Plasma processor
The plasma processing apparatus addresses the challenge of resonant frequency adjustment by using a resonator with adjustable waveguide components, enabling precise tuning and improved plasma generation and field uniformity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023112264
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing plasma processing apparatuses lack the ability to adjust the resonant frequency in their resonators effectively.
The plasma processing apparatus incorporates a resonator with a waveguide having folded parts and includes members for adjusting the resonance frequency, such as dielectric members or spacers, which are guided by mechanisms to alter the effective permittivity and position of electromagnetic waves, allowing precise tuning of the resonant frequency.
This configuration enables precise tuning of the resonant frequency, enhancing the plasma generation process and improving the uniformity of electromagnetic field distribution, thereby optimizing plasma processing.
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Figure 2025009334000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing apparatus. [Background technology]
[0002] A plasma processing apparatus is used in processing a substrate. One type of plasma processing apparatus is known that excites a gas using high frequency waves, such as VHF waves or UHF waves. The following Patent Document 1 discloses such a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes a processing vessel, a stage, an upper electrode, an introduction section, and a waveguide section. The stage is provided in the processing vessel. The upper electrode is provided above the stage through a space in the processing vessel. The introduction section is an introduction section for high frequency waves. The introduction section is provided at a lateral end of the space and extends in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the processing vessel. The waveguide section is configured to supply high frequency waves to the introduction section. The waveguide section includes a resonator that provides a waveguide. The waveguide of the resonator extends in a circumferential direction around the central axis, extends in the direction in which the central axis extends, and is connected to the introduction section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-92031 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for adjusting the resonant frequency of a resonator in a plasma processing apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] In one exemplary embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus is provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, an excitation electrode, an emitter, and a resonator. The chamber provides a processing space therein. The substrate support is disposed within the processing space. The excitation electrode is disposed above the substrate support. The emitter is disposed to emit an electromagnetic wave into a plasma generation space below the excitation electrode. The resonator is disposed on the excitation electrode and is electromagnetically coupled to the emitter. The resonator has a waveguide including a plurality of bends between a first end and a second end thereof, and has an adjustment member in the waveguide for adjusting a resonant frequency of the electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide. Effect of the Invention
[0006] According to one exemplary embodiment, it is possible to adjust the resonant frequency of a resonator in a plasma processing apparatus. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0007] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a plasma processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 illustrates a plasma processing apparatus according to yet another exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Various exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.
[0009] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. The plasma processing apparatus 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a chamber 10, a substrate support 12, an excitation electrode 14, an emission section 16, and a resonator 30.
[0010] The chamber 10 provides a processing space 10s therein. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the substrate W is processed in the processing space 10s. The chamber 10 is made of a metal such as aluminum and is grounded. The chamber 10 has a side wall 10a and is open at its upper end. The chamber 10 and the side wall 10a may have a substantially cylindrical shape. The processing space 10s is provided inside the side wall 10a. The central axis of each of the chamber 10, the side wall 10a, and the processing space 10s is the axis AX. The chamber 10 may have a corrosion-resistant film on its surface. The corrosion-resistant film may be a ceramic film containing an yttrium oxide film, an yttrium oxide fluoride film, an yttrium fluoride film, an yttrium oxide, or an yttrium fluoride film.
[0011] The bottom of the chamber 10 provides an exhaust port 10e. An exhaust system is connected to the exhaust port 10e. The exhaust system may include a vacuum pump, such as a dry pump and / or a turbomolecular pump, and an automatic pressure control valve.
[0012] The substrate support 12 is provided in the processing space 10s. The substrate support 12 is configured to support the substrate W placed on its upper surface in an approximately horizontal manner. The substrate support 12 has an approximately disk shape. The central axis of the substrate support 12 is an axis AX.
[0013] The excitation electrode 14 is provided above the substrate support 12 via the processing space 10s. The excitation electrode 14 is made of a conductive material such as a metal (e.g., aluminum) and has a substantially disk shape. The central axis of the excitation electrode 14 is an axis AX.
[0014] The emitter 16 is provided to emit electromagnetic waves from there into the plasma generation space. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the plasma generation space is the space in the processing space 10s and below the excitation electrode 14. The electromagnetic waves emitted from the emitter 16 into the plasma generation space may be high frequency waves such as VHF waves or UHF waves. The emitter 16 is formed of a dielectric material such as quartz, aluminum nitride, or aluminum oxide. The emitter 16 extends in the circumferential direction around the axis AX. The emitter 16 may have a ring shape. The emitter 16 may extend so as to surround the plasma generation space or a shower plate 141 described later. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the gas in the chamber 10 is excited by the electromagnetic waves emitted from the emitter 16 into the plasma generation space. As a result, plasma is generated in the plasma generation space.
[0015] In one embodiment, the excitation electrode 14 may include a shower plate 141 and an upper electrode 142. The shower plate 141 is provided above the plasma generation space. The shower plate 141 closes the opening at the upper end of the chamber 10 together with the emission part 16. The shower plate 141 provides a plurality of gas holes 14h. The plurality of gas holes 14h extend in the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the shower plate 141 and penetrate the shower plate 141.
[0016] The upper electrode 142 is provided on the shower plate 141. The upper electrode 142 forms a gas diffusion chamber 14d between the shower plate 141 and the upper electrode 142. A gas supply unit 20 is connected to the gas diffusion chamber 14d. Gas from the gas supply unit 20 is discharged from a plurality of gas holes 14h through the gas diffusion chamber 14d into the plasma generation space (processing space 10s).
[0017] The resonator 30 is provided on the excitation electrode 14. The resonator 30 is electromagnetically coupled to the emission section 16. The resonator 30 provides a waveguide 32. The resonator 30 includes a conductor section 31 that defines the waveguide 32. The conductor section 31 is formed from a conductive material such as a metal. The conductive material forming the conductor section 31 may include aluminum, stainless steel, copper, brass, or the like.
[0018] The resonator 30 includes a first end 301 and a second end 302. The first end 301 is one end of the waveguide 32, and the second end 302 is the other end of the waveguide 32. The resonator 30 is configured to reflect and resonate an electromagnetic wave propagating in the waveguide 32 at the first end 301 and the second end 302. The electromagnetic wave resonated in the resonator 30 is supplied to the emission section 16 from a plurality of slots 302s (described later) and emitted into the plasma generation space.
[0019] The plasma processing apparatus 1 may further include a high-frequency power source 34. The high-frequency power source 34 is configured to generate high-frequency power. The electromagnetic waves introduced into the plasma generating space are generated based on the high-frequency power generated by the high-frequency power source 34. The high-frequency power source 34 may be directly connected to the resonator 30 using a coaxial line. That is, the high-frequency power source 34 may be coupled to the waveguide of the resonator 30 without an impedance matching device. The coaxial line may include a connector 36 as a connection part to the resonator 30. The connector 36 may be connected to the resonator 30 so as to introduce the electromagnetic waves into the resonator 30 from the top layer of the multiple layers 320 of the waveguide 32 described later. In this case, the inner conductor of the connector 36 is connected to a conductor plate 31p described later that defines the top layer from below, and the outer conductor of the connector 36 is connected to a conductor plate 31p (upper wall 31u) that defines the top layer from above.
[0020] In one embodiment, the waveguide 32 may have a folded structure including a plurality of folded portions. In one embodiment, the waveguide 32 may be configured axially or rotationally symmetrical with respect to the axis AX. In one embodiment, the conductor portion 31 may include an inner portion 31i (or an inner peripheral portion), an outer portion 31o (or an outer peripheral portion), and a plurality of conductor plates 31p. The inner portion 31i and the outer portion 31o extend coaxially with respect to the axis AX. The plurality of conductor plates 31p extend in a radial direction with respect to the axis AX, and are arranged parallel to each other along the vertical direction in which the axis AX extends.
[0021] The waveguide 32 may also include a plurality of layers 320. The plurality of layers 320 extend in a radial direction with respect to the axis AX between the inner portion 31i and the outer portion 31o, and are arranged alternately with the plurality of conductive plates 31p. Each of the plurality of layers 320 is connected to the layer thereabove among the plurality of layers 320 at one of a plurality of folded portions along the inner portion 31i or the outer portion 31o.
[0022] In one embodiment, the first end 301 is provided above the second end 302. The first end 301 is provided by the outer portion 31o of the resonator 30. The first end 301 surrounds the top layer of the multiple layers 320. The second end 302 is formed of a wall 31wb of the outer portion 31o surrounding the bottom layer of the multiple layers 320. The second end 302 extends in the circumferential direction around the axis AX above the emission section 16. A plurality of slots 302s are formed in the bottommost conductor plate 31b that defines the bottom layer of the multiple conductor plates 31p from below. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the conductor plate 31b is also the upper electrode 142. The plurality of slots 302s are arranged near or along the second end 302. The plurality of slots 302s are coupled to the emission section 16 on the outside with respect to the excitation electrode 14. The slots 302s extend in a circumferential direction with respect to the axis AX and are arranged along the circumferential direction. The slots 302s are arranged alternately with the portions 302r in the conductor plate 31b. In one embodiment, the radial distance between the axis AX and the outer edge of each of the slots 302s may be approximately equal to the radius of the inscribed circle of the polygon of the wall 31wb. In this resonator 30, the electromagnetic wave is reflected at the second end 302 toward the first end 301. Also, a part of the electromagnetic wave propagating in the resonator 30 is coupled to the emission section 16 through the slots 302s.
[0023] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the inner portion 31i may have a generally cylindrical shape with its central axis being the axis line AX. The inner portion 31i may be formed of a tubular (e.g., cylindrical) conductor wall extending between the conductor plates 31p adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.
[0024] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the outer portion 31o has a substantially cylindrical shape and has the axis AX as its central axis. The outer portion 31o may include a plurality of walls 31w including a wall 31wb surrounding the lowest layer and a wall surrounding an upper layer other than the lowest layer among the plurality of layers 320. Each of the plurality of walls 31w extends between the corresponding adjacent conductive plates 31p in the vertical direction and has a substantially cylindrical shape. At least the wall 31wb surrounding the lowest layer among the plurality of walls 31w extends along the sides of a polygon in a cross section perpendicular to the axis AX. Two or more or all of the plurality of walls 31w may extend along the sides of a polygon in a cross section perpendicular to the axis AX. In one embodiment, the wall 31wb may have a polygonal tube shape. Also, two or more or all of the plurality of walls 31w may each have a polygonal tube shape. In the examples shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the polygon is a regular dodecagon, but it may be another polygon.
[0025] In one embodiment, the wall 31wb may be formed from a plurality of plate-like bodies 311. Also, each of two or more or each of all of the walls 31w may be formed from a plurality of plate-like bodies 311. Each of the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 is formed from the above-mentioned metal. Each of the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 may be a flat plate. Each of the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 extends along a corresponding side of the above-mentioned polygon in a cross section perpendicular to the axis line AX.
[0026] In the resonator 30, the magnitude of the current flowing in the radial direction with respect to the axis AX in the conductor plate 31b has a circumferential distribution that is minimum in the direction from the axis AX toward the corners of the polygon and maximum at the centers of each side of the polygon. Therefore, in each of the multiple slots 302s, the electric field intensity distribution in the circumferential direction is adjusted.
[0027] In one embodiment, the number of the slots 302s may be equal to the number of the corners of the polygon. The position of each corner of the polygon and the circumferential center position of the corresponding slot among the slots 302s may be aligned in the radial direction with respect to the axis AX. In this case, the magnitude of the current flowing in the radial direction in the conductor plate 31b has a circumferential distribution in which the magnitude is weakened at the center of each of the slots 302s and strengthened between adjacent slots 302s. Therefore, the uniformity of the distribution of the electric field strength in the circumferential direction is increased in each of the slots 302s.
[0028] 1 and 2, the vertically extending edge of each of the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 is connected to the vertically extending edge of a corresponding other plate-like body among the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 at a corresponding corner of the polygon. However, the plurality of plate-like bodies 311 may be spaced apart from each other to provide gaps at the corners of the polygon.
[0029] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the resonator 30 further includes at least one adjustment member. The at least one adjustment member is configured to adjust a resonant frequency of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide 32. In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the at least one adjustment member is at least one dielectric member 51. The at least one dielectric member 51 changes the effective dielectric constant of the waveguide 32 from the effective dielectric constant of the waveguide 32 when the at least one dielectric member 51 is not provided within the waveguide 32. The at least one dielectric member 51 can be disposed at an intermediate position between the first end 301 and the second end 302 of the waveguide 32. The at least one dielectric member 51 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The at least one dielectric member 51 may have another shape.
[0030] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the resonator 30 further includes at least one guide mechanism 52. The at least one guide mechanism 52 is configured to guide the at least one dielectric member 51 in a radial direction with respect to the axis line AX.
[0031] 1 and 2, the resonator 30 includes a plurality of dielectric members 51 as the at least one dielectric member 51, and a plurality of guide mechanisms 52 as the at least one guide mechanism 52. The plurality of guide mechanisms 52 are arranged rotationally symmetrically around the axis line AX. The plurality of guide mechanisms 52 are configured to guide the plurality of dielectric members 51 in a plurality of radial directions that are rotationally symmetrical around the axis line AX, respectively. The plurality of radial directions may be directions that are equally spaced in the circumferential direction.
[0032] Each of the plurality of guide mechanisms 52 may include, for example, a ball screw extending in a corresponding one of the plurality of radial directions. Each of the plurality of dielectric members 51 is attached to the ball screw of the corresponding guide mechanism 52 and is movable in the radial direction by a drive unit 53. The drive unit 53 may be an operation unit such as a knob that is manually operated. Alternatively, the drive unit 53 may be composed of an actuator such as a stepping motor and a control unit.
[0033] Each of the plurality of dielectric members 51 may include a protrusion 51p. In this case, a plurality of slits 31ps extending in the radial direction below each of the plurality of guide mechanisms 52 are formed in a conductor plate 31p that defines from below the layer in which the dielectric members 51 are disposed among the plurality of layers 320. The protrusions 51p of each of the plurality of dielectric members 51 are disposed in each of the plurality of slits 31ps. The plurality of dielectric members 51 and the guide mechanisms 52 may be formed from an insulator such as alumina ceramics, quartz, or tetrafluoroethylene.
[0034] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, the effective dielectric constant of the waveguide 32 can be adjusted by the plurality of dielectric members 51. Therefore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can adjust the resonance frequency of the resonator 30. In addition, since the radial positions of the plurality of dielectric members 51 can be changed by the plurality of guide mechanisms 52, it is also possible to change the resonance frequency of the resonator 30. In addition, by arranging the plurality of dielectric members 51 at the intermediate position between the first end 301 and the second end 302 of the waveguide 32, it is possible to increase the effective dielectric constant of the waveguide 32 to the greatest extent. As a result, it is possible to decrease (or change) the resonance frequency of the resonator 30 to the greatest extent.
[0035] Hereinafter, a plasma processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a plasma processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3. Hereinafter, the plasma processing apparatus 1B shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 will be described from the viewpoint of differences from the plasma processing apparatus 1.
[0036] The plasma processing apparatus 1B includes a resonator 30B instead of the resonator 30. The resonator 30B also includes a plurality of dielectric members 51 as at least one dielectric member 51, similar to the resonator 30 of the plasma processing apparatus 1. The resonator 30B does not include a plurality of guide mechanisms 52. In the resonator 30B, the plurality of dielectric members 51 can be disposed at an intermediate position between the first end 301 and the second end 302 of the waveguide 32. The plurality of dielectric members 51 are detachably fixed to a wall 31w that defines the outer portion 31o. Each of the plurality of dielectric members 51 is fixed to the wall 31w, for example, by one or more screws.
[0037] In addition, in the resonator 30B, the multiple dielectric members 51 may be arranged at multiple locations rotationally symmetrical about the axis line AX. The multiple dielectric members 51 may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction about the axis line AX. Other configurations of the plasma processing apparatus 1B are similar to the corresponding configurations of the plasma processing apparatus 1.
[0038] Hereinafter, a plasma processing apparatus according to still another exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a plasma processing apparatus according to still another exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, the plasma processing apparatus 1C shown in Fig. 5 will be described from the viewpoint of differences from the plasma processing apparatus 1.
[0039] The plasma processing apparatus 1C includes a resonator 30C instead of the resonator 30. The resonator 30C includes at least one spacer 51C as at least one adjustment member. The at least one spacer 51C is made of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or copper. The at least one spacer 51C may have a columnar shape. The at least one spacer 51C is disposed between the first end 301 and the second end 302 in the waveguide 32. The at least one spacer 51C is disposed closer to the first end 301 than the second end 302. The at least one spacer 51C may be disposed in the uppermost layer of the multiple layers 320.
[0040] The resonator 30C may include a plurality of spacers 51C as at least one spacer 51C. The plurality of spacers 51C may be arranged rotationally symmetrically about the axis line AX in the uppermost layer of the plurality of layers 320. The plurality of spacers 51C may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction about the axis line AX.
[0041] The spacers 51C may be provided in the waveguide 32 so as to be movable along a plurality of radial directions that are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the axis AX or along a plurality of radial directions that are equally spaced along the circumferential direction with respect to the axis AX. In one embodiment, the upper wall 31u that defines the top layer from above and the conductor plate 31p that defines the top layer from below each have a plurality of slits that extend in a plurality of radial directions. In this case, each of the spacers 51C may have a cylindrical shape. A screw that extends through the slits in the upper wall 31u and the corresponding slits in the conductor plate 31p is inserted into the inner hole of each of the spacers 51C. The screw is screwed into a nut disposed below the conductor plate 31p. Each of the spacers 51C is clamped and fixed together with the upper wall 31u and the conductor plate 31p by the head of the screw and the nut. In the resonator 30C, the spacer 51C can be moved in the radial direction by moving the screw along the slit in the upper wall 31u and the corresponding slit in the conductive plate 31p and moving the corresponding spacer 51C together with the screw. The other configurations of the plasma processing device 1C are the same as those of the plasma processing device 1.
[0042] In the plasma processing apparatus 1C, the position where the electromagnetic wave is reflected near the first end 301 can be adjusted by the plurality of spacers 51C. Therefore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can adjust the resonance frequency of the resonator 30C. In addition, by moving the plurality of spacers 51C in the radial direction, the position where the electromagnetic wave is reflected near the first end 301 can be changed. Therefore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can change the resonance frequency of the resonator 30C.
[0043] Although various exemplary embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made. In addition, elements in different embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments.
[0044] For example, in the plasma processing apparatuses of the various exemplary embodiments described above, the wall of the outer portion 31o may have a substantially cylindrical shape. Also, each of the layers 320 constituting the waveguide 32 may have a cylindrical shape, and these layers 320 may be stacked in the radial direction with respect to the axis line AX. That is, the layers 320 may be arranged coaxially with respect to the axis line AX.
[0045] From the foregoing, it will be understood that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]
[0046] 1...plasma processing apparatus, 10...chamber, 12...substrate support, 14...excitation electrode, 16...emission portion, 30...resonator, 31...conductor portion, 31i...inner portion, 31o...outer portion, 31p...conductor plate, 301...first end, 302...second end, 32...waveguide, 320...layer, 51...dielectric member, 51C...spacer.
Claims
1. a chamber providing a processing volume therein; a substrate support disposed within the processing space; an excitation electrode provided above the substrate support; An emission section provided to emit electromagnetic waves into a plasma generation space below the excitation electrode; a resonator disposed on the excitation electrode and electromagnetically coupled to the emitter; Equipped with The resonator has a waveguide including a plurality of folded portions between a first end and a second end thereof, and has at least one adjustment member within the waveguide configured to adjust a resonant frequency of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide.
2. the at least one tuning member includes at least one dielectric member having a dielectric constant different from a dielectric constant in other portions of the waveguide; the at least one dielectric member is positionable at an intermediate location between the first end and the second end of the waveguide. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 .
3. the emission portion extends about a central axis of the chamber and the excitation electrode; The resonator comprises: an inner portion and an outer portion extending coaxially with respect to the central axis; A plurality of conductor plates arranged parallel to each other along a vertical direction in which the central axis extends; a waveguide including a plurality of layers extending between the outer portion and the inner portion and interleaved with the plurality of conductor plates; each of the plurality of layers is connected to an upper layer of the plurality of layers at one of a plurality of folds along the inner portion or the outer portion; a lowermost conductor plate among the plurality of conductor plates has a plurality of slots electromagnetically coupled to the emission portion; The plurality of slots are arranged in a circumferential direction about the central axis. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2 .
4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the resonator further comprises at least one guide mechanism configured to guide the at least one dielectric member radially relative to the central axis.
5. the resonator includes a plurality of dielectric members as the at least one dielectric member, and includes a plurality of guide mechanisms arranged rotationally symmetrically around the central axis as the at least one guide mechanism, The plurality of guide mechanisms are configured to guide the plurality of dielectric members in a radial direction, respectively. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4 .
6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one dielectric member is positionable within the waveguide and removably secured to the outer portion.
7. the resonator includes a plurality of dielectric members as the at least one dielectric member; The plurality of dielectric members can be arranged at a plurality of positions rotationally symmetrical about the central axis in the waveguide, and are detachably fixed to the outer portion. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6 .
8. 8. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one dielectric member changes an effective dielectric constant of the waveguide.
9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustment member comprises at least one spacer made of metal and disposed within the waveguide between the first end and the second end.
10. the emission portion extends about a central axis of the chamber and the excitation electrode; The resonator comprises: an inner portion and an outer portion extending coaxially with respect to the central axis; A plurality of conductor plates arranged parallel to each other along a vertical direction in which the central axis extends; a waveguide including a plurality of layers extending between the outer portion and the inner portion and interleaved with the plurality of conductor plates; each of the plurality of layers is connected to an upper layer of the plurality of layers at one of a plurality of folds along the inner portion or the outer portion; a lowermost conductor plate among the plurality of conductor plates has a plurality of slots electromagnetically coupled to the emission portion; The plurality of slots are arranged in a circumferential direction about the central axis. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 .
11. the resonator includes a plurality of spacers as the at least one spacer, the plurality of spacers are arranged in a top layer of the plurality of layers and rotationally symmetrically with respect to the central axis; The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10.
12. 12. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one spacer is provided movable in the waveguide along a radial direction relative to the central axis.
13. a chamber providing a processing volume therein; a substrate support disposed within the processing space; an excitation electrode provided above the substrate support; An emission section provided to emit electromagnetic waves into a plasma generation space below the excitation electrode; a resonator disposed on the excitation electrode and electromagnetically coupled to the emitter; Equipped with The resonator comprises: a waveguide including a plurality of folds between a first end and a second end of the waveguide; at least one dielectric member having a dielectric constant different from a dielectric constant of other portions of the waveguide, the at least one dielectric member positionable at an intermediate location between the first end and the second end of the waveguide; A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
14. the emission portion extends about a central axis of the chamber and the excitation electrode; The resonator comprises: an inner portion and an outer portion extending coaxially with respect to the central axis; A plurality of conductor plates arranged parallel to each other along a vertical direction in which the central axis extends; a waveguide including a plurality of layers extending between the outer portion and the inner portion and interleaved with the plurality of conductor plates; each of the plurality of layers is connected to an upper layer of the plurality of layers at one of a plurality of folds along the inner portion or the outer portion; a lowermost conductor plate among the plurality of conductor plates has a plurality of slots electromagnetically coupled to the emission portion; The plurality of slots are arranged in a circumferential direction about the central axis. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 13 .
15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the resonator further comprises at least one guiding mechanism configured to radially guide the at least one dielectric member relative to the central axis.
16. the resonator includes a plurality of dielectric members as the at least one dielectric member, and includes a plurality of guide mechanisms arranged rotationally symmetrically around the central axis as the at least one guide mechanism, The plurality of guide mechanisms are configured to guide the plurality of dielectric members in a radial direction, respectively. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 15 .
17. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one dielectric member is positionable within the waveguide and removably secured to the outer portion.
18. the resonator includes a plurality of dielectric members as the at least one dielectric member; The plurality of dielectric members can be arranged at a plurality of positions rotationally symmetrical about the central axis in the waveguide, and are detachably fixed to the outer portion. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 17 .
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
JP2020092031A