# US 9,520,272 B2 · Microwave emission mechanism, microwave plasma source and surface wave plasma processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,272 B2 - Document ID: US9520272B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/373,589 - Filed: 2012-12-14 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-27 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Taro Ikeda; Hiroyuki Miyashita; Yuki Osada; Yutaka Fujino; Tomohito Komatsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520272B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32266: {Means for controlling power transmitted to the plasma} - H01J 37/32201: {Generating means} - H01J 37/3222: {Antennas} - H01J 37/32229: {Waveguides} - H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) - H01J 37/32192: {Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H05H 1/4615: {using surface waves} - H05H 1/4622: {using waveguides} - H05H 1/463: {using antennas or applicators} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS ## Abstract A microwave emission mechanism includes: a transmission path through which a microwave is transmitted; and an antenna section that emits into a chamber the microwave transmitted through the transmission path. The antenna section includes an antenna having a slot through which the microwave is emitted, a dielectric member through which the microwave emitted from the antenna is transmitted and a closed circuit in which a surface current and a displacement current flow. A surface wave is formed in a surface of the dielectric member. The closed circuit has at least: an inner wall of the slot; and the surface and an inner portion of the dielectric member. When a wavelength of the microwave is λ0, a length of the closed circuit is nλ0±δ, where n is a positive integer and δ is a fine-tuning component including 0. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microwave emission mechanism for emitting into a chamber a microwave generated by a microwave generation mechanism, in a plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing by generating a surface wave plasma in the chamber, the microwave emission mechanism comprising: 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microwave emission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the height of the slot corresponds to a thickness of the antenna and is determined such that the length of the closed circuit is nλ0±δ. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microwave emission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the slot is filled with a solid dielectric material. ### Claim 4 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The microwave plasma source of claim 4, wherein the microwave emission mechanism is provided in plural numbers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The microwave plasma source of claim 4, wherein in the microwave emission mechanism, the height of the slot is determined such that the length of the closed circuit becomes nλ0±δ. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The microwave plasma source of claim 4, wherein the slot of the microwave emission mechanism is filled with a solid dielectric material. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The surface wave plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the microwave plasma source comprises a plurality of microwave emission mechanisms. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The surface wave plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein in the microwave emission mechanism, the thickness of the slot is in the range of 20˜35 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The surface wave plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the slot of the microwave emission mechanism is filled with a solid dielectric material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The microwave emission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the height of the slot is in the range of 20˜35 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The microwave emission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the antenna section further comprises a wave retardation member, the current flowing in the inner wall of the slot and the dielectric member further flows in the wave retardation member, and the length of the closed circuit is further determined based on a thickness of the wave retardation member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The microwave plasma source of claim 4, wherein the antenna section further comprises a wave retardation member, the current flowing in the inner wall of the slot and the dielectric member further flows in the wave retardation member, and the length of the closed circuit is further determined based on a thickness of the wave retardation member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The surface wave plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna section further comprises a wave retardation member, the current flowing in the inner wall of the slot and the dielectric member further flows in the wave retardation member, and the length of the closed circuit is determined based on a thickness of the wave retardation member.