Plasma processing apparatus and adapter

Abstract

To facilitate the removal of reaction products by dry cleaning. [Solution] The plasma processing apparatus of the embodiment comprises a processing container for processing a substrate, an upper electrode for supplying a processing gas into the processing container, a lower electrode positioned in the processing container opposite the upper electrode and on which the substrate is placed, and a power supply for supplying power to at least one of the upper electrode or the lower electrode to generate plasma in the processing container. The processing container has an inclined surface that slopes downward from the outer circumference of the lower electrode toward the base of the lower electrode, and an exhaust port that opens into the inclined surface and exhausts the inside of the processing container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a plasma processing apparatus and an adapter.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, a plasma processing apparatus that processes a substrate with plasma is used. Since reaction products of plasma processing may adhere to the inside of the processing container included in the plasma processing apparatus, dry cleaning is performed on the processing container at a predetermined cycle. However, depending on the shape of the processing container, it may be difficult to remove the adhered reaction products.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] One embodiment aims to provide a plasma processing apparatus and an adapter that can easily remove reaction products by dry cleaning.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The plasma processing apparatus of the embodiment comprises a processing container for processing a substrate, an upper electrode for supplying a processing gas into the processing container, a lower electrode positioned in the processing container opposite the upper electrode and on which the substrate is placed, and a power supply for supplying power to at least one of the upper electrode or the lower electrode to generate plasma in the processing container, wherein the processing container has an inclined surface that slopes downward from the outer circumference of the lower electrode toward the base of the lower electrode, and an exhaust port that opens into the inclined surface and exhausts the inside of the processing container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram illustrating the plasma processing of a wafer using a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram illustrating the dry cleaning process of the chamber in a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram illustrating the dry cleaning process of the chamber in a plasma processing apparatus according to a comparative example. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment 1. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment 2. [Figure 7] A schematic diagram showing the detailed configuration of the adapter according to a modified example 2 of the embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic top view showing the configuration of the adapter according to modified embodiment 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments described below include those that are easily conceivable by those skilled in the art or that are substantially identical.

[0008] (Example of plasma processing apparatus configuration) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. More specifically, Figure 1(a) is a top view of the inside of the chamber 11 of the plasma processing apparatus 1. Figure 1(b) is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1(a), and Figure 1(c) is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 1(a).

[0009] The plasma processing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 is configured as a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus for forming a predetermined film on a wafer, for example.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a chamber 11 as a processing container for processing wafers. The chamber 11 has a rectangular shape made of aluminum, for example, with an aluminum oxide coating, and can be hermetically sealed. The side walls and top plate of the chamber 11 are configured to be adjustable to a predetermined temperature by heaters (not shown).

[0011] A discharge tube 25 is connected to the top plate of the chamber 11. The other end of the discharge tube 25 is connected to a gas supply source (not shown), and a microwave generator 26 is provided between the chamber 11 of the discharge tube 25 and the gas supply source.

[0012] The chamber 11 contains multiple pairs of shower heads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15, which are paired upper and lower electrodes. These shower heads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the chamber 11 when viewed from above.

[0013] In the example of FIG. 1, four pairs of showerheads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 are provided in the chamber 11. These electrostatic chucks 15a to 15d and the corresponding showerheads 16 are arranged near the four corner portions of, for example, a rectangular chamber 11 so as to surround the central portion of the chamber 11.

[0014] However, the number of pairs of showerheads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 arranged in the chamber 11 is not limited to four pairs. The number of showerheads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 in the chamber 11 may be three pairs or less, or may be five pairs or more. Further, a plurality of pairs of showerheads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 do not necessarily have to be arranged in the chamber 11, and only one pair of showerheads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15 may be arranged.

[0015] The showerheads 16 that function as upper electrodes are provided above the chamber 11, respectively. The showerheads 16 are each connected to a gas supply pipe (not shown in any case) connected to a gas supply source, and supply a processing gas used when processing a wafer into the chamber 11. A plurality of gas supply ports 161 are provided on the lower surface of the showerhead 16, and the processing gas is supplied into the chamber 11 from these gas supply ports.

[0016] A power supply line 21 is connected to the showerhead 16 as the upper electrode. A blocking capacitor 22, a matcher 23, and a high-frequency power supply 24 are connected to the power supply line 21.

[0017] Each of the electrostatic chucks 15 is arranged below the corresponding showerhead 16 so as to face the showerhead 16.

[0018] Each of the electrostatic chucks 15 functions as a lower electrode. The electrostatic chuck 15 also includes a chuck mechanism (not shown) that horizontally supports the wafer to be processed in the chamber 11 and electrostatically adsorbs the wafer, thereby electrostatically adsorbing the wafer. The wafer placement surface of the electrostatic chuck 15 is configured to be adjustable to a predetermined temperature by a heater or the like (not shown).

[0019] A wafer loading / unloading port (not shown) is provided on the side surface of the chamber 11, and the wafer is placed on the electrostatic chuck 15 in the chamber 11 by a transfer robot (not shown) through this loading / unloading port.

[0020] More specifically, a spindle 13 is disposed at the central portion in the chamber 11 in a top view. The spindle 13 includes, for example, the same number of transfer arms 131 as the electrostatic chucks 15 disposed in the chamber 11. These transfer arms 131 are configured to be rotatable in the circumferential direction by the spindle 13, and normally, they are located between the individual electrostatic chucks 15, which is the standby position of these transfer arms 131.

[0021] By rotating these transfer arms 131 by the spindle 13, these transfer arms 131 can transfer the wafer between the transfer robot outside the chamber 11 and the individual electrostatic chucks 15.

[0022] The base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15 is connected to the bottom wall of the chamber 11, whereby the electrostatic chuck 15 is supported so as to face the shower head 16 in parallel near the center in the vertical direction of the chamber 11 at a predetermined distance from the shower head 16.

[0023] In this structure, a pair of shower heads 16 and an electrostatic chuck 15 constitute a pair of parallel plate electrodes. During plasma processing, a processing gas is supplied into the chamber 11 from the shower heads 16, while high-frequency power of a predetermined frequency is applied to the shower heads 16 from a high-frequency power supply 24 connected to the shower heads 16. Through this mechanism, plasma of the processing gas is generated in the chamber 11.

[0024] For example, in the plasma processing apparatus 1 configured as a PECVD apparatus, a predetermined film is formed on the wafer by the plasma of the processing gas. As a result of this plasma processing, a deposition of reaction products of the same type as the predetermined film on the wafer is accumulated in the chamber 11.

[0025] Therefore, in the plasma processing apparatus 1, dry cleaning is performed after each predetermined number of plasma treatments of the wafer to remove depositions accumulated in the chamber 11. In dry cleaning, instead of the method of generating plasma between the parallel plate electrodes of the shower head 16 and the electrostatic chuck 15 by supplying high-frequency power from the high-frequency power supply 24, plasma generated by the microwave source 26 described above is used.

[0026] In other words, the cleaning gas introduced into the discharge tube 25 from the gas supply source is converted into plasma by the microwave generator 26 and introduced into the chamber 11. Such plasma is also called remote plasma, and dry cleaning using remote plasma is also called remote plasma cleaning (RPC).

[0027] Dry cleaning using remote plasma allows for gentler plasma processing with less ion bombardment compared to plasma directly generated in the chamber 11 using parallel plate electrodes, thereby suppressing plasma damage to the chamber 11's internal components. This makes it possible to extend the lifespan of the chamber 11's internal components.

[0028] A lower member 12 is positioned on the outer circumference of the electrostatic chuck 15 located below the chamber 11. The lower member 12 has a plurality of recesses 121 (121a to 121d), and the electrostatic chucks 15a to 15d described above are positioned corresponding to these recesses 121a to 121d. With this configuration, the bottom surfaces of these recesses 121 on the lower member 12 effectively correspond to the bottom wall of the chamber 11.

[0029] The bottom surface of each recess 121, that is, the bottom wall portion of the chamber 11, is an inclined surface 122 that slopes downward from the outer circumference of the electrostatic chuck 15 to the base 151. In other words, these inclined surfaces 122 are configured in an annular shape surrounding the electrostatic chucks 15 at a position slightly below each electrostatic chuck 15. Therefore, these inclined surfaces 122 have a curved shape with respect to the circumferential direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1(b) and 1(c), these inclined surfaces 122 may have a curved shape that is convex downward with respect to the direction of inclination, or they may have a planar shape.

[0030] Each inclined surface 122 has a pair of exhaust ports 14. These exhaust ports 14 are provided in pairs, corresponding to each electrostatic chuck 15, and penetrate the bottom wall of the chamber 11, connected to a vacuum pump (not shown).

[0031] A pair of exhaust ports 14 corresponding to each electrostatic chuck 15 are provided on both sides of the corresponding electrostatic chuck 15, flanking the corner portion of the chamber 11 where the corresponding electrostatic chuck 15 is located. As a result, these pairs of exhaust ports 14 are positioned opposite each other with the corresponding electrostatic chuck 15 in between.

[0032] Specifically, an electrostatic chuck 15a has a pair of exhaust ports 14a on either side of it, and an electrostatic chuck 15b has a pair of exhaust ports 14b on either side of it. Similarly, an electrostatic chuck 15c has a pair of exhaust ports 14c on either side of it, and an electrostatic chuck 15d has a pair of exhaust ports 14d on either side of it.

[0033] As a result, one of the pair of exhaust ports 14a corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15a is adjacent to one of the pair of exhaust ports 14b corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15b, and the other exhaust port 14a is adjacent to one of the pair of exhaust ports 14d corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15d.

[0034] Furthermore, the other exhaust port 14b corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15b is adjacent to one of the pair of exhaust ports 14c corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15c. Also, the other exhaust port 14c corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15c is adjacent to the other exhaust port 14d corresponding to the electrostatic chuck 15d.

[0035] With the above configuration, the atmosphere inside the chamber 11, including the process gas supplied to the electrostatic chuck 15, decomposition products of the process gas, and reaction products, is exhausted from these exhaust ports 14.

[0036] The plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 30 that controls various parts of the plasma processing apparatus 1, such as a high-frequency power supply 24, a matching unit 23, a microwave source 26, a spindle 13, a vacuum pump (not shown), and a chuck mechanism.

[0037] The control unit 30 is configured as a computer, for example, equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). However, the control unit 30 may also be configured as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or the like, having functions for use in the plasma processing apparatus 1.

[0038] During plasma processing, the wafer to be processed is placed on the electrostatic chuck 15 according to the control of the control unit 30 and is held in place by the chuck mechanism. The chamber 11 is also evacuated by a vacuum pump connected to the exhaust port 14. When the chamber 11 reaches a predetermined pressure, processing gas is supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) to the shower head 16 and then supplied into the chamber 11 via the gas supply port 161.

[0039] Furthermore, in accordance with the control of the control unit 30, with the electrostatic chuck 15, which is the lower electrode, grounded, a high-frequency voltage is applied to the shower head 16, which is the upper electrode, to generate plasma in the chamber 11. In the plasma, the processing gas and its decomposition products undergo chemical and physical reactions, and the reaction products are deposited on the wafer, thereby forming a predetermined film on the wafer.

[0040] (Example of plasma treatment) Next, using Figures 2 and 3, an example of plasma treatment of a wafer 100 and dry cleaning of the chamber 11 by the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment will be described.

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the plasma processing of a wafer 100 by the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2(a), the control unit 30 uses a transport robot (not shown) to load multiple wafers 100 as substrates into the chamber 11, and then uses the transport arms 131 of the spindle 13 to place and chucking them onto each of the multiple electrostatic chucks 15. The control unit 30 also supplies a processing gas into the chamber 11 and applies a high-frequency voltage to the shower heads 16 using a high-frequency power supply 24 to generate plasma P of the processing gas between the corresponding shower heads 16 and electrostatic chucks 15.

[0043] In the plasma processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a raw material gas for a CVD carbon film is supplied as the processing gas. The CVD carbon film is a film whose main component is carbon.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2(b), the plasma treatment described above forms a predetermined film, such as a CVD carbon film FL, on each wafer 100. Furthermore, by performing this plasma treatment a predetermined number of times, a deposition DP with the same components as the CVD carbon film FL is deposited on various components within the chamber 11, such as the recess 121 of the lower member 12.

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the dry cleaning process of the chamber 11 in the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. As described above, the dry cleaning process is performed after each predetermined number of plasma treatments. The frequency of the dry cleaning process may be, for example, after each plasma treatment or after multiple plasma treatments have been repeated.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3(a), the control unit 30 uses the microwave source 26 to plasmaize the cleaning gas in the discharge tube 25 and introduces it into the chamber 11 as remote plasma RP. As described above, if the predetermined film formed on the wafer 100 is a CVD carbon film FL and the deposition DP is a carbon-based reaction product of the same type, then, for example, oxygen gas can be used as the cleaning gas.

[0047] Furthermore, during the dry cleaning process, dummy wafers may be placed on each electrostatic chuck 15 to protect the mounting surface of the wafer 100 in the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3(b), this remote plasma RP of oxygen gas removes deposition DP adhering to various components in the chamber 11, such as the recess 121 of the lower component 12.

[0049] At this time, the atmosphere inside the chamber 11 flows toward the exhaust ports 14 located near the four side walls of the rectangular chamber 11. For this reason, within each recess 121 of the lower member 12, the oxygen gas remote plasma RP is less likely to reach the side closer to the four corners of the chamber 11 compared to other parts.

[0050] However, in the plasma processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the bottom surface of each recess 121 is an inclined surface 122, the remote plasma RP of oxygen gas can be sufficiently distributed, and the remaining deposition DP on the side of the chamber 11 that is close to the four corner portions can be suppressed on the annular inclined surface 122 of the recess 121.

[0051] (Comparative example) Next, an example of dry cleaning in the comparative example plasma apparatus 1x will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the dry cleaning process of the chamber 11x in the comparative example plasma apparatus 1x.

[0052] As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 4(Ab), the comparative example plasma processing apparatus 1x has a lower member 12x inside the chamber 11x. The lower member 12x has a plurality of recesses 121x in which individual electrostatic chucks 15x are each positioned. In the comparative example plasma processing apparatus 1x, each of the plurality of recesses 121x has a side surface 122x perpendicular to the bottom wall of the chamber 11x.

[0053] In the plasma processing apparatus 1x of this comparative example, by performing plasma processing a predetermined number of times, deposition DPx is deposited on each member in the chamber 11x, including the side surface 122x within the recess 121x of the lower member 12x.

[0054] Therefore, for example, the cleaning gas in the discharge tube 25x is converted into plasma by the microwave source 26x and introduced into the chamber 11x as remote plasma RPx, thereby performing dry cleaning inside the chamber 11x.

[0055] At this time, as shown in the top view of Figure 4(Aa), the cleaning gas introduced from the central part of the chamber 11x in a top view flows toward the exhaust ports 14 located near the side walls of the four sides of the chamber 11x. For this reason, it is difficult for the cleaning gas and the remote plasma RPx of the cleaning gas to reach the four corners of the chamber 11x.

[0056] Furthermore, compared to parts that are heated to a predetermined temperature, such as the side walls and top plate of the chamber 11x and the mounting surface of the electrostatic chuck 15x, the side surface 122x of the recess 121x of the lower member 12x is in a relatively low temperature state.

[0057] As shown in Figures 4(Ba) and 4(Bb), for the reasons described above, on the side surface 122x of the recess 121x of the lower member 12x, deposition DPx may remain on the side closer to the corner portion of the chamber 11x without being completely removed.

[0058] As described above, areas within the chamber 11x that are difficult for cleaning gases to reach, and areas within the chamber 11x that are relatively cold, are also called dead spots and cold spots, respectively, and are areas where it is difficult to remove deposition DPx by dry cleaning. If deposition DPx remains in the chamber 11x, fluctuations will occur in the in-plane formation rate of the predetermined film formed on the wafer during subsequent plasma processing, and the in-plane uniformity of the film thickness will deteriorate. In addition, the remaining deposition DPx may cause various pipes, such as exhaust ports, to become blocked.

[0059] Therefore, in order to remove the deposition DPx on the side surface 122x of the recess 121x of the lower member 12x, one possible method is to use a combination of conditions that facilitate the removal of deposition DPx on the corner side of the chamber 11x and conditions that facilitate the removal of deposition DPx on other parts. However, using multiple conditions in combination requires a long time for dry cleaning, which prolongs the downtime of the plasma processing apparatus 1x.

[0060] Alternatively, one could consider a method to improve the removal rate of deposition DPx by adding a corrosive gas such as NF3 gas to a cleaning gas such as oxygen gas. However, using corrosive gases for dry cleaning can easily damage various components of the chamber 11x, resulting in a shorter lifespan.

[0061] According to the plasma processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the chamber 11 has an inclined surface 122 that descends from the outer circumference of the electrostatic chuck 15 toward the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. This eliminates dead spots in the recess 121 of the lower member 12, making it easier for the cleaning gas to be exposed to the remote plasma RP.

[0062] Therefore, the removal of deposition DP by dry cleaning can be easily performed. In addition, dry cleaning can be completed in a short time, improving the operating rate of the plasma processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, it is possible to extend the lifespan of the components in the chamber 11.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus 1 has an annular inclined surface 122 within the recess 121 of the lower member 12. However, within each recess 121, the deposition DP on the central side of the chamber 11 in a top view is relatively easy to remove. Therefore, the inclined surface 122 may be provided only on the corner side of the chamber 11 where the removal of deposition DP is difficult.

[0064] (Variation 1) Next, a modified example of the plasma processing apparatus 2 of the embodiment 1 will be described using Figure 5. In the plasma processing apparatus 2 of the modified example 1, the shape of the inclined surface 522 of the lower member 52 differs from that of the embodiment described above.

[0065] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the plasma processing apparatus 2 according to the modified embodiment 1.

[0066] More specifically, Figure 5(a) is a partially enlarged top view of the chamber 11 of the plasma processing apparatus 1. In Figure 5(a), the electrostatic chuck 15 and its base 151 are shown by dashed lines, and the lower structure is shown through them. Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section of Figure 1(b) described above, and Figure 5(c) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section of Figure 1(c) described above.

[0067] In Figure 5, components similar to those in the embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0068] As shown in Figure 5, the plasma processing apparatus 2 of the modified example 1 includes a lower member 52 inside the chamber 11. The lower member 52 has a plurality of recesses 521 in which a plurality of electrostatic chucks 15 are each arranged. The bottom of each recess 521 has a plurality of inclined surfaces 522 that descend from the outer circumference of the electrostatic chuck 15 toward the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15.

[0069] These inclined surfaces 522 have multiple planes arranged to surround the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. That is, unlike the inclined surfaces 122 in the above-described embodiment, which are curved in a downward convex shape with respect to the inclination direction and curved in the circumferential direction, these inclined surfaces 522 have a planar shape with respect to both the inclination direction and the circumferential direction.

[0070] In the example shown in Figure 5, each recess 521 has six inclined surfaces 522 surrounding the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. As a result, the upper ends of the six inclined surfaces 522, which form a regular hexagon in top view, are each connected to the vertical wall surface of the recess 521 of the lower member 52. A step 523 may be present in part at the connection between the inclined surface 522 and the vertical wall surface of the recess 521.

[0071] Furthermore, of the six inclined surfaces 522 surrounding the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15, exhaust ports 14 are opened on two of the inclined surfaces 522 that face each other via the corner portions of the chamber 11.

[0072] Furthermore, when the inclined surface 522 within the recess 521 is composed of multiple planes, the number of inclined surfaces 522 within a single recess 521 is not limited to six. The number of inclined surfaces 522 within a single recess 521 may be five or fewer, or seven or more.

[0073] In the plasma processing apparatus 2 of the modified example 1, the inclined surface 522 has multiple planes arranged to surround the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. This configuration also provides the same effects as the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment.

[0074] In the above-described modified example 1, the inclined surface 522 has multiple planes arranged to surround the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. However, inclined surfaces 522 consisting of one or more planes may be provided only on the corner portion side of the chamber 11 where it is difficult to remove deposition DP from the circular recess 521.

[0075] (Modification 2) Next, a modified example of the embodiment 2, the plasma processing apparatus 3, will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The plasma processing apparatus 3 of modified example 2 differs from the above-described embodiment in that it includes an adapter 60 having an inclined surface 62.

[0076] In the following drawings, components similar to those in the embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0077] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the plasma processing apparatus 3 according to the modified embodiment 2. More specifically, Figure 6(a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section of Figure 1(b) described above, and Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section of Figure 1(c) described above.

[0078] As shown in Figure 6, the plasma processing apparatus 3 of the modified example 2 includes a lower member 72 having a plurality of recesses 721 on which a plurality of electrostatic chucks 15 are each arranged. Each recess 721 has a vertical wall surface, and exhaust ports 74 connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) are provided on these walls. In addition, an adapter 60 having an inclined surface 62 is arranged at the bottom of each recess 721.

[0079] The adapter 60 is preferably made of the same material as the components of the chamber 11, for example, aluminum with an aluminum oxide coating. However, the adapter 60 may be made of a different material from the chamber 11, such as resin. The adapter 60 and the inclined surface 62 of the adapter 60 have an annular shape to match the shape of the recess 721 of the lower member 72.

[0080] In other words, the inclined surface 62 of the adapter 60 has a curved shape with respect to the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the inclined surface 62 has a curved shape that is convex downwards with respect to the direction of inclination. However, the inclined surface 62 may also have a planar shape with respect to the direction of inclination. Exhaust ports 64, which are connected to the exhaust ports 74 of the lower member 72, are opened in the inclined surface 62.

[0081] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the detailed configuration of the adapter 60 according to a modified example 2 of the embodiment. More specifically, Figure 7(a) is a perspective view of the adapter 60, and Figure 7(b) is a top view of the adapter 60.

[0082] As shown in Figure 7, the adapter 60 has a cylindrical outer shape to match the shape of the recess 721 of the lower member 72, as described above. Furthermore, an opening 61 is provided at the bottom of the adapter 60 for the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15 to pass through. The inclined surface 62 of the adapter 60 slopes downward from the side wall portion of the cylindrical adapter 60 towards the opening 61 at the bottom of the adapter 60.

[0083] As described above, the inclined surface 62 has a curved or planar shape that is convex downwards in the direction of inclination, and a curved shape in the circumferential direction. In addition, the inclined surface 62 is provided with a pair of exhaust ports 64 corresponding to a pair of exhaust ports 74 provided in the recess 721 of the lower member 72. The pair of exhaust ports 64 are provided at positions facing each other, with the opening 61 of the adapter 60 in between.

[0084] As a result, with the adapter 60 installed inside the chamber 11 of the plasma processing apparatus 3, these pair of exhaust ports 64 face each other with the electrostatic chuck 15 in between, and are connected to exhaust ports 74 provided on the lower member 72.

[0085] In the plasma processing apparatus 3 of the modified example 2, the inclined surface 62 is provided on an adapter 60 attached to the lower part of the chamber 11. In this way, by providing an adapter 60 with an inclined surface 62 separately from the chamber 11, even in a plasma processing apparatus 3 where the side wall of the recess 721 in the lower member 72 is vertical, for example, by attaching the adapter 60, deposition DP can be easily removed by dry cleaning.

[0086] In the plasma processing apparatus 3 of the modified example 2, an exhaust port 64 is opened in the inclined surface 62, which is connected to the exhaust port 74 of the lower member 72. This allows the atmosphere inside the chamber 11 to be exhausted via the adapter 60.

[0087] The plasma processing apparatus 3 of the modified example 2 also provides the same effects as the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment.

[0088] In the modified example 2, the inclined surface 62 of the adapter 60 has a shape similar to the inclined surface 122 provided in the plasma processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment. However, the shape of the inclined surface 62 of the adapter 60 is not limited to this. For example, the inclined surface 62 may have a shape in which multiple planes are combined, similar to the modified example 1 described above.

[0089] (Variation 3) Next, the adapters 160 and 260 of the third modified embodiment will be described using Figure 8. The adapters 160 and 260 of the third modified embodiment differ from the second modified embodiment described above in that they are configured to be separable.

[0090] Figure 8 is a schematic top view showing the configuration of adapters 160 and 260 according to modified embodiment 3. In Figure 8, components similar to those in modified embodiment 2 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0091] As shown in Figure 8(a), as an example, the adapter 160 of Modification 3 is constructed by combining three divided members 160a to 160c. Each of these members 160a to 160c has a pie-shaped form. Furthermore, each of these members 160a to 160c has an arc portion 161a to 161c with an angle range of 120° at the center of the whole when they are combined. As a result, when these members 160a to 160c are combined, they have a cylindrical outer shape, similar to the adapter 60 of Modification 2 described above, and have an opening in the center through which the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15 can pass.

[0092] Furthermore, these members 160a to 160c each have inclined surfaces 162a to 162c that descend from the outer circumference toward the respective arc portions 161a to 161c. These inclined surfaces 162a to 162c each have a curved or planar shape that is convex downward with respect to the direction of inclination, and a curved shape with respect to the circumferential direction. However, each of these inclined surfaces 162a to 162c may be composed of one or more planes, similar to the inclined surface 522 in the modified example 1 described above.

[0093] Furthermore, among these inclined surfaces 162a to 162c, exhaust ports 164a and 164b are provided on inclined surfaces 162a and 162b at positions opposite each other, with their respective arc portions 161a and 161b in between. As a result, when the adapter 160, which is a combination of the members 160a to 160c, is installed inside the chamber 11, these exhaust ports 164a and 164b are connected to the exhaust port 74 of the lower member 72.

[0094] As shown in Figure 8(b), in another example, the adapter 260 of Modification 3 is constructed by combining four divided members 260a to 260d. Each of these members 260a to 260d has a pie shape. Furthermore, each of these members 260a to 260c has an arc portion 261a to 261d with an angle range of 90° at the center of the whole when they are combined. As a result, when these members 260a to 260d are combined, they have a cylindrical outer shape, similar to the adapter 60 of Modification 2 described above, and have an opening in the center through which the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15 can pass.

[0095] Furthermore, these members 260a to 260d each have inclined surfaces 262a to 262d that descend from the outer circumference toward the respective arc portions 261a to 261d. These inclined surfaces 262a to 262d each have a curved or planar shape that is convex downward with respect to the direction of inclination, and a curved shape with respect to the circumferential direction. However, each of these inclined surfaces 262a to 262d may be composed of one or more planes, similar to the inclined surface 522 in the modified example 1 described above.

[0096] Furthermore, among these inclined surfaces 262a to 262d, exhaust ports 264a and 264c are provided on inclined surfaces 262a and 262c at positions opposite each other, with their respective arc portions 261a and 261c in between. As a result, when the adapter 260, which is a combination of the members 260a to 260d, is installed inside the chamber 11, these exhaust ports 264a and 264c are connected to the exhaust port 74 of the lower member 72.

[0097] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), when the adapter 260 is composed of four divided members 260a to 260d, members 260a and 260c have the same shape, and members 260b and 260d have the same shape.

[0098] Therefore, it is possible to make members 260a and 260c common, and members 260b and 260d common, thereby reducing the number of parts to be prepared from four to two. When actually attaching it to the chamber 11, for example, the adapter 260 can be constructed by combining two members 260a and two members 260b.

[0099] In addition, in the third modification, the adapter may be composed of two or more parts, or five or more parts. Furthermore, the parts do not have to be divided at equal angles; for example, it may be a combination of two parts covering a 90° angle range and one part covering a 180° angle range.

[0100] According to the adapter 160,260 of Modified Example 3, the adapter 160,260 includes a plurality of members 160a to 160c or members 260a to 260d arranged to surround the base 151 of the electrostatic chuck 15. This facilitates the attachment of the adapter 160,260 to the chamber 11.

[0101] Adapters 160 and 260 in Modification 3 also produce the same effects as adapter 60 in Modification 2 described above.

[0102] In the embodiments and modifications 1 to 3 described above, high-frequency power is applied to the shower head 16, which is the upper electrode, in the plasma processing apparatus 1 to 3, etc. However, the high-frequency power may also be applied to the electrostatic chuck 15, which is the lower electrode, or to both the upper and lower electrodes. In addition, the plasma processing apparatus may be an apparatus using other plasma sources such as ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma).

[0103] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications 1 to 3 described above, dry cleaning was performed using remote plasma RP. However, the plasma source during dry cleaning is not limited to this. For example, dry cleaning may be performed using plasma with parallel plate electrodes, similar to when forming a predetermined film on the wafer 100.

[0104] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications 1 to 3 described above, the plasma processing apparatus 1 to 3, etc., are assumed to be PECVD apparatuses for forming a predetermined film on a wafer 100. However, the configuration of the embodiments described above can also be applied to etching apparatuses, etc., for etching a predetermined film already formed on a wafer.

[0105] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1,2,3...Plasma processing device, 12,52,72...Lower member, 14,64,74,164a,164b,264a,264c...Exhaust port, 15...Electrostatic chuck, 16...Shower head, 24...High-frequency power supply, 60,160,260...Adapter, 160a~160c,260a~260d...Metal member, 121,521,721...Recess, 122,522,62,162a~162c,262a~262d...Inclined surface.

Claims

1. A processing container for processing substrates, An upper electrode that supplies processing gas into the processing container, A lower electrode is positioned in the processing container opposite to the upper electrode, on which the substrate is placed, The processing vessel comprises a power supply that supplies power to at least one of the upper electrode or the lower electrode to generate plasma in the processing vessel, The aforementioned processing container is An inclined surface that slopes downward from the outer circumference of the lower electrode toward the base of the lower electrode, It has an exhaust port that opens to the inclined surface and exhausts the contents of the processing container, Plasma processing equipment.

2. The aforementioned inclined surface is It has a planar or downward-convex curved shape with respect to the direction of inclination. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned inclined surface is It has a planar or curved shape in the circumferential direction. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned inclined surface is The lower electrode has a plurality of planes arranged to surround the base portion, The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned inclined surface is A part of the bottom wall of the aforementioned processing container, The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned inclined surface is The adapter attached to the lower part of the processing container is provided, The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. A processing container for processing substrates, An upper electrode that supplies processing gas into the processing container, A lower electrode is positioned in the processing container opposite to the upper electrode, on which the substrate is placed, A power supply that supplies power to at least one of the upper electrode or the lower electrode to generate plasma in the processing container, An adapter that can be attached to the lower part of a plasma processing apparatus, comprising a pair of first exhaust ports for exhausting air from inside the processing vessel, which are positioned opposite each other with respect to the lower electrode, The aforementioned adapter is With the processing container attached, the lower electrode has an inclined surface that slopes downward from the outer circumference towards the base of the lower electrode, It has a pair of second exhaust ports that open into the inclined surface and are connected to the pair of first exhaust ports, adapter.

8. The aforementioned inclined surface is It has a planar or downward-convex curved shape with respect to the direction of inclination. The adapter according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned inclined surface is It has a planar or curved shape in the circumferential direction. The adapter according to claim 7.

10. The aforementioned inclined surface is The lower electrode has a plurality of planes arranged to surround the base portion, The adapter according to claim 9.

11. It is composed of a plurality of members that can be arranged to surround the base of the lower electrode, The adapter according to claim 7.

12. The aforementioned inclined surface is Each of the aforementioned plurality of members is provided with, The adapter according to claim 11.

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