Processing apparatus and gas discharge suppressing member

#The present invention relates to a processing apparatus; and, more particularly, to a processing apparatus and a gas discharge suppressing member capable of preventing a thermal transfer gas from discharging in a thermal transfer gas feed pipe which serves to supply the thermal transfer gas for temperature control to a bottom surface of an object to be processed.

#There has been used in semiconductor manufacturing processes a processing apparatus for performing a process on a surface of an object to be processed while controlling a temperature thereof in an airtight processing chamber. FIG. 20 is a schematic cross sectional view showing an inside of a processing chamber of a conventional processing apparatus; and FIG. 21 is a schematic perspective view of a block for thermal transfer gas feed pipe.

#As shown in FIG. 20, provided inside the processing chamber of the conventional processing apparatus is a lower electrode 10 also serving as a mounting table for mounting thereon an object to be processed, i.e., a semiconductor wafer W. An electrostatic chuck 12 for attracting and holding the semiconductor wafer W is installed on top of the lower electrode 10. A bottom portion of the lower electrode 10 is coupled with a grounded member 7 (e.g., an outer wall of the processing chamber) via an insulator 4.

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross sectional view of a plasma etching device 100;

#FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic cross sectional view of the inside of the plasma etching device 100 in accordance with a first embodiment;

#FIG. 3 describes a schematic perspective view of a configuration of a block unit 164 (a gas discharge suppressing member) for thermal transfer gas feed pipe;

#Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts having practically the same functions throughout the specification and the drawings and are omitted to avoid repeated description thereof.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of a plasma etching device 100 in accordance with a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the plasma etching device 100 includes a cylindrical or rectangular processing chamber 102 formed of, e.g., aluminum. A lower electrode 110 also serving as an approximately cylindrical mounting table for mounting thereon an object to be processed, e.g., a semiconductor wafer W, is installed on a bottom portion of the processing chamber 102 via an insulating member 104 such as quartz or ceramic.

#The lower electrode 110 may be formed by assembling a plurality of members formed of, e.g., aluminum, by using bolts and the like; and a cooling unit (not shown) and heating unit (not shown) for controlling the temperature of the object to be processed to a specified temperature may be installed inside the lower electrode 110.