Plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of reducing plasma leakage in a plasma processing apparatus.SOLUTION: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall, a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber, a baffle plate disposed between the sidewall and the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber, an electromagnet structure disposed below the baffle plate and having a plurality of annular electromagnets arranged concentrically in a planar view, and at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of current flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In a plasma processing apparatus, a technique for providing an exhaust ring between a lower electrode and an inner wall of a processing chamber is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-233696. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-174020 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of reducing plasma leakage in a plasma processing apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall, a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber, a baffle plate disposed between the sidewall and the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber, an electromagnet structure disposed below the baffle plate and having a plurality of annular electromagnets arranged concentrically in a planar view, and at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of current flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a technique capable of reducing plasma leakage in a plasma processing apparatus can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a plasma processing system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a baffle plate. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an example of the configuration of a magnet structure disposed between a side wall of a chamber and a substrate support portion. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining an example of the configuration of the magnet structure. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an example of a magnetic field formed around an annular electromagnet of a magnetic structure. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other configuration examples of the openings in the baffle plate. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a configuration between a side wall of a chamber and a substrate support part in the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a configuration between a side wall of a chamber and a substrate support part in the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is a plan view for explaining an example of a configuration between a side wall of a chamber and a substrate support portion. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; a baffle plate disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support; an electromagnet structure disposed below the baffle plate and having a plurality of annular electromagnets arranged concentrically in a planar view; and at least one power supply configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of current flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, the baffle plate has a plurality of openings extending longitudinally therethrough.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of annular electromagnets are arranged such that gaps formed between adjacent annular electromagnets longitudinally overlap one of the plurality of openings in the baffle plate.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of apertures have a dot shape.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of openings have a slit shape.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment, the baffle plate is electrically connected to ground potential through at least one of the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber or the substrate support.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, the device further comprises a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

[0016] In one exemplary embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; an electromagnet structure disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support, the electromagnet structure having a plurality of annular electromagnets, the plurality of annular electromagnets being arranged concentrically in a planar view; and at least one power supply configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of current flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment, the plasma processing chamber further includes a plurality of conductive paths disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support, the conductive paths being electrically connected to a ground potential through at least one of the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber or the substrate support.

[0018] In one exemplary embodiment, the multiple conductive paths are arranged radially in a plan view.

[0019] In one exemplary embodiment, the device further comprises a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

[0020] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or similar elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship such as up, down, left, right, etc. will be described based on the positional relationship shown in the drawing. The dimensional ratio of the drawings does not indicate the actual ratio, and the actual ratio is not limited to the illustrated ratio.

[0021] (First embodiment) <An example of a plasma processing system> FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a plasma processing system. In one embodiment, the plasma processing system includes a plasma processing device 1 and a control unit 2. The plasma processing system is an example of a substrate processing system, and the plasma processing device 1 is an example of a substrate processing device. The plasma processing device 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a substrate support unit 11, and a plasma generation unit 12. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space. The plasma processing chamber 10 also has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one processing gas to the plasma processing space, and at least one gas exhaust port for exhausting gas from the plasma processing space. The gas supply port is connected to a gas supply unit 20 described later, and the gas exhaust port is connected to an exhaust system 40 described later. The substrate support unit 11 is disposed in the plasma processing space, and has a substrate support surface for supporting a substrate.

[0022] The plasma generating unit 12 is configured to generate plasma from at least one processing gas supplied into the plasma processing space. The plasma formed in the plasma processing space may be a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), an electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma (ECR plasma), a helicon wave plasma (HWP), a surface wave plasma (SWP), or the like. Also, various types of plasma generating units may be used, including an alternating current (AC) plasma generating unit and a direct current (DC) plasma generating unit. In one embodiment, the AC signal (AC power) used in the AC plasma generating unit has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 10 GHz. Thus, the AC signal includes a radio frequency (RF) signal and a microwave signal. In one embodiment, the RF signal has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 150 MHz.

[0023] The control unit 2 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the plasma processing apparatus 1 to execute various steps described in the present disclosure. The control unit 2 may be configured to control each element of the plasma processing apparatus 1 to execute various steps described herein. In one embodiment, a part or all of the control unit 2 may be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control unit 2 may include a processing unit 2a1, a storage unit 2a2, and a communication interface 2a3. The control unit 2 is realized, for example, by a computer 2a. The processing unit 2a1 may be configured to perform various control operations by reading a program from the storage unit 2a2 and executing the read program. This program may be stored in the storage unit 2a2 in advance, or may be acquired via a medium when necessary. The acquired program is stored in the storage unit 2a2 and is read from the storage unit 2a2 by the processing unit 2a1 and executed. The medium may be various storage media readable by the computer 2a, or may be a communication line connected to the communication interface 2a3. The processing unit 2a1 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 2a2 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 2a3 may communicate with the plasma processing apparatus 1 via a communication line such as a local area network (LAN).

[0024] The following describes a configuration example of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus as an example of the plasma processing apparatus 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration example of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus.

[0025] The capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10 (also simply referred to as a "chamber"), a gas supply 20, a power supply 30, and an exhaust system 40. The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a substrate support 11 and a gas inlet. The gas inlet is configured to introduce at least one processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas inlet includes a showerhead 13. The substrate support 11 is disposed in the plasma processing chamber 10. The showerhead 13 is disposed above the substrate support 11. In one embodiment, the showerhead 13 forms at least a part of a ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s defined by the showerhead 13, a sidewall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and the substrate support 11. The plasma processing chamber 10 is grounded. The showerhead 13 and the substrate support 11 are electrically insulated from a housing of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0026] The substrate support 11 includes a main body 111 and a ring assembly 112. The main body 111 has a central region 111a for supporting the substrate W and an annular region 111b for supporting the ring assembly 112. A wafer is an example of the substrate W. The annular region 111b of the main body 111 surrounds the central region 111a of the main body 111 in a plan view. The substrate W is disposed on the central region 111a of the main body 111, and the ring assembly 112 is disposed on the annular region 111b of the main body 111 so as to surround the substrate W on the central region 111a of the main body 111. Therefore, the central region 111a is also called a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate W, and the annular region 111b is also called a ring support surface for supporting the ring assembly 112.

[0027] In one embodiment, the main body 111 includes a base 1110 and an electrostatic chuck 1111. The base 1110 includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the base 1110 may function as a lower electrode. The electrostatic chuck 1111 is disposed on the base 1110. The electrostatic chuck 1111 includes a ceramic member 1111a and an electrostatic electrode 1111b disposed within the ceramic member 1111a. The ceramic member 1111a has a central region 111a. In one embodiment, the ceramic member 1111a also has an annular region 111b. Note that other members surrounding the electrostatic chuck 1111, such as an annular electrostatic chuck or an annular insulating member, may have the annular region 111b. In this case, the ring assembly 112 may be disposed on the annular electrostatic chuck or the annular insulating member, or may be disposed on both the electrostatic chuck 1111 and the annular insulating member. Also, at least one RF / DC electrode coupled to an RF power source 31 and / or a DC power source 32 described later may be disposed in the ceramic member 1111a. In this case, the at least one RF / DC electrode functions as a lower electrode. When a bias RF signal and / or a DC signal described later is supplied to the at least one RF / DC electrode, the RF / DC electrode is also called a bias electrode. Note that the conductive member of the base 1110 and the at least one RF / DC electrode may function as multiple lower electrodes. Also, the electrostatic electrode 1111b may function as a lower electrode. Thus, the substrate support 11 includes at least one lower electrode.

[0028] The ring assembly 112 includes one or more annular members. In one embodiment, the one or more annular members include one or more edge rings and at least one cover ring. The edge rings are formed of a conductive or insulating material, and the cover rings are formed of an insulating material.

[0029] The substrate support 11 may also include a temperature adjustment module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 1111, the ring assembly 112, and the substrate to a target temperature. The temperature adjustment module may include a heater, a heat transfer medium, a flow passage 1110a, or a combination thereof. A heat transfer fluid such as a brine or a gas flows through the flow passage 1110a. In one embodiment, the flow passage 1110a is formed in the base 1110, and one or more heaters are disposed in the ceramic member 1111a of the electrostatic chuck 1111. The substrate support 11 may also include a heat transfer gas supply configured to supply a heat transfer gas to a gap between the back surface of the substrate W and the central region 111a.

[0030] The shower head 13 is configured to introduce at least one processing gas from the gas supply unit 20 into the plasma processing space 10s. The shower head 13 has at least one gas supply port 13a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 13b, and multiple gas inlets 13c. The processing gas supplied to the gas supply port 13a passes through the gas diffusion chamber 13b and is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s from the multiple gas inlets 13c. The shower head 13 also includes at least one upper electrode. Note that the gas introduction unit may include, in addition to the shower head 13, one or more side gas injectors (SGIs) attached to one or more openings formed in the sidewall 10a.

[0031] The gas supply 20 may include at least one gas source 21 and at least one flow controller 22. In one embodiment, the gas supply 20 is configured to supply at least one process gas from a respective gas source 21 through a respective flow controller 22 to the showerhead 13. Each flow controller 22 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Additionally, the gas supply 20 may include at least one flow modulation device to modulate or pulse a flow rate of the at least one process gas.

[0032] The power source 30 includes an RF power source 31 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10 via at least one impedance matching circuit. The RF power source 31 is configured to supply at least one RF signal (RF power) to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. This causes a plasma to be formed from at least one processing gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s. Thus, the RF power source 31 can function as at least a part of the plasma generating unit 12. In addition, by supplying a bias RF signal to the at least one lower electrode, a bias potential is generated on the substrate W, and ion components in the formed plasma can be attracted to the substrate W.

[0033] In one embodiment, the RF power supply 31 includes a first RF generating unit 31a and a second RF generating unit 31b. The first RF generating unit 31a is coupled to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode via at least one impedance matching circuit, and is configured to generate a source RF signal (source RF power) for plasma generation. In one embodiment, the source RF signal has a frequency in the range of 10 MHz to 150 MHz. In one embodiment, the first RF generating unit 31a may be configured to generate a plurality of source RF signals having different frequencies. The generated one or more source RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode.

[0034] The second RF generating unit 31b is coupled to at least one lower electrode via at least one impedance matching circuit and configured to generate a bias RF signal (bias RF power). The frequency of the bias RF signal may be the same as or different from the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency lower than the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 60 MHz. In one embodiment, the second RF generating unit 31b may be configured to generate a plurality of bias RF signals having different frequencies. The generated one or more bias RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode. Also, in various embodiments, at least one of the source RF signal and the bias RF signal may be pulsed.

[0035] The power supply 30 may also include a DC power supply 32 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. The DC power supply 32 includes a first DC generator 32a and a second DC generator 32b. In one embodiment, the first DC generator 32a is connected to at least one lower electrode and configured to generate a first DC signal. The generated first DC signal is applied to the at least one lower electrode. In one embodiment, the second DC generator 32b is connected to at least one upper electrode and configured to generate a second DC signal. The generated second DC signal is applied to the at least one upper electrode.

[0036] In various embodiments, the first and second DC signals may be pulsed. In this case, a sequence of voltage pulses is applied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. The voltage pulses may have a rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular or combination of these pulse waveforms. In one embodiment, a waveform generator for generating a sequence of voltage pulses from the DC signal is connected between the first DC generator 32a and at least one lower electrode. Thus, the first DC generator 32a and the waveform generator constitute a voltage pulse generator. When the second DC generator 32b and the waveform generator constitute a voltage pulse generator, the voltage pulse generator is connected to at least one upper electrode. The voltage pulses may have a positive polarity or a negative polarity. Also, the sequence of voltage pulses may include one or more positive polarity voltage pulses and one or more negative polarity voltage pulses in one period. The first and second DC generating units 32a, 32b may be provided in addition to the RF power supply 31, or the first DC generating unit 32a may be provided in place of the second RF generating unit 31b.

[0037] The exhaust system 40 may be connected to, for example, a gas exhaust port 10e provided at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10. The exhaust system 40 may include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump. The pressure in the plasma processing space 10s is adjusted by the pressure regulating valve. The vacuum pump may include a turbomolecular pump, a dry pump, or a combination thereof.

[0038] The plasma processing apparatus 1 may further include a baffle plate 200 , an electromagnetic structure 201 , and at least one power supply 202 .

[0039] The baffle plate 200 may be disposed between the substrate support 11 and the side wall 10a of the chamber 10. The baffle plate 200 may have an annular plate shape. The baffle plate 200 may be formed of a conductive material. The conductive material may include a metal such as aluminum. The surface of the baffle plate 200 may be coated with a plasma-resistant material.

[0040] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the baffle plate 200. As shown in FIG. 3, the baffle plate 200 may have a plurality of openings 210 formed therein, penetrating the plate in the vertical direction. The plurality of openings 210 may have a dot shape. Each opening 210 may be a round hole. The plurality of openings 210 may be arranged in a line along the radial direction X of the baffle plate 200, and the plurality of openings 210 in the line may be arranged over the entire circumference of the baffle plate 200 in the circumferential direction Y. The plurality of openings 210 may be arranged in the entire region of the baffle plate 200.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the structure of the electromagnetic structure 201. FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining an example of the structure of the electromagnetic structure 201. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the electromagnetic structure 201 may be disposed below the baffle plate 200. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the electromagnetic structure 201 may have a plurality of annular electromagnets 250. The plurality of annular electromagnets 250 may be concentrically disposed between the substrate support 11 and the side wall 10a of the chamber 10. The plurality of annular electromagnets 250 may be disposed at equal intervals in the horizontal direction in the radial direction X of the chamber 10.

[0042] 4, each annular electromagnet 250 may include a core member 260 and a coil 261. The core member 260 may be arranged so as to cover at least a portion of the coil 261. The core member 260 may be arranged so as to cover the lower surface and both side surfaces of the coil 261. The upper surface of the coil 261 may be exposed. The core member 260 may be a soft magnetic material. The surface of the core member 260 may be coated with a plasma-resistant material such as quartz, Al2O3, or Y2O3.

[0043] The multiple annular electromagnets 250 may be arranged such that the gaps OP between adjacent annular electromagnets 250 and the multiple openings 210 of the baffle plate 200 overlap in the vertical direction. In other words, the multiple annular electromagnets 250 may be arranged such that the gaps OP formed between adjacent annular electromagnets 250 overlap in the vertical direction with any of the multiple openings 210 of the baffle plate 200. That is, the multiple annular electromagnets 250 may be arranged below a portion of the baffle plate 200 where the multiple openings 210 are not present.

[0044] The multiple annular electromagnets 250 may be supported by a support structure 280 and fixed to the sidewall 10a and the substrate support 11 of the chamber 10. The support structure 280 may have multiple support members 290 extending along the radial direction X. As shown in FIG. 5, the multiple support members 290 may be arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction Y of the chamber 10. Each support member 290 may have insulating properties. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each support member 290 may be configured to connect the multiple annular electromagnets 250 to each other in the radial direction X. An inner end of each support member 290 may be connected to the substrate support 11, and an outer end of each support member 290 may be connected to the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10.

[0045] At least one power source 202 may be electrically connected to the plurality of annular electromagnets 250. The at least one power source 202 may be configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets 250 such that the directions of current flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets 250 are different from each other. That is, the direction of current flowing through each of the plurality of annular electromagnets 250 is different from the direction of current flowing through an annular electromagnet 250 adjacent to that annular electromagnet 250. One power source 202 may be disposed for the plurality of annular electromagnets 250, or one power source 202 may be disposed for each annular electromagnet 250.

[0046] 2 and 4, the substrate support 11 may further include an annular insulating member 300 and an annular conductive member 301. The annular insulating member 300 may be configured to cover the outer circumferential surfaces of the electrostatic chuck 1111, the ring assembly 112, and the base 1110. The annular insulating member 300 may have a substantially cylindrical shape. The annular insulating member 300 may include an insulating material such as quartz.

[0047] The annular conductive member 301 may be configured to cover the outer circumferential surface of the annular insulating member 300. The annular conductive member 301 may be electrically insulated from the electrostatic chuck 1111, the ring assembly 112, and the base 1110 by the annular insulating member 300. The annular conductive member 301 may have a substantially cylindrical shape. The annular conductive member 301 may include a metal such as aluminum. As shown in FIG. 2, the annular conductive member 301 may be electrically connected to the bottom 10c of the chamber 10. The bottom 10c of the chamber 10 may be electrically connected to a ground potential. The sidewall 10a of the chamber 10 may be electrically connected to a ground potential.

[0048] 4, an inner end of the baffle plate 200 may be electrically connected to the annular conductive member 301. Thus, the baffle plate 200 may be electrically connected to a ground potential via the annular conductive member 301 and the bottom 10c of the chamber 10. Also, the baffle plate 200 may be electrically connected to a ground potential via the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10.

[0049] <An example of a plasma processing method> The plasma processing method includes an etching process in which plasma is used to etch a film on a substrate W. In one embodiment, the plasma processing method is performed by a control unit 2 in a plasma processing apparatus 1.

[0050] First, the substrate W is carried into the chamber 10 by the transport arm, placed on the substrate support portion 11 by the lifter, and held by suction on the substrate support portion 11 as shown in FIG.

[0051] Next, a processing gas is supplied to the shower head 13 by the gas supply unit 20, and is supplied to the plasma processing space 10s from the shower head 13. The processing gas supplied at this time contains a gas that generates active species necessary for etching the substrate W.

[0052] One or more RF signals are supplied to the upper electrode and / or the lower electrode from the RF power supply 31. The atmosphere in the plasma processing space 10s is exhausted from the gas exhaust port 10e, and the inside of the plasma processing space 10s is depressurized. As a result, plasma is generated from the processing gas on the substrate support 11 in the plasma processing space 10s, and the substrate W is etched.

[0053] In the plasma processing, plasma is generated in the plasma processing space 10s above the baffle plate 200. The atmosphere in the plasma processing space 10s descends through the openings 210 of the baffle plate 200 and is exhausted to the outside of the chamber 10 from the gas exhaust port 10e. At this time, the exhaust is performed at a large flow rate of 1000 sccm or more, and the plasma processing space 10s may be maintained at a low pressure of 30 mTorr or less.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 6, during plasma processing, a current is supplied from the power source 202 to the multiple annular electromagnets 250. At this time, the current is supplied so that the directions of the currents flowing through the adjacent annular electromagnets 250 are opposite to each other. As a result, a magnetic field H is generated around each annular electromagnet 250. The directions of the magnetic fields H of the adjacent annular electromagnets 250 are opposite to each other. As a result, in the gap OP between the adjacent annular electromagnets 250, the magnetic fields H of the annular electromagnets 250 on both sides are combined, and a region with a relatively strong magnetic field H is generated. Thus, the plasma that tries to enter the gap OP between the adjacent annular electromagnets 250 is repelled by the magnetic mirror effect of the relatively strong magnetic field H and is confined in the plasma processing space 10s. Therefore, the plasma in the plasma processing space 10s is prevented from leaking downward through the opening 210 of the baffle plate 200.

[0055] Moreover, above the multiple annular electromagnets 250, the directions of the magnetic fields H of the adjacent annular electromagnets 250 are opposite to each other. As a result, a strong magnetic field H toward the inside or outside in the radial direction X of the chamber 10 is not generated above the multiple annular electromagnets 250. As a result, the plasma in the plasma processing space 10s is prevented from being affected by the magnetic field H of the annular electromagnets 250.

[0056] According to this exemplary embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus 1 is provided with an electromagnet structure 201 disposed below the baffle plate 200 and having a plurality of annular electromagnets 250, and a power source 202 configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets 250 so that the directions of currents flowing through the adjacent annular electromagnets 250 are different from each other. This makes it possible to suppress leakage of plasma through the opening 210 of the baffle plate 200 due to the magnetic mirror effect caused by the magnetic field H of the plurality of annular electromagnets 250. As a result, while suppressing leakage of plasma, the atmosphere in the plasma processing space 10s can be exhausted at a high flow rate from the gas exhaust port 10e, and the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s can be maintained at a low pressure. This improves the linearity of the plasma with respect to the substrate W in the plasma processing space 10s, and also increases the partial pressure of the processing gas to improve the etching rate.

[0057] The multiple annular electromagnets 250 are arranged such that the gaps OP between adjacent annular electromagnets 250 overlap vertically with the multiple openings 210 of the baffle plate 200. As a result, the gaps OP with a high magnetic mirror effect overlap with the openings 210 of the baffle plate 200, so that leakage of plasma through the openings 210 of the baffle plate 200 is suppressed.

[0058] 7, the multiple openings 210 of the baffle plate 200 may have a slit shape. Each opening 210 may have a rectangular shape extending in the radial direction X of the baffle plate 200. The multiple openings 210 may be arranged at equal intervals all around the baffle plate 200 in the circumferential direction Y. The openings 210 may have other shapes.

[0059] (Second embodiment) 8, the plasma processing apparatus 1 may not include a baffle plate 200 between the side wall 10a of the chamber 10 and the substrate support 11. In this example, other configurations of the plasma processing apparatus 1, such as an electromagnetic structure 201 and a power source 202, may be similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0060] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the plasma processing apparatus 1 may include a plurality of conductive paths 350 between the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10 and the substrate support 11.

[0061] The multiple conductive paths 350 may have a linear shape extending in the radial direction X of the chamber 10. The multiple conductive paths 350 may be arranged radially around the substrate support 11. The multiple conductive paths 350 may be arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction Y of the chamber 10. The multiple conductive paths 350 may be arranged above the electromagnetic structure 201.

[0062] An inner end of each conductive path 350 may be connected to the annular conductive member 301 of the substrate support 11. An inner end of each conductive path 350 may be connected to the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10. The multiple conductive paths 350 may be electrically connected to a ground potential via at least one of the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10 or the substrate support 11. In this example, other configurations of the plasma processing apparatus 1, such as the electromagnetic structure 201 and the power supply 202, may be similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0063] According to this exemplary embodiment, the magnetic mirror effect caused by the magnetic field H of the multiple annular electromagnets 250 can suppress the plasma from leaking through the opening 210 of the baffle plate 200. In addition, the conductive path 350 can form a return circuit for the RF signal. Since the conductive path 350 is connected to the ground potential, the plasma in the plasma processing space 10s can be suppressed from leaking below the conductive path 350.

[0064] Although the first and second embodiments are capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatuses, the present invention is not limited to these and may be applied to other plasma processing apparatuses. For example, an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus may be used instead of the capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus.

[0065] The embodiments of the present disclosure further include the following aspects.

[0066] (Appendix 1) a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; a baffle plate disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support; an electromagnetic structure disposed below the baffle plate and having a plurality of annular electromagnets, the plurality of annular electromagnets being concentrically disposed in a plan view; at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of the currents flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other; A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

[0067] (Appendix 2) 2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baffle plate has a plurality of openings extending vertically therethrough.

[0068] (Appendix 3) 3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of annular electromagnets are arranged such that a gap formed between adjacent annular electromagnets vertically overlaps with any one of the plurality of openings in the baffle plate.

[0069] (Appendix 4) 4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of openings have a dot shape.

[0070] (Appendix 5) 4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of openings have a slit shape.

[0071] (Appendix 6) 6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baffle plate is electrically connected to a ground potential via at least one of the sidewall or the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber.

[0072] (Appendix 7) 7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

[0073] (Appendix 8) a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; an electromagnet structure disposed between the sidewall and the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber, the electromagnet structure having a plurality of annular electromagnets, the plurality of annular electromagnets being concentrically arranged in a plan view; at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of the currents flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other; A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

[0074] (Appendix 9) 9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of conductive paths disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support, the conductive paths being electrically connected to a ground potential via at least one of the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber or the substrate support.

[0075] (Appendix 10) 10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of conductive paths are arranged radially in a planar view.

[0076] (Appendix 11) 11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

[0077] The above embodiments are described for the purpose of explanation and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Various modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, some components in one embodiment can be added to other embodiments. Also, some components in one embodiment can be replaced with corresponding components in other embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1: Plasma processing apparatus, 10: Chamber, 11: Substrate support, 200: Baffle plate, 201: Electromagnet structure, 202: Power source, 210: Opening, 250: Ring-shaped electromagnet, W: Substrate

Claims

1. a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; a baffle plate disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support; an electromagnetic structure disposed below the baffle plate and having a plurality of annular electromagnets, the plurality of annular electromagnets being concentrically disposed in a plan view; at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of the currents flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other; A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the baffle plate has a plurality of openings extending therethrough in a vertical direction.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of annular electromagnets are arranged such that a gap formed between adjacent annular electromagnets vertically overlaps any one of the plurality of openings of the baffle plate.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of openings have a dot shape.

5. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of openings have a slit shape.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the baffle plate is electrically connected to a ground potential through at least one of the sidewall or the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

8. a plasma processing chamber having a sidewall; a substrate support disposed within the plasma processing chamber; an electromagnet structure disposed between the sidewall and the substrate support of the plasma processing chamber, the electromagnet structure having a plurality of annular electromagnets, the plurality of annular electromagnets being concentrically arranged in a plan view; at least one power source configured to supply current to the plurality of annular electromagnets such that the directions of the currents flowing through adjacent annular electromagnets are different from each other; A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

9. 10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of conductive paths disposed between the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber and the substrate support, the conductive paths being electrically connected to a ground potential through at least one of the sidewall of the plasma processing chamber or the substrate support.

10. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of conductive paths are arranged radially in a plan view.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a support structure configured to support the plurality of annular electromagnets.

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