Microwave plasma processing device

Abstract

A microwave plasma processing device comprising a chamber housing therein a material to be processed, a processing gas supplying means for supplying processing gas into the chamber, a microwave generating source for generating microwave forming the processing gas plasma in the chamber, a wave guiding means for guiding microwave generated in the microwave generating source toward the chamber, a flat antenna consisting of a conductor having a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating microwave guided by the wave guiding means toward the chamber, a microwave transmitting plate constituting the top wall of the chamber, transmitting microwave passed through the microwave radiating holes of the flat antenna and consisting of a dielectrics, and a delay plate provided on the opposite side of the microwave transmitting plate of the flat antenna, having a function of shortening the wavelength of microwave reaching the flat antenna and consisting of a dielectrics. The flat antenna and the microwave transmitting plate are substantially in close contact with each other with no air therebetween, the delay plate and the microwave transmitting plate are formed of the same material, and the delay plate, the flat antenna, the microwave transmitting plate and an equivalent circuit formed by the processing gas plasma formed in the chamber satisfy a resonance condition.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a microwave plasma processing device which uses microwave plasma to process objects to be processed. Background technique [0002] Plasma processing is an essential technique in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. With the continuous demand for higher integration and higher speed of LSIs, design rules of semiconductor devices constituting LSIs have been increasingly miniaturized. Meanwhile, the size of semiconductor wafers has been enlarged. Accordingly, there is a need for a plasma processing apparatus suitable for miniaturized design rules and enlarged semiconductor wafers. [0003] However, conventional plasma processing devices of the parallel plate type or inductively coupled type, which are commonly used, may cause plasma damage to delicate devices due to the high temperature of electrons used. In addition, it is difficult to perform uniform and rapid plasma processing on large semiconductor wafers due to the con...

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Problems solved by technology

[0008] However, since the impedance of the air gap is higher than that of the dielectric material forming the microwave transmissive plate, placing an air gap between the planar antenna and the microwave transmissive plate will increase the microwave power loss in the air gap

As a result, microwave power efficiency may decrease, or abnormal discharge may easily occur inside the antenna

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