Plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention realizes a plasma processing apparatus capable of easily adjusting the height of an antenna. A plasma processing apparatus (1) is provided with: an outer cover (20) attached to a housing (10) so as to close a first opening (12) provided in the housing (10); an inner cover (30) that divides the processing chamber (11) and the outer cover; an antenna (40) for generating plasma within the processing chamber; an insertion member (45) linked to the antenna; and a position adjustment mechanism (60) that displaces the insertion member in a state in which the outer cover is attached.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plasma processing device for processing a substrate using plasma. Background Art

[0002] There is known a plasma processing apparatus that generates inductively coupled plasma in a vacuum container using an antenna disposed in the vacuum container. Depending on the type of the plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing apparatus performs a predetermined plasma processing on a substrate to be processed using the generated plasma.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a film forming apparatus including: a cathode on which a target can be placed; a plurality of high-frequency antennas arranged near the target; and a high-frequency power supply for supplying high-frequency power to the high-frequency antennas to generate inductively coupled plasma.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-127621 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, in a plasma processing device including a plurality of high-frequency antennas, the plasma processing of the substrate to be processed may become uneven due to various factors (individual differences of the high-frequency antennas or deviations in the installation positions, etc.). In order to make the plasma processing of the substrate to be processed uniform, for example, measures are required to individually adjust the heights of the plurality of high-frequency antennas. In the film forming device described in Patent Document 1, in order to adjust the height of the high-frequency antenna, it is necessary to open the processing chamber to the atmosphere, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0009] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to realize a plasma processing apparatus capable of easily adjusting the height of an antenna.

[0010] Means of solving problems

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a plasma processing device in one form of the present invention includes a processing chamber, and the plasma processing device includes: a shell having a first opening connecting the processing chamber with an external environment; an outer cover airtightly mounted on the shell via a vacuum sealing member in a manner that closes the first opening, and having a through hole; an inner cover having dielectric properties and supported inside the first opening in a manner that spatially divides the processing chamber and the outer cover; an antenna disposed in an enclosed space formed by at least the outer cover and the inner cover, and used to generate inductively coupled plasma in the processing chamber; an insertion member inserted into the through hole and connected to the antenna; a holding portion holding the insertion member in a manner that the insertion member can be displaced while the enclosed space is airtightly sealed relative to the external environment; and a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the antenna by displacing the insertion member in a state where the outer cover is installed.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the plasma processing apparatus of one aspect of the present invention, the height of the antenna can be easily adjusted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] [ Figure 1 ] is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the plasma processing device of embodiment 1.

[0015] [ Figure 2 ]yes Figure 1 Magnified view of region II.

[0016] [ Figure 3 ]yes Figure 1 End view of line III-III in .

[0017] [ Figure 4 ] is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the structure of the position adjustment mechanism of embodiment 1.

[0018] [ Figure 5 ]yes Figure 4 VV line profile in.

[0019] [ Figure 6 ] is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the structure of the position adjustment mechanism of embodiment 2.

[0020] [ Figure 7 ]yes Figure 6 Sectional view along line VII-VII in FIG.

[0021] [ Figure 8 ] is a diagram showing a first example of electrical connection between multiple antennas.

[0022] [ Fig. 9 ] is a diagram showing a second example in which multiple antennas are electrically connected to each other.

[0023] [ Fig.10 ] is a diagram showing a third example in which multiple antennas are electrically connected to each other.

[0024] [ Fig.11 ] is a diagram for illustrating an example of test results using the plasma processing apparatus of embodiment 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] [Implementation method 1]

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Furthermore, the following description is for a better understanding of the subject matter of the invention, and does not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In addition, the shapes and dimensions (length, width, etc.) of the structures described in the drawings in this application do not necessarily reflect the actual shapes and dimensions, and may be appropriately changed to make the drawings clear and simple.

[0027] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus 1 is described as a predetermined plasma processing in which a film forming process of forming a predetermined film on the surface of a substrate S as a processed object is performed by a plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using an inductively coupled plasma, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the invention can be applied to a plasma processing apparatus 1 that performs a film forming process of forming a predetermined film on a substrate S by a sputtering method. In the plasma processing apparatus 1 that performs the sputtering method, for example, a target is provided inside a plasma generation region described later. In addition, for example, the invention can be applied to a plasma processing apparatus 1 that performs a surface processing process (for example, an etching process or an ashing process) of performing a predetermined process on the surface of the substrate S using plasma.

[0028] <Structure of plasma processing apparatus 1>

[0029] Figure 1 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1As shown, the plasma processing device 1 includes a housing 10, an outer cover 20, an inner cover 30, an antenna 40, an insertion member 45, a holding portion 50, a position adjustment mechanism 60, a control portion 65, a storage portion 68, a power supply portion 70, and a cooler 75. With respect to each figure referred to in the following description, for the sake of convenience, only the main components required for explaining the embodiment are briefly shown, and with respect to known technical matters, the description is appropriately omitted for the sake of simplicity. Therefore, the plasma processing device 1 in this embodiment may arbitrarily include known components not shown in each figure referred to.

[0030] The shell 10 constitutes the processing chamber 11 of the plasma processing device 1. The shell 10 has a main body 10a and a flange 10b. The main body 10a has a box shape including a side surface and a bottom surface. The upper part of the main body 10a is opened. The main body 10a can be electrically grounded (earth). The flange 10b is arranged on the upper part of the main body 10a and is airtightly installed on the main body 10a. The flange 10b can be fixed to the main body 10a in a detachable manner using screws or the like. For example, a vacuum sealing component 91 can be interposed between the main body 10a and the flange 10b, and the vacuum sealing component 91 can be a known component such as an O-ring for vacuum sealing. In addition, one or more first openings 12 that connect the processing chamber 11 to the external environment are provided on the flange 10b. There is no particular limitation on the materials of the main body 10a and the flange 10b, and materials of known vacuum containers can be used.

[0031] A vacuum pump PO for decompressing the processing chamber 11 is connected to the main body 10a. In addition, the main body 10a has a supply port (not shown) for supplying a processing gas from a processing gas supply unit (not shown) into the processing chamber 11. The processing gas is, for example, argon, hydrogen, nitrogen, silane or oxygen. Furthermore, a pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the air pressure in the processing chamber 11 may be provided in the main body 10a. When all the first openings 12 provided in the flange 10b are closed by the outer cover 20 (in a state of being hermetically sealed), the vacuum pump PO is used for exhaust, thereby maintaining the air pressure in the processing chamber 11 at a suitable pressure for processing using plasma.

[0032] In addition, a stage 15 is provided in the processing chamber 11 for placing a substrate S to be processed by the plasma processing apparatus 1. The stage 15 is grounded (earth) in an electrically insulated state from the housing 10. The substrate S is transported between the stage 15 and a known load lock chamber (not shown) by, for example, a transport mechanism. The substrate S may be, for example, a glass substrate or a synthetic resin substrate used in a liquid crystal panel display, an organic electroluminescence (EL) panel display, etc. In addition, the substrate S may be a semiconductor substrate for various purposes. Using the plasma processing apparatus 1, for example, a barrier (moisture-proof) film or other film may be formed on the substrate S.

[0033] Corresponding to a first opening 12, an outer cover (vacuum cover) 20 is airtightly mounted on the flange 10b in a manner that closes the first opening 12. In addition, the outer cover 20 can be detachably fixed to the flange 10b using screws or the like. For example, a vacuum sealing member 21 may be interposed between the outer cover 20 and the flange 10b. The vacuum sealing member 21 may be a known member such as an O-ring for vacuum sealing. The outer cover 20 has at least one through hole 22 different from the threaded hole (details will be described later). The material of the outer cover 20 may be, for example, metal, which may be the same as the material of the body 10a or the flange 10b.

[0034] The inner cover (antenna cover) 30 can be locked and supported by, for example, a part of the flange 10b inside the first opening 12, whereby the inner cover 30 spatially divides the processing chamber 11 and the outer cover 20. By installing the inner cover 30 inside the first opening 12, the internal space of the housing 10 is delimited and a plasma generation region is formed inside the housing 10. The plasma generation region becomes the processing chamber 11.

[0035] The inner cover 30 includes a bottom 31 having a convex shape toward the processing chamber 11 side and a flange 35 extending continuously from the end of the bottom 31 in a state supported inside the first opening 12. The inner cover 30 may have a second opening 32 opened toward the outer cover 20 side in a state attached to the flange 10b. The second opening 32 may be formed by the inner wall surface of the flange 35 continuous with the inner wall surface of the bottom 31. The flange 35 is a portion having a shape extending outward by being bent in the direction of the outer wall side of the bottom 31, in other words, in the direction away from the second opening 32.

[0036] For example, the flange 10b has a protrusion 13 that protrudes into the first opening 12, and the flange 35 of the inner cover 30 is locked by being hooked on the protrusion 13 of the flange 10b, so that the inner cover 30 can be supported inside the first opening 12. The inner cover 30 can be formed of a dielectric material such as alumina or quartz.

[0037] In a state where the inner cover 30 is supported inside the first opening 12, a surrounding space 33 surrounded by at least the outer cover 20 and the inner cover 30 is formed on the opposite side of the processing chamber 11 with respect to the inner cover 30. Figure 1In the plasma processing apparatus 1 shown, the enclosed space 33 is surrounded not only by the outer cover 20 and the inner cover 30, but also by the flange 10b. In addition, in this specification, the space partially surrounded by the inner wall of the bottom 31 of the inner cover 30 and opened through the second opening 32 is referred to as a partially open space 34. The partially open space 34 constitutes a part of the enclosed space 33. The partially open space 34 can also be said to be a space in the enclosed space 33 located closer to the bottom 31 than the edge of the second opening 32 (the inner wall of the flange 35).

[0038] The antenna 40 generates inductively coupled plasma in the processing chamber 11. The antenna 40 is disposed in the surrounding space (antenna housing space) 33. In particular, at least a portion of the antenna 40 is housed in the partial open space 34. The material and structure of the antenna 40 are not particularly limited, and known materials and structures of general antennas can be used.

[0039] The insertion member 45 is inserted into the through hole 22 provided in the outer cover 20 and connected to the antenna 40. In the present embodiment, the insertion member 45 is a part of the antenna 40. That is, in the present embodiment, when the antenna 40 is installed in the plasma processing device 1, a part of it is located in the surrounding space 33, and the remaining part extends from the part located in the surrounding space 33 to the external environment through the through hole 22 continuously, and the end of the antenna 40 is exposed to the external environment. In this way, the number of parts of the plasma processing device 1 can be reduced. The antenna 40 may have, for example: a long strip portion 41 (see Figure 2 ), having a shape in which both ends of the cylindrical conductor are bent, and having an elongated shape in the region between the bent portions; and an insertion member 45, located in the region between the bent portion and the end portion. The insertion member 45 may also be a member different from the antenna 40.

[0040] The holding portion 50 holds the insertion member 45 in a manner that allows the insertion member 45 to be displaced while hermetically sealing the surrounding space 33 from the external environment. In addition, the holding portion 50 may have insulating properties, in which case the insertion member 45 and the outer cover 20 can be electrically insulated from each other. Figure 1 In the example shown, the holding portion 50 is shown at two locations. Figure 1 In order to make the figure simple and easy to understand, only one of the holding parts 50 is marked with a symbol, but the other holding part 50 can also have the same structure.

[0041] The holding portion 50 can hermetically seal the through hole 22 via a vacuum sealing member 51. The holding portion 50 has an insertion port 52 for inserting the insertion member 45. In addition, the holding portion 50 can further have a vacuum sealing member 53, which hermetically seals the holding portion 50 and the insertion member 45 in the insertion port 52. For example, the holding portion 50 can hold the insertion member 45 in a manner that the insertion member 45 can slide, in which case the insertion member 45 can slide relative to the holding portion 50 when the interior of the housing 10 is set to an airtight state. The vacuum sealing member 53 can be, for example, a double-layer O-ring. In addition, the vacuum sealing member 53 can also be grease applied to the inner surface of the insertion port 52. The specific structure of the holding portion 50 is not particularly limited as long as it can hold the insertion member 45 in a manner that the insertion member 45 can slide when the interior of the housing 10 is set to an airtight state.

[0042] Without being limited to the above example, the retaining portion 50 may be formed using, for example, a flexible member or a member having a structure that can be extended and retracted. The retaining portion 50 may have, for example, a bellows, in which case one end of the bellows may be airtightly connected to the surface on the side of the enclosed space 33 in the outer cover 20. The other end of the bellows may be airtightly connected to the outer peripheral surface of the insertion member 45. The bellows expands and contracts to follow the displacement of the antenna 40, so that the insertion member 45 can be displaced while the enclosed space 33 is airtightly sealed relative to the external environment. In addition, even when the enclosed space 33 is depressurized and the outer cover 20 is bent toward the enclosed space 33 side, it is difficult for the insertion member 45 to follow the deformation of the outer cover 20. The reason for this is that the deflection of the outer cover 20 is offset by the expansion and contraction of the bellows. As a result, the position of the antenna 40 can be easily maintained even when the outer cover 20 is bent.

[0043] Furthermore, one end of the bellows can be connected to the surface of the outer cover 20 on the external environment side in an airtight manner, and the other end of the bellows can be connected to the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the insertion member 45 that protrudes from the through hole 22 to the external environment side in an airtight manner. In this structural example, the same effect as described above is also achieved. In the following description, as the plasma processing device 1 in this embodiment, an example in which the holding portion 50 holds the insertion member 45 in a manner that the insertion member 45 can slide is described.

[0044] The insertion member 45 has a sliding contact portion 46 that is in sliding contact with the holding portion 50. For example, the vacuum sealing member 53 of the holding portion 50 is in contact with the sliding contact portion 46. The sliding contact portion 46 may also be formed on at least a portion of the surface of the insertion member 45. The surface roughness of the sliding contact portion 46 may be smaller than the surface roughness of the portion of the antenna 40 (for example, the strip portion 41) disposed in the enclosed space 33. As a result, the contact between the holding portion 50 and the sliding contact portion 46, for example, the contact between the vacuum sealing member 53 and the sliding contact portion 46 is improved. As a result, the airtightness of the housing 10 is well maintained.

[0045] The position adjustment mechanism 60 adjusts the position of the antenna 40 by displacing the insertion member 45 in a state where the outer cover 20 is mounted on the housing 10. The position adjustment mechanism 60 includes a connection portion 61 and a drive portion 62. The connection portion 61 is connected to a portion of the insertion member 45 that is exposed to the external environment. The drive portion 62 displaces the insertion member 45 along the insertion direction of the insertion member 45 relative to the through hole 22 via the connection portion 61. The specific structures of the connection portion 61 and the drive portion 62 will be described later.

[0046] The position adjustment mechanism 60 is mounted on the surface of the outer cover 20 facing the external environment. Therefore, when the antenna 40 is mounted or removed, the outer cover 20 and the position adjustment mechanism 60 can be easily removed in an integrated state. The position adjustment mechanism 60 can also be mounted on the surface of the flange 10b.

[0047] The control unit 65 controls the position of the antenna 40 by controlling the operation of the driving unit 62. The control unit 65 is electrically connected to the driving unit 62. The control unit 65 outputs a command for controlling the operation of the driving unit 62. By controlling the position of the antenna 40 through the control unit 65, the position of the antenna 40 can be adjusted with good reproducibility, for example, compared with a case where the user manually controls the position of the antenna 40.

[0048] The storage unit 68 is a storage device that stores information required for the control unit 65 to control the drive unit 62. The plasma processing apparatus 1 may not necessarily include the storage unit 68. When the plasma processing apparatus 1 does not include the storage unit 68, the control unit 65 only needs to be connected to an external storage device that stores information required for controlling the drive unit 62 so as to be communicable.

[0049] The power supply unit 70 supplies power to the antenna 40. The power supply unit 70 is connected to one end of the antenna 40. The other end of the antenna 40 is grounded via a variable capacitance capacitor 73 for impedance adjustment.

[0050] The power supply unit 70 includes a high-frequency power supply 71 and a matching device 72. The high-frequency power supply 71 outputs high-frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz) power. By supplying high-frequency power from the power supply unit 70 to the antenna 40, a high-frequency induction magnetic field is generated around the antenna 40, and an inductively coupled plasma of the gas introduced into the processing chamber 11 is generated. The matching device 72 improves the power transmission efficiency from the high-frequency power supply 71 to the load by matching the impedance of the load relative to the high-frequency power supply 71 with the power supply impedance.

[0051] The plasma processing device 1 may have a structure that can maintain the electrical connection between the power supply unit 70 and the antenna 40 and the electrical connection between the antenna 40 and the variable capacitance capacitor 73 even if the height (position) of the antenna 40 changes through the position adjustment mechanism 60. For example, the contact between the wiring 74 from the power supply unit 70 and the insertion member 45 and the contact between the wiring 79 from the antenna 40 to the variable capacitance capacitor 73 and the insertion member 45 can slide relative to the insertion member 45. At least a portion of the wiring 74 and the wiring 79 may be flexible. In addition, in the case where the antenna 40 and the insertion member 45 are different components, the wiring 74 and the wiring 79 may be connected to the antenna 40 through the inside of the insertion member 45.

[0052] The cooler 75 circulates a cooling medium (e.g., cooling water) inside the antenna 40. For example, a Cu tube (internal piping) passes through the inside of the antenna 40 and the insertion member 45. The cooler 75 is connected to both ends of the Cu tube via a tube 76. The cooling water supplied from the cooler 75 to one end of the Cu tube via the tube 76 flows in the Cu tube and returns to the cooler 75 from the other end of the Cu tube via the tube 76, thereby cooling the antenna 40.

[0053] The plasma processing apparatus 1 may have a structure that can maintain the connection between the cooler 75 and the insertion member 45 even if the height (position) of the antenna 40 changes by the position adjustment mechanism 60, and the specific form of this structure is not particularly limited. At least a portion of the tube 76 connecting the cooler 75 to the Cu tube may be flexible. In this case, even if the position of the end of the Cu tube changes due to the change in the height of the antenna 40 based on the position adjustment mechanism 60, the connection between the cooler 75 and the Cu tube can be maintained.

[0054] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of region II in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, in the plasma processing apparatus 1 , the antenna 40 includes a strip portion 41 having a strip shape. The strip portion 41 is, for example, cylindrical. In addition, the outer cover 20 includes a first through hole 22 a and a second through hole 22 b as the through hole 22 .

[0055] In the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the insertion member 45 as a part of the antenna 40 includes a first insertion member 45a and a second insertion member 45b. The first insertion member 45a is connected to the first end 41a side of the long strip portion 41 and is inserted into the first through hole 22a. The second insertion member 45b is connected to the second end 41b side of the long strip portion 41 and is inserted into the second through hole 22b.

[0056] In the plasma processing device 1, the position adjustment mechanism 60 is individually provided corresponding to the first insertion member 45a and the second insertion member 45b. Specifically, the plasma processing device 1 includes a position adjustment mechanism 60 connected to the first insertion member 45a and a position adjustment mechanism 60 connected to the second insertion member 45b for one antenna 40. The control unit 65 controls the position of the first end 41a side and the position of the second end 41b side of the antenna 40 independently from each other. Thus, the positional relationship between the first end 41a and the second end 41b of the antenna 40 can be adjusted.

[0057] The control unit 65 can operate the driving unit 62 so as to adjust the position of the antenna 40 within a range where the distance between the surface of the inner cover 30 facing the surrounding space 33 and the antenna 40 is 1 mm or more. By controlling the position of the antenna 40 within the above range, the control unit 65 can prevent the antenna 40 from contacting the inner cover 30. Therefore, damage to the inner cover 30 and abnormality of the plasma caused by the contact can be prevented.

[0058] For example, the distance between the surface of the end of the first end 41a side of the strip portion 41 and the inner cover 30 is set to a first distance d1. The distance between the surface of the end of the second end 41b side of the antenna 40 and the inner cover 30 is set to a second distance d2. In the present embodiment, the strip portion 41 of the antenna 40 is cylindrical. Therefore, the distance between the surface of the inner cover 30 facing the surrounding space 33 and the antenna 40 is the shortest at the first end 41a or the second end 41b. The control unit 65 adjusts the position of the antenna 40 within the range where both the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 are greater than 1 mm.

[0059] However, the control unit 65 may control the position of the antenna 40 within a range different from the above range. For example, the control unit 65 may control the position of the antenna 40 within a range where the distance between the bottom surface of the bottom 31 and the antenna 40 is greater than 1 mm. The bottom surface of the bottom 31 mentioned here refers to the surface of the bottom 31 facing the surrounding space 33 and is located at the farthest position from the outer cover 20. The bottom 31 has a U-shape in a cross-section cut perpendicularly to the length direction of the long strip portion 41, and the long strip portion 41 is accommodated in the local open space 34. As a result, the long strip portion 41 can be arranged at a position relatively close to the substrate S, and plasma can be efficiently generated in the processing chamber 11. Even in this case, the control unit 65 controls the position of the antenna 40 within the above range, thereby preventing the antenna 40 from contacting the inner cover 30. Furthermore, the position of the through hole 22 of the outer cover 20 and the mounting position of the inner cover 30 can be set so that the distance between the surface of the long strip portion 41 of the antenna 40 and the side wall in the bottom 31 of the inner cover 30 is 1 mm or more. With this structure, damage to the inner cover 30 and generation of abnormal plasma caused by contact between the antenna 40 and the inner cover 30 can be prevented.

[0060] For example, the control unit 65 may also make the antenna 40 contact the bottom surface of the bottom 31 when the plasma processing device 1 is started (before the antenna 40 is powered on), and control the position of the antenna 40 based on this position. In this case, as a mechanism for controlling the position of the antenna 40, the driving unit 62 may include a servo motor, for example. In addition, the storage unit 68 may store data indicating the relationship between the rotation amount of the servo motor and the displacement amount of the antenna 40. The control unit 65 may recognize the distance between the bottom surface of the bottom 31 and the antenna 40 based on the rotation amount of the servo motor, and control the position of the antenna 40.

[0061] Alternatively, the plasma processing apparatus 1 may include a sensor that outputs signals corresponding to the first distance d1 and the second distance d2. In this case, the control unit 65 controls the position of the antenna 40 as described above based on the output of the sensor.

[0062] The control unit 65 can control the position of the antenna 40 within a range where the difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 is within 1 mm. If the difference between the first distance d1 and the second distance d2 is greater than 1 mm, the antenna 40 may be deformed. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the control unit 65 controls the position of the antenna 40 as described above, thereby reducing the possibility of deformation of the antenna 40.

[0063] The antenna 40 may have a sliding contact portion 46 over the entire range of the sliding contact with the holding portion 50, corresponding to the range of displacement of the insertion member 45 caused by operating the driving portion 62 based on the command from the control portion 65. In other words, the control portion 65 may operate the driving portion 62 in such a manner as to adjust the position of the antenna 40 within the range where the sliding contact portion 46 is formed.

[0064] When the insertion member 45 is in contact with the holding member 50, especially the vacuum sealing member 53, the airtightness in the housing 10 may be reduced. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the control unit 65 operates the driving unit 62 as described above, so that the airtightness in the housing 10 can be maintained and the gas leakage can be prevented.

[0065] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The housing 10 has a plurality of first openings 12. Figure 3 In the example shown, four first openings 12 are provided in the flange 10b. However, the number of first openings 12 included in the flange 10b is not limited thereto. The plasma processing apparatus 1 includes the outer cover 20 and the inner cover 30 in a number corresponding to the plurality of first openings 12. In addition, in the plasma processing apparatus 1, the antenna 40 is provided in each of the plurality of first openings 12.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a position adjustment mechanism 60 and a power supply unit 70 respectively corresponding to the antenna 40. The plasma processing apparatus 1 may include only one control unit 65 and a storage unit 68 or include each position adjustment mechanism 60.

[0067] <Structure of Position Adjustment Mechanism 60>

[0068] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the structure of the position adjustment mechanism 60 according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The VV line profile in . Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the position adjustment mechanism 60, the driving part 62 includes a servomotor 62a, a rotating shaft 62b, a gear 62c and a support plate 62d. In addition, the connecting part 61 includes a plate 61a with a gear groove, a guide rail 61b, a sliding plate 61c, a connecting member 61d and an insulating plate 61e.

[0069] The servo motor 62a is a power source whose rotation amount is controlled by the control unit 65. The rotation shaft 62b is rotated by the power of the servo motor 62a. The gear 62c rotates integrally with the rotation shaft 62b and transmits the rotation of the rotation shaft 62b to the outside. The support plate 62d supports the servo motor 62a.

[0070] The plate 61a with a gear groove is a plate having a gear groove that meshes with the gear 62c. The guide rail 61b is a rail that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the outer cover 20. The sliding plate 61c slides along the guide rail 61b. The sliding plate 61c is attached to the plate 61a with a gear groove. Therefore, the plate 61a with a gear groove moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the outer cover 20 in such a manner that the sliding plate 61c moves along the guide rail 61b by the rotation of the gear 62c.

[0071] The connecting member 61d is connected to the insertion member 45. The connecting member 61d is attached to the plate 61a with the gear groove via an insulating plate 61e having insulating properties. Therefore, the control unit 65 can control the position of the insertion member 45 and the antenna 40 by controlling the rotation amount of the servo motor 62a.

[0072] At least a portion of the connection portion 61 has insulating properties. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example shown, the insulating plate 61e has insulating properties. Therefore, the possibility of power being supplied from the insertion member 45 to the servo motor 62a can be reduced, and the possibility of the power supplied to the servo motor 62a affecting the antenna 40 can be reduced. However, in the connecting portion 61, components other than the insulating plate 61e may also have insulating properties. In this case, the connecting portion 61 may not include the insulating plate 61e.

[0073] As described above, in the plasma processing apparatus 1, the positions of the plurality of antennas 40 can be individually adjusted without opening the processing chamber 11 to the atmosphere. Therefore, the height of the antenna 40 can be easily adjusted. For example, before starting mass production of products formed on the substrate S using the plasma processing apparatus 1, the film formation rate can be observed and the position of the antenna 40 as a film formation condition can be determined. As a result, the time required for starting the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be shortened.

[0074] In addition, in the plasma processing device 1, the outer cover 20 is airtightly mounted on the housing 10 via the vacuum sealing member 21. Therefore, even if the inner cover 30 is damaged due to impact or the like, the possibility of gas leakage to the external environment can be reduced. In addition, the flange portion 35 of the inner cover 30 can be supported without being fixed to the protruding portion 13 of the flange 10b, and the inner cover 30 can be taken out to the external environment through the first opening portion 12 when the outer cover 20 is disassembled. Therefore, a plasma processing device 1 with highly improved maintainability can be made. Furthermore, in the plasma processing device 1, when the inner cover 30 is provided without screwing or the like, even when the pressure in the processing chamber 11 is reduced, the possibility of cracks or deformations in the inner cover 30 starting from the screwed portion can be greatly reduced.

[0075] (Other structures)

[0076] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the position adjustment mechanism 60 is not limited to the above example, and any mechanism that can displace the position of the antenna 40 (more specifically, the position of the insertion member 45) is sufficient, and the specific structure is not particularly limited. As the position adjustment mechanism 60, a known mechanism can be appropriately applied. The position adjustment mechanism 60 may also have a structure that allows a user to manually adjust the position of the antenna 40.

[0077] In the plasma processing apparatus 1 of one embodiment, the vacuum pump PO is used for exhaust, so that the processing chamber 11 is depressurized, and the surrounding space 33 is also depressurized. The reason is that the portion where the flange 35 of the inner cover 30 and the protrusion 13 of the flange 10b abut against each other is not vacuum-sealed, and the processing chamber 11 and the surrounding space 33 are connected to each other through the gap between the flange 35 and the protrusion 13. That is, the processing chamber 11 as a plasma generation area and the surrounding space 33 as a plasma non-generation area are separated from each other by the inner cover 30 installed inside the first opening 12, but they are not isolated from each other in space. The surrounding space 33 is narrower than the processing chamber 11 and becomes a region where it is difficult to generate and maintain plasma (plasma non-generation region). When the plasma processing apparatus 1 is in an operating state, in other words, when the antenna 40 is energized to generate plasma in the processing chamber 11, the gas pressure of the surrounding space 33 can be, for example, 1Pa to 100Pa. The surrounding space 33 can be set as a region where it is difficult to generate plasma (plasma non-generation region).

[0078] In the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, the portion where the flange portion 35 of the inner cover 30 and the protruding portion 13 of the flange 10 b abut against each other is vacuum-sealed, and the processing chamber 11 and the surrounding space 33 can be individually exhausted.

[0079] [Implementation method 2]

[0080] Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. In order to facilitate the description, the same reference numerals are given to components having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0081] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the structure of a position adjustment mechanism 60A according to the second embodiment. Figure 7 yes Figure 6 The VII-VII line cross-section diagram in FIG. Figure 7 For those located in Figure 6 The components closer to the front side of the paper along the VII-VII line section are also represented by a dotted chain line. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the position adjustment mechanism 60A includes a connection portion 61A and a drive portion 62A instead of the connection portion 61 .

[0082] The driving unit 62A is different from the driving unit 62 only in that it includes a rotating plate 62e instead of the gear 62c. The rotating plate 62e rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 62b similarly to the gear 62c, and transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 62b to the outside.

[0083] The connection part 61A is different from the connection part 61 in that it includes a movable plate 61f instead of the plate 61a with gear grooves and further includes a shoulder bolt 61g. The movable plate 61f is connected to the rotating plate 62e so as to be rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to the rotating shaft 62b.

[0084] In addition, the connection part 61A has insulating plates 61e on both sides of the connecting member 61d. The movable plate 61f is connected to one of the insulating plates 61e by a collar bolt 61g. The movable plate 61f can rotate relative to the insulating plate 61e around the central axis of the collar bolt 61g. The sliding plate 61c is connected to the other insulating plate 61e.

[0085] According to the above structure, in the position adjustment mechanism 60A, the movable plate 61f is connected to the sliding plate 61c via the connecting member 61d and the insulating plates 61e located on both sides thereof. Therefore, the movement of the movable plate 61f caused by the rotation of the rotating plate 62e becomes the up and down movement of the sliding plate 61c along the guide rail 61b. Therefore, through the position adjustment mechanism 60A, the position of the antenna 40 can also be controlled by controlling the driving unit 62A through the control unit 65.

[0086] [Implementation method 3]

[0087] In Embodiment 1, the plurality of antennas 40 are not electrically connected to each other but are independent. However, two or more of the plurality of antennas 40 may be electrically connected to each other.

[0088] Figure 8 1 is a diagram showing a first example of mutually electrically connecting a plurality of antennas 40. In the first example, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes two power supply units 70. Two antennas 40 are connected in parallel to each of the two power supply units 70. Each antenna 40 is grounded via a variable capacitance capacitor 73 for adjusting impedance.

[0089] Fig. 9 2 is a diagram showing a second example in which a plurality of antennas 40 are electrically connected to each other. In the second example, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes two power supply units 70. Two antennas 40 are connected in series to each of the two power supply units 70. A variable capacitance capacitor 73 is provided between the two antennas 40 connected in series.

[0090] Fig.10 1 is a diagram showing a third example in which a plurality of antennas 40 are electrically connected to each other. In the third example, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a single power supply unit 70. Antenna groups formed by connecting two antennas 40 in series are connected in parallel to the single power supply unit 70. In each antenna group, a variable capacitance capacitor 73 is provided between the two antennas 40 connected in series.

[0091] In addition, three or more antennas 40 may be electrically connected to each other. Furthermore, all antennas 40 included in the plasma processing apparatus 1 may be electrically connected to each other.

[0092] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, even when a plurality of antennas 40 are electrically connected to each other, the control unit 65 can appropriately adjust the position of each antenna 40. In this case, the number of power supply units 70 can be made smaller than the number of antennas 40. Therefore, the number of parts of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0093] [Implementation method 4]

[0094] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the storage unit 68 may store position setting information that pre-sets the correspondence between the input power to the antenna 40 and the adjustment position of the antenna. In this case, the control unit 65 controls the position of the antenna 40 in correspondence with the power input to the antenna 40 from the power supply unit 70 based on the position setting information stored in the storage unit 68.

[0095] The appropriate position of the antenna 40 is largely determined by the power input to the antenna 40. Therefore, by having the control unit 65 control the position of the antenna 40 based on the position setting information, the control can be simplified.

[0096] In addition, as described above, the housing 10 has a plurality of first openings 12. The control unit 65 controls the positions of the plurality of antennas 40 respectively provided in the plurality of first openings 12 independently of each other based on the position setting information. Thus, even when the input power of each antenna 40 is different, the position of the antenna 40 can be adjusted to an appropriate position corresponding to the input power of each antenna 40.

[0097] 〔Verification test〕

[0098] Fig.11 This is a diagram for explaining an example of test results of the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0099] In the verification test, the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment was used to perform a film forming process of forming a SiO2 film on a silicon substrate as a substrate S according to the following test conditions. That is, as test conditions, the temperature of the carrier 15 was set to 290°C, and the flow rates of silane (SiH4) and oxygen were set to 300sccm and 400sccm, respectively. In addition, the pressure in the processing chamber 11 was set to 2.7Pa, and the power of the 13.56MHz high-frequency power supply (power supply) 71 was set to 1.1kW (number of antennas: four). The spacing in the arrangement direction (hereinafter referred to as the "antenna arrangement direction") of the four antennas 40 was 100mm. The deviation of the antenna current values ​​measured at the two ends of each of the four antennas 40 was ±4.4%.

[0100] The film formation speed and refractive index distribution of the SiO2 film formed by the plasma processing device 1 in the antenna arrangement direction were measured. Specifically, the SiO2 film located below the two adjacent antennas 40 among the four antennas 40 was measured. The film formation speed and refractive index of the SiO2 film were calculated for a total of five locations, namely, the central position between the two antennas 40 and four locations at intervals of 20 mm from the central position in the antenna arrangement direction, and the calculated results are shown in FIG. Fig.11 In. Fig.11 In the graph, the position of 0 mm on the horizontal axis is the center position between the two antennas 40 .

[0101] like Fig.11 As shown by the solid line and the dotted line, the film formation speed and refractive index of the SiO2 film are highly uniform. In addition, the refractive index of the light at a wavelength of 632.8nm of the formed SiO2 film is about 1.456, so it can be confirmed that a good SiO2 film close to a thermal oxide silicon film can be obtained. Furthermore, the evaluation of the SiO2 film was performed by forming the film on a φ4-inch (100mm diameter) silicon substrate using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The positions (heights) of the two antennas 40 were appropriately adjusted.

[0102] 〔Summarize〕

[0103] A plasma processing device according to form 1 of the present invention includes a processing chamber, the plasma processing device including: a shell having a first opening connecting the processing chamber with an external environment; an outer cover airtightly mounted on the shell via a vacuum sealing member in a manner that closes the first opening, and having a through hole; an inner cover having dielectric properties and supported inside the first opening in a manner that spatially divides the processing chamber and the outer cover; an antenna disposed in an enclosed space formed by at least the outer cover and the inner cover, for generating an inductively coupled plasma in the processing chamber; an insertion member inserted into the through hole and connected to the antenna; a holding portion holding the insertion member in a manner that enables the insertion member to be displaced while airtightly sealing the enclosed space relative to the external environment; and a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the antenna by displacing the insertion member in a state in which the outer cover is installed.

[0104] According to the structure, the position of the antenna can be adjusted by displacing the insertion member in a state where the outer cover is installed. Therefore, the height of the antenna can be easily adjusted. When the plasma processing device is started, the antenna height can be easily adjusted to determine the film forming conditions, so the time required for starting the plasma processing device can be shortened. In addition, in the plasma processing device, the outer cover is airtightly mounted to the housing via a vacuum sealing member. Therefore, even if the inner cover is damaged due to impact or the like, the possibility of gas leakage to the external environment can be reduced.

[0105] In the plasma processing device of form 2 of the present invention in form 1, the position adjustment mechanism comprises: a connecting portion connected to a portion of the insertion member exposed to the external environment; and a driving portion, which causes the insertion member to shift along an insertion direction of the insertion member relative to the through hole via the connecting portion. The plasma processing device further comprises a control portion, which is electrically connected to the driving portion and controls the position of the antenna by controlling the action of the driving portion.

[0106] According to the above configuration, the position of the antenna can be controlled by the control unit, so that the position of the antenna can be adjusted more easily and with good reproducibility than when the user manually adjusts the position of the antenna, for example.

[0107] In the plasma processing device of form 3 of the present invention, in form 2, the insertion member is a part of the antenna, at least a part of the connecting part and the retaining part are insulating, the antenna has a sliding contact part that slides in contact with the retaining part, and the surface roughness of the sliding contact part is smaller than that of a part of the antenna arranged in the enclosed space.

[0108] With the above structure, the airtightness is well maintained at the contact part between the holding part and the sliding contact part. Therefore, even when the insertion member is displaced to displace the antenna, it is difficult for gas to flow from the external environment into the surrounding space.

[0109] In the plasma processing apparatus of aspect 4 of the present invention, in aspect 3, the antenna has the sliding contact portion over a range of sliding contact with the holding portion, corresponding to a range of displacement of the insertion member caused by operating the drive portion based on a command from the control portion.

[0110] With this structure, airtightness can be easily maintained by the holding portion.

[0111] In the plasma processing device of form 5 of the present invention, in form 4, the control unit operates the driving unit in a manner that adjusts the position of the antenna within a range where the sliding contact portion is formed and a distance between the surface of the inner cover facing the enclosed space and the antenna is greater than 1 mm.

[0112] With the above structure, the control unit controls the position of the antenna within the above range. Thus, the antenna is prevented from contacting the inner cover while maintaining the airtightness of the holding unit. Therefore, the possibility of damage to the inner cover and abnormal plasma generation caused by the contact between the antenna and the inner cover can be reduced.

[0113] In the plasma processing device of form 6 of the present invention, in any one of forms 2 to 5, the inner cover includes a bottom having a convex shape toward the processing chamber side and a second opening portion opening on the outer cover side, and at least a portion of the antenna is accommodated through the second opening portion inside a partially open space partially surrounded by the inner wall of the bottom in the inner cover and open to the second opening portion, and the control unit controls the position of the antenna within a range where the distance between the bottom surface of the bottom and the antenna is greater than 1 mm.

[0114] According to the above configuration, even when at least a part of the antenna is accommodated in the partially open space, the antenna can be prevented from contacting the inner cover by the control unit controlling the position of the antenna within the above range.

[0115] In the plasma processing device of form 7 of the present invention in any one of forms 2 to 6, the antenna includes a strip portion having a strip shape, the outer cover has a first through hole and a second through hole, the insertion member includes: a first insertion member connected to the first end side of the strip portion and inserted into the first through hole; and a second insertion member connected to the second end side of the strip portion and inserted into the second through hole, the position adjustment mechanism is connected to each of the first insertion member and the second insertion member, and the control unit controls the position of the first end side and the second end side of the antenna independently of each other.

[0116] With the above structure, the positions of both the first end and the second end of the antenna can be easily adjusted.

[0117] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the plasma processing apparatus is characterized in that the insertion member is a part of the antenna.

[0118] With the above structure, the number of parts of the plasma processing apparatus can be reduced.

[0119] In the plasma processing device of form 9 of the present invention, in form 7 or 8, the distance between the surface of the end of the first end side in the antenna and the inner cover is set to a first distance, and the distance between the surface of the end of the second end side in the antenna and the inner cover is set to a second distance, and the control unit controls the position of the antenna within a range where the difference between the first distance and the second distance is within 1 mm.

[0120] With the above structure, the possibility of deformation of the antenna can be effectively reduced by greatly differentiating the positions of the first end and the second end of the antenna.

[0121] The plasma processing device of form 10 of the present invention, in any one of forms 2 to 9, includes a power supply unit that supplies power to the antenna, and the control unit controls the position of the antenna in accordance with the power input to the antenna from the power supply unit based on position setting information that pre-sets the correspondence between the power input to the antenna and the adjustment position of the antenna.

[0122] The appropriate position of the antenna is largely determined by the power input to the antenna. According to the above configuration, the control unit controls the position of the antenna based on the preset position setting information. This simplifies the control.

[0123] In the plasma processing apparatus according to aspect 11 of the present invention, in aspect 10, the housing has a plurality of the first openings, and the control unit controls positions of the plurality of antennas respectively provided in the plurality of the first openings independently of each other based on the position setting information.

[0124] With the above configuration, even when there is a deviation in the input power of each antenna, the position of the antenna can be easily adjusted to an appropriate position corresponding to the input power of each antenna.

[0125] In a plasma processing apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to eleventh aspects, the position adjustment mechanism is attached to a surface of the outer cover on the side of the external environment.

[0126] With the above-described structure, when attaching or detaching the antenna, the outer cover and the position adjustment mechanism can be easily detached in an integrated state.

[0127] [Additional Notes]

[0128] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0129] Explanation of symbols

[0130] 1: Plasma treatment device

[0131] 10: Shell

[0132] 11: Processing Room

[0133] 12: First opening

[0134] 20: Outer cover

[0135] 21: Vacuum sealing component

[0136] 22:Through hole

[0137] 30: Inner cover

[0138] 31: Bottom

[0139] 32: Second opening

[0140] 33: Encircled Space

[0141] 34: Partial open space

[0142] 40: Antenna

[0143] 41: Long strip

[0144] 41a: first end

[0145] 41b: Second end

[0146] 45: Insertion component

[0147] 45a: First insertion member

[0148] 45b: Second insertion member

[0149] 46: Sliding contact part

[0150] 50: Maintaining part

[0151] 60, 60A: Position adjustment mechanism

[0152] 61, 61A: Connecting part

[0153] 62, 62A: driving part

[0154] 65: Control Department

[0155] 70: Power supply unit

Claims

1. A plasma processing device, characterized in that: Comprising a processing chamber, the plasma processing apparatus comprises: A housing having a first opening for connecting the processing chamber to an external environment; an outer cover which is airtightly mounted on the housing via a vacuum sealing member so as to close the first opening and has a through hole; an inner cover having dielectric properties and supported inside the first opening so as to spatially divide the processing chamber and the outer cover; An antenna is disposed in a space surrounded by at least the outer cover and the inner cover, and is used to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the processing chamber; An insertion member, inserted into the through hole and connected to the antenna; a holding portion that holds the insertion member in a manner that the insertion member is displaceable while hermetically sealing the enclosed space with respect to the external environment; and The position adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the antenna by displacing the insertion member in a state where the outer cover is attached.

2. The plasma processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position adjustment mechanism comprises: a connection portion connected to a portion of the insertion member exposed to the external environment; and a drive portion for displacing the insertion member via the connection portion along an insertion direction of the insertion member relative to the through hole. The plasma processing device further includes a control unit, which is electrically connected to the driving unit and controls the position of the antenna by controlling the operation of the driving unit.

3. The plasma processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The insertion member is a part of the antenna, At least a portion of the connecting portion and the holding portion have insulating properties, The antenna has a sliding contact portion that is in sliding contact with the holding portion. The sliding contact portion has a surface roughness smaller than that of a portion of the antenna disposed in the surrounding space.

4. The plasma processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The antenna has the sliding contact portion over a range in which it comes into sliding contact with the holding portion, corresponding to a range in which the insertion member is displaced by operating the driving portion based on a command from the control portion.

5. The plasma processing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control unit operates the drive unit so as to adjust the position of the antenna within a range where the sliding contact portion is formed and a distance between the antenna and a surface of the inner cover facing the enclosed space is 1 mm or more.

6. The plasma processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner cover includes a bottom portion having a convex shape toward the processing chamber side and a second opening portion opened on the outer cover side, At least a part of the antenna is accommodated through the second opening in the partially open space partially surrounded by the inner wall of the bottom of the inner cover and opened at the second opening. The control unit controls the position of the antenna within a range where the distance between the bottom surface of the bottom and the antenna is greater than or equal to 1 mm.

7. The plasma processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The antenna includes a strip portion having a strip shape, The outer cover has a first through hole and a second through hole, The insertion member includes: a first insertion member connected to the first end side of the long strip portion and inserted into the first through hole; and a second insertion member connected to the second end side of the long strip portion and inserted into the second through hole. The position adjustment mechanism is connected to each of the first insertion member and the second insertion member, The control unit controls a position of the antenna on the first end side and a position of the antenna on the second end side independently of each other.

8. The plasma processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The insertion member is a part of the antenna.

9. The plasma processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The distance between the surface of the end of the first end side of the antenna and the inner cover is set to a first distance, and the distance between the surface of the end of the second end side of the antenna and the inner cover is set to a second distance, The control unit controls the position of the antenna within a range where a difference between the first distance and the second distance is within 1 mm.

10. The plasma processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: comprising a power supply unit for supplying power to the antenna, The control unit controls the position of the antenna in accordance with the power input to the antenna from the power supply unit based on position setting information that predefines a correspondence between the power input to the antenna and the adjustment position of the antenna.

11. The plasma processing device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The housing has a plurality of the first openings. The control unit controls positions of the plurality of antennas provided in the plurality of first openings, respectively, independently of one another, based on the position setting information.

12. The plasma processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The position adjustment mechanism is mounted on a surface of the outer cover on the external environment side.

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