electromagnetic wave has a different frequency from said continuous electromagnetic wave and an effective power value of said pulsed electromagnetic wave is higher than an effective power value of said continuous electromagnetic wave.
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed high frequency electric power to said reactive gas in said reaction chamber;
- supplying a pulsed magnetic field in said reaction chamber;
- exciting said reactive gas by said pulsed high frequency electric power and said pulsed magnetic field.
A method for plasma processing of a substrate comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reactive gas into a reaction chamber;
- applying a pulsed electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas to convert said gas into a plasma;
- applying a continuous electromagnetic wave to said reactive gas so that said continuous electromagnetic wave is superposed on said pulsed electromagnetic wave to keep the plasma stable;
- and
- processing a substrate in the reaction chamber using the plasma,
- wherein an effective power value of said pulsed electromagnetic wave is higher than an effective power value of said continuous electromagnetic wave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.