Microwave emission mechanism, microwave plasma source and surface wave plasma processing apparatus

A microwave plasma source, comprising:

• a microwave generation mechanism configured to generate a microwave;
• and
• a microwave emission mechanism configured to emit the generated microwave into a chamber,
• wherein the microwave is emitted into the chamber to generate a surface wave plasma of a gas supplied into the chamber,
• wherein the microwave emission mechanism comprises:
• a transmission path through which the microwave is transmitted, the transmission path comprising a cylindrical outer conductor and an inner conductor coaxially disposed within the outer conductor;
• and
• an antenna section configured to emit into the chamber the microwave transmitted through the transmission path,
• wherein the antenna section comprises:
• an antenna having a slot through which the microwave is emitted;
• and a dielectric member through which the microwave emitted from the antenna is transmitted, a surface wave being formed on a surface of the dielectric member;
• wherein a closed circuit is operable to form with current flowing in an inner wall of the slot, and the dielectric member, wherein the current comprises surface current and displacement current, and
• wherein when a wavelength of the microwave is λ0, a length of the closed circuit is configured to equal nλ0±δ, wherein n is a positive integer and δ is a fine-tuning component including 0, wherein the length of the closed circuit is based on a height of the slot, a thickness of the dielectric member, and a lateral distance between the slot and the dielectric member.

A surface wave plasma processing apparatus, comprising;

• a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate to be processed;
• a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas into the chamber;
• and
• a microwave plasma source configured to emit a microwave into the chamber to generate a surface wave plasma of the gas supplied into the chamber, the microwave plasma source comprising a microwave generation mechanism for generating the microwave and a microwave emission mechanism for emitting the generated microwave into the chamber,
• wherein the substrate in the chamber is processed by the surface wave plasma,
• wherein the microwave emission mechanism comprises:
• a transmission path through which the microwave is transmitted, the transmission path comprising a cylindrical outer conductor and an inner conductor coaxially disposed within the outer conductor;
• and
• an antenna section configured to emit into the chamber the microwave transmitted through the transmission path,
• wherein the antenna section comprises:
• an antenna having a slot through which the microwave is emitted;
• and a dielectric member through which the microwave emitted from the antenna is transmitted, a surface wave being formed on a surface of the dielectric member;
• wherein a closed circuit is operable to form current flowing in an inner wall of the slot and the dielectric member, wherein the current comprises a surface current and a displacement current, and
• wherein when a wavelength of the microwave is λ0, a length of the closed circuit is configured to equal nλ0±δ, wherein n is a positive integer and δ is a fine-tuning value comprising 0, wherein the length of the closed circuit is based on a height of the slot, a thickness of the dielectric member, and a lateral distance between the slot and the dielectric member.