Plasma processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10325758-B2
Application number	US-201514933911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2014
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generation unit configured to convert a processing gas supplied into a processing chamber into plasma by an inductive coupling. The plasma generation unit includes a first high frequency antenna formed of a vortex coil arranged adjacent to the processing chamber through a dielectric window, a second high frequency antenna having a natural resonant frequency and formed of a vortex coil arranged at an outer or inner peripheral side of the first high frequency antenna, and an impedance adjustment unit for adjusting a resonant frequency of a circuit viewed from the high frequency power supply toward the first high frequency antenna. The circuit viewed from the high frequency power supply toward the first high frequency antenna is configured to have two resonant frequencies depending on adjustment of the impedance adjustment unit when a frequency of high frequency power is changed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a substrate in a processing chamber, the plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a mounting table disposed in the processing chamber and configured to mount the substrate;
a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber;
an exhaust unit configured to vacuum-exhaust the processing chamber; and
a plasma generation unit arranged opposite to the mounting table and configured to convert the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber into plasma by inductive coupling;
wherein the plasma generation unit comprises:
a first high frequency antenna formed of a first vortex coil arranged adjacent to the processing chamber through a dielectric window, a first end of the first high frequency antenna being coupled to a high frequency power supply and a second end thereof being directly grounded or grounded through a capacitor;
a second high frequency antenna formed of a second vortex coil arranged at an outer peripheral side or an inner peripheral side of the first high frequency antenna, wherein the second high frequency antenna has two ends disposed respectively in an inner turn of the second vortex coil and an outer turn of the second vortex coil, and wherein further a first end and a second end of the second high frequency antenna are not physically coupled to any conductive device or at least one of the first end and the second end of the second high frequency antenna is grounded while a corresponding opposite end thereof is not physically coupled to any conductive device, and wherein when high frequency power is supplied to the first high frequency antenna coupled to the high frequency power supply, the high frequency power is distributed to the second high frequency antenna; and
a shield member that surrounds a space where the first high frequency antenna is arranged; and
an impedance adjustment unit coupled to the first high frequency antenna, and configured to control plasma density distribution of plasma generated by the plasma generation unit by changing distribution of the high frequency power between the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impedance adjustment unit includes a variable capacitor group.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein by a capacity coupling between the second high frequency antenna and the shield member that is grounded, a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein by a capacity coupling between the second high frequency antenna and the shield member that is grounded, a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

5. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the second high frequency antenna is grounded through a variable capacitor and a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first end of the second high frequency antenna is grounded through a variable capacitor and a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the second high frequency antenna is grounded through a variable capacitor and the shield member, and a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

8. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first end of the second high frequency antenna is grounded through a variable capacitor and the shield member, and a power supply circuit is formed between the high frequency power supply, the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber forms a part of the shield member, and the second high frequency antenna is disposed in the processing chamber.

10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processing chamber forms a part of the shield member, and the second high frequency antenna is disposed in the processing chamber.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processing chamber forms a part of the shield member, and the second high frequency antenna is disposed in the processing chamber.

12. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processing chamber forms a part of the shield member, and the second high frequency antenna is disposed in the processing chamber.

13. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second high frequency antenna is covered with a cover made of a dielectric material, a conductor material, or a resin material.

14. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second high frequency antenna is covered with a cover made of a dielectric material, a conductor material, or a resin material.

15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second high frequency antenna is covered with a cover made of a dielectric material, a conductor material, or a resin material.

16. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second high frequency antenna is covered with a cover made of a dielectric material, a conductor material, or a resin material.

17. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein an inside of the cover is filled with a filling material to fill a gap between conducting wires of the second high frequency antenna.

18. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein an inside of the cover is filled with a filling material to fill a gap between conducting wires of the second high frequency antenna.

19. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein an inside of the cover is filled with a filling material to fill a gap between conducting wires of the second high frequency antenna.

20. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein an inside of the cover is filled with a filling material to fill a gap between conducting wires of the second high frequency antenna.

21. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a capacity coupling is formed between the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna.

22. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first high frequency antenna and the second high frequency antenna in combination are operable to result in two resonant frequencies with reference to a circuit viewed from the high frequency power supply toward the first high frequency antenna.

23. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the impedance adjustment unit comprises a variable capacitor configured to adjust a resonant frequency of the circuit viewed from the high frequency power supply toward the first high frequency antenna, and wherein the circuit is configured to have a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency depending on adjustment of the impedance adjustment unit when an output frequency of high frequency power supplied from the high frequency power s

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Yamawaku Jun
• Matsudo Tatsuo
• Koshimizu Chishio

Classifications

• H01J37/3211 Primary

  Antennas, e.g. particular shapes of coils · CPC title

• H01J37/32651

  Shields, e.g. dark space shields, Faraday shields · CPC title

• H01J37/32119

  Windows · CPC title

• H01J37/32183

  Matching circuits · CPC title

• H05H1/46

  using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title