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US 7,882,800 B2Granted
Ring mechanism, and plasma processing device using the ring mechanism
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsAkira Koshiishi, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Hideaki Tanaka, Shigeru Tahara, Kunihiko Hinata, Jun Ooyabu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ring mechanism, comprising a focus ring and divided cover rings surrounding a wafer W placed on a loading table (lower electrode) mounted in a processing chamber, wherein a ring-shaped clearance δ1 is provided between the divided rings to spread plasma to the radial outside of the focus ring to allow plasma to get therein, whereby a potential difference between the wafer W and the focus ring can be eliminated to prevent arc discharge by plasma from occurring between the wafer W and the focus ring.
Claims32
A ring mechanism comprising:
- a focus ring surrounding an object to be processed mounted on a susceptor disposed in a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- and
- a cover ring fitted around an outer periphery of the focus ring, wherein the cover ring includes a first and a second cover ring part and a first clearance or an electrical conductor is disposed between the first and the second cover ring part,
- wherein the first cover ring part surrounds an outer periphery of the focus ring, and the second cover ring part surrounds an outer periphery of the first cover ring part,
- wherein the second cover ring part has a tapered surface, a height of the tapered surface descending toward an outer peripheral side of the second cover ring, and
- wherein the second cover ring part is an electrically insulating ring.
3 more elements
A plasma processing device comprising:
- a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- a gas exhaust system for creating a vacuum state by exhausting a gas in the processing chamber;
- a lower electrode mounted in the processing chamber for mounting and maintaining an object to be processed;
- an upper electrode mounted in the processing chamber for introducing a processing gas;
- a high frequency power supply for applying a high frequency power to at least one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode;
- a focus ring for surrounding the object to be processed mounted on the lower electrode;
- and
- a cover ring fitted around an outer periphery of the focus ring,
- wherein the cover ring includes a first and a second cover ring part and a first clearance or an electrical conductor is disposed between the first and the second cover ring part,
- wherein the first cover ring part surrounds an outer periphery of the focus ring, and the second cover ring part surrounds an outer periphery of the first cover ring part,
- wherein the second cover ring part has a tapered surface, a height of the tapered surface descending toward an outer peripheral side of the second cover ring, and
- wherein the second cover ring part is an electrically insulating ring.
9 more elements
A ring mechanism comprising:
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding an object to be processed mounted on a susceptor disposed in a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the conductive first ring,
- wherein the conductive first ring includes a planar surface portion disposed outwardly from an inner periphery thereof to be substantially even with a to-be-processed surface of the object to be processed and a protruded portion disposed outside the planar surface portion to be higher than the second ring and the to-be-processed surface of the object to be processed,
- wherein the first ring includes an inclined surface connecting the planar surface portion of an inner peripheral side to the protruded portion disposed outside, and
- wherein the protruded portion includes a horizontal upper plane.
3 more elements
A plasma processing device comprising:
- a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- a gas exhaust system for creating a vacuum state by exhausting a gas in the processing chamber;
- a lower electrode mounted in the processing chamber for mounting and maintaining an object to be processed;
- an upper electrode mounted in the processing chamber for introducing a processing gas;
- a high frequency power supply for applying high frequency powers of different frequencies to the lower electrode and the upper electrode;
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding the object to be processed mounted on the lower electrode;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the conductive first ring,
- wherein the first ring includes a planar surface portion disposed outwardly from an inner peripheral portion thereof to be substantially even with a to-be-processed surface of the object to be processed and a protruded portion disposed outside the planar surface portion to be higher than the second ring and the to-be-processed surface of the object to be processed,
- wherein the conductive first ring includes an inclined surface connecting the planar surface portion of an inner peripheral side to the protruded portion disposed outside, and
- wherein the protruded portion has a horizontal upper plane.
8 more elements
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- a gas exhaust system for creating a vacuum state by exhausting a gas in the processing chamber;
- a lower electrode mounted in the processing chamber for mounting and maintaining an object to be processed;
- an upper electrode mounted in the processing chamber for introducing a processing gas;
- a high frequency power supply for applying high frequency powers of different frequencies to the lower electrode and the upper electrode;
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding the object to be processed mounted on the lower electrode with a clearance therebetween;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the conductive first ring,
- wherein the insulating second ring has a declining portion descending outwards from an inner peripheral portion of the insulating second ring and the conductive first ring has a width ranging from 15 mm to 35 mm, and
- wherein a top surface of the conductive first ring is set to be even with a surface to be processed of the object to be processed.
7 more elements
A ring mechanism comprising:
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding an object to be processed mounted on a susceptor disposed in a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the conductive first ring,
- wherein the conductive first ring includes a planar surface portion and an inclined portion rising outward from an inner peripheral portion of the conductive first ring and the insulating second ring includes a declining portion descending outwards from an inner peripheral portion of the insulating second ring, and
- wherein the planar surface portion is set to be even with a surface to be processed of the object to be processed.
2 more elements
A plasma processing device comprising:
- a processing chamber capable of maintaining a vacuum therein;
- a gas exhaust system for creating a vacuum state by exhausting a gas in the processing chamber;
- a lower electrode mounted in the processing chamber for mounting and maintaining an object to be processed;
- an upper electrode mounted in the processing chamber for introducing a processing gas;
- a high frequency power supply for applying high frequency powers of different frequencies to the lower electrode and the upper electrode;
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding the object to be processed mounted on the lower electrode;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the conductive first ring,
- wherein the conductive first ring includes a planar surface portion and an inclined portion rising outward from an inner peripheral portion of the conductive first ring and the insulating second ring includes a declining portion descending outwards from an inner peripheral portion of the insulating second ring, and
- wherein the planar surface portion is set to be even with a surface to be processed of the object to be processed.
7 more elements
A ring mechanism comprising:
- an electrically conductive first ring for surrounding an object to be processed mounted on a lower electrode with a clearance therebetween;
- and
- an electrically insulating second ring disposed to surround the electrically conductive first ring,
- wherein the insulating second ring has a declining portion descending outwards from an inner peripheral portion of the insulating second ring and the conductive first ring has a width ranging from 15 mm to 35 mm, and
- wherein a top surface of the conductive first ring is set to be even with a surface to be processed of the object to be processed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.