Plasma shielding assembly and plasma processing equipment

Abstract

A plasma shielding assembly and a plasma processing apparatus are provided. The plasma shield assembly may include: a guide member including a first through-hole connected to a plasma generator that generates radicals using a process gas; and a shielding member detachably coupled to the guide member and disposed on a lower surface of the guide member, and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole to pass free radicals through the first through hole. The shield member may be spaced apart from a lower surface of the guide member with a gap formed between the shield member and the guide member. The shielding member also includes a buffer ring disposed adjacent the second through-hole to prevent free radicals from entering the gap.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0077031, filed on June 15, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a plasma processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a plasma shield assembly for remote plasma processing to be applied to a large area substrate and a plasma processing apparatus including the plasma shield assembly. Background Art

[0004] As information technology develops, the importance of display devices as a connection medium between users and information has increased. Due to the importance of display devices, the use of various display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices and organic light emitting display devices has increased.

[0005] In order to manufacture a display device, various processes may be performed on a substrate for a semiconductor element. For example, processes such as etching, deposition, cleaning, and ashing may be involved. Among the above processes, the ashing process may include removing a photoresist pattern from the surface of the substrate using plasma.

[0006] In particular, the ashing process can adopt a remote plasma treatment scheme, in which oxygen plasma is formed in a space separated from the chamber to supply oxygen free radicals. Here, the ashing equipment adopting the remote plasma treatment scheme can use a diffuser plate with a shower head structure. The diffuser plate with a shower head structure can uniformly apply free radicals to the substrate. However, when the free radicals pass through the substrate, the loss caused by surface reaction and recombination may increase, thus resulting in a significant reduction in ashing quality.

[0007] The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Utility Model Content

[0008] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to plasma processing equipment with improved process performance. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to plasma processing equipment including a plasma shield assembly for remote plasma processing applied to large surface areas, thereby enabling free radicals to be implanted onto a substrate without loss and preventing the surface of a guide component from being contaminated.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure may provide a plasma shield assembly, comprising: a guide component including a first through hole connected to a plasma generator that generates free radicals using a process gas; and a shield component that is detachably coupled to the guide component and is arranged on a lower surface of the guide component, and includes a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that the free radicals pass through the first through hole. In the case where a gap is formed between the shield component and the guide component, the shield component may be spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide component. The shield component also includes a buffer ring that is arranged adjacent to the second through hole to prevent the free radicals from entering the gap.

[0010] Each of the plurality of buffer rings may be disposed in the gap and surround one of the plurality of second through holes.

[0011] Each of the plurality of buffer rings may be fastened to one surface of the shielding member by a bolt provided along a circumference of at least one of the plurality of buffer rings.

[0012] The buffer ring may be formed of an insulating material including polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0013] Each of the plurality of outlets of the plurality of first through-holes adjacent to the plurality of second through-holes may have a radial shape.

[0014] The guide member may further include a diffusion pattern arranged in the outlet, each of the plurality of outlets having a radial shape. Each of the plurality of diffusion patterns may have a conical shape.

[0015] Each of the plurality of second through holes of the shielding member may have an inclined sidewall forming an acute angle with respect to a lower surface of the guide member.

[0016] The width of the inclined side wall increases with increasing distance from the guide member.

[0017] The shielding member may include a plate defining the second through hole and being spaced apart from a lower surface of the guide member to define a gap between the shielding member and the guide member.

[0018] The shielding member may include a groove formed on an edge of the plate, and may further include a supporting member fully contacting the groove.

[0019] The shielding member may be fastened to one surface of the guide member by bolts provided along the supporting member.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure may provide a plasma shield assembly, comprising: a guide member including a first through hole connected to a plasma generator that generates radicals using a process gas; and a shield member detachably coupled to the guide member and arranged on a lower surface of the guide member, and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that radicals transmitted from the plasma generator pass through the first through hole. The shield member may contact the lower surface of the guide member and may be fastened to the lower surface of the guide member by bolts provided along a circumference of the second through hole.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure may provide a plasma processing device, including: a chamber defining a space in which a substrate is arranged; a plasma generator arranged on an upper portion of the chamber and configured to generate free radicals using a process gas; a guide member including a first through hole connected to each plasma generator; a shielding member detachably coupled to the guide member and arranged on a lower surface of the guide member, and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that the free radicals pass through the first through hole; and a lower electrode arranged to face the plasma generator and configured to allow the substrate to be mounted on the lower electrode. In the case where a gap is formed between the shielding member and the guide member, the shielding member may be spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member, and the shielding member may further include a buffer ring arranged adjacent to the second through hole to prevent the free radicals from entering the gap.

[0022] Each of the plurality of buffer rings may be disposed in the gap and surround one of the plurality of second through holes.

[0023] The buffer ring may be formed of an insulating material including polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0024] Each of the plurality of second through holes of the shielding member may have an inclined sidewall forming an acute angle with respect to a lower surface of the guide member.

[0025] The shielding member may include a plate defining the second through hole and being spaced apart from a lower surface of the guide member to define a gap between the shielding member and the guide member.

[0026] The plate can function as an upper electrode when high-frequency power is applied thereto.

[0027] In a case where the substrate is separated from the lower electrode, high-frequency power may be applied to the shielding member.

[0028] The plasma generator can convert the process gas into plasma and generate free radicals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plasma shield assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 It is a graphic Figure 1 A perspective view of a plasma shield assembly.

[0031] Figure 3 The diagram is included in Figure 1 A perspective view of a buffer ring in a plasma shield assembly.

[0032] Figure 4 is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a portion of a plasma shield assembly taken along line II'.

[0033] Figure 5 The picture is used to fix the buffer ring to Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a fastener for a shielding component.

[0034] Figure 6 is a diagram in which the guide component and the shielding component are Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a portion of a plasma shield assembly coupled to each other.

[0035] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plasma shield assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 8 It is a graphic Figure 7 A perspective view of a plasma shield assembly.

[0037] Fig. 9 The diagram includes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a plasma shield assembly for a plasma processing apparatus.

[0038] Fig.10 The diagram includes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a plasma shield assembly for a plasma processing apparatus.

[0039] Fig.11 The diagram includes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of a plasma processing apparatus including a plasma shield assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, only the parts required for understanding the operation according to the present disclosure will be described, and the description of other parts will be omitted so as not to make the main points of the present disclosure unclear. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but may be embodied in other types. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be detailed and complete, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0041] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another element, it can be directly coupled or connected to another element, or indirectly coupled or connected to another element in the case of having an intervening element therebetween. The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing a particular embodiment, and are not intended to be limiting. In the specification, when an element is referred to as "including" or "comprising" a component, it does not exclude another component, but may also include other components unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. "At least one of X, Y and Z" and "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y and Z" can be interpreted as only X, only Y, only Z or any combination of two or more of X, Y and Z (e.g., XYZ, XYY, YZ and ZZ, etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" can include any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0042] Although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various types of elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another element. Therefore, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plasma shield assembly 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] refer to Figure 1 , the plasma shield assembly 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a guide member 210 and a shield member 220 .

[0045] The guide member 210 may be coupled to the plasma generator 100 arranged on the upper portion of the chamber. The guide member 210 may include a plurality of first through holes 211. The plurality of first through holes 211 may be respectively connected to a plurality of plasma generators 100 configured to generate radicals using a process gas. For example, the guide member 210 may be a lead plate designed to maintain a vacuum in a chamber in which a plasma process is performed. The guide member 210 may be connected to the chamber in such a manner that an exhaust port of the plasma generator 100 arranged on the upper portion of the chamber is connected to the first through holes 211, thereby sealing the upper portion of the chamber.

[0046] The first through hole 211 formed in the guide member 210 may be oriented in a negative direction of the third direction DR3, which indicates that the negative direction of the third direction DR3 is Figure 1 , and the third direction DR3 in the coordinate system shown in . Therefore, the first through hole 211 leads to the chamber. The first end of the first through hole 211 formed in the guide member 210 can be connected to the exhaust port of the plasma generator 100, and the second end of the first through hole 211 can be connected to the second through hole 221 formed in the shielding member 220. In the guide member 210, the plurality of outlets 212 connecting the plurality of first through holes 211 to the plurality of second through holes 221 can each have a radial shape. In addition, the guide member 210 may further include a diffusion pattern 250 (see Figure 4 ). Each of the plurality of diffusion patterns 250 may have a conical shape. Due to the above structure, the guide member 210 may provide a diffusion space in the first through hole 211 to facilitate diffusion into the chamber.

[0047] The shielding member 220 may be detachably coupled to the guide member 210 and disposed on the lower surface of the guide member 210. The shielding member 220 may include a second through hole 221 aligned with the first through hole 211 of the guide member 210. For example, the shielding member 220 may be coupled to the upper portion of the chamber so as to face the substrate 400 (see FIG. 1 ) mounted thereon. Fig. 9 ) substrate support. The free radicals may be discharged onto the substrate 400 through the second through hole 221 formed in the plate of the shielding member 220. In more detail, the shielding member 220 may be configured to discharge the free radicals transmitted from the plasma generator 100 through the first through hole 211 of the guide member 210 directly toward the substrate 400 through the second through hole 221. Therefore, when the shielding member 220 is detachably coupled to the guide member 210, in the case where the contamination of the shielding member 220 reaches a threshold value, only the shielding member 220 may be easily replaced with a new shielding member 220. In addition, the shielding member 220 is configured to discharge the free radicals directly onto the substrate 400, so that the loss of the free radicals can be reduced, thereby preventing the degradation of the process performance.

[0048] The shielding member 220 can be used as an upper electrode when high-frequency power is applied thereto. For example, the shielding member 220 can be made of a metal material including aluminum to allow high-frequency power to pass through the shielding member 220. However, if the shielding member 220 is formed of a metal material having a low resistance, the possibility of an arc phenomenon occurring when the process is performed also increases. In order to reduce the arc phenomenon, the shielding member 220 can be coupled to the guide member 210 at a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member 210 to form a gap 231 between the shielding member 220 and the guide member 210. Therefore, the shielding member 220 can be provided as an upper electrode of a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) structure, thereby allowing normal plasma discharge when high-frequency power is applied without causing an arc phenomenon.

[0049] The shielding member 220 may include a buffer ring 230 (see Figure 3 ) to prevent free radicals from being sucked between the shielding member 220 and the guide member 210. The buffer ring 230 may be arranged adjacent to the second through hole 221 of the shielding member 220, thereby preventing free radicals (or process gas) from being sucked into the gap 231 formed between the shielding member 220 and the guide member 210. Figures 3 to 5 The buffer ring 230 will be described in detail.

[0050] Figure 2 It is a graphic Figure 1 A perspective view of a plasma shield assembly.

[0051] refer to Figure 2 , examples of the guide member 210 and the shield member 220 included in the plasma shield assembly 200 can be described.

[0052] The guide member 210 and the shielding member 220 may be formed in the form of a rectangular flat plate when viewed from the bottom of the chamber. However, the rectangular shape is merely an example and not a limitation. For example, various forms of flat plates may be provided depending on the shape of the upper surface of the chamber to which the plasma shielding assembly 220 is mounted. However, the shielding member 220 may be a flat plate having a cross-sectional surface area smaller than that of the guide member 210. The shielding member 220 may be detachably coupled to the guide member 210 by being placed above an empty space formed by a step portion in the periphery of the guide member 210. Figure 6 A detailed description is given regarding the coupling portion.

[0053] In an embodiment, the guide member 210 and the shielding member 220 may include a flat plate and a circular through hole formed in the flat plate. The through hole allows the radicals (or process gas) generated from the plasma generator 100 to pass therethrough and be discharged onto the substrate 400. For example, the guide member 210 may include a first through hole 211, and the shielding member 220 may include a second through hole 221. The first through hole 211 and the second through hole 221 may be connected to each other, thereby allowing communication therebetween, and may be formed at respective positions corresponding to the plasma generator 100 coupled to the plasma shielding assembly 200. In other words, in order to discharge the radicals onto the substrate 400, the discharge port of the plasma generator 100 may be connected to the respective first through holes 211, and the second through holes 221 overlapping the first through holes 221 may be connected to the respective first through holes 211. In addition, each of the first through hole 211 and the second through hole 221 may have a radial shape and be inclined in the negative direction of the third direction DR3, thereby allowing the radicals to diffuse toward the substrate 400.

[0054] Figure 3 The diagram is included in Figure 1 A perspective view of a buffer ring in a plasma shield assembly.

[0055] refer to Figure 3 , it is possible to describe an example of the buffer ring 230 included in the plasma shield assembly 200. The buffer ring 230 may be disposed between the guide member 210 and the shield member 220 of the plasma shield assembly 200.

[0056] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may have a circular ring shape to surround the second through hole 221 of the shielding member 220. Each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may have an inner diameter greater than an inner diameter of the second through hole 221 to surround the second through hole 221. As used herein, the "inner diameter" indicates the diameter of the opening portion in the center of the buffer ring 230. Each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may have an integral circular ring shape, or may have a circular ring shape in which two identical semicircular shapes are combined to face each other.

[0057] The buffer ring 230 may include fastening holes 232 for attachment. For example, the fastening holes 232 may be formed to pass through the buffer ring 230 in the third direction DR3, and may be arranged at regular intervals at positions spaced apart from each other along the outer circumference of the buffer ring 230. The buffer ring 230 may be fastened by bolts 240 (see FIG. 2 ) inserted into the fastening holes 232. Figure 5 ) and is fastened to one surface of the shielding member 220.

[0058] In addition, the buffer ring 230 may be formed of an insulating material including polytetrafluoroethylene. For example, the buffer ring 230 may be formed of polytetrafluoroethylene, or may be formed of a material that is plasma-resistant and coated with polytetrafluoroethylene on its surface. However, the buffer ring 230 is not limited to a specific material as long as it can block high-frequency power and plasma.

[0059] Figure 4 is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a portion of a plasma shield assembly taken along line II'.

[0060] refer to Figure 4 , it is possible to describe an example of arrangement of the buffer ring 230 in the plasma shield assembly 200.

[0061] Each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may be arranged to surround any one of the plurality of second through holes 221 between the guide member 210 and the shielding member 220. For example, the shielding member 220 may have a concave depression formed in its upper surface along the periphery of the second through hole 221 to couple to the guide member 210, so that the buffer ring 230 can be inserted into the concave depression. The cross-section of each of the plurality of depressions may have the same annular shape as each buffer ring 230. The buffer ring 230 may be fixed to each depression formed in the upper end of the second through hole 221 and fixed horizontally in place. The buffer ring 230 may be fastened to the upper surface of the shielding member 220 by bolts 240 and fixed vertically in place. Reference will be made later in this document to Figure 5 A detailed description is made regarding securing the buffer ring 230 in place.

[0062] By positioning the buffer ring 230 at the connection point where the guide member 210 and the shield member 220 are in contact and coupled with each other, it is possible to prevent a physical grinding phenomenon caused by a thermal expansion difference between the metals due to high temperature and a pulse grinding phenomenon at the contact portion between the metals. The buffer ring 230 can maintain a gap 231 formed between the guide member 210 and the shield member 220 by the thickness of the buffer ring 230, and can be tightly fixed to the periphery of the through hole, thereby preventing radicals (or process gas) from being sucked into the gap 231. In addition, the buffer ring 230 can block high-frequency power from being applied to the guide member 210, thereby preventing an arc phenomenon during the application of the high-frequency power.

[0063] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4, the radicals supplied into the chamber through the plasma generator 100 may undergo primary diffusion through the first through-holes 211 of the guide member 210, and then undergo secondary diffusion through the second through-holes 221 of the shielding member 220, resulting in discharge perpendicular to the substrate 400. For example, the first through-holes 211 of the guide member 210 may be designed such that the outlet 212 adjacent to the second through-holes 221 is formed in a radial shape to allow the radicals supplied toward the substrate 400 to diffuse first. The outlet 212 of the first through-hole 211 may include a plurality of diffusion patterns 250, each of which has a conical shape in each radial space of the outlet 212. Since the diffusion patterns 250 are included in the outlet 212 of the first through-hole 211, the vertically discharged radicals may change the moving direction due to the angle of the conical shape, resulting in extensive diffusion.

[0064] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of second through holes 221 of the shielding member 220 may have a radial shape to allow secondary diffusion of free radicals transmitted from the corresponding first through holes 211. In more detail, each of the plurality of second through holes 221 may have a diameter greater than a diameter of each of the plurality of first through holes 211 formed thereon. In addition, each of the plurality of second through holes 221 may have an inclined side wall 222 (see FIG. 2 ) that forms an acute angle with respect to the lower surface of the guide member 210. Figure 6 Here, the width of the inclined sidewall 222 of each of the plurality of second through holes 221 may decrease as it is closer to the first through hole 211, and may increase as the distance from the first through hole 211 increases. Since the width of the inclined sidewall 222 of the second through hole 221 increases as the distance from the guide member 210 increases, the radicals received from the first through hole 211 may be more widely diffused.

[0065] Figure 5 The picture is used to fix the buffer ring to Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a fastener for a shielding component.

[0066] Specifically, Figure 5 yes Figure 4 10. In the plasma shield assembly 200, each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may be fixed to the upper surface of the shield member 220 by fasteners arranged along the outer circumference of the corresponding buffer ring 230. In an embodiment, the fasteners may include bolts 240 for fastening the buffer ring 230 to the shield member 220.

[0067] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5, each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may have a circular ring shape. The buffer ring 230 may be fixed into a recess formed in the upper surface of the shielding member 220 so as to be fixed in place and unable to slide around. The buffer ring 230 fixed into the recess may be securely fixed in place by a bolt 240. Here, each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may have a step structure having a varying thickness. Each of the plurality of buffer rings 230 may be configured so that the outer portion having the fastening hole 232 into which the bolt 240 is inserted has a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner side (see Figure 4 The step structure of the buffer ring 230 with a varying thickness can ensure the stability of the coupling state.

[0068] The shielding member 220 to which the buffer ring 230 is fastened may have an edge portion 223 formed with a curve having a predetermined curvature corresponding to a circular shape. In each of the plurality of second through holes 221 of the shielding member 220, the edge portion 223 may correspond to one end of the inclined side wall 222 that forms an acute angle with respect to the lower surface of the guide member 210. Therefore, the shielding member 220 may prevent an arc phenomenon from occurring on the edge portion 223 during application of high-frequency power. The arc phenomenon is a plasma arc phenomenon that causes a large current and process failure, such as a spark discharge caused by collective electron emission.

[0069] In addition, the shielding member 220 to which the buffer ring 230 is attached may have a second through hole 221 having an inclined side wall 222. The width of the inclined side wall 222 of each of the plurality of second through holes 221 may increase in a direction away from one surface of the guide member 210. By forming the inclined side wall 222 of the second through hole 221 to become wider as the distance from the first through hole 211 increases, the shielding member 220 may minimize the disruption of the flux of the discharged radicals.

[0070] Figure 6 is a diagram showing a guide component and a shielding component in Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a portion of a plasma shield assembly coupled to each other.

[0071] Specifically, Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Magnified view of area 20 in FIG. Figure 6 , it is possible to describe an example of a structure in which the shielding member 220 is detachably coupled to the guide member 210 in the plasma shield assembly 200 .

[0072] In an embodiment, the shielding member 220 may include a plate that defines the second through hole 221 and is spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member 210 to define a gap 231. The shielding member 220 may include a groove 224 formed in an edge of the plate. The shielding member 220 may further include a support member 225 configured to be in full contact with the groove 224. The shielding member 220 may be fixed to one surface of the guide member 210 by a bolt 260 provided along the support member 225.

[0073] For example, in the case where the shielding member 220 is coupled to the lower surface of the guide member 210, the shielding member 220 may include a groove 224 extending from the edge of the board in the third direction DR3 and maintaining contact with the lower surface of the guide member 210. The groove 224 may have a shape including a curved structure in the second direction DR2, oriented outward and perpendicular to the third direction DR3, thereby allowing it to overlap with the lower surface of the guide member 210. In more detail, the groove 224 may include a first surface parallel to the side surface of the shielding member 220 and a second surface parallel to the lower surface of the guide member 210 on the edge of the board, and may be formed in a shape in which the first surface and the second surface are perpendicular to each other. The length of the groove 224 may be based on the thickness of the buffer ring 230 and the thickness of the shielding member 220. In other words, the shielding member 220 may be coupled to one surface of the guide member 210 with a gap 231 therebetween corresponding to the length of the groove 224. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an arc phenomenon that may occur due to instability of a contact portion in the application of high-frequency power.

[0074] The shielding member 220 may be fastened to one surface of the guide member 210 by a bolt 260 provided along the support member 225 using the slot 224 inserted between the shielding member 220 and the guide member 210. For example, the bolt 260 may be inserted in a state where one surface of the support member 225 and the slot 224 overlap each other, thereby allowing the support member 225 and the slot 224 to be fixed in place. When the bolt 260 passes through the support member 225 overlapping one surface of the slot 224 and is fixed thereto, the shielding member 220 may be coupled to one surface of the guide member 210 with a larger contact area. In other words, the shielding member 220 may enhance coupling stability by making surface contact.

[0075] In an embodiment, the shielding member 220 may further include a block 270, which is arranged to support the shielding member 220 on the edge of the board. The block 270 may be formed of an insulating material including ceramic. For example, the block 270 is not limited to a specific material as long as it can block high-frequency power during the application of high-frequency power and prevent free radicals from being retained on its edge.

[0076] Figure 7is a cross-sectional view illustrating a plasma shield assembly according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] refer to Figure 7 , the plasma shield assembly 500 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a guide member 510 and a shield member 520. In addition, the plasma generator 100 and the guide member 510 are connected to Figure 1 The embodiments have the same configuration, and the shielding member 520 may be different. Hereinafter, repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0078] refer to Figure 7 , the shielding member 520 of the plasma shielding assembly 500 may contact the lower surface of the guide member 510. Therefore, there is no gap between the guide member 510 of the plasma shielding assembly 500 and the shielding member 520, and a separate buffer ring may not be placed. Instead, the shielding member 520 of the plasma shielding assembly 500 may contact and couple to the lower surface of the guide member 510 through a bolt arranged adjacent to the second through hole 521. Since the shielding member 520 is fastened to the guide member 510 by bolts without using a buffer ring and is in close contact with the guide member 510, the shielding member 520 may be prevented from sagging. In the drawings of the present embodiment, the gap, the buffer ring, the bolt, etc. may have the same configuration as the above embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein.

[0079] Figure 8 It is a graphic Figure 7 A perspective view of a plasma shield assembly.

[0080] refer to Figure 8 , it is possible to describe the guide member 510 and the shield member 520 included in the plasma shield assembly 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0081] In an embodiment, the guide member 510 and the shielding member 520 may include a flat plate and a circular through hole formed in the flat plate. The through hole allows the free radicals discharged from the plasma generator 100 toward the substrate 400 to pass therethrough. For example, the shielding member 520 may include a second through hole 521. The second through hole 521 may be connected to the first through hole, allowing communication therebetween, and may be formed at various positions corresponding to the plasma generator 100 coupled to the plasma shielding assembly 500.

[0082] refer to Figure 8, the shielding member 520 may be in contact with and coupled to the lower surface of the guide member 510, and may be fixed to the lower surface of the guide member 510 by bolts arranged along the periphery of the second through hole 521. For example, the flat plate of the shielding member 520 may have a fastening hole 530 through which the bolt can pass. The flat plate of the shielding member 520 may have a certain thickness, and the bolt may be coupled to the guide member 510 while passing through the plate of the shielding member 520, thereby maintaining the coupled state along the shielding member 520 and the guide member 510.

[0083] Therefore, in the plasma shield assembly 500, the guide member 510 and the shield member 520 may be contacted and coupled to each other by bolts without forming any gap therebetween, thereby forming an upper electrode.

[0084] Fig. 9 The diagram includes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a plasma shield assembly for a plasma processing apparatus.

[0085] refer to Fig. 9 , it is possible to illustrate an example of performing an etching process in the plasma processing apparatus 1000 and preventing contamination of the inner surface.

[0086] The plasma processing apparatus 1000 may include a plasma generator 100, a guide member 210, a shielding member 220, and a lower electrode 300 in a chamber. The plasma processing apparatus 1000 may perform a process of removing a photoresist pattern from a surface of a substrate 400 using plasma. The plasma shielding assembly 200 included in the plasma processing apparatus 1000 may have a Figure 1 Hereinafter, repeated description will be omitted.

[0087] The chamber may define a space in which the substrate 400 is placed. The chamber may be isolated from a peripheral area, and a vacuum state may be maintained by the use of a pump. Radicals (or process gas) generated from the plasma generator 100 may be supplied into the chamber.

[0088] The plasma generator 100 can generate free radicals by inputting process gas. For example, the process gas (e.g., oxygen, steam) can be provided in the form of a plasma state by a plasma source, and free radicals are generated in the plasma. The free radicals (e.g., oxygen free radicals, hydrogen free radicals) can remove the photoresist from the substrate 400 by reacting with the photoresist.

[0089] The lower electrode 300 may be used as a substrate support arranged to face the plasma generator 100, and the upper surface of the substrate support is designed to allow the substrate 400 to be mounted thereon. The substrate support may introduce the substrate 400 into the chamber or remove the substrate 400 from the chamber, and fix the substrate 400 in place while performing a process. For example, if the substrate 400 is mounted on the substrate support, the radicals generated from the plasma generator 100 may be discharged through the through-holes of the plasma shield assembly 200.

[0090] In order to ensure that the free radicals discharged from the narrow output end of the plasma generator 100 are uniformly applied to the substrate 400 having a large surface area, the free radicals may be guided by a diffusion plate such as a shower head. However, the use of a diffusion plate such as a shower head may cause a large amount of loss due to surface reactions and the recombination of free radicals when the free radicals pass through the diffusion plate, thereby resulting in a reduction in process performance. Therefore, in the plasma shield assembly 200, the diffusion plate such as a shower head may be removed, and the upper electrode may be configured in the form of a flat plate, wherein a through hole formed at a specific position in the flat plate allows the free radicals (or process gas) to pass therethrough. In other words, in the shielding member 220 of the plasma shield assembly 200, the second through hole 221 connected to the first through hole 211 of the guide member 210 is formed to extend from the output end of the plasma generator 100, thereby allowing the free radicals to be directly discharged onto the substrate 400. Therefore, the plasma shield assembly 200 can provide improved process performance by allowing the free radicals discharged through the through hole directly connected to the output end of the plasma generator 100 to react with the photoresist without loss.

[0091] During the process, the inner surface may be contaminated by byproducts generated from the plasma generator 100. In view of this, in the plasma shield assembly 200, the shield member 220 may be detachably coupled to the guide member 210 with the buffer ring 230 interposed therebetween, whereby the shield member 220 can block the byproducts, thereby preventing the surface of the guide member 210 from being contaminated. The shield member 220 contaminated by the byproducts may be easily removed by the use of bolts on the periphery of the plate and replaced with a new shield member 220. Here, the byproduct may be a photoresist stack layer formed during the process.

[0092] The diffusion pattern 250 disposed in the outlet of the first through hole 211 of the guide member 210 may not be blocked from byproducts by the shielding member 220. Therefore, the diffusion pattern 250 may be designed as a consumable part, thereby allowing the contaminated diffusion pattern 250 affected by the byproducts to be removed and replaced with a new diffusion pattern 250.

[0093] Fig.10 The diagram includes Figure 1A cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a plasma shield assembly for a plasma processing apparatus.

[0094] refer to Fig.10 , it is possible to illustrate an example of removing by-products by corona discharge in the plasma processing apparatus 1000.

[0095] The lower electrode 300 may be a conductive plate formed of a dielectric layer disposed to face the plasma shield assembly 200. In addition, the lower electrode 300 may be electrically connected to a power source for supplying high frequency power.

[0096] In the plasma shielding assembly 200, the plate of the shielding member 220 can be used as an upper electrode in the application of high-frequency power. The shielding member 220 can be arranged on the upper part of the chamber and can be electrically connected to a power supply designed to supply high-frequency power. The shielding member 220 can be used as an upper electrode for forming a capacitively coupled plasma when high-frequency power is applied thereto. In other words, the shielding member 220 can form a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) together with the lower electrode 300. For example, the plasma shielding assembly 200 can generate a high-density plasma by applying high-frequency power (radio frequency power) to the shielding member 220 used as an upper electrode and applying low-frequency power to the lower electrode 300 to create a CCP structure. In more detail, the plasma generated and maintained by the high-frequency power (radio frequency power) applied to the shielding member 220 and the density of the radicals constituting the plasma can be accurately adjusted by the low-frequency power applied to the lower electrode 300.

[0097] In an embodiment, if the surface of the plate of the shielding member 220 is contaminated by byproducts, the loss of free radicals increases, resulting in a reduction in process performance. In this case, the plasma processing device 1000 can supply oxygen into the chamber and apply high-frequency power to the shielding member 220. If high-frequency power is applied to the shielding member 220, the shielding member 220 can perform a corona discharge of a CCP structure to remove deposits from the upper surface of the plate, thereby restoring process performance. Corona discharge is a process in which oxygen is introduced without a substrate 400 and plasma is discharged to clean the surface.

[0098] Fig.11 The diagram includes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of a plasma processing apparatus including a plasma shield assembly.

[0099] refer to Fig.11 , it is possible to explain an example in which the substrate 400 is isolated from the lower electrode 300 by corona discharge in the plasma processing apparatus 1000.

[0100] Various processes may be performed on the substrate 400 for semiconductor elements in a state where the interior of the chamber is in a plasma or vacuum state. In this case, the plasma processing apparatus 1000 may generate an electrostatic force to fix the substrate 400 on a substrate support disposed in the chamber. For example, the plasma processing apparatus 1000 may apply high-frequency power to the lower electrode 300, thereby generating an electrostatic force. When the high-frequency power is applied, the lower electrode 300 may generate a positive charge, and the substrate 400 disposed on the lower electrode 300 may be induced with a negative charge. Therefore, an attractive force is generated between the lower electrode 300 and the substrate 400, thereby fixing the substrate 400 in place.

[0101] On the contrary, if the plasma processing apparatus 1000 interrupts the high frequency power supplied to the lower electrode 300, the substrate 400 may be separated from the lower electrode 300. In this case, the current may remain on the surface of the lower electrode 300, and thus a residual electrostatic force may exist. The residual electrostatic force may hinder the separation of the substrate 400 from the lower electrode 300. When the substrate 400 is separated from the lower electrode 300, the substrate 400 may be excessively bent or stressed, and thus damaged.

[0102] In an embodiment, in the case where the substrate 400 is separated from the lower electrode 300 after the plasma processing device 1000 performs a process using a remote plasma method, the shielding member 220 can form a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) structure with the lower electrode 300, thereby preventing the substrate 400 from being damaged due to residual electrostatic force. For example, if high-frequency power is applied to the shielding member 220, the shielding member 220 can be used as an upper electrode in the CCP structure, thereby allowing corona discharge to be performed. By being exposed to the generated high-density plasma, the residual electrostatic force that has not been removed can be offset. Therefore, the substrate 400 can be separated from the lower electrode 300 without being damaged.

[0103] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a plasma shield assembly having improved process performance and a plasma processing apparatus including the plasma shield assembly.

[0104] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above, and other various effects are expected herein.

[0105] Although specific embodiments and implementations have been described herein, other embodiments and modifications will be apparent from the foregoing description. Therefore, the concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, but is limited to the broader scope of the claims presented and various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A plasma shield assembly, characterized in that: include: a guide member including a first through hole connected to a plasma generator that generates radicals using a process gas; as well as a shielding member detachably coupled to the guide member and arranged on a lower surface of the guide member, and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that the free radical passes through the first through hole, wherein, in a case where a gap is formed between the shielding member and the guide member, the shielding member is spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member, and The shielding member further includes a buffer ring disposed adjacent to the second through hole to prevent the free radicals from entering the gap.

2. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that Each of the plurality of buffer rings is disposed in the gap and surrounds one of the plurality of second through holes.

3. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that Each of the plurality of buffer rings is fastened to one surface of the shield member by a bolt provided along a circumference of at least one of the plurality of buffer rings.

4. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The buffer ring is fixed to a recess formed in an upper end of the second through hole.

5. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of outlets of the plurality of first through holes adjacent to the plurality of second through holes has a radial shape, wherein the guide member further comprises a diffusion pattern arranged in the outlet, each of the plurality of outlets has the radial shape, and Wherein, each of the plurality of diffusion patterns has a cone shape.

6. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of second through holes of the shielding member has an inclined side wall forming an acute angle with respect to the lower surface of the guide member, Wherein, the width of the inclined side wall increases with the increase of the distance from the guide component.

7. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The shielding member includes a plate defining the second through hole and being spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member to define the gap between the shielding member and the guide member.

8. The plasma shield assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that The shielding member includes a groove formed on an edge of the plate, and further includes a supporting member that is in full contact with the groove, The shielding member is fastened to one surface of the guide member by bolts provided along the supporting member.

9. A plasma shield assembly, characterized in that: include: a guide member including a first through hole connected to a plasma generator that generates radicals using a process gas; as well as a shielding member detachably coupled to the guide member and disposed on a lower surface of the guide member and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that the radicals transmitted from the plasma generator pass through the first through hole, wherein the shielding member contacts the lower surface of the guide member and is fastened to the lower surface of the guide member by bolts provided along a circumference of the second through hole.

10. A plasma processing device, characterized in that: include: a chamber defining a space in which a substrate is arranged; a plasma generator disposed on an upper portion of the chamber and configured to generate free radicals using a process gas; a guide member including a first through hole connected to each of the plasma generators; a shielding member detachably coupled to the guide member and disposed on a lower surface of the guide member and including a second through hole aligned with the first through hole so that the radicals from the plasma generator pass through the first through hole; as well as a lower electrode arranged to face the plasma generator and configured to allow the substrate to be mounted on the lower electrode, wherein, in a case where a gap is formed between the shielding member and the guide member, the shielding member is spaced apart from the lower surface of the guide member, and The shielding member further includes a buffer ring disposed adjacent to the second through hole to prevent the free radicals from entering the gap.

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