Plasma processing apparatus

A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum vessel;
• a stage disposed in the vacuum vessel to support a substrate thereon;
• a first waveguide connected to the vacuum vessel from outside the vacuum vessel, the first waveguide having a cylindrical first outer guide member and a cylindrical first inner guide member coaxially extended in the outer guide member, so as to propagate a high-frequency wave through a space between the first outer guide member and the first inner guide member into the vacuum vessel and so as to supply a reactive gas through the first inner guide member into the vacuum vessel from a position opposite the stage;
• a second waveguide connected to the vacuum vessel from outside the vacuum vessel, the second waveguide having a second inner guide member coaxially surrounding the first waveguide and a second outer guide member coaxially surrounding the second inner guide member, so as to propagate a high-frequency wave through a space between the second inner guide member and the second outer guide member in to the vacuum vessel and so as to supply a reactive gas through a space between the second inner guide member and the first outer guide member into the vacuum vessel from a position opposite the stage;
• a first high-frequency wave transmitting plate of a dielectric material disposed opposite to the stage and hermetically separating the space between the first outer guide member and the first inner guide member from a space defined by the vacuum vessel;
• a second high-frequency wave transmitting plate of a dielectric material disposed opposite to the stage and hermetically separating the space between the second outer guide member and the second inner guide member from the space defined by the vacuum vessel;
• a first shower head of a conductive material, disposed in an end of the first inner guide member facing the stage, and provided with a plurality of gas spraying holes opening toward the stage;
• and
• a second shower head of a conductive material, disposed between an end of the first outer guide member facing the stage and an end of the second inner guide member facing the stage, and provided with a plurality of gas spraying holes opening toward the stage,
• wherein the reactive gas supplied through the first shower head and the second shower head into the vacuum vessel is ionized by the high-frequency wave propagated through the first transmitting plate and the second transmitting plate to produce a plasma, and the substrate is processed.

A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum vessel;
• a stage disposed in the vacuum vessel to support a substrate thereon;
• a waveguide connected to the vacuum vessel from outside the vacuum vessel, the waveguide having a cylindrical outer guide member and a cylindrical inner guide member coaxially extended in the outer guide member, so as to propagate a high-frequency wave through a space between the outer guide member and the inner guide member into the vacuum vessel and so as to supply a reactive gas through the inner guide member into the vacuum vessel from a position opposite the stage;
• a shower head of conductive material, disposed in an end of the inner guide member facing the stage, and provided with a plurality of gas spraying holes opening toward the stage,
• wherein an end part of the outer guide member of the waveguide facing the stage is provided with an antenna cover of a conductive material radially extending in the shape of a flange and axially extending toward the stage, a microwave transmitting plate of a dielectric material disposed between the inside of the antenna cover and an end of the inner guide member facing the stage so as to separate a space between the outer guide member and the inner guide member from a space defined by the vacuum vessel, so that a microwave is propagated through an annular space between the outer guide member and the inner guide member and through the microwave transmitting plate radially extending in the shape of a flange from the end of the outer guide member, and
• wherein a reactive gas supplied through the shower head into the vacuum vessel is ionized by a predetermined high-frequency wave transmitted through the microwave transmitting plate, and the substrate is processed.