US 9,039,865 B2Granted

Plasma processing apparatus

AssigneeHitachi High-Technologies Corporation

InventorsKen Yoshioka, Motohiko Yoshigai, Ryoji Nishio, Tadayoshi Kawaguchi

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Abstract

The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are arranged closed to and along an induction antenna 1 composed of an inner circumference coil 1a and an outer circumference coil 1b. Ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are each characterized in that the radius from the center of the apparatus and the cross-sectional shape of the conductor body varies along the circumferential angle of the coils. Since the mutual inductances between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the induction antenna 1 and between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the plasma along the circumferential position are controlled, it becomes possible to compensate for the coil currents varied along the circumference of the coils of the induction antenna 1, and to improve the non-uniformity in the circumferential direction of the current in the generated plasma.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum processing chamber for generating plasma in the interior thereof;
a means for introducing gas into the vacuum processing chamber;
a stage which is disposed in the vacuum processing chamber, the stage being configured for placement of a sample on the stage;
an insulating dielectric window which is disposed at an upper area of the vacuum processing chamber;
a coil-like induction antenna which is disposed above the dielectric window and which irradiates an induction magnetic field;
and
a high frequency power supply which supplies a high frequency power to the induction antenna via a matching box;
wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises a first conductor which is disposed above the dielectric window and which is disposed around a periphery of the induction antenna,
the first conductor has a closed ring shape,
a width of the first conductor gradually increases along a circumference thereof from a power supply end of the induction antenna towards a terminal end of the induction antenna, and
the width of the first conductor is minimum at the power supply end of the induction antenna, and the width of the first conductor is maximum at the terminal end of the induction antenna.

8 more elements

A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum processing chamber configured to generate plasma in an interior thereof;
a gas supply configured to introduce gas into the vacuum processing chamber;
a stage disposed in the vacuum processing chamber, the stage being configured for placement of a sample on the stage;
an insulating dielectric window disposed at an upper area of the vacuum processing chamber;
a coil-like induction antenna disposed above the dielectric window;
and
a high frequency power supply configured to supply high frequency power to the induction antenna via a matching box;
wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises a first conductor disposed above the dielectric window, the first conductor being disposed around a periphery of the induction antenna,
the first conductor has a closed ring shape,
a width of the first conductor gradually increases along a circumference thereof from a power supply end of the induction antenna towards a terminal end of the induction antenna, and
the width of the first conductor is minimum at the power supply end of the induction antenna, and the width of the first conductor is maximum at the terminal end of the induction antenna.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/694,363Filed 27 Jan 2010
Priority: JP 2009-25731210 Nov 2009
Published: US 2011/0108194 A112 May 2011
Granted: 26 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H01J 37/32623
Constructional details of the reactor: mechanical discharge control means
H01J 37/321
Radio frequency generated discharge: the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
H01J 37/3211
The radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma: antennas, e.g. particular shapes of coils
H01J
Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps

Family

US 2011/0108194 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 May 2011
US 9,039,865 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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