Microwave plasma source and plasma processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016284516-A1
Application number	US-201615075670-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2016
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microwave plasma source for forming a surface wave plasma by radiating a microwave into a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, which includes: a microwave output part for outputting the microwave; a microwave transmission part for transmitting the microwave; and a microwave radiation member for radiating the microwave into the chamber. The microwave transmission part includes a plurality of microwave introduction mechanisms circumferentially arranged in a peripheral portion of the microwave radiation member and configured to introduce the microwave into the microwave radiation member. The microwave radiation member includes a metal main body, a plurality of dielectric slow-wave members arranged in an overall annular shape in the vicinity of an arrangement surface of the main body, an annular dielectric microwave transmission member arranged in a microwave radiation surface of the main body, and a slot antenna part installed between the slow-wave members and the microwave transmission member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A microwave plasma source for forming a surface wave plasma by radiating a microwave into a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, comprising:
a microwave output part configured to generate and output the microwave; a microwave transmission part configured to transmit the microwave outputted from the microwave output part; and a microwave radiation member constituting a ceiling wall of the chamber and configured to radiate the microwave, which is supplied from the microwave transmission part, into the chamber, wherein the microwave transmission part includes a plurality of microwave introduction mechanisms which is circumferentially arranged in a peripheral portion of the microwave radiation member corresponding to an internal peripheral portion of the chamber and is configured to introduce the microwave into the microwave radiation member, wherein the microwave radiation member includes: a metal main body; a plurality of dielectric slow-wave members which is arranged in an overall annular shape in the vicinity of an arrangement surface of the main body on which the microwave introduction mechanisms are arranged, along an annular microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region including a portion where the plurality of microwave introduction mechanisms is arranged; an annular dielectric microwave transmission member which is arranged in a microwave radiation surface of the main body along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region; and a slot antenna part installed between the slow-wave members and the microwave transmission member and has a plurality of microwave radiation slots formed in an overall circumferential shape along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region, and wherein the plurality of slow-wave members is arranged such that adjacent slow-wave members are separated from each other by a metal member, the plurality of slow-wave members being twice as many as the microwave introduction mechanisms and being arranged to extend to both sides of a position where each of the microwave introduction mechanisms is disposed.

2 . The microwave plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the slots, each of which having an arc shape, are arranged in a line along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region.

3 . The microwave plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the microwave radiation member further includes a gas introduction part configured to introduce a gas to be used for a plasma process into the chamber.

4 . The microwave plasma source of claim 1 , wherein the microwave radiation member has a disc shape and further includes another microwave introduction mechanism arranged in a central portion of the microwave radiation member, which corresponds to a central portion of the chamber, and is configured such that the surface wave plasma is generated in the central portion of the chamber through the central portion of the microwave radiation member.

5 . The microwave plasma source of claim 4 , wherein an annular groove is formed between the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region and a region where the another microwave introduction mechanism is arranged, in an upper surface of the microwave radiation member.

6 . A plasma processing apparatus which includes a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate, a gas supply mechanism configured to supply a gas into the chamber, and a microwave plasma source configured to form a surface wave plasma by radiating a microwave into the chamber, and performs a plasma process on the target substrate using the surface wave plasma,
wherein the microwave plasma source includes: a microwave output part configured to generate and output a microwave; a microwave transmission part configured to transmit the microwave outputted from the microwave output part; and a microwave radiation member constituting a ceiling wall of the chamber and configured to radiate the microwave, which is supplied from the microwave transmission part, into the chamber, wherein the microwave transmission part includes a plurality of microwave introduction mechanisms which is circumferentially arranged in a peripheral portion of the microwave radiation member, which corresponds to an internal peripheral portion of the chamber, and is configured to introduce the microwave into the microwave radiation member, wherein the microwave radiation member includes: a metal main body; a plurality of dielectric slow-wave members which is arranged in an overall annular shape in the vicinity of an arrangement surface of the main body on which the microwave introduction mechanisms are arranged, along an annular microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region including a portion where the plurality of microwave introduction mechanisms is arranged; an annular dielectric microwave transmission member which is arranged in a microwave radiation surface of the main body along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region; and a slot antenna part which is interposed between the slow-wave members and the microwave transmission member and has a plurality of microwave radiation slots formed in an overall circumferential shape along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region, and wherein the plurality of slow-wave members is arranged such that adjacent slow-wave members are separated from each other by a metal member, the plurality of slow-wave members being twice as many as the microwave introduction mechanisms and being arranged to extend to both sides of a position where each of the microwave introduction mechanisms is disposed.

7 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the slots, each of which having an arc shape, are arranged in a line along the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region.

8 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the gas supply mechanism includes a first gas introduction part disposed in the microwave radiation member and configured to introduce a first gas therethrough.

9 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a mounting table on which the target substrate is mounted is placed inside the chamber, and
wherein the gas supply mechanism includes a second gas introduction part installed between the microwave radiation member and the mounting table and configured to introduce a second gas to be used for a plasma process therethrough.

10 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the microwave radiation member has a disc shape and further includes another microwave introduction mechanism arranged in a central portion of the microwave radiation member, which corresponds to a central portion of the chamber, and is configured such that the surface wave plasma is generated in the central portion of the chamber through the central portion of the microwave radiation member.

11 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an annular groove is formed between the microwave introduction mechanism arrangement region and a region where the another microwave introduction mechanism is arranged, in an upper surface of the microwave radiation member.

12 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the microwave radiation member has an annular shape which corresponds to the internal peripheral portion of the chamber,
wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises: a mounting table on which the target substrate is mounted; a shower head disposed in an inner portion of the microwave radiation member and configured to introduce a gas to be used for the plasma process into the chamber in a shower pattern; and an RF (Radio Frequency) electric field forming mech

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Ikeda Taro
• Tanihara Akira
• Kasai Shigeru
• Yamamoto Nobuhiko

Classifications

• H01J37/32238

  Windows · CPC title

• H01J37/3222 Primary

  Antennas · CPC title

• H01J37/32192

  Microwave generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32211

  Means for coupling power to the plasma · CPC title

• H01J2237/334

  Etching · CPC title