Gas supply ring and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. A gas supply ring used in a substrate processing apparatus has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and a second surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface on a side opposite to the first surface, the outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet, the first surface has an outer side recess communicating with the at least one gas inlet, the second surface has a first intermediate recess and a second intermediate recess communicating with the outer side recess, the first surface further has a first inner side recess to a fourth inner side recess arranged inside the outer side recess, the first inner side recess and the second inner side recess communicate with the first intermediate recess, the third inner side recess and the fourth inner side recess communicate with the second intermediate recess, and the inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlets each communicating with any one of the first inner side recess to the fourth inner side recess.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a gas supply ring and a substrate processing apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a substrate processing apparatus, in order to perform plasma processing and the like, a gas to be used in processing is introduced from a gas introduction member provided in a chamber side wall in a ring shape into the chamber.

[0003] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0005] Patent Document 1

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-086449 SUMMARY

[0007] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] The present disclosure provides a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths and a substrate processing apparatus including the same.

[0009] MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a gas supply ring used in a substrate processing apparatus, having an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface having at least one gas inlet, the first surface having an outer side recess communicating with the at least one gas inlet, the second surface having a first intermediate recess and a second intermediate recess communicating with the outer side recess, the first surface further having a first inner side recess to a fourth inner side recess arranged inside the outer side recess, the first inner side recess and the second inner side recess communicating with the first intermediate recess, the third inner side recess and the fourth inner side recess communicating with the second intermediate recess, the inner peripheral surface having a plurality of gas outlets, each of the gas outlets communicating with any one of the first inner side recess to the fourth inner side recess.

[0011] EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

[0012] With the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a view showing one example of a substrate processing apparatus in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 is a view showing one example of a flow path in the gas ring in the present embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing one example of the front surface of the gas ring in the present embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 is a plan view showing one example of the front surface of the gas ring in the present embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing one example of the back surface of the gas ring in the present embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 is a bottom view showing one example of the back surface of the gas ring in the present embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 is a view showing one example of a cross section at the time of installation of the gas ring in the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Embodiments of a gas supply ring and a substrate processing apparatus to be disclosed will be described in detail below based on the drawings. The technology of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0021] In order to uniformly eject gas from the plurality of ejection ports of the gas supply ring into the chamber, it is sometimes required to make the conductance uniform among the plurality of flow paths. Therefore, as one example, the distance from the gas introduction port of the gas supply ring to the plurality of gas ejection ports can be made equal. As a method of making the conductance uniform among the plurality of flow paths, a flow path that branches in a so-called elimination tournament manner is known. In the case where such an elimination tournament flow path is provided to the gas supply ring, if the number of ejection ports increases, the number of branches increases, and the gas ring increases in the radial direction. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths and a substrate processing apparatus including the same. In addition, it is desirable to provide a gas supply ring capable of easily cleaning the plurality of flow paths and a substrate processing apparatus including the same.

[0022] [Structure of substrate processing apparatus 10]

[0023] Figure 1 is a view showing one example of a substrate processing apparatus in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The substrate processing apparatus 10 shown is one example of a plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process such as a dry etching process. The dry etching process is a process of etching a film formed on a substrate, i.e., a wafer W, as a processing target.

[0024] The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a processing chamber 11 that processes the wafer W, and a plasma generation chamber 12 that communicates with the processing chamber 11 and is capable of exciting a gas to generate plasma. The plasma generation chamber 12 is provided above the processing chamber 11 with a partition wall member 40 interposed therebetween, and generates plasma from a gas by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method.

[0025] The processing chamber 11 and the plasma generation chamber 12 are constituted by a substantially cylindrical reaction vessel 13 formed of a metal such as aluminum. A gas ring 15 and a lid 14 are disposed at the upper portion of the reaction vessel 13. That is, at the upper portion of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13, the gas ring 15 is disposed between the reaction vessel 13 and the lid 14, and is capable of being separated from the reaction vessel 13 and the lid 14. The lid 14 includes a substantially disc-shaped member 14a constituted by an insulating material such as quartz or ceramic, and a substantially ring-shaped member 17 formed of a metal such as aluminum, which is disposed around the member 14a. The plasma generation chamber 12 is hermetically closed by the reaction vessel 13, the gas ring 15, and the lid 14.

[0026] The gas ring 15 is a ring shape, and has a gas introduction port 16 at the outer peripheral side. The gas ring 15 is one example of a gas supply ring. A gas supply portion 18 is connected to the gas introduction port 16 via a pipe 19. A gas supplied from the gas supply portion 18 flows into a flow path in the gas ring 15 via the pipe 19 and the gas introduction port 16, and is introduced into the inner space of the plasma generation chamber 12 from a plurality of gas injection ports. The gas supply portion 18 is provided with an on-off valve for opening and closing the gas, and a mass flow controller or the like for controlling the flow rate of the gas. In the present embodiment, for example, a case where a mixed gas of hydrogen (H2) gas and argon (Ar) gas is supplied from the gas supply portion 18 is described as an example, but the kind of the gas is not limited thereto.

[0027] A coil 20 as an antenna member is wound around the upper portion of the reaction vessel 13. The coil 20 is connected to a high-frequency power source 21. The high-frequency power source 21 outputs electric power of a frequency of 300 kHz to 60 MHz, and supplies the same to the coil 20. Thereby, an induced electromagnetic field is formed in the plasma generation chamber 12, and a gas introduced into the plasma generation chamber 12 is excited to generate plasma.

[0028] A wafer W is placed on a placement table 22 provided in the processing chamber 11. The placement table 22 is supported by a support member 23 provided at the bottom of the processing chamber 11. The placement table 22 is formed of, for example, aluminum subjected to an anodization treatment. A heater 24 for heating the wafer W can also be embedded in the placement table 22. The heater 24 heats the wafer W to a prescribed temperature (for example, 300°C) by being supplied with electric power from a heater power source 25. The temperature at this time can be set to a temperature at which the film to be etched on the wafer W is not damaged to a large extent, for example, in the range of about 250°C to 400°C.

[0029] An inner liner 26 for protecting the inner wall of the processing chamber 11 is provided inside the processing chamber 11. The inner liner 26 is formed of, for example, aluminum. An exhaust port 27 is provided through the inner liner 26 and the side wall of the processing chamber 11, and is connected to an exhaust device 28 including a vacuum pump. Thus, by operating the exhaust device 28, the inside of the processing chamber 11 and the plasma generation chamber 12 can be depressurized to a prescribed degree of vacuum.

[0030] Further, a transfer-in and transfer-out port 30 which can be opened and closed by a gate valve 29 is formed in the side wall of the processing chamber 11. The transfer-in and transfer-out of the wafer W is performed by a transfer mechanism such as a transfer arm, not shown.

[0031] A plurality of through holes 41 are formed in a partition wall member 40 which separates the processing chamber 11 and the plasma generation chamber 12. A plurality of through holes 41a, 41b,... are formed in the partition wall member 40 in a concentric circular shape from the inner circumferential side, and a plurality of through holes 41f are formed in the outermost circumference. When the plurality of through holes 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e, 41f are collectively referred to, "through holes 41" is used.

[0032] The partition wall member 40 allows radicals in the plasma generated in the plasma generation chamber 12 to pass through the plurality of through holes 41 and go to the processing chamber 11. That is, when a gas is excited in the plasma generation chamber 12 to generate plasma, radicals, ions, ultraviolet light, and the like are generated. The partition wall member 40 is made of quartz or the like, which blocks the ions and ultraviolet light of the plasma generated in the plasma generation chamber 12 and allows only the radicals to pass through and go to the processing chamber 11.

[0033] A ring-shaped member 50 formed of, for example, quartz is provided in the side wall of the reaction vessel 13 so as to cover the side wall of the reaction vessel 13. The upper portion of the ring-shaped member 50 is smoothly formed so as to gradually increase in inner diameter toward the inner side. The inner wall of the ring-shaped member 50 is close to the through hole 41f of the outermost circumference of the partition wall member 40 to such an extent that the through hole 41f is not blocked. Further, a plurality of gas injection ports 51 corresponding to the plurality of gas injection ports of the gas ring 15 are provided in the upper portion of the ring-shaped member 50.

[0034] In the substrate processing apparatus 10 of this configuration, in the case of performing plasma processing on the wafer W, first, the gate valve 29 is opened, the wafer W is carried into the processing chamber 11 from the carrying-in / out port 30, and is placed on the placement table 22.

[0035] Next, the gate valve 29 is closed, the inside of the processing chamber 11 and the inside of the plasma generation chamber 12 are exhausted by the exhaust device 28, and are brought to a predetermined reduced pressure state. Also, a predetermined power is supplied from the heater power source 25 to the heater 24 to bring the wafer W to a predetermined temperature (for example, 300°C).

[0036] Next, hydrogen and argon are supplied from the gas supply section 18 to the inside of the plasma generation chamber 12 via the pipe 19 and the flow paths in the gas ring 15. Also, a high-frequency power of, for example, 4000W is supplied from the high-frequency power source 21 to the coil 20, and an induced electromagnetic field is formed in the inside of the plasma generation chamber 12. Due to this, plasma can be generated from the hydrogen and the argon in the plasma generation chamber 12. Of the generated plasma, the ultraviolet light and the ions are blocked by the partition wall member 40, and the radicals can pass through. Due to this, the front surface of the wafer W in the processing chamber 11 can be subjected to a desired processing such as ashing of a photoresist film on the wafer W using the radicals without being damaged by the ultraviolet light and the hydrogen ions.

[0037] [Flow paths in gas ring 15]

[0038] Figure 2 is a view showing one example of a flow path in the gas ring in the present embodiment. As shown in Figure 2 , in the gas ring 15 at the time of installation, flow paths 151 to 163 are provided in such a manner that the flow conductance from the gas introduction port 16 to each of the gas ejection ports 171 to 178 is the same. That is, the distance of each of the flow paths from the gas introduction port 16 to each of the gas ejection ports 171 to 178 is equal. Also, in the following description, the "end portion" also includes the vicinity of the end portion. Also, angles such as 180°, 90°, and 45° also include angles in the vicinity of these angles.

[0039] Flow path 151 extends in an arc shape, covering 180° along the circumference of the gas ring 15. Flow path 151 connects to the gas inlet 16 at its central portion and to flow paths 154 and 155 at both ends. That is, when viewed from the gas inlet 16, flow path 151 branches into two equal-length branches. Flow paths 152 and 153 extend in an arc shape, covering 90° along the circumference of the gas ring 15. Flow path 152 connects to flow path 154 at its central portion and to flow paths 160 and 161 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 154, flow path 152 branches into two equal-length branches. Flow path 153 connects to flow path 155 at its central portion and to flow paths 162 and 163 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 155, flow path 153 branches into two equal-length branches.

[0040] Flow paths 156-159 extend in a 45° arc around the circumference of the gas ring 15. Flow path 156 connects to flow path 160 at its center and to gas outlets 171 and 172 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 160, flow path 156 branches into two equal lengths. Flow path 157 connects to flow path 161 at its center and to gas outlets 173 and 174 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 161, flow path 157 branches into two equal lengths. Flow path 158 connects to flow path 162 at its center and to gas outlets 175 and 176 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 162, flow path 158 branches into two equal lengths. Flow path 159 connects to flow path 163 at its center and to gas outlets 177 and 178 at both ends. That is, when viewed from flow path 163, flow path 159 branches into two equal-length branches in two directions. Flow paths 154, 155, and 160-163 are an example of a longitudinally extending connecting hole.

[0041] Next, use Figures 3 to 6 The structure of gas ring 15 is described. Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing one example of the front view of the gas ring in this embodiment. Figure 4 This is a top view showing one example of the front view of the gas ring in this embodiment. Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing one example of the back side of the gas ring in this embodiment. Figure 6 This is a bottom view showing one example of the back side of the gas ring in this embodiment. (Example) Figures 3 to 6As shown, the front face 15a and the back face 15b of the gas ring 15 are provided with recesses, respectively, wherein the front face 15a is a face that contacts the lower surface of the substantially annular member 17 of the cover 14, and the back face 15b is a face that contacts the upper surface of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13. The gas ring 15 forms flow paths by bringing the recesses into contact with the lower surface of the substantially annular member 17 or the upper surface of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13. Here, the substantially annular member 17 of the cover 14 is an example of the first annular member, and the side wall of the reaction vessel 13 is an example of the second annular member. The front face 15a is an example of the first face of the gas ring 15 that is located between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and the back face 15b is an example of the second face of the gas ring 15 that is located between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface.

[0042] On the front face 15a, the recess 151a and the recesses 156a to 159a are provided concentrically. The recesses 156a to 159a are provided independently of each other on the same concentric circle. Here, the recess 151a is an example of the outer recess or the first arc-shaped recess, and the recesses 156a to 159a are examples of the first to fourth inner recesses. An O-ring 181 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the gas ring 15 and the recess 151a. An O-ring 182 is provided between the recess 151a and the recesses 156a to 159a. An O-ring 183 is provided between the recesses 156a to 159a and the inner peripheral surface of the gas ring 15. That is, the flow paths 151, 156 to 159 corresponding to the recess 151a and the recesses 156a to 159a are formed, respectively, by the lower surface of the substantially annular member 17 of the cover 14, the O-rings 181 to 183, and any one of the recess 151a and the recesses 156a to 159a. In addition, the gas introduction port 16 is connected to the central portion in the circumferential direction of the recess 151a. The gas introduction port 16 is an example of at least one gas inlet on the outer peripheral surface of the gas ring 15. Similarly, the gas discharge ports 171 to 178 are connected to both end portions of the recesses 156a to 159a, respectively. That is, the gas discharge ports 171 to 178 are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the gas ring 15. The gas discharge ports 171 to 178 are examples of the first to eighth gas outlets.

[0043] On the back face 15b, the recesses 152a, 153a are provided independently of each other on the same concentric circle. The recesses 152a, 153a are examples of the first and second intermediate recesses or the second arc-shaped recesses. An O-ring 191 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the gas ring 15 and the recesses 152a, 153a. An O-ring 192 is provided between the recesses 152a, 153a and the inner peripheral surface of the gas ring 15. That is, the flow paths 152, 153 corresponding to the recesses 152a, 153a are formed, respectively, by the upper surface of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13, the O-rings 191, 192, and any one of the recesses 152a, 153a.

[0044] Next, the use of the gas ring 15 will be described. Figure 7 The cross section at the time of installation of the gas ring 15 will be described. Figure 7 is a view showing one example of the cross section at the time of installation of the gas ring in the present embodiment. Figure 7 is a view showing the cross section of the A-A plane shown in Figure 2 As shown in Figure 7 , the gas ring 15 is installed between the upper surface of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13 and the lower surface of the substantially circular ring-shaped member 17 of the lid 14. In addition, a ring-shaped member 50 is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the reaction vessel 13 and the gas ring 15.

[0045] In the state shown in Figure 7 , on the front surface 15a, the O-rings 181 to 183 are in close contact with the lower surface of the substantially circular ring-shaped member 17 of the lid 14, and the flow paths 151, 156 corresponding to the recesses 151a, 156a, respectively, are in airtight state with respect to the outside. Similarly, on the back surface 15b, the O-rings 191, 192 are in close contact with the upper surface of the side wall of the reaction vessel 13, and the flow path 152 corresponding to the recess 152a is in airtight state with respect to the outside. The gas inlet 16 is connected to the flow path 151 in a state substantially parallel to the front surface 15a at a position different from the A-A plane. The flow path 154 connects the flow path 151 on the front surface 15a side and the flow path 152 on the back surface 15b side obliquely at a position different from the A-A plane. The flow path 160 connects the flow path 152 on the back surface 15b side and the flow path 156 on the front surface 15a side at the A-A plane. The flow path 156 is connected to the gas outlet 171 substantially parallel to the front surface 15a at a position different from the A-A plane. The gas outlet 171 is connected to the gas outlet 51 provided to the ring-shaped member 50.

[0046] As shown in Figure 7As shown, the flow paths are alternately arranged in the concentric circular shape on the front face 15a and the back face 15b in the order of the flow path 151 of the front face 15a, the flow path 152 of the back face 15b, and the flow path 156 of the front face 15a from the outer peripheral side of the gas ring 15. Therefore, each of the flow paths can be kept in the airtight state by the O-rings 181 to 183, 191, and 192, respectively. That is, by closing the upper unit such as the cover 14 at the time of installation, the sealing of the processing chamber 11 and the plasma generating chamber 12 and the formation of the flow paths for introducing the gas can be performed at the same time. Further, since the flow paths are alternately arranged in the concentric circular shape on the front face 15a and the back face 15b, the flow paths in the tournament (staging) manner can be constructed in the narrow space in the radial direction of the gas ring 15. Furthermore, in the case where more gas injection ports are provided, by repeatedly forming the flow paths in the alternate arrangement on the front face 15a and the back face 15b, the number of stages in the tournament (staging) can be increased, and the gas injection ports corresponding to the number of stages in the tournament can be provided. In the case where the flow paths are alternately arranged on the front face 15a and the back face 15b, the flow paths can be provided on the concentric circles of the same radius on the front face 15a and the back face 15b, and in this case, the flow path on the upstream side close to the gas introduction port 16 is provided as the flow path on the outer peripheral side.

[0047] Further, in the manufacturing process of the gas ring 15, the flow paths do not need to be formed by diffusion bonding or welding, and the recesses 151a to 153a and 156a to 159a and the flow paths 154, 155, and 160 to 163 for forming the flow paths 151 to 163 can be easily formed from the outside by machining or the like. Since welding is not used, the risk of contamination can be reduced. Further, since the gas ring 15 is detachable at the time of maintenance, the recesses 151a to 153a and 156a to 159a and the flow paths 154, 155, and 160 to 163 can be easily cleaned. Further, although diffusion bonding or welding is not used to form the flow paths in the present embodiment, in other embodiments, diffusion bonding or welding can be used to form the flow paths within the range not deviating from the object of forming the flow paths compactly.

[0048] The gas introduction port 16 is one in the above-described embodiment, but is not limited thereto. For example, the gas introduction port 16 can be provided on the line-symmetrical position of the gas ring 15, and the flow paths alternately arranged in the concentric circular shape on the front face 15a and the back face 15b can be provided, respectively, so that two sets of flow paths are provided.

[0049] Further, in the above-described embodiment, the recesses 151a to 153a and 156a to 159a are recesses (grooves) having the quadrangular cross section, but are not limited thereto. For example, the recesses (grooves) having the semicircular cross section can be used.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the recesses 156a to 159a of the front surface 15a and the recesses 152a, 153a of the back surface 15b are provided on concentric circles of the same radius, but are not limited thereto. For example, the recess 151a of the front surface 15a and the recesses 152a, 153a of the back surface 15b can be provided on concentric circles of the same radius, and the recesses 156a to 159a of the front surface 15a can be provided on concentric circles of a smaller radius.

[0051] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the gas supply ring (gas ring 15) used in the substrate processing apparatus 10 has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface (front surface 15a) between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and a second surface (back surface 15b) between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface and on the side opposite to the first surface. The outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet (gas inlet port 16). The first surface has an outer side recess (recess 151a) that communicates with the at least one gas inlet. The second surface has first and second intermediate recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) that communicate with the outer side recess. The first surface further has first to fourth inner side recesses (recesses 156a to 159a) that are arranged on the inner side of the outer side recess. The first and second inner side recesses (recesses 156a, 157a) communicate with the first intermediate recess (recess 152a), and the third and fourth inner side recesses (recesses 158a, 159a) communicate with the second intermediate recess (recess 153a). The inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlets (gas outlet ports 171 to 178). Each of the gas outlets communicates with any one of the first to fourth inner side recesses. As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided. Furthermore, the plurality of flow paths can be easily cleaned.

[0052] Further, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of gas outlets include first to eighth gas outlets (gas outlet ports 171 to 178). The first and second gas outlets (gas outlet ports 171, 172) communicate with the first inner side recess (recess 156a), the third and fourth gas outlets (gas outlet ports 173, 174) communicate with the second inner side recess (recess 157a), the fifth and sixth gas outlets (gas outlet ports 175, 176) communicate with the third inner side recess (recess 158a), and the seventh and eighth gas outlets (gas outlet ports 177, 178) communicate with the fourth inner side recess (recess 159a). As a result, gas can be supplied into the plasma generation chamber 12.

[0053] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first and second intermediate recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) overlap the outer side recess (recess 151a) when viewed in plan. As a result, the plurality of flow paths can be compactly configured in the radial direction of the gas ring 15. Further, even in the case where the flow conductance is made uniform, a raceway-type flow path can be compactly formed.

[0054] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first intermediate recess (recess 152a) overlaps the first and second inner side recesses (recesses 156a, 157a) in plan view, and the second intermediate recess (recess 153a) overlaps the third and fourth inner side recesses (recesses 158a, 159a) in plan view. As a result, a plurality of flow paths can be constructed compactly in the radial direction of the gas ring 15. Further, even in the case of making the flow conductance uniform, a raceway-type flow path can be formed compactly.

[0055] Further, according to the present embodiment, the outer side recess (recess 151a) is in the shape of a circular arc having a first diameter. The first and second intermediate recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) are in the shape of a circular arc having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. The first to fourth inner side recesses (recesses 156a to 159a) are in the shape of a circular arc having the second diameter. As a result, a plurality of flow paths can be constructed compactly in the radial direction of the gas ring 15. Further, even in the case of making the flow conductance uniform, a raceway-type flow path can be formed compactly.

[0056] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first and second inner side recesses (recesses 156a, 157a) respectively communicate with the first intermediate recess (recess 152a) via communication holes (flow paths 160, 161) extending in the longitudinal direction, and the third and fourth inner side recesses (recesses 158a, 159a) respectively communicate with the second intermediate recess (recess 153a) via communication holes (flow paths 162, 163) extending in the longitudinal direction. As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided.

[0057] Further, according to the present embodiment, the outer side recess (recess 151a) is in the shape of a circular arc having a first diameter. The first and second intermediate recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) are in the shape of a circular arc having the first diameter. The first to fourth inner side recesses (recesses 156a to 159a) are in the shape of a circular arc having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. As a result, a plurality of flow paths can be constructed compactly in the radial direction of the gas ring 15. Further, even in the case of making the flow conductance uniform, a raceway-type flow path can be formed compactly.

[0058] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first and second intermediate recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) respectively communicate with the outer side recess (recess 151a) via communication holes (flow paths 154, 155) extending in the longitudinal direction. As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided.

[0059] Further, according to the present embodiment, the outer recess (recess 151a) has a central portion connected to the at least one gas inlet (gas inlet 16). The outer recess (recess 151a) has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the first intermediate recess (recess 152a) and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the second intermediate recess (recess 153a). As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided. Further, the flow conductance of the fluid can be made uniform among the plurality of flow paths.

[0060] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first intermediate recess (recess 152a) has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the first inner recess (recess 156a) and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the second inner recess (recess 157a), and the second intermediate recess (recess 153a) has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the third inner recess (recess 158a) and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the fourth inner recess (recess 159a). As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided. Further, the flow conductance of the fluid can be made uniform among the plurality of flow paths.

[0061] Further, according to the present embodiment, the gas supply ring (gas ring 15) for supplying gas to the inside of the chamber (reaction vessel 13) of the substrate processing apparatus 10 has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface (front surface 15a) connecting the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and a second surface (back surface 15b) connecting the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface on the side opposite to the first surface. The outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet 16 configured to be able to introduce gas from the outside into the gas supply ring. The inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlet ports 171 to 178 configured to be able to eject gas introduced from the at least one gas inlet port to the inside of the chamber. The first surface has a first circular arc-shaped recess (recess 151a). The second surface has a plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses (recesses 152a, 153a). The gas supply ring further has a plurality of communication holes (flow paths 154, 155) communicating the first circular arc-shaped recess and the plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses. The first circular arc-shaped recess and the plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses are concentrically arranged on the first surface and the second surface. The central portion of the second circular arc-shaped recess is connected to the end portion of the first circular arc-shaped recess. The central portion of the first circular arc-shaped recess is communicated with the at least one gas inlet port, and each end portion of the plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses is communicated with one of the plurality of gas outlet ports. As a result, a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided.

[0062] Further, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of gas outlet ports 171 to 178 are disposed at equal intervals along the circumference of the gas supply ring. As a result, gas can be uniformly supplied into the plasma generation chamber 12.

[0063] Further, according to the present embodiment, the first arc-shaped recess (recess 151a) is formed along the circumference of the gas supply ring over 180 degrees. As a result, gas can be uniformly supplied into the plasma generation chamber 12.

[0064] Further, according to the present embodiment, the second arc-shaped recesses (recesses 152a, 153a) are formed along the circumference over 90 degrees. As a result, gas can be uniformly supplied into the plasma generation chamber 12.

[0065] Further, according to the present embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes: a substrate processing chamber (reaction vessel 13) including a first annular member (substantially circular ring-shaped member 17) and a second annular member (a side wall of the reaction vessel 13); and a gas supply ring (gas ring 15) disposed between the first annular member and the second annular member for supplying gas into the inside of the substrate processing chamber. The gas supply ring has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface (front surface 15a) facing the first annular member, and a second surface (back surface 15b) facing the second annular member. The outer peripheral surface has at least one gas introduction port 16 configured to be able to introduce gas from the outside into the gas supply ring. The inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas ejection ports 171 to 178 configured to be able to eject gas introduced from the at least one gas introduction port 16. The first surface has a first arc-shaped recess (recess 151a). The second surface has a plurality of second arc-shaped recesses (recesses 152a, 153a). The gas supply ring further has a plurality of communication holes (flow paths 154, 155) that communicate the first arc-shaped recess and the plurality of second arc-shaped recesses. The first annular member and the first arc-shaped recess define a first flow path (flow path 151). The second annular member and the plurality of second arc-shaped recesses define a plurality of second flow paths (flow paths 152, 153). The first flow path and the plurality of second flow paths are arranged in concentric circles. The central portion of the second flow path is connected to the end portion of the first flow path. The central portion of the first flow path communicates with the at least one gas introduction port 16, and the plurality of gas ejection ports 171 to 178 respectively communicate with the end portions of any one of the plurality of second flow paths. As a result, a plasma processing apparatus including a compact gas supply ring having a plurality of flow paths can be provided. Further, since flow can be made uniform among the plurality of flow paths, gas can be uniformly supplied into the plasma generation chamber 12.

[0066] The embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrative in all aspects and should not be construed as limiting. The above-described embodiments can be omitted, replaced, or changed in various ways without departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

[0067] In addition, in the above-described embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus 10 that performs plasma processing on the wafer W using an inductively coupled plasma as a plasma source is described as an example, but the technology according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. As long as it is an apparatus that processes a wafer W using plasma, the plasma source is not limited to an inductively coupled plasma, and for example, any plasma source such as a capacitively coupled plasma, a microwave plasma, a magnetron plasma, or the like can be used.

[0068] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0069] 10 substrate processing apparatus

[0070] 11 processing chamber

[0071] 12 plasma generation chamber

[0072] 13 reaction vessel

[0073] 14 lid

[0074] 14a substantially disc-shaped member

[0075] 15 gas ring

[0076] 15a front surface

[0077] 15b back surface

[0078] 16 gas introduction port

[0079] 17 substantially annular member

[0080] 18 gas supply portion

[0081] 19 pipe

[0082] 20 coil

[0083] 21 high-frequency power source

[0084] 22 mounting table

[0085] 27 exhaust port

[0086] 28 exhaust device

[0087] 40 partition wall member

[0088] 50 annular member

[0089] 51, 171 to 178 gas ejection port

[0090] 151 to 163 flow path

[0091] 151a to 153a, 156a to 159a recess

[0092] 181 to 183, 191, 192 O-ring

[0093] W wafer.

Claims

1. A gas supply ring for use in a substrate processing apparatus, characterized by, includes: an inner peripheral surface; an outer peripheral surface; a first surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface; a second surface between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface and on a side opposite the first surface, the outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet, the first surface has an outer side recess communicating with the at least one gas inlet, and the second surface has a first intermediate recess and a second intermediate recess communicating with the outer side recess, the first surface further has a first inner side recess to a fourth inner side recess arranged inside the outer side recess, the first inner side recess and the second inner side recess communicate with the first intermediate recess, and the third inner side recess and the fourth inner side recess communicate with the second intermediate recess, and the inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlets, each gas outlet communicates with any one of the first inner side recess to the fourth inner side recess.

2. The gas supply ring according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of gas outlets includes a first gas outlet to an eighth gas outlet, the first gas outlet and the second gas outlet communicate with the first inner side recess, the third gas outlet and the fourth gas outlet communicate with the second inner side recess, the fifth gas outlet and the sixth gas outlet communicate with the third inner side recess, and the seventh gas outlet and the eighth gas outlet communicate with the fourth inner side recess.

3. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the first intermediate recess and the second intermediate recess overlap the outer side recess when viewed in plan.

4. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the first intermediate recess overlaps the first inner side recess and the second inner side recess when viewed in plan, and the second intermediate recess overlaps the third inner side recess and the fourth inner side recess when viewed in plan.

5. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the outer side recess has a circular arc shape having a first diameter, the first intermediate recess and the second intermediate recess have a circular arc shape having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the first inner side recess to the fourth inner side recess have a circular arc shape having the second diameter.

6. The gas supply ring according to claim 5, wherein: the first inner side recess and the second inner side recess communicate with the first intermediate recess via a communication hole extending in a longitudinal direction, respectively, the third inner side recess and the fourth inner side recess communicate with the second intermediate recess via a communication hole extending in a longitudinal direction, respectively.

7. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: the outer side recess has a circular arc shape having a first diameter, the first intermediate recess and the second intermediate recess have a circular arc shape having the first diameter, the first inner side recess to the fourth inner side recess have a circular arc shape having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

8. The gas supply ring according to claim 7, wherein: the first intermediate recess and the second intermediate recess communicate with the outer side recess via a communication hole extending in a longitudinal direction, respectively.

9. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The outer recess has a central portion connected to the at least one gas inlet, The outer recess has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the first intermediate recess and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the second intermediate recess.

10. The gas supply ring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first intermediate recess has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the first inner recess and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the second inner recess, and The second intermediate recess has a first end portion connected to a central portion of the third inner recess and a second end portion connected to a central portion of the fourth inner recess.

11. A gas supply ring for supplying a gas to an inside of a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: The gas supply ring has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface connecting the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, and a second surface connecting the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface on a side opposite to the first surface, The outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet configured to introduce the gas from the outside into the gas supply ring, The inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlet ports configured to eject the gas introduced from the at least one gas inlet to the inside of the chamber, The first surface has a first arc-shaped recess, The second surface has a plurality of second arc-shaped recesses, The gas supply ring further has a plurality of communication holes communicating the first arc-shaped recess and the plurality of second arc-shaped recesses, The first arc-shaped recess and the plurality of second arc-shaped recesses are concentrically arranged on the first surface and the second surface, A central portion of the second arc-shaped recess is connected to an end portion of the first arc-shaped recess, A central portion of the first arc-shaped recess communicates with the at least one gas inlet, and each end portion of the plurality of second arc-shaped recesses communicates with one of the plurality of gas outlet ports.

12. The gas supply ring according to claim 11, wherein: The plurality of gas outlet ports are arranged at equal intervals along a circumferential direction of the gas supply ring.

13. The gas supply ring according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The first arc-shaped recess is formed along the circumferential direction of the gas supply ring over 180 degrees.

14. The gas supply ring according to claim 13, wherein: The second arc-shaped recess is formed along the circumferential direction over 90 degrees.

15. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized by, including: a substrate processing chamber including a first annular member and a second annular member; and a gas supply ring disposed between the first annular member and the second annular member for supplying a gas to an inside of the substrate processing chamber, The gas supply ring has an inner peripheral surface, an outer peripheral surface, a first surface opposite to the first annular member, and a second surface opposite to the second annular member, The outer peripheral surface has at least one gas inlet configured to introduce the gas from the outside into the gas supply ring, The inner peripheral surface has a plurality of gas outlet ports configured to eject the gas introduced from the at least one gas inlet, ​ The first face has a first circular arc-shaped recess, The second face has a plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses, The gas supply ring further has a plurality of communication holes that communicate the first circular arc-shaped recess with the plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses, The first annular member and the first circular arc-shaped recess define a first flow path, and the second annular member and the plurality of second circular arc-shaped recesses define a plurality of second flow paths, The first flow path and the plurality of second flow paths are configured in a concentric circular shape, with a central portion of the second flow path connected to an end portion of the first flow path, A central portion of the first flow path communicates with the at least one gas inlet port, The plurality of gas outlet ports respectively communicate with end portions of any one of the plurality of second flow paths.

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