Adjustment member, substrate processing apparatus, and adjustment method

Abstract

To facilitate adjustment of the interval between two constituent members.SOLUTION: Provided is an adjustment member that adjusts the interval between two constituent members and has an annular main body having a first center. The main body has an inner peripheral surface having a plurality of inner peripheral recesses formed in a circumferential direction. Each of the plurality of inner peripheral recesses has an inner peripheral surface formed by a curved line, an outer peripheral surface surrounding the inner peripheral surface from outside, and a plurality of main body widths between the outer peripheral surface corresponding to each of the plurality of inner peripheral recesses and the plurality of inner peripheral recesses. The plurality of main body widths has widths different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an adjusting member, a substrate processing apparatus, and an adjusting method. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes that in a substrate processing apparatus, a gap of a predetermined width is provided between the side of a mounting table on which the substrate is placed and the side of a ring member arranged around the mounting table, thereby reducing the amount of deposits that adhere between the back surface of the substrate and the mounting table. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-160843 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique that allows easy adjustment of the gap between two components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an adjustment member for adjusting a gap between two components, the adjustment member having a ring-shaped main body having a first center, the main body having a plurality of inner circumferential recesses formed in a circumferential direction, each of the inner circumferential recesses having an inner circumferential surface configured with a curve, an outer circumferential surface surrounding the inner circumferential surface from the outside, and a plurality of body widths between the outer circumferential surface corresponding to each of the inner circumferential recesses and each of the inner circumferential recesses, the plurality of body widths being different from one another, and a plurality of spacing adjustment portions. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to one aspect, the distance between the two components can be easily adjusted. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between the height of the shield ring and deposits according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an arrangement of a first adjustment member and a second adjustment member according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a first adjustment member and its surroundings according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a main body of a first adjustment member according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a main body of a first adjustment member according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 6A to 6C are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of a first adjustment member according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a second adjustment member according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing a state of thermal expansion of a shield ring according to a reference example. [Figure 10] 13A and 13B are views showing a gap adjusting structure according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 13 is a graph showing the measured distance between the bottom surface of the substrate and the top surface of the shield ring at each position in the longitudinal direction of the shield ring. [Figure 12] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing an example of a stepped labyrinth structure of a shield ring and an island shape of a positioning member; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

[0009] In this specification, deviations in directions such as parallel, right angle, orthogonal, horizontal, vertical, up / down, left / right, etc. are permitted so long as they do not impair the effects of the embodiments. The shape of the corners is not limited to right angles, and may be rounded in an arch shape. Parallel, right angle, orthogonal, horizontal, vertical, circular, and coincident may include substantially parallel, substantially right angle, substantially orthogonal, substantially horizontal, substantially vertical, substantially circular, and substantially coincident. Annular includes rectangular annular. Cylindrical includes rectangular cylindrical. Up / down corresponds to the up / down direction when a substrate processing apparatus described below is installed, and left / right is based on the above up / down direction.

[0010] [Substrate processing equipment] The plasma processing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of the plasma processing apparatus 10. The plasma processing apparatus 10 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus.

[0011] The plasma processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) processing apparatus that performs various substrate processing methods on a rectangular substrate G (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate) for a flat panel display (hereinafter referred to as an FPD) in plan view. The substrate G is mainly made of glass, and transparent synthetic resin may be used depending on the application. The substrate processing includes a film formation process using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, an etching process, and the like. Examples of FPDs include a liquid crystal display (LCD), an electroluminescence (EL), and a plasma display panel (PDP). The substrate G includes a form in which a circuit is patterned on its surface, as well as a supporting substrate. The planar dimensions of FPD substrates are becoming larger with each generation, and the planar dimensions of the substrate G processed by the plasma processing apparatus 10 include at least dimensions ranging from about 1500 mm×1800 mm for the sixth generation to about 3000 mm×3400 mm for the 10.5th generation. The thickness of the substrate G is about 0.2 mm to several mm.

[0012] 1 has a rectangular box shape and includes a processing vessel 20 for accommodating a substrate G, a substrate mounting stage (mounting stage) 70 having a rectangular outer shape in a plan view that is disposed in the processing vessel 20 and on which the substrate G is mounted, and a control unit 90. The processing vessel 20 may have a cylindrical box shape, an elliptical cylindrical box shape, or the like, and in this form, the substrate mounting stage 70 also has a circular or elliptical shape, and the substrate G mounted on the substrate mounting stage 70 also has a circular or other shape.

[0013] Processing vessel 20 is divided into two spaces, upper and lower, by metal window 30, with antenna chamber A, which is the upper space, being formed by upper chamber 13, and processing chamber S, which is the lower space, being formed by lower chamber 17. In processing vessel 20, a rectangular ring-shaped support frame 14 is disposed at the boundary between upper chamber 13 and lower chamber 17 so as to protrude into the inside of processing vessel 20, and metal window 30 is attached to support frame 14.

[0014] An upper chamber 13 forming the antenna room A is formed by a side wall 11 and a top plate 12, and is formed as a whole from a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0015] The lower chamber 17 having the processing space S therein is formed by a side wall 15 and a bottom plate 16, and is made of a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy as a whole. The side wall 15 is grounded by a ground wire 21.

[0016] The support frame 14 is formed from a metal such as conductive aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and can also be called a metal frame.

[0017] A rectangular annular (endless) seal groove 22 is formed in the upper end of the side wall 15 of the lower chamber 17. A seal member 23 such as an O-ring is fitted into the seal groove 22, and the seal member 23 is held by the contact surface of the support frame 14, thereby forming a seal structure between the lower chamber 17 and the support frame 14.

[0018] A loading / unloading port 15a for loading / unloading a substrate G into / from the lower chamber 17 is provided in the side wall 15 of the lower chamber 17, and the loading / unloading port 15a is configured to be freely opened and closed by a gate valve 24. A transfer chamber (neither shown) containing a transfer mechanism is adjacent to the lower chamber 17, and the gate valve 24 is controlled to open and close, and the substrate G is loaded and unloaded by the transfer mechanism through the loading / unloading port 15a.

[0019] Moreover, the sidewall 15 of the processing vessel 20 that houses the substrate mounting table 70 in the lower chamber 17 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. In other words, the processing vessel 20 is formed in a rectangular horizontal cross section at least at the position of the lower chamber 17 that houses the substrate mounting table 70. The substrate mounting table 70 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above in a plan view (see FIG. 3). In other words, the substrate mounting table 70 is formed in a rectangular horizontal cross section. A plurality of exhaust ports 16a are provided in the bottom plate 16 of the lower chamber 17. A plurality of exhaust ports 16a are arranged around the substrate mounting table 70 in the bottom plate 16 of the processing vessel 20. In other words, the exhaust ports 16a are arranged outside the substrate mounting table 70 and inside the sidewall 15 of the processing vessel 20 (lower chamber 17) when viewed in a plan view.

[0020] Each exhaust port 16a is connected to an exhaust device 300. A pressure gauge (not shown) is provided at an appropriate position in the lower chamber 17, and monitor information from the pressure gauge is transmitted to the control unit 90.

[0021] The substrate mounting table 70 has a base material 71 and an electrostatic chuck 74 laminated on an upper surface 71a of the base material 71. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74 is provided as a mounting surface on which the substrate G is mounted.

[0022] The base material 71 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and has planar dimensions similar to those of the substrate G mounted on the substrate mounting table 70. The length of the long side of the base material 71 can be set to about 1800 mm to 3400 mm, and the length of the short side can be set to about 1500 mm to 3000 mm. With respect to these planar dimensions, the thickness of the base material 71 can be, for example, about 50 mm to 100 mm. The mounting surface of the substrate mounting table 70 is slightly smaller than the substrate G, and as described later, the outer periphery of the substrate G slightly protrudes from the peripheral portion of the mounting surface.

[0023] A box-shaped pedestal 78 made of an insulating material and having a step on its inside is fixed on the bottom plate 16 of the lower chamber 17, and the substrate mounting table 70 is placed on the step of the pedestal 78.

[0024] An electrostatic chuck 74 on which a substrate G is directly placed is formed on an upper surface 71a of the base material 71. The electrostatic chuck 74 has a ceramic layer 74a (ceramic spray coating) and a conductive layer 74b (electrostatic adsorption electrode). The ceramic layer 74a is a dielectric coating formed by spraying ceramics such as alumina or yttria. The conductive layer 74b is embedded inside the ceramic layer 74a and has an electrostatic adsorption function, and is formed of tungsten, molybdenum, or the like.

[0025] The conductive layer 74b is connected to a DC power supply 85 via a power supply line 84. When a switch (not shown) on the power supply line 84 is turned on by the control unit 90, a DC voltage is applied from the DC power supply 85 to the conductive layer 74b, generating a Coulomb force. Due to this Coulomb force, the substrate G is electrostatically attracted to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74, and is held in a state in which it is placed on the upper surface 71a of the base material 71.

[0026] A temperature control medium flow path 72a is provided on the base material 71 constituting the substrate mounting table 70, and the temperature control medium flow path 72a is formed in a serpentine shape so as to cover the entire area of ​​a rectangular plane. Both ends of the temperature control medium flow path 72a are connected to a feed pipe 72b through which the temperature control medium is supplied to the temperature control medium flow path 72a, and a return pipe 72c through which the temperature control medium that has been heated by flowing through the temperature control medium flow path 72a is discharged. The temperature control medium flow path may be provided on a temperature control plate that is a separate component separated from the base material 71.

[0027] A feed flow path 87 and a return flow path 88 are connected to the feed pipe 72b and the return pipe 72c, respectively, and the feed flow path 87 and the return flow path 88 are connected to a chiller 86. The chiller 86 has a main body that controls the temperature and discharge flow rate of the temperature control medium, and a pump that pressurizes and pumps the temperature control medium (both not shown). A refrigerant is used as the temperature control medium, and Galden (registered trademark) or Fluorinert (registered trademark) is used as the refrigerant. The illustrated example shows a temperature control form in which a temperature control medium is circulated through the base material 71, but the base material 71 may have a built-in heater or the like and the temperature may be controlled by the heater, or the temperature may be controlled by both the temperature control medium and the heater. Instead of a heater, a high-temperature temperature control medium may be circulated to control the temperature with heating. Furthermore, a water channel or a heater may be provided in a temperature control plate that is a separate part separated from the base material 71. The heater, which is a resistor, is made of tungsten or molybdenum, or a compound of any one of these metals with alumina, titanium, or the like.

[0028] A temperature sensor (not shown) such as a thermocouple is provided on the base material 71, and monitor information from the temperature sensor is transmitted to the control unit 90 as needed. Then, based on the transmitted monitor information, the control unit 90 performs temperature control of the base material 71 and the substrate G. More specifically, the control unit 90 adjusts the temperature and flow rate of the temperature control medium supplied from the chiller 86 to the feed flow path 87. Then, the temperature control medium whose temperature and flow rate have been adjusted is circulated through the temperature control medium flow path 72a, thereby performing temperature control of the substrate mounting table 70. The temperature sensor such as a thermocouple may be provided in, for example, the electrostatic chuck 74.

[0029] A step is formed by the outer periphery of the electrostatic chuck 74 and the substrate 71 and the upper surface of the pedestal 78, and an annular or cylindrical first ring member 75 surrounding the substrate 71 is disposed on the step. An annular or cylindrical side shield 76 extending from the bottom plate 16 to the height of the upper surface of the first ring member 75 is provided on the outer periphery of the pedestal 78 and the outer periphery of the first ring member 75. The first ring member 75 and the side shield 76 are formed of an insulating material such as ceramics, resin, or quartz. The outer peripheral surface of the pedestal 78 and the outer peripheral surface of the first ring member 75 are covered by the side shield 76. An annular shield ring 79 surrounding the electrostatic chuck 74 is placed on the first ring member 75. The shield ring 79 is an example of an annular second ring member placed on the first ring member 75. The second ring member surrounds the mounting surface (upper surface 71a) of the substrate 71. The outer periphery of the shield ring 79 is placed on the upper surface of the side shield 76. The shield ring 79 is made of ceramics such as alumina, quartz, or the like.

[0030] With the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79 placed on the step portion, the upper surface of the shield ring 79 is set to be lower than the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74 (the surface on which the substrate G is placed).

[0031] A power supply member 80 is connected to the lower surface of the base material 71. A power supply line 81 is connected to the lower end of the power supply member 80, and the power supply line 81 is connected to a high-frequency power supply 83, which is a bias power supply, via a matcher 82 that performs impedance matching. A high-frequency power of, for example, 3.2 MHz is applied to the substrate mounting table 70 from the high-frequency power supply 83. This generates an RF bias, and ions generated by the high-frequency power supply 56, which is a source for generating plasma described below, are attracted to the substrate G, so that, for example, a film formation process can be performed on the substrate G. In this way, the substrate mounting table 70 forms a bias electrode that mounts the substrate G and generates an RF bias. At this time, a portion that is at ground potential inside the lower chamber 17 functions as an opposing electrode of the bias electrode and forms a return circuit for the high-frequency power. The metal window 30 may be configured as a part of the return circuit for the high-frequency power. The metal window 30 is formed by a plurality of divided metal windows 31. The number of divided metal windows 31 that form the metal window 30 can be set to various numbers, such as 12 or 24.

[0032] The divided metal window 31 includes a conductor plate 32 and a shower plate 34. The divided metal window 31 also serves as a processing gas discharge section for discharging processing gas into the processing chamber S. Both the conductor plate 32 and the shower plate 34 are made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or the like, which is a non-magnetic, conductive, and corrosion-resistant metal or a metal that has been subjected to a corrosion-resistant surface treatment. The corrosion-resistant surface treatment is, for example, anodizing or ceramic spraying. In addition, the exposed surface 34a of the shower plate 34 facing the processing chamber S may be subjected to a plasma-resistant coating by anodizing or ceramic spraying. The conductor plate 32 is grounded via a ground wire (not shown), and the shower plate 34 is also grounded via the conductor plates 32 that are joined to each other.

[0033] Each divided metal window 31 constituting the metal window 30 is suspended from the top plate 12 of the upper chamber 13 by a plurality of suspenders (not shown). A spacer (not shown) made of an insulating material is disposed above each divided metal window 31, and a high-frequency antenna (inductively coupled antenna) 51 is disposed at a distance from the conductor plate 32 by the spacer. The high-frequency antenna 51 contributes to plasma generation and is formed by winding an antenna wire made of a metal with good electrical conductivity such as copper in a circular or spiral shape. For example, multiple circular antenna wires may be disposed. The high-frequency antenna 51 is disposed on the upper surface of the divided metal window 31, and is therefore suspended from the top plate 12 via the divided metal window 31. The high-frequency antenna 51 is disposed in an antenna chamber A of the upper chamber 13 at the top of the processing vessel 20.

[0034] A gas diffusion groove 33 is formed on the lower surface of the conductor plate 32, and a through hole 32b is provided to connect the gas diffusion groove 33 to the upper end surface 32a. A gas introduction pipe 52 is embedded in the through hole 32b. A plurality of gas discharge holes 35 are provided in the shower plate 34, which communicate with the gas diffusion groove 33 of the conductor plate 32 and the processing chamber S. The shower plate 34 is fastened to the lower surface of the conductor plate 32 in an area outside the gas diffusion groove 33 by metal screws (not shown). The gas diffusion groove may be provided on the upper surface of the shower plate 34. The gas diffusion groove 33 is not limited to a linearly extending recess, but may also include a recess having a planar expansion.

[0035] Each divided metal window 31 is electrically insulated from the support frame 14 and the adjacent divided metal window 31 by an insulating member 37. Here, the insulating member 37 is made of a fluororesin such as PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). An end face 37a of the insulating member 37 facing the processing chamber S is flush with an exposed face 34a of the shower plate 34 facing the processing chamber S, and an insulating cover member 38 is disposed straddling the exposed face 34a of the adjacent shower plate 34 while covering the end face 37a of the insulating member 37. This cover member 38 is made of ceramics such as alumina.

[0036] The insulating member 37 is made of a resin such as PTFE, which has high insulating performance and is lightweight. However, the plasma resistance of resin is not as high as that of ceramics such as alumina. Furthermore, it is difficult to perform plasma-resistant coating on the surface of the resin by anodizing or ceramic spraying. Therefore, in the plasma processing apparatus 10, the end surface 37a of the insulating member 37 on the processing chamber S side is covered with a cover member 38 made of ceramics, for example, to protect the insulating member 37 from plasma. Each insulating member 37, which insulates the support frame 14 from the divided metal window 31 and between adjacent divided metal windows 31, is covered with the cover member 38.

[0037] A power supply member 53 extending above the upper chamber 13 is connected to the high-frequency antenna 51, and a power supply line 54 is connected to the upper end of the power supply member 53. The power supply line 54 is connected to a high-frequency power source 56 via a matching box 55 that performs impedance matching.

[0038] When a high frequency power of, for example, 13.56 MHz is applied to the high frequency antenna 51 from the high frequency power supply 56, an inductive electric field is formed in the lower chamber 17. Due to this inductive electric field, the processing gas supplied from the shower plate 34 to the processing chamber S is converted into plasma, generating inductively coupled plasma.

[0039] The high frequency power supply 56 is a source for generating plasma, and the high frequency power supply 83 connected to the substrate mounting table 70 serves as a bias power supply that attracts ions generated by plasma generation to the substrate G and imparts kinetic energy to the substrate G. In this way, the ion source generates plasma using inductive coupling, and a separate bias power supply is connected to the substrate mounting table 70 to control the ion energy. This allows plasma generation and ion energy control to be performed independently, increasing the flexibility of the process.

[0040] The gas introduction pipes 52 of each divided metal window 31 are gathered together in one place inside the antenna chamber A, and the gas introduction pipes 52 extending upward pass airtight through a supply port 12a opened in the top plate 12 of the upper chamber 13. The gas introduction pipes 52 are connected to a process gas supply source 64 via a gas supply pipe 61 that is airtightly joined thereto.

[0041] An opening / closing valve 62 and a flow rate controller 63 such as a mass flow controller are provided in the gas supply pipe 61. A processing gas supply unit 60 is formed by the gas supply pipe 61, the opening / closing valve 62, the flow rate controller 63, and a processing gas supply source 64. The gas supply pipe 61 branches in the middle, and each branch pipe is connected to an opening / closing valve, a flow rate controller, and a processing gas supply source or a cleaning gas supply source according to the type of processing gas (not shown).

[0042] In plasma processing, a processing gas is supplied from a processing gas supply unit 60 through a gas supply pipe 61 and a gas introduction pipe 52 to the gas diffusion grooves 33 of the conductor plate 32 of each divided metal window 31. Then, the processing gas is discharged from each gas diffusion groove 33 through the gas discharge holes 35 of each shower plate 34 into the processing chamber S.

[0043] Thus, the plasma processing apparatus 10 includes a first plasma generating unit that generates processing plasma for performing substrate processing (film formation processing, etching processing, etc.) on the substrate G. The first plasma generating unit includes at least a metal window 30 and a high-frequency antenna 51. A high-frequency power source 56 supplies high-frequency power to the high-frequency antenna 51, and a processing gas supply unit 60 supplies processing gas to the processing chamber S through the divided metal window 31 (processing gas discharge unit). The first plasma generating unit forms an induction electric field in the processing chamber S, and generates plasma of the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber S by this induction electric field.

[0044] The control unit 90 controls the operation of each component of the plasma processing apparatus 10, such as the chiller 86, the high frequency power supplies 56 and 83, the processing gas supply unit 60, and the exhaust unit 300 based on monitor information transmitted from the pressure gauge. The control unit 90 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU executes a predetermined process according to a recipe (process recipe) stored in a storage area of ​​the RAM or ROM. The recipe sets control information for the plasma processing apparatus 10 with respect to process conditions. The control information includes, for example, the gas flow rate, the pressure in the processing vessel 20, the temperature in the processing vessel 20, the temperature of the substrate 71, and the process time.

[0045] The recipe and the program applied by the control unit 90 may be stored in, for example, a hard disk, a compact disk, a magneto-optical disk, etc. The recipe and the like may be stored in a portable computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, a memory card, etc., and set in the control unit 90 and read out. The control unit 90 also has user interfaces such as input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse for inputting commands, a display device such as a display for visualizing and displaying the operating status of the plasma processing apparatus 10, and an output device such as a printer.

[0046] [Adjustment parts] In the plasma processing apparatus 10 described above, the shield ring 79 is disposed around the mounting surface (e.g., the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74) of the substrate mounting table 70 on which the substrate G is mounted. Since the mounting surface is slightly smaller than the substrate G, the outer periphery of the substrate G extends beyond the periphery of the mounting surface and overlaps with the inner periphery of the shield ring 79.

[0047] Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the height of the shield ring 79 according to one embodiment and adhesions. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the outer periphery of the substrate G, in which the substrate G hangs over the inner periphery of the shield ring 79, which is outside the periphery of the mounting surface.

[0048] At this time, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the upper surface of the shield ring 79 is formed at a position slightly lower than the mounting surface (the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74), so that the outer periphery of the substrate G does not come into contact with the shield ring 79, and a gap is formed between the shield ring 79 and the outer periphery of the substrate G.

[0049] This gap serves as an intrusion path for reaction products and the like as shown in Fig. 2(a). When the number of substrates G processed in the processing vessel 20 increases, reaction products and the like enter through the intrusion path and adhere to the peripheral edge of the mounting surface as shown in Fig. 2(b). When the members around the outer periphery of the substrate G are rubbed due to thermal expansion during substrate processing, and the adhered reaction products peel off and fly onto the electrostatic chuck 74 as shown in Fig. 2(b), a problem occurs in that the adhesion between the substrate G and the mounting surface is impaired.

[0050] For this reason, it has been considered to intentionally provide a gap of a specified width between the peripheral side of the substrate mounting table 70 directly below the mounting surface and the inner peripheral side of the shield ring 79 in order to guide the reaction products into the gap and contain them therein, but this would not be able to sufficiently remove the reaction products from the peripheral part of the mounting surface.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2(c), the gap H between the substrate G and the shield ring 79 is narrowed to prevent the reaction products from entering around the outer periphery of the substrate G. Since the appropriate size of the gap between the substrate G and the shield ring 79 can vary depending on the situation, it is preferable that it is not fixed but can be easily changed. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, a first adjustment member 100 capable of adjusting the distance between the shield ring 79 and the first ring member 75 below it is provided on the inner surface of the first ring member 75.

[0052] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the first adjustment member 100 according to one embodiment. The solid circle indicates an example of the position where the first adjustment member 100 is arranged. The dashed circle indicates an example of the position where the second adjustment member 200 is arranged.

[0053] The first adjustment members 100 are provided at the center of the sides of the shield ring 79. In Fig. 3, the first adjustment members 100 are provided one on each side, for a total of four, but this is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of first adjustment members 100 may be provided on each side. The second adjustment members 200 are provided at the corners of the base material 71 (electrostatic chuck 74).

[0054] The first adjustment member 100 and the second adjustment member 200 are examples of adjustment members that narrow the gap between the substrate G and the shield ring 79. The arrangement of the adjustment members is not limited to the case where both the first adjustment member 100 and the second adjustment member 200 are used as in the example of FIG. 3, but the first adjustment member 100 or the second adjustment member 200 may be uniformly arranged. Although the second adjustment member 200 has a simpler installation structure than the first adjustment member 100, the first adjustment member 100 has a structure that is less likely to be lost than the second adjustment member 200, so the first adjustment member 100 alone may be arranged on the sides and corners. Furthermore, with emphasis on the simplicity of the installation structure, the second adjustment member 200 alone may be arranged on the sides and corners. The configuration and operation of the first adjustment member 100 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. The configuration of the second adjustment member 200 will be described later with reference to FIG. 8.

[0055] [First adjustment part] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a first adjustment member 100 and its periphery according to an embodiment. The first adjustment member 100 is an example of an adjustment member that adjusts the gap between two components. In this embodiment, the first adjustment member 100 adjusts the gap between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79, which are examples of two components, by adjusting the height of the shield ring 79. As a result, the gap H between the substrate G and the shield ring 79 can be adjusted.

[0056] The substrate mounting table 70 includes a base material 71, an electrostatic chuck 74, a first ring member 75, a shield ring 79, a shaft member 102, and a first adjustment member 100. The shaft member 102 is disposed so as to straddle the base material 71 and the first ring member 75.

[0057] The shaft member 102 is a connecting member that connects the base material 71 and the first ring member 75. The shaft member 102 has a threaded portion 102a, a cylindrical member 102b, and a cover portion 102c. The cylindrical member 102b is hollow and has a bottom portion with a through hole and an opening at the tip opposite to the bottom portion. The threaded portion 102a penetrates the through hole at the bottom portion of the cylindrical member 102b from inside the cylindrical member 102b. Since the head portion of the threaded portion 102a has a diameter larger than the through hole, the head portion of the threaded portion 102a cannot pass through the through hole. The first adjustment member 100 is ring-shaped with an opening in the center, and the bottom portion of the cylindrical member 102b of the shaft member 102 penetrates the opening of the first adjustment member 100. The diameter of the outer diameter of the bottom of the cylindrical member 102b is smaller than the diameter of the outer diameter of the main body other than the bottom, and the inner diameter of the opening of the first adjustment member 100 is larger than the diameter of the bottom of the cylindrical member 102b. If the inner diameter of the opening of the first adjustment member 100 is smaller than the diameter of the main body of the cylindrical member 102b, the first adjustment member 100 cannot pass through the main body of the cylindrical member 102b. In other words, the main body of the cylindrical member 102b cannot pass through the opening of the first adjustment member 100. As a result, the first adjustment member 100 is prevented from falling off. On the other hand, in consideration of the convenience of attaching the first adjustment member 100, it is convenient that the inner diameter of the opening of the first adjustment member 100 is larger than the diameter of the main body of the cylindrical member 102b. Even in this case, the first adjustment member 100 hits the first ring member 75, and as a result, it cannot pass through the main body of the cylindrical member 102b. That is, the main body of the cylindrical member 102b cannot pass through the opening of the first adjustment member 100 by having a combined structure including the first ring member 75. Therefore, the size relationship between the diameter of the main body of the cylindrical member 102b and the inner diameter of the opening of the first adjustment member may be determined as needed.

[0058] The first ring member 75 has a step portion 75b and a recessed portion 75c that communicates with the step portion 75b on the side of the inner circumference. The bottom of the cylindrical member 102b abuts against the side surface of the base material 71 that faces the recessed portion 75c, and the threaded portion 102a is inserted into a hole provided in the side surface of the base material 71 and screwed in place. This fixes the cylindrical member 102b to the base material 71. However, the shaft member 102 is not limited to being fixed by a screw structure.

[0059] The opening at the tip of the cylindrical member 102b is closed by a lid portion 102c. The gap between the lid portion 102c and the cylindrical member 102b is sealed by a seal member 102d such as an O-ring to prevent plasma, gas, etc. from entering the cylindrical member 102b. The cylindrical member 102b of the shaft member 102 is accommodated in a recess 75c formed on the side surface of the first ring member 75.

[0060] At least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the first adjustment member 100 protrudes from the upper surface 75a of the first ring member 75 and abuts against the lower surface of the shield ring 79. The first adjustment member 100 is provided rotatably around the shaft member 102 in the space between the step portion 75b of the first ring member 75 and the side surface of the base material 71 facing the step portion 75b. At least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the first adjustment member 100 protrudes from the upper surface 75a of the first ring member 75, and can be rotated manually by a person (worker, etc.) before placing the shield ring 79. However, the first adjustment member 100 may be rotated automatically without being rotated by hand. In this case, the rotation operation may be controlled by the control unit 90. By rotating the first adjustment member 100, the height of the outer circumferential surface of the first adjustment member 100 protruding from the upper surface 75a can be changed. As a result, the height of the shield ring 79 can be changed to change the interval between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79. This makes it possible to adjust the gap H between the substrate G and the shield ring 79 shown in FIG. 2(c).

[0061] The upper surface of the shield ring 79 is located below the mounting surface (the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 74) regardless of the installation state of the first adjustment member 100 (the positions of multiple gap adjustment parts described later). In other words, the gap H between the lower surface of the substrate G and the upper surface of the shield ring 79 shown in FIG. 2(c) is larger than 0.

[0062] The first adjustment member 100 is provided on the step portion 75b on the inner peripheral side surface of the first ring member 75. The position of the first adjustment member 100 is preferably as close to the inner peripheral side of the shield ring 79 as possible. Since the height of the shield ring 79 is measured near the inner peripheral surface of the shield ring 79, the height adjustment is facilitated by adjusting the height using the first adjustment member 100 directly below the measurement point of the height of the shield ring 79. The side shield 76 can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown), and the height of the outer peripheral side of the shield ring 79 can be changed by raising and lowering the side shield 76. Therefore, if the first adjustment member 100 is disposed outside the center of the radial width of the first ring member 75, the height adjustment of the first adjustment member 100 may become meaningless due to the height adjustment of the side shield 76. For this reason, the position of the first adjustment member 100 is preferably at least inside the center of the radial width of the first ring member 75. It is possible to adjust the height on the inner side of the shield ring 79 using a material similar to that of the side shield 76, but in that case, the structure would be more complicated than on the outer side, and this would not be very advantageous.

[0063] [Configuration of the first adjustment member] The configuration of the first adjustment member 100 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams showing an example of a main body of the first adjustment member 100 according to one embodiment.

[0064] The first adjustment member 100 has an annular body 101 having a first center C. The body 101 is a petal-shaped annular member on an inner peripheral surface 101b and an outer peripheral surface 101c. Fig. 5(a) shows a four-petal annular member, i.e., an annular member having four outward protrusions, and Fig. 5(b) shows a six-petal annular member, i.e., an annular member having six outward protrusions.

[0065] The main body 101 has an inner peripheral surface 101b and an outer peripheral surface 101c. The inner peripheral surface 101b has a plurality of inner peripheral recesses formed in the circumferential direction, each of which is formed by a curve. The outer peripheral surface 101c surrounds the inner peripheral surface 101b from the outside. In the example of FIG. 5(a), the inner peripheral surface 101b has four inner peripheral recesses 101b1, 101b2, 101b3, and 101b4 formed in the circumferential direction, each of which is formed by a curve. In the example of FIG. 5(b), the inner peripheral surface 101b has six inner peripheral recesses 101b1, 101b2, 101b3, 101b4, 101b5, and 101b6 formed in the circumferential direction, each of which is formed by a curve.

[0066] The outer peripheral surface 101c has a plurality of outer peripheral convex portions formed in the circumferential direction corresponding to the plurality of inner peripheral concave portions, and each of the plurality of outer peripheral convex portions is formed by a curve. In the example of Fig. 5(a), the outer peripheral surface 101c has four outer peripheral convex portions 101c1, 101c2, 101c3, and 101c4 formed in the circumferential direction, and each of the four outer peripheral convex portions 101c1 to 101c4 is formed by a curve. The outer peripheral convex portion 101c1 corresponds to the inner peripheral concave portion 101b1, the outer peripheral convex portion 101c2 corresponds to the inner peripheral concave portion 101b2, the outer peripheral convex portion 101c3 corresponds to the inner peripheral concave portion 101b3, and the outer peripheral convex portion 101c4 corresponds to the inner peripheral concave portion 101b4. In the example of Fig. 5(b), the outer peripheral surface 101c has six outer peripheral convex parts 101c1, 101c2, 101c3, 101c4, 101c5, and 101c6 formed in the circumferential direction, and each of the six outer peripheral convex parts 101c1 to 101c6 is formed by a curve. In Fig. 5(b), as in Fig. 5(a), each of the outer peripheral convex parts 101c1 to 101c6 corresponds to each of the inner peripheral concave parts 101b1 to 101b6.

[0067] The main body 101 has a plurality of interval adjustment parts. The plurality of interval adjustment parts are parts of the main body 101. In the example of FIG. 5(a), the main body 101 has four interval adjustment parts 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D. The four interval adjustment parts 101A to 101D have a plurality of main body widths between the four inner peripheral recesses 101b1 to 101b4 and the four outer peripheral protrusions 101c1 to 101c4 corresponding to the inner peripheral recesses 101b1 to 101b4, respectively, and the plurality of main body widths are different from one another. That is, the four interval adjustment parts 101A to 101D have main body widths that are different from one another. In the example of FIG. 5(a), when the body width of gap-adjusting portion 101A is indicated as "0 mm" based on the reference body width of gap-adjusting portion 101A, the body width of gap-adjusting portion 101B is 0.1 mm wider than the body width of gap-adjusting portion 101A. The body width of gap-adjusting portion 101C is 0.2 mm wider than the body width of gap-adjusting portion 101A. The body width of gap-adjusting portion 101D is 0.3 mm wider than the body width of gap-adjusting portion 101A. Marks indicating their respective widths are provided on gap-adjusting portions 101A to 101D, and the marks make it possible to distinguish between the different body widths of gap-adjusting portions 101A to 101D.

[0068] In this way, the first adjustment member 100 is ring-shaped and has a plurality of widths that differ depending on the orientation. The inner peripheral concave portion and the outer peripheral convex portion of each of the plurality of interval adjustment portions are arc-shaped, and the body width of each interval adjustment portion is constant. Therefore, when the body 101 is rotated around the center C, the height of the shield ring 79 is adjusted to a constant height according to the body width of each interval adjustment portion while the outer peripheral surface 101c protruding from the upper surface 75a of the first ring member 75 is within the range of the arc of the interval adjustment portion. However, the inner peripheral concave portion and the outer peripheral convex portion of each interval adjustment portion are not limited to being arc-shaped, and may be a curve based on another function such as a parabola.

[0069] The inner peripheral recess of the inner peripheral surface 101b and the outer peripheral protrusion of the outer peripheral surface 101c, which form each of the multiple body widths, are arcs having a common second center and different radii of curvature. As shown in Fig. 6, a virtual circle V that shares a first center C with the body 101 is set inside the inner peripheral surface 101b. In this case, the second center is set on the circumference of the virtual circle V.

[0070] 6, the inner circumferential recess 101b1 and the outer circumferential protrusion 101c1 of the gap adjusting portion 101A are arcs having a common second center P1 and different radii of curvature r1 and r2. r1 indicates the radius of curvature from the second center P1 to the inner circumferential recess 101b1, and r2 indicates the radius of curvature from the second center P1 to the outer circumferential protrusion 101c1. In other words, the outward arc of the inner circumferential surface 101b (the inner circumferential recess 101b1) and the outward arc of the outer circumferential surface 101c (the outer circumferential protrusion 101c1) of the annular main body 101 are drawn with a common center on the circumference of the imaginary circle V.

[0071] The inner circumferential recess 101b6 and the outer circumferential protrusion 101c6 of the interval adjustment portion 101F are arcs having a common second center P2 and different radii of curvature r3 and r4. r3 indicates the radius of curvature from the second center P2 to the inner circumferential recess 101b6, and r4 indicates the radius of curvature from the second center P2 to the outer circumferential protrusion 101c6. Similarly, each of the inner circumferential recesses and each of the outer circumferential protrusions of the interval adjustment portions 101B to 101E are arcs having a common second center and different radii of curvature. In this way, the multiple second centers of the multiple interval adjustment portions 101A to 101F are all set on the circumference of the same imaginary circle V.

[0072] The radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple inner circumferential recesses may be the same as each other, and the radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple outer circumferential protrusions may be different from each other. The radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple inner circumferential recesses may be different from each other, and the radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple outer circumferential protrusions may be the same as each other. The radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple inner circumferential recesses may be different from each other, and the radii of curvature of the arcs of the multiple outer circumferential protrusions may also be different from each other.

[0073] With this configuration, unevenness is generated on the inner circumferential surface 101b in the range to be adjusted. As a result, the first adjustment member 100 has a mechanism for adjusting the height and suppressing rotation. The operation of the first adjustment member 100 using the mechanism for adjusting the height and suppressing rotation of the first adjustment member 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

[0074] Fig. 7(a) is a perspective view of the shaft member 102 and the main body 101 of the first adjustment member 100 as viewed from the upper surface 75a side of the first ring member 75. As shown in Fig. 7(a), at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the main body 101 of the first adjustment member 100 protrudes from the upper surface 75a of the first ring member 75. Therefore, the main body 101 can be rotated manually.

[0075] FIG. 7(b) shows an example of the rotational movement of the main body 101. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the opening of the main body 101 is larger than the outer diameter of the bottom 102b2 of the shaft member 102 (the cylindrical member 102b). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7(b-1), the upper part of the opening of the main body 101 is hooked on the bottom 102b2 of the cylindrical member 102b, and the lower part of the opening of the main body 101 hangs from the bottom 102b2 with a gap. In this state, the amount by which the shield ring 79 is pushed up, that is, the height of the inner circumference side of the shield ring 79, is determined by the main body width of the interval adjustment part protruding from the upper surface 75a of the first ring member 75. This allows the interval between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79 to be adjusted.

[0076] The first ring member 75, shield ring 79, and other members expand and contract due to thermal expansion caused by the heat input of plasma during substrate processing. This may cause friction between the members, causing the main body 101 to rotate. Even in this case, each gap adjustment portion is formed in an arc shape with a body width that is constant to a certain extent in the rotational direction. Therefore, even if the main body 101 rotates and a gap adjustment portion shifts slightly, the adjacent gap adjustment portion does not rotate as well, and the height of the shield ring 79 does not change.

[0077] The inner peripheral surface 101b is alternately formed with a plurality of inner peripheral recesses (see, for example, inner peripheral recesses 101b1 to 101b6 in FIG. 5(b)) corresponding to the interval adjustment parts in the range to be adjusted, and inner peripheral protrusions between the inner peripheral recesses. When the main body 101 rotates to the adjacent interval adjustment part, the inner peripheral protrusions lift the main body 101 slightly. In other words, the inner peripheral protrusions prevent the main body 101 from rotating unintentionally due to thermal expansion or the like and from rotating to the adjacent interval adjustment part unless the main body 101 is lifted by the inner peripheral protrusions exceeding the weight of the main body 101 itself and the load of the shield ring 79 placed thereon. For example, even if the main body 101 rotates unintentionally in a state in which the interval adjustment part 101A in FIG. 7(b-1) protrudes from the upper surface 75a, the interval adjustment part protruding from the upper surface 75a can be prevented from moving from the interval adjustment part 101A to the adjacent interval adjustment part. Therefore, it is preferable that the inner peripheral convex portions between the inner peripheral concave portions of the inner peripheral surface 101b are provided on the main body 101.

[0078] The recesses between the outer peripheral protrusions of the outer peripheral surface 101c (see, for example, the outer peripheral protrusions 101c1 to 101c6 in FIG. 5(b)) function to facilitate the rotation of the first adjustment member 100 by hooking a finger on the recess. For example, when an operator hooks a finger on the recess between the interval adjustment parts 101A and 101F in FIG. 7(b-1) and rotates the main body 101 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 7(b-2), the main body 101 is slightly lifted by the inner peripheral protrusions as shown in FIG. 7(b-3). When the main body 101 is further rotated, the main body 101 is in a state in which the inner peripheral recess of the interval adjustment part 101F is stably suspended around the axis of the bottom part 102b2 of the cylindrical member 102b as shown in FIG. 7(b-4). As a result, the height of the inner circumference side of the shield ring 79 is determined by the body width of the gap adjustment part 101F, with rotation in both directions being suppressed by the convex parts on both sides of the inner wind concave part of the gap adjustment part 101F. This makes it possible to readjust the gap between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79. However, the concave part of the outer circumference surface 101c does not have to be provided. For example, the outer circumference surface 101c may be circular.

[0079] 5, the body width of the plurality of gap adjustment parts has a width that allows the shield ring 79 to be adjusted to 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, etc., with 0 mm as the reference. Therefore, by rotating the body 101, which is a petal-shaped ring member, it is possible to select from the plurality of gap adjustment parts a gap adjustment part having an outer circumferential surface that protrudes from the upper surface 75a. This allows the height of the shield ring 79 to be finely adjusted, for example, in units of 0.1 mm.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of the first adjustment members 100 described above are arranged. In order to adjust the gap between the substrate G and the shield ring 79, the height adjusted by the four first adjustment members 100 arranged on each side of the shield ring 79 may be the same for each of the first adjustment members 100, or may be different. The height of the shield ring 79 may be adjusted by each of the first adjustment members 100 so as to approach the height of the electrostatic chuck 74 (lower electrode). In addition, the case where the shaft member 102 through which the first adjustment member passes is a connecting member that connects the base material 71 and the first ring member 75 has been described, but this is not limited thereto, and a shaft member may be provided as a dedicated member for passing the first adjustment member therethrough in addition to the connecting member.

[0081] [Second adjustment part] The configuration of the four second adjustment members 200 arranged at the corners shown in Fig. 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the second adjustment members 200 according to one embodiment.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8(c), the second adjustment member 200 is provided with a plurality of types of parts 201a-201e with different heights, and the height of the shield ring 79 is adjusted by replacing the parts 201a-201e with the different heights. If the height of the part 201a is indicated as "0 mm" as the reference, the height of the part 201b is 0.1 mm higher than the height of the part 201a. The height of the part 201c is 0.2 mm higher than the height of the part 201a. The height of the part 201d is 0.3 mm higher than the height of the part 201a. The height of the part 201e is 0.4 mm higher than the height of the part 201a. Marks indicating the respective heights are provided on the upper surfaces of the parts 201a-201e, and the marks allow the different heights of the parts 201a-201e to be distinguished from each other.

[0083] The second adjustment member 200 has a base 202 with an upper surface 202c having a substantially V-shaped configuration and cylindrical positioning protrusions 203a and 203b. At the center of the sides extending from the center of the substantially V-shaped upper surface 202c to both sides, recesses 202a and 202b having a diameter slightly larger than that of the components 201a to 201e are formed. An operator fits one of the components 201a to 201e into each of the recesses 202a and 202b. As a result, one of the recesses 202a and 202b is used to adjust the height of the short side of the shield ring 79, and the other is used to adjust the height of the long side. The components 201a to 201e to be fitted into the recesses 202a and 202b may have different heights.

[0084] Convex members 203a and 203b are located outside of recesses 202a and 202b. Two holes are formed in the lower surface of shield ring 79 at positions facing convex members 203a and 203b, and convex members 203a and 203b are inserted into the holes to be positioned. In other words, convex members 203a and 203b are used for positioning to prevent shield ring 79 from moving laterally.

[0085] [Adjustment method] As described above, in the method for adjusting the height of the shield ring 79 using the first adjustment member 100, the first adjustment member 100 is rotated around the shaft member 102. As a result, a gap adjustment part to be brought into contact with the shield ring 79 is selected from the multiple gap adjustment parts. As a result, the outer circumferential surface of the selected gap adjustment part comes into contact with the lower surface of the shield ring 79. As a result, the gap between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79 can be adjusted.

[0086] The inner circumferential surface 101b of the first adjustment member 100 is wavy with a number of inner circumferential recesses, which allow the main body 101 to stably remain on the axis of the shaft member 102. This makes it possible to stably maintain the state in which the outer circumferential surface of the selected gap adjustment part abuts against the lower surface of the shield ring 79, and allows accurate adjustment of the gap between the first ring member 75 and the shield ring 79.

[0087] One of the timings for rotating the first adjustment member 100 to select the interval adjustment part and adjust the height of the shield ring 79 is when the plasma processing apparatus 10 is assembled and installed in a factory or the like. Thereafter, when the processing vessel 20 is opened to the atmosphere for maintenance inside the processing vessel 20, the first adjustment member 100 may be rotated and the height adjustment may be performed again. During maintenance, the components of the first adjustment member 100 and the second adjustment member 200 may be removed, cleaned, and then the height adjustment may be performed when they are attached.

[0088] [others] If a conductive member is visible from the plasma generated in the processing vessel 20, a discharge phenomenon may occur toward the conductive member, causing an abnormal discharge. For this reason, the first adjustment member 100 and the second adjustment member 200 are preferably made of an insulating material such as ceramics, resin, or quartz. However, when plasma is not used in the processing vessel 20, the first adjustment member 100 and the second adjustment member 200 may be made of a metal or the like.

[0089] [About warping of shield ring] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a placement state of a shield ring 79' having a total length of 2000 mm or more according to a reference example. In addition, in FIG. 9(a) to (c), the substrate G, the shield ring 79, the first adjustment member 100, and the second adjustment member 200 are viewed from the side, and their relative positions are shown in outline. As shown in the reference example, the shield ring 79' may warp in a direction perpendicular to the surface direction of the upper and lower surfaces (upward and downward) due to internal stresses caused by firing treatment, machining, and the like during manufacture. The warping of the shield ring 79' tends to occur more easily and become larger as the total length of the shield ring 79' in the longitudinal direction becomes longer. For example, the shield ring 79' shown in FIG. 9(a) has a convex shape in which the longitudinal middle portion is displaced upward from both longitudinal ends. The shield ring 79' shown in FIG. 9(b) has a concave shape in which both longitudinal ends are displaced upward from the longitudinal middle portion. 9(c) has a sinusoidal (wave-like) shape with a combination of concaves and convexes along the longitudinal direction. It is difficult to adjust the gap H between the upper surface of the long shield ring 79' having various warping shapes and the lower surface of the substrate G to a constant distance.

[0090] The substrate mounting table 70 on which the sixth-generation or later substrate G having planar dimensions of about 1500 mm×1800 mm is mounted has a long side length of, for example, 2000 mm or more. If the shield ring 79′ is also made to have a continuous length to match this long side, it may become difficult to adjust the gap H due to the occurrence of warping as described above. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a gap adjustment structure 400 as shown in FIG. 10 is applied to the shield ring and first ring member 475 arranged around the substrate G, making it possible to adjust the gap H to a substantially constant gap.

[0091] [Second embodiment] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a gap adjustment structure 400 according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10(a) is a plan view of the gap adjustment structure 400. FIG. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Xb-Xb in FIG. 10(a). FIG. 10(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Xc-Xc in FIG. 10(a). The gap adjustment structure 400 has, for example, a shield ring 479 and a shield ring 480 that are divided into two, and a positioning member 410 for positioning the longitudinal positions of the shield rings 479 and 480. The gap adjustment structure 400 also includes a first ring member 475 that supports the height direction of the positioning member 410, a side shield 476 that is disposed on the outer periphery side of the first ring member 475, and a first adjustment member 100 and an axis member 102 that are disposed at positions sandwiching the positioning member 410.

[0092] The shield ring 479 has a lower surface 479a extending along the longitudinal direction of the shield ring 479, and a recess 479b provided on the lower surface 479a closer to the shield ring 480. The shield ring 480 has a lower surface 480a extending along the longitudinal direction of the shield ring 480, and a recess 480b provided on the lower surface 480a closer to the shield ring 479. Each of the recesses 479b, 480b is formed as a round hole having a diameter of, for example, about φ5 mm to φ15 mm. In this example, the diameter of each of the recesses 479b, 480b is set to φ8 mm. The shape of each of the recesses 479b, 480b is not limited to a round hole, and may be, for example, an elongated hole or a rectangular hole.

[0093] The positioning member 410 has, for example, a rectangular flat base 410a and two protrusions 410b protruding from the upper surface of the base 410a. Each protrusion 410b is cylindrical and smaller than each recess 479b, 480b. The shape of each protrusion 410b is not limited to a cylindrical shape as long as it matches the shape of each recess 479b, 480b, and may be, for example, an elliptical cylindrical shape or a rectangular cylindrical shape. The positioning member 410 may have three or more protrusions 410b. The number and installation positions of the recesses 479b, 480b of the shield rings 479, 480 may be set according to the number and installation positions of the protrusions 410b.

[0094] The first ring member 475 has a holding groove 475a on the upper surface for accommodating the positioning member 410. In assembly, the worker accommodates the positioning member 410 in the holding groove 475a, and arranges the shield rings 479 and 480 so that the recesses 479b of the shield ring 479 and the recesses 480b of the shield ring 480 are fitted to the two protrusions 410b. This allows the positioning member 410 to position the shield rings 479 and 480 as a whole. However, if the positioning member 410 supports the shield rings 479 and 480 in the height direction, it becomes difficult to adjust the height of the shield rings 479 and 480 by the first adjustment member 100. For this reason, the interval adjustment structure 400 is configured to have a clearance such that the protruding end faces of the protrusions 410b of the positioning member 410 do not come into contact with the bottom surfaces of the recesses 479b and 480b of the shield rings 479 and 480. For example, it is preferable to adjust the depth of the holding groove 475a so that the clearance is 0.1 mm or more.

[0095] The first adjustment member 100 and the shaft member 102 are provided as a pair to sandwich the positioning member 410. As a result, one of the first adjustment member 100 and the shaft member 102 contacts the shield ring 479, and the other of the first adjustment member 100 and the shaft member 102 contacts the shield ring 480. One of the first adjustment member 100 and the shaft member 102 can adjust the gap between the upper surface 479c of the shield ring 479 and the lower surface of the substrate G at a position adjacent to the positioning member 410. Similarly, the other first adjustment member 100 and the shaft member 102 can adjust the gap between the upper surface 480c of the shield ring 480 and the lower surface of the substrate G at a position adjacent to the positioning member 410.

[0096] Here, the significance of dividing the shield ring mounted on one side of the substrate mounting table 70 into two shield rings 479 and 480 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a graph showing the measurement of the distance between the lower surface of the substrate G and the upper surface of the shield ring at each position in the longitudinal direction of the shield ring. FIG. 11(a) shows the measurement results of three shield rings each having a longitudinal length of 2241 mm, with the solid line, dotted line, and two-dot chain line in the graph showing the individual measurement results. FIG. 11(b) shows the measurement results of two shield rings each having a longitudinal length of 1537.5 mm, with the solid line and dotted line in the graph showing the individual measurement results. The vertical axis of FIG. 11 is the distance between the lower surface of the substrate G and the upper surface of the shield ring. The horizontal axis of FIG. 11 shows the distance from the reference (one end) for each position of the shield ring.

[0097] 11(a), the measurement results for all three shield rings with a longitudinal length of 2241 mm showed that the gap between the underside of the substrate G was dispersed in a range of approximately -0.55 mm to -0.15 mm. In other words, the long longitudinal length of the 2241 mm shield ring caused the warping described in FIG. 9, resulting in variation in the gap between the underside of the substrate G.

[0098] 11(b), the gap between the underside of the substrate G and both shield rings with a longitudinal length of 1537.5 mm is in the range of approximately -0.25 mm to -0.20 mm, with little variation (the gap between the underside of the substrate G is stable). In other words, the short longitudinal length of the 1537.5 mm shield ring suppresses warping, and the gap between the underside of the substrate G does not vary.

[0099] Therefore, if the shield ring is set to have a length as short as possible, the gap H between the shield ring and the lower surface of the substrate G will not vary. For example, the shield rings mounted on each side of the substrate mounting table 70 can be divided at the middle position of each side of the substrate mounting table 70 to have a length of 1537.5 mm or less. This allows the first adjustment member 100 to satisfactorily adjust the gap between the shield rings 479, 480 and the substrate G. The division positions of the shield rings 479, 480 may be shifted from the middle position of each side as long as both of the shield rings 479, 480 are 1537.5 mm or less. The shield ring disposed on one side of the substrate mounting table 70 may be divided into three or more.

[0100] Furthermore, the holding groove 475a of the first ring member 475 may be configured to allow the positioning member 410 to slide in space. When a thermal expansion difference occurs in the substrate mounting table 70, the shield rings 479, 480, or the first ring member 475 due to temperature adjustment or the like, the positioning member 410 can slide in the thermal expansion direction of the shield rings 479, 480 or the first ring member 475. This thermal expansion direction is the longitudinal direction of the shield rings 479, 480. This makes it possible to prevent the adjacent shield rings 479, 480 or the positioning member 410 from being damaged by a load being applied thereto. In this case, the spatial distance for absorbing the thermal expansion of the holding groove 475a is, for example, 7.2×10 -6 [mm / °C], the length of shield rings 479, 480 is 1537.5 mm, and the temperature rise is 243° C., the distance in the space of holding groove 475a should be set to an appropriate value according to the material, length, target temperature, etc. of shield rings 479, 480.

[0101] Furthermore, in the plasma processing apparatus 10, if a conductive member (e.g., the base material 71 of the substrate mounting table 70) is exposed to the plasma during substrate processing, a discharge phenomenon may occur toward the conductive member, resulting in abnormal discharge. In order to prevent the conductive member from being exposed, it is effective to provide a stepped labyrinth structure 481 at the boundary between the shield rings 479, 480 and to form an island shape 410c on the upper surface of the positioning member 410 so that the base material 71 is not visible through the gap between the overlapping parts of the shield rings 479, 480 in a side view.

[0102] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a stepped labyrinth structure 481 of the shield rings 479 and 480 and an island shape 410c of the positioning member 410. As shown in FIG. 12(a) and FIG. 12(b), the shield ring 479 has a lower step convex portion 479f as one side of the labyrinth structure 481 and has an upper step cutout portion (not shown). The shield ring 480 has an upper step convex portion 480f as the other side of the labyrinth structure 481 and has a lower step cutout portion (not shown). In a state where the labyrinth structure 481 is formed, the upper step convex portion 480f is arranged in the upper step cutout portion, and the lower step convex portion 479f is arranged in the lower step cutout portion.

[0103] The height 410e of the island shape 410c is preferably higher than the height 479e of the lower protrusion 479f of the shield ring 479 and the height 480e of the lower cutout of the shield ring 480. The protrusion amount 479d of the lower protrusion 479f and the protrusion amount 480d of the upper protrusion 480f are preferably set to 5 mm or more, and the length 410d along the longitudinal direction of the island shape 410c is preferably set to 15 mm or more. The labyrinth structure 481 has a portion where the lower protrusion 479f and the upper protrusion 480f overlap each other by 5 mm or more in the longitudinal direction of the shield rings 479 and 480, and portions on both sides of the portion where the island shape 410c overlaps the shield rings 479 and 480 by 5 mm or more.

[0104] Furthermore, storage sections 479g and 480g (see two-dot chain lines in FIG. 12(c)) for storing the island shape 410c are provided on the lower surfaces 479a and 480a of the shield rings 479 and 480, respectively. When the island shape 410c is stored in the storage sections 479g and 480g, there is no contact between the upper surface 410cT of the island shape 410c and the ceiling surfaces 479gT and 480gT of the storage sections 479g and 480g. This makes it possible to satisfactorily adjust the heights of the shield rings 479 and 480 by the first adjustment member 100, even when the labyrinth structure 481 is provided.

[0105] The shape of the labyrinth structure 481 is not limited to the above, and may be formed, for example, in a stepped shape having two or more steps. As shown in Fig. 12(c), the island shape 410c is preferably provided adjacent to the base material 71 of the substrate mounting table 70. However, the island shape 410c may be provided at a position away from the base material 71. Furthermore, the island shape 410c may be provided so as to cross the base part 410a of the positioning member 410 along the width direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction) of the shield rings 479, 480.

[0106] The adjustment member, the substrate processing apparatus, and the adjustment method according to the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be configured in other ways as long as they are not inconsistent, and can be combined as long as they are not inconsistent.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to an inductively coupled plasma device having a metal window has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to an inductively coupled plasma device having a dielectric window, or may be applied to other types of plasma devices such as a capacitively coupled plasma device or a microwave plasma device. Also, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to a case where a circular substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is placed on a cylindrical mounting table, or may be applied to a mounting table and substrate of other shapes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 10 Plasma treatment device 20 Processing vessel 70 Substrate placement table (placement table) 71 Base material 71a Top side 74 Electrostatic Chuck 75 First ring member 76 Side Shield 79 Shield Ring 100 First adjustment member 101 Main unit 200 Second adjustment member

Claims

1. An adjustment member for adjusting the distance between two components, a first center annular body having a first center, The body includes: A plurality of inner peripheral recesses are formed in a circumferential direction, and each of the inner peripheral recesses has an inner peripheral surface formed by a curve; An outer circumferential surface that surrounds the inner circumferential surface from the outside; a plurality of interval adjustment portions having a plurality of body widths between the outer circumferential surface corresponding to each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses and each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses, the plurality of body widths being different from one another; An adjustment member having

2. The outer peripheral surface has a plurality of outer peripheral convex portions formed in a circumferential direction corresponding to the plurality of inner peripheral concave portions, and each of the plurality of outer peripheral convex portions is configured with a curve. The adjustment member according to claim 1 .

3. The inner peripheral recess and the outer peripheral protrusion that form each of the plurality of body widths are arcs having a common second center and different radii of curvature. An adjustment member according to claim 2 .

4. When a virtual circle that shares the first center with the main body is set inside the inner circumferential surface, all of the second centers are set on a circumference of the virtual circle. An adjustment member according to claim 3.

5. The plurality of inner circumferential recesses each have an arc having the same radius of curvature, The radii of curvature of the arcs of the plurality of outer peripheral convex portions are different from one another. An adjustment member according to claim 3.

6. The plurality of inner circumferential recesses each have a different radius of curvature of a circular arc, The radii of curvature of the arcs of the plurality of outer peripheral convex portions are the same or different from each other. An adjustment member according to claim 3.

7. The main body is a petal-shaped annular member. An adjusting member according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. a processing vessel for accommodating a substrate; a mounting table on which the substrate is placed within the processing chamber; A substrate processing apparatus comprising: The mounting table is A base material having a mounting surface on which the substrate is placed; A first ring member having an annular or cylindrical shape surrounding the base material; a second ring member having an annular shape that surrounds the mounting surface and is mounted on the first ring member; a shaft member disposed between the base material and the first ring member; an adjustment member that is inserted through the shaft member and has at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface protruding from an upper surface of the first ring member and abutting against a lower surface of the second ring member; The adjustment member is the shaft member has an opening therethrough and an annular body having a first center; The body includes: A plurality of inner peripheral recesses are formed in a circumferential direction, and each of the inner peripheral recesses has an inner peripheral surface formed by a curve; An outer circumferential surface that surrounds the inner circumferential surface from the outside; a plurality of interval adjustment portions having a plurality of body widths between the outer circumferential surface corresponding to each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses and each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses, the plurality of body widths being different from one another; The substrate processing apparatus has

9. an upper surface of the second ring member is located below the mounting surface regardless of the positions of the plurality of interval adjustment portions of the adjustment member; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 .

10. The shaft member is a connecting member that connects the base material and the first ring member. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 .

11. the second ring member is divided into two or more parts with respect to one side of the outer periphery of the mounting table, a positioning member is provided between the lower surface of each of the divided second ring members and the first ring member; A pair of the adjustment members are disposed with the positioning member interposed therebetween. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 .

12. The positioning member has two or more protrusions, a recess into which the protrusion can be inserted to position the second ring member is provided on a lower surface of each of the divided second ring members; The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 .

13. The longitudinal length of each of the divided second ring members is 1537.5 mm or less. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 .

14. 1. A method for adjusting a gap between two components of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising the steps of: The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing vessel for accommodating a substrate; a mounting table on which the substrate is placed within the processing chamber, The mounting table is A base material having a mounting surface on which the substrate is placed; A first ring member having an annular or cylindrical shape surrounding the base material; a second ring member having an annular shape that surrounds the mounting surface and is mounted on the first ring member; a shaft member disposed between the base material and the first ring member; an adjustment member that is inserted through the shaft member and at least a portion of which protrudes from an upper surface of the first ring member and abuts against a lower surface of the second ring member; The adjustment member is the shaft member has an opening therethrough and an annular body having a first center; The body includes: A plurality of inner peripheral recesses are formed in a circumferential direction, and each of the inner peripheral recesses has an inner peripheral surface formed by a curve; An outer circumferential surface that surrounds the inner circumferential surface from the outside; a plurality of interval adjustment portions having a plurality of body widths between the outer circumferential surface corresponding to each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses and each of the plurality of inner circumferential recesses, the plurality of body widths being different from one another; having An adjustment method comprising: rotating the adjustment member around the shaft member so that any one of the multiple spacing adjustment portions abuts against the lower surface of the second ring member, thereby adjusting the spacing between the first ring member and the second ring member.

15. an upper surface of the second ring member is located below the placement surface regardless of positions of the plurality of interval adjustment portions of the adjustment member; The adjustment method according to claim 14.

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