Microwave introducing mechanism, microwave plasma source and microwave plasma processing apparatus

A microwave plasma source which converts a gas supplied into a chamber to a plasma by introducing a microwave into the chamber, the microwave plasma source comprising:

• a microwave output unit configured to output a microwave;
• a microwave transmission line through which the outputted microwave is transmitted;
• and
• a microwave introducing mechanism provided in the microwave transmission line to introduce the transmitted microwave into the chamber,
• wherein the microwave introducing mechanism includes:
• an antenna unit including a planar antenna configured to radiate the microwave into the chamber through the microwave transmission line;
• a tuner provided in the microwave transmission line to adjust an impedance of the microwave transmission line;
• and
• a heat dissipation device configured to dissipate a heat from the antenna unit,
• wherein the tuner has:
• a tuner main body including a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the tuner main body serving as a part of the microwave transmission line;
• a slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor to be movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor, the slug having an annular shape and being made of a dielectric material;
• and
• a driving device configured to move the slug, wherein the driving device includes a sliding member being inserted into the slug and sliding along the inside of the inner conductor while being brought into contact with an inner circumference surface of the inner conductor, the sliding member having a screw hole, and wherein the heat dissipation device has:
• a heat pipe, having a heat input end and a heat dissipation end, configured to transfer the heat of the antenna unit from the heat input end to the heat dissipation end by disposing the heat input end in the antenna unit;
• and
• a heat dissipation unit provided at the heat dissipation end of the heat pipe to dissipate the heat transferred to the heat dissipation end.

A plasma processing apparatus which performs a plasma process on a target substrate accommodated in a chamber, the apparatus comprising:

• the chamber configured to accommodate the target substrate therein;
• a gas supply mechanism configured to supply a gas into the chamber;
• and
• a microwave plasma source configured to convert the gas supplied into the chamber to a plasma by introducing a microwave into the chamber, the microwave plasma source including:
• a microwave generating mechanism configured to generate a microwave;
• a microwave transmission line through which the generated microwave is transmitted;
• and
• a microwave introducing mechanism provided in the microwave transmission line to introduce the transmitted microwave into the chamber, wherein the microwave introducing mechanism includes:
• an antenna unit including a planar antenna configured to radiate the microwave into the chamber through the microwave transmission line;
• a tuner provided in the microwave transmission line to adjust an impedance of the microwave transmission line;
• and
• a heat dissipation device configured to dissipate a heat from the antenna unit,
• wherein the tuner has:
• a tuner main body including a tubular outer conductor and a tubular inner conductor coaxially provided in the outer conductor, the tuner main body serving as a part of the microwave transmission line;
• a slug provided between the outer conductor and the inner conductor to be movable along a longitudinal direction of the inner conductor, the slug having an annular shape and being made of a dielectric material;
• and
• a driving device configured to move the slug, wherein the driving device includes a sliding member being inserted into the slug and sliding along the inside of the inner conductor while being brought into contact with an inner circumference surface of the inner conductor, the sliding member having a screw hole, and wherein the heat dissipation device has:
• a heat pipe, having a heat input end and a heat dissipation end, configured to transfer the heat out of the antenna unit from the heat input end to the heat dissipation end by disposing the heat input end in the antenna unit;
• and
• a heat dissipation unit provided at the heat dissipation end of the heat pipe to dissipate the heat transferred to the heat dissipation end.