Electric heating – Metal heating – By arc
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-17
2004-01-13
Van, Quang T. (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Metal heating
By arc
C219S121430, C219S121550
Reexamination Certificate
active
06677549
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus which gives plasma processing to a processed object with using high frequency energy such as a microwave, and in particular, to a plasma processing apparatus equipped with a window permeated by high frequency energy, a plasma processing method, a dielectric for a permeable window used therefor, and a production method of a structure where the dielectric for a permeable window is used.
2. Related Background Art
As a plasma processing apparatus using high frequency energy such as a microwave and a VHF wave as an excitation source for plasma excitation, a plasma polymerization apparatus, a CVD apparatus, a surface treatment apparatus, an etching apparatus, an ashing apparatus, a cleaning apparatus, etc. are known.
To cite a case of a microwave as an example, CVD using such a so-called microwave plasma processing apparatus is performed as follows.
That is, a gas is introduced into a plasma-generating chamber and/or a film-forming chamber of microwave plasma CVD apparatus, and microwave energy is supplied simultaneously to generate plasma in the plasma generation chamber. Furthermore, the gas is excited, dissociated, and ionized, and the like to generate ions, radicals, etc., and a deposition film is formed on the processed object arranged in the plasma generation chamber or the film formation chamber distant from the plasma generation chamber. In addition, surface treatment such as plasma polymerization, oxidization, nitriding, and fluoridation of an organic substance can be also performed by the same technique.
Moreover, the etching processing of the processed object using the so-called microwave plasma etching apparatus is performed, for example, as follows. That is, an etching gas is introduced into the processing chamber of this apparatus, and microwave energy is supplied simultaneously to generate plasma in this processing chamber. In addition, the etching gas is excited, dissociated and ionized to etch a surface of the processed object arranged in this processing chamber by the ions, radicals, etc. that are generated.
Moreover, the ashing processing of the processed object that uses a so-called microwave plasma-ashing apparatus is performed, for example, as follows. That is, an ashing gas is introduced into the processing chamber of this apparatus, and microwave energy is supplied simultaneously to generate plasma in this processing chamber. In addition, the ashing gas is excited, dissociated and ionized to ash a face of the processed object arranged in this processing chamber, that is, photo resist by the ions, radicals, and ozone etc. that are generated. Similarly to the ashing, it is possible to perform cleaning for removing an undesired substance adhering to the processed face of the processed object.
In a microwave plasma processing apparatus, since a microwave is used as a source of gas excitation, electrons can be accelerated by an electric field at a high frequency, and hence gas molecules can be ionized and excited efficiently. So, since having high gas ionization efficiency, excitation efficiency, and dissociation efficiency, the microwave plasma processing apparatus has such advantages that it is possible to form high-density plasma comparatively easily and that it is possible to perform quality processing at high speed and low temperature. Moreover, the apparatus also has such advantages that, since a microwave permeates a dielectric like silica glass, the plasma processing apparatus can be constituted as an electrodeless discharge type apparatus and that, owing to this, highly clean plasma processing can be performed.
In order to further accelerate such a microwave plasma processing apparatus, a plasma processing apparatus using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) has also been put in practical use. The ECR is a phenomenon in which, when flux density is 87.5 mT, an electronic cyclotron frequency that is a frequency of electrons revolving around lines of magnetic force meets a common microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz, the electrons absorbs microwaves resonantly to be accelerated, and high-density plasma is generated.
Moreover, another type of plasma processing apparatus for high-density plasma generation is also proposed.
For example, plasma-processing apparatuses each using a radial line slot antenna (RLSA) are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-262119, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 01-184923, and the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,086.
Alternatively, plasma processing apparatuses each using a circular wave guide with termination are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-290995, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,177, and EPO564359 bulletin.
Apart from these, as examples of microwave plasma processing apparatuses in recent years, apparatuses each using a circular wave guide without termination where a plurality of slots is formed in the inside thereof are proposed as apparatuses of uniformly and effectively introducing microwaves (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-345982 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,699).
On the other hand, a plasma processing apparatus using a disk-like microwave introduction apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-90591. This apparatus introduces a gas into a wave guide, and discharges the gas toward a plasma generation chamber from slots provided in the wave guide.
Moreover, a plasma processing apparatus equipped with a circular (annular) wave guide is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-40397.
On the other hand,
FIGS. 9
to
12
are schematic diagrams showing an example of a conventional plasma processing apparatus.
FIG. 9
shows a container
1
whose inside can be exhausted, supporting means
2
for a processed object, a microwave source
3
consisting of a circular wave guide having a circular wave guide therein, a dielectric window
4
, and a gas supply pipe
7
having a gas supply port
7
a
. An apparatus assembled from these parts introduces a microwave from the microwave introduction port
15
of the microwave source
3
to supply the microwave from the slots
3
b
to the container
1
through the dielectric window
4
.
FIGS. 10
to
12
are schematic diagrams for explaining the propagation of a microwave in a circular wave guide of the microwave source, and the situation of radiation of the microwaves from the slots.
FIG. 10
shows the situation at the time of seeing the circular wave guide from the above with omitting the slots.
FIG. 11
shows a cross section taken on line
11
—
11
in
FIG. 10
, and
FIG. 12
shows a cross section taken on line
12
—
12
.
Since the vicinity of the microwave introduction port
15
serves as an equivalent circuit of E-plane T-junction, the microwave introduced from the microwave introduction port
15
is changed on its course in a clockwise direction d
2
and a counterclockwise direction d
1
. Since each slot
3
b
is provided so as to intersect with the proceeding directions d
1
and d
2
of the microwave, the microwave proceeds with emitting microwaves from the slots.
Since the circular wave guide is without termination, the microwaves propagating in the directions d
1
and d
2
(z-axis direction) interfere with each other. It becomes easy to generate a standing wave in a desired mode by making the length of a ring C
1
formed by connecting centers of the wave guide, that is, circumference be an integral multiple of a guide wavelength (wavelength in the guide).
FIG. 11
shows a cross section perpendicular to a proceeding direction (z-axis orientation) of the microwave, and upper and lower faces
3
c
of the wave guide are H-plane perpendicular to the direction of an electric field EF. In addition, left and right faces
3
d
of the wave guide are E-plane parallel to the direction of the electric field EF. Reference symbol C
0
denotes a center in the longitudinal direction of the slot
3
b
, i.e., the direction (x-axis direction) perpendicular to the proceedi
Kitagawa Hideo
Suzuki Nobumasa
Uchiyama Shinzo
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Van Quang T.
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