Substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822450-B2
Application number	US-201414295438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2011
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus capable of reducing attachment of particles generated in a processing space to an inner wall of a chamber, and of easily adjusting pressure in the processing space while introducing a gas into the processing space at a desired flow rate. A vacuum processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes: a container; a gas exhaust portion; a substrate holder configured to retain a substrate; a shield provided to surround the substrate holder and dividing an inside of the container into a processing space and an outside space; a gas introducing portion; a plasma generating portion; and an exhaust portion provided to the shield having a communication path through which the processing space and the outside space communicate, wherein at least part of the communication path is hidden from a region where the plasma generating portion generates the plasma.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a container in which a substrate is processed;
a first exhaust portion configured to exhaust a gas in the container;
a substrate holder provided inside the container and configured to retain the substrate;
a shield provided to surround the substrate holder and dividing an inside of the container into a processing space where the substrate is processed and an outside space which is other than the processing space, the shield having a plurality of shields;
a gas introducing portion configured to introduce a gas into the processing space;
a plasma generating portion configured to generate plasma inside the processing space;
a second exhaust portion provided to the shield, configured to allow the gas to be exhausted therethrough from the processing space to the outside space, and having a communication path through which the processing space and the outside space communicate, wherein at least a part of the communication path is hidden from a region in the processing space where the plasma generating portion generates the plasma; and
a third exhaust portion provided separately from the second exhaust portion to allow the gas to be exhausted from the processing space to the outside space through at least one gap formed by at least part of the plurality of shields,
wherein the second exhaust portion includes:
an opening portion formed in the shield;
a first protruding portion provided around the opening portion;
a screen portion provided at the first protruding portion at a side opposite from a side at which the shield is provided, and covering the opening portion; and
a gap that is adjustable and is provided between the first protruding portion and the screen portion and hidden from the region where the plasma generating portion generates the plasma, and

wherein the screen portion has a second protruding portion protruding toward the shield, and
wherein a gap is provided between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first protruding portion and the screen portion are placed on a processing-space side, and the screen portion covers the first protruding portion entirely.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an insertion member is inserted between the screen portion and the first protruding portion, the insertion member being configured to adjust the gap provided between the first protruding portion and the screen portion.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first protruding portion has a third protruding portion to decrease an opening area of the opening portion.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second exhaust portion further has an exhaust amount controller, and
wherein the exhaust amount controller includes:
a restrictor having a projecting portion and configured to restrict an opening area of a part of the communication path when the projecting portion thereof is inserted into the opening portion;
a support portion connected to the restrictor and configured to support the restrictor; and
a movement controller provided outside the container, connected to the support portion, and configured to move the support portion such that the restrictor moves in a direction normal to a plane of the opening portion.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the exhaust amount controller further includes a support mechanism, and
wherein the support mechanism includes:
a guide horizontal to the support portion; and
a support bar affixed to the guide, provided in such a manner as to be slidable relative to the support portion, and configured to support the support portion.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second exhaust portion further includes an exhaust amount controller, and
wherein the exhaust amount controller includes:
a restrictor configured to restrict exhaust of the gas from the processing space to the outside space by bringing a tip end thereof into contact with an edge portion of the opening portion, the tip end having a sectional area larger than an opening area of the opening portion;
a support portion connected to the restrictor and configured to support the restrictor; and
a movement controller provided outside the container, connected to the support portion, and configured to move the support portion such that the restrictor in contact with the edge portion moves away from the edge portion.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the exhaust amount controller further includes a support mechanism, and
wherein the support mechanism includes:
a guide horizontal to the support portion, and
a support bar affixed to the guide, provided in such a manner as to be slidable relative to the support portion, and configured to support the support portion.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second exhaust portion is provided at a position which makes a distance between the gas introducing portion and the second exhaust portion larger than a distance between the first exhaust portion and the second exhaust portion.

10. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a container in which a substrate is processed;
a first exhaust portion configured to exhaust a gas in the container;
a substrate holder provided inside the container and configured to retain the substrate;
a shield provided to surround the substrate holder and dividing an inside of the container into a processing space where the substrate is processed and an outside space which is other than the processing space;
a gas introducing portion configured to introduce a gas into the processing space;
a plasma generating portion configured to generate plasma inside the processing space; and
a second exhaust portion provided to the shield, configured to allow the gas to be exhausted therethrough from the processing space to the outside space, the second exhaust portion including:
an opening portion formed in the shield;
a first protruding portion provided around the opening portion so as to surround the opening portion, and including a notched portion at a part of an end portion thereof at a side opposite from the opening portion; and
a screen portion covering the opening portion,
wherein the screen portion is connected to the end portion.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first protruding portion and the screen portion are placed on a processing-space side.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the screen portion covers the first protruding portion entirely, and
wherein an insertion member is inserted between the screen portion and the end portion, the insertion member being configured to adjust a gap provided between the screen portion and the first protruding portion.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first protruding portion has a third protruding portion to decrease an opening area of the opening portion.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second exhaust portion further includes an exhaust amount controller, and
wherein the exhaust amount controller includes:
a restrictor having a projecting portion and configured to restrict an opening area of the opening portion when the projecting portion thereof is inserted into the opening portion;
a support portion connected to the restr

Assignees

• Canon Anelva Corp

Inventors

• Nakazawa Toshikazu
• Tsukamoto Norihito
• Ueda Keisuke
• Ozaki Eiji

Classifications

• C23C16/4401

  Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C14/564 Primary

  Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases · CPC title

• C23C16/45589 Primary

  Movable means, e.g. fans · CPC title