Process equipment using multi-frequency power sources

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus using a multi-frequency power supply is provided, the plasma processing apparatus including a process chamber including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, a first reactor fluidly connected to the process chamber, a first plasma generation unit including a first winding and a second winding, a first AC power supply, and a second AC power supply having a power frequency different from that of the first AC power supply, the first AC power supply being selectively electrically connected to the first winding or the first electrode, and the second AC power supply being selectively electrically connected to the second winding or the second electrode.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a process processing facility or plasma processing apparatus that uses a multi-frequency power supply. [Background technology]

[0002] Plasma refers to non-neutral matter in a high-energy state with a sufficiently high density of electric charge. When an electrical stimulus or microwave is applied to a neutral gas, ionized gas molecules and free electrons are generated. Then, under conditions such as an electric field, the electrons and ions can continue to collide with each other to reach a plasma state and maintain the electrical properties of plasma.

[0003] Plasma is widely used in various industrial fields, including semiconductor processes such as etching, deposition, washing, and ashing, and chamber cleaning processes. Recently, with the increasing size of substrates to be processed, such as wafers, there is a demand for plasma generators and process processing equipment (or facilities) including the same, which have high controllability over plasma ion energy, large-area processing capabilities, and efficient post-processing of process by-products such as exhaust gases, and particularly for process processing equipment that performs plasma processes. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Meanwhile, it is very important to remove foreign matter from inside a chamber after a deposition process using plasma, etc. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a processing equipment or plasma processing apparatus (or processing system) that has high controllability of a plasma process, improves productivity, and is capable of cleaning the inside of a chamber of the processing equipment.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the process treatment facility, or a process treatment method using the process treatment facility.

[0006] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve any of the above problems, a plasma processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a process chamber including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, a first reactor fluidly connected to the process chamber, a first plasma generation unit including a first winding and a second winding, a first AC power source, and a second AC power source having a power frequency different from that of the first AC power source, wherein the first AC power source is selectively electrically connected to the first winding or the first electrode, and the second AC power source is selectively electrically connected to the second winding or the second electrode.

[0008] The first reactor may include a reactor body, an inlet, and an outlet, and the first winding may be wound around the reactor body on the inlet side relative to the second winding.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus may further include a second reactor fluidly connected to the process chamber, a second plasma generating unit including a third winding and a fourth winding, and a third AC power source.

[0010] In this case, the third AC power source may be electrically connected to the second winding and the third winding.

[0011] Alternatively, the third AC power source may be electrically connected to the third winding and the fourth winding.

[0012] The third winding and the fourth winding may be physically separated from each other and may be grounded.

[0013] A first power supply frequency of the first AC power supply may be higher than a second power supply frequency of the second AC power supply and a third power supply frequency of the third AC power supply.

[0014] Furthermore, when the first AC power supply is electrically connected to the first winding, the second AC power supply may be configured to be electrically connected to the second winding, and when the first AC power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode, the second AC power supply may be configured to be electrically connected to the second electrode.

[0015] The first electrode may include a showerhead and the second electrode may include a chuck.

[0016] In order to solve any of the other problems described above, a method for controlling a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a process chamber including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, a first reactor fluidly connected to the process chamber, a first plasma generation unit including a first winding and a second winding, a first AC power source, and a second AC power source having a power frequency different from that of the first AC power source, the method including a first step of connecting the first AC power source to the first electrode and connecting the second AC power source to the second electrode, and a second step of connecting the first AC power source to the first winding and connecting the second AC power source to the second winding.

[0017] The plasma processing apparatus may further include a second plasma generating unit including a second reactor and a third winding fluidly connected to the process chamber, and a third AC power source.

[0018] In this case, in the second step, the third AC power supply may be connected to the third winding.

[0019] In the first step, the third AC power supply may be connected to a third winding.

[0020] Other embodiment details are included in the detailed description. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-frequency power supply can be used to perform different processes, such as a deposition process and a chamber cleaning process, thereby improving processability and facilitating management.

[0022] The effects of the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and various other effects are included within the present specification. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a process treatment facility according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit in FIG. 1.

[0025] [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second plasma processing unit in FIG. 1.

[0026] [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic view of the second plasma processing unit of FIG. 3 as seen from another direction.

[0027] [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a circuit schematic diagram of an impedance matching unit in FIG.

[0028] [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a processing facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] [Figure 13] 1 is a flowchart of a process processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing electrical connections at a certain step in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing electrical connections at a certain step in FIG. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and can be realized in various different forms. The embodiments are provided solely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0034] Furthermore, the scope of a patent claim is not a matter that describes the technical content of the invention, but a matter that indicates the scope of rights claimed based on the technical configuration disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. Therefore, it is inevitable to some extent that the scope of a patent claim will be composed of abstract generic concepts that include the technology disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. If a person skilled in the art can understand the technical configuration, combination thereof, and effects that fall within the scope of the patent claim from the entire specification, the scope of the patent claim should be considered to be supported by the detailed description of the invention.

[0035] That is, various modifications may be made to the examples presented in the present invention. The examples described below are not intended to be limited to the embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives thereto.

[0036] When a term described in this specification is intended to have a specific meaning, that meaning can be defined and used, and the term must be interpreted accordingly. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification can be used with a meaning that is commonly understood by those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless they are clearly and specifically defined.

[0037] As used herein, "and / or" includes each and every combination of one or more of the mentioned items. Also, the singular forms include the plural forms unless otherwise stated in the phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements other than the elements mentioned. Numerical ranges indicated using "to" indicate numerical ranges that include the values ​​stated before and after as lower and upper limits, respectively. "About" or "approximately" means a value or numerical range within 20% of the value or numerical range stated thereafter.

[0038] In this specification, when referring to a component, ordinal modifiers such as "first component," "second component," and "1-1 component" are used merely to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, what is hereinafter referred to as a "first component" may also be referred to as a "second component" within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. For example, what is referred to as a "first component" in one embodiment may also be referred to as a "second component" in another embodiment. Furthermore, what is referred to as a "first component" in the description of the invention may, of course, also be referred to as a "second component" in the claims.

[0039] The size, thickness, width, length, and the like of the illustrated components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience and clarity of explanation, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

[0040] Spatially relative terms such as "above," "upper," "on," "below," "beneath," and "lower" may be used to easily describe the relationship of one element or component to another, as illustrated. Spatially relative terms should be understood to encompass different orientations of elements when used in addition to the orientation depicted. For example, if an element depicted is turned over, an element described as "below" or "beneath" another element may be located "above" the other element. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of below and above.

[0041] The terms "electrically connected" or "electrically conductive" as used herein include not only cases where a component and another component are in direct contact with each other, forming a direct path for current flow between them, but also cases where they are indirectly connected via another conductive path between them.

[0042] As used herein, plasma can refer to a substance or state of matter that includes a collection of electrically charged particles associated with a gas. For example, plasma can include ionized substances such as radicals, associated neutrons, and / or molecules.

[0043] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second plasma processing unit of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the second plasma processing unit of FIG. 3 viewed from another direction, and is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the second plasma processing unit of FIG. 3 cut away near the 2-1 extension and the 2-2 extension, viewed from above. FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the impedance matching unit of FIG. 1.

[0045] 1 to 5, the process treatment equipment 11 (or process treatment system, or plasma process equipment) according to this embodiment includes a process chamber 300, a first plasma process unit 100 (or first plasma generation unit), a first power source 410, a second power source 420, a first switching element S1, and a second switching element S2, and may further include a second plasma process unit 200 (or second plasma generation unit), a subsequent process unit 500, a third power source 430, a third switching element S3, and an impedance matching unit 900.

[0046] The process chamber 300 may provide a process space in which processes such as etching, deposition, cleaning, and ashing of a substrate (not shown) to be processed are performed. In this case, the first plasma process unit 100 may generate plasma and provide it together with a process gas to an inlet of the process chamber 300. That is, the first plasma process unit 100 may be located upstream of the process chamber 300.

[0047] The process chamber 300 may include a first electrode 310 (or upper electrode) and a second electrode 320 (or lower electrode) facing each other. A reaction space is defined between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, and a substrate to be processed may be placed in the reaction space. When high-frequency AC power is applied to the first electrode 310 and / or the second electrode 320 by a power supply unit (to be described later), an electric field may be formed in the reaction space. The second electrode 320 may be located lower than the first electrode 310 in the direction of gravity.

[0048] As a non-limiting example, the first electrode 310 may include a showerhead. That is, gas and plasma provided from the first plasma processing unit 100 are provided to the internal space through the first electrode 310, which functions as a showerhead, so that the gas and plasma can be uniformly sprayed into the reaction space. In other words, the first electrode 310 may provide a gas inlet path for the process chamber 300 and also function as a showerhead or baffle, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0049] The second electrode 320 may also include a chuck, such as a heating chuck. That is, the substrate to be processed may be placed on the second electrode 320. In other words, the second electrode 320 may itself function as a table on which the substrate to be processed is placed or a substrate fixing member, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0050] The first plasma processing unit 100 includes a first reactor 110 (or reaction body) that provides a plasma excitation space, and may further include a 1-1 magnet core 121, a 1-2 magnet core 122, first insulating members 141, 142, 143, 144, a 1-1 winding 151, and a 1-2 winding 152.

[0051] The first reactor 110 has an open internal space, and the electromotive force induced by the first windings 151 and 152 is guided in the closed-loop or substantially annular internal space to excite plasma. Furthermore, neutral gas and / or excited ionized gas molecules and electrons are accelerated in the loop-shaped internal space to reach a plasma state or maintain the plasma state.

[0052] The first reactor 110 can be understood as an assembly of multiple pipes or tubes. The internal space of the first reactor 110 may have a toroidal or donut structure forming a discharge loop therein. For example, the first reactor 110 may include a first inlet 111 having a gas inlet, a first branch 112 (or a first horizontal flow path section) fluidly connected to the first inlet 111 to provide a branch flow path, a first extension 113 (or a branch section, or a first vertical flow path section) and a first extension 114 (or a branch section, or a first vertical flow path section) branching from the first branch 112, a first joining section 115 (or a first horizontal flow path section), and a first discharge section 116 having a gas outlet. The first branch 112 may be adjacent to the gas inlet side relative to the first joining section 115, and the first joining section 115 may be adjacent to the gas outlet side relative to the first branch 112. The first inlet 111 may be fluidly connected to a gas source (not shown), and the first outlet 116 may be fluidly connected to an inlet of the process chamber 300 .

[0053] That is, the process gas flowing into the first reactor 110 through the first inlet 111 is accelerated in a loop space formed by the first branch 112, the 1-1 extension 113, the first junction 115, and the 1-2 extension 114 to form plasma, and the process gas and its plasma are discharged through the first outlet 116 and provided into the process chamber 300. Examples of the process gas include oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), chlorine (Cl2), argon (Ar), helium (He), ammonia (NH3), nitrogen fluoride (NF3), carbon fluoride, and chlorine trifluoride (ClF3).

[0054] One or more or all of the first inlet portion 111, the first branch portion 112, the 1-1 extension portion 113, the 1-2 extension portion 114, the first joint portion 115, and the first outlet portion 116 may be made of an electrically conductive metal such as aluminum or iron, or an alloy containing these. In another embodiment, at least some of the above parts may be electrically insulating.

[0055] In some embodiments, first insulating members 141, 142, 143, and 144 may be disposed between the above-described components constituting the first reactor 110 to partially separate the components and prevent current saturation. For example, a first insulating member 141 may be disposed between the first branch portion 112 and the first-1 extension portion 113, and a first-2 insulating member 142 may be disposed between the first branch portion 112 and the first-2 extension portion 114. A first-3 insulating member 143 may be disposed between the first-1 extension portion 113 and the first joint portion 115, and a first-4 insulating member 144 may be disposed between the first-2 extension portion 114 and the first joint portion 115. The first insulating members 141, 142, 143, and 144 may be understood to be included in the first reactor 110.

[0056] The first magnet cores 121, 122 may be shaped to at least partially surround the first reactor 110. The embodiment of Fig. 2 illustrates a case where a pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 are arranged to surround the first branch portion 112 adjacent to the gas inlet and its internal space, and a pair of 1-2 magnet cores 122 are arranged to surround the first joint portion 115 adjacent to the gas outlet and its internal space.

[0057] Specifically, one of the pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 can surround the space of the first branch portion 112 extending from the first inlet portion 111 to the 1-1 extension portion 113, and the other can surround the space of the first branch portion 112 extending from the first inlet portion 111 to the 1-2 extension portion 114. Also, one of the pair of 1-2 magnet cores 122 can surround the space of the first joint portion 115 extending from the 1-1 extension portion 113 to the first discharge portion 116, and the other can surround the space of the first joint portion 115 extending from the 1-2 extension portion 114 to the first discharge portion 116.

[0058] The first magnet cores 121 and 122 may be made of a magnetic material or a ferromagnetic material, such as ferrite. The first magnet cores 121 and 122 (or the first magnetic body) may focus an electromagnetic field formed by a current path provided by the first windings 151 and 152 (described later) within the plasma discharge space. The focused electromagnetic field may induce an electromotive force within the interior space of the first reactor 110. That is, in the first plasma processing unit 100 according to this embodiment, the first windings 151 and 152 are not wound directly around the first reactor 110 and its interior space, but are wound around the first magnet cores 121 and 122, allowing the electromagnetic field to be focused by the first magnet cores 121 and 122.

[0059] A pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 spaced apart from each other in the first direction X may have a 1-1 winding 151 (or a first winding) wound around a portion of the 1-1 magnet core 121 by one or more turns to surround the 1-1 magnet core 121. The loop of the 1-1 magnet core 121 surrounding the internal space and the loop formed by the 1-1 winding 151 may be substantially perpendicular or intersecting. For example, the 1-1 magnet core 121 may surround the internal space in the second direction Y and the third direction Z, and the 1-1 winding 151 may be wound around the pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 in a plane in which the first direction X belongs. Here, the third direction Z refers to a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the first direction X and the second direction Y belong.

[0060] Depending on the operation of the first switching element S1, the 1-1 winding 151 may be electrically connected to the first power source 410 to receive AC power or cut off the power supply, or the 1-1 winding 151 may be grounded.

[0061] Similarly, a pair of 1-2 magnet cores 122 spaced apart from each other in the first direction X may have a 1-2 winding 152 (or a second winding) wound around a portion of the 1-2 magnet core 122 by one or more turns, and may be arranged to surround the 1-2 magnet core 122. The 1-2 winding 152 may be physically separated from the 1-1 winding 151 and may be non-conductive. The loop surrounding the internal space of the 1-2 magnet core 122 and the loop formed by the 1-2 winding 152 may be substantially perpendicular or intersect. For example, the 1-2 magnet core 122 may surround the internal space in the second direction Y and the third direction Z, and the 1-2 winding 152 may be wound around the pair of 1-2 magnet cores 122 in a planar direction to which the first direction X belongs.

[0062] Depending on the operation of the second switching element S2, the first-second winding 152 may be electrically connected to the second power source 420 to provide AC power or cut off the power supply, or the first-second winding 152 may be grounded.

[0063] The first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may each provide power for driving the process equipment 11. For example, the first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may each provide high-frequency AC power. The first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may each include a high-frequency oscillator and a power amplifier that amplifies the power to generate high-power high-frequency power. In an exemplary embodiment, the first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may have different frequencies. For example, the first power source 410 may have a frequency of about 1.0×10 4 kHz to 1.5 x 10 4 kHz, or approximately 1.2 × 10 4 kHz to 1.4×10 4The power supply frequency of the first power supply 410 may be about 30 times or more that of the second power supply 420. The power supply frequency of the second power supply 420 may be about 200 kHz to 500 kHz, or about 300 kHz to 400 kHz. In other words, the power supply frequency of the first power supply 410 may be about 30 times or more that of the second power supply 420.

[0064] The power of the first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may also be different. As a non-limiting example, the maximum power of the first power source 410 may be greater than the maximum power of the second power source 420.

[0065] The first power source 410 and the second power source 420 may be electrically connected to the impedance matching unit 900. The impedance matching unit 900 may match impedances by varying the impedance component between the first-1 winding 151 and the first power source 410. The impedance matching unit 900 may also match impedances by varying the impedance component between the first-2 winding 152 and the second power source 420. The structure of the matching circuit of the impedance matching unit 900 is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 5 and may include a variable capacitor, a variable inductor, etc. For example, the impedance matching unit 900 may further include various sensors and control circuits.

[0066] The first power source 410 is connected to the first switching element S1, and depending on the operation of the first switching element S1, the first power source 410 can be electrically connected to the 1-1 winding 151 or the first electrode 310. For example, the above-described 1-1 winding 151 is connected to the 1-1 conductive path L11 (or a connection portion, or a wiring portion, or a conductive line, or a line), and the first electrode 310 is connected to the 1-2 conductive path L12, and the first switching element S1 can electrically connect the first power source 410 to either the 1-1 conductive path L11 or the 1-2 conductive path L12.

[0067] In this specification, the term "conductive path" refers to a component that provides a path through which current flows, and includes electrical wiring and other conductive components. In this case, the term "conductive path" may be used to mean that one or more load elements, such as switching elements, resistors, and inductors, are included in the conductive path and are conductive.

[0068] Furthermore, the second power source 420 is connected to the second switching element S2, and depending on the operation of the second switching element S2, the second power source 420 can be electrically connected to the first-second winding 152 or the second electrode 320. For example, the first-second winding 152 is connected to the second-first conductive path L21, and the second electrode 320 is connected to the second-second conductive path L22, and the second switching element S2 can electrically connect the second power source 420 to either the second-first conductive path L21 or the second-second conductive path L22.

[0069] The controller 950 may be understood as a device including at least one processor. The controller 950 can control the first switching element S1, the second switching element S2, and / or the impedance matching unit 900. An example of the controller 950 is a PLC.

[0070] Meanwhile, the second plasma processing unit 200 may be located downstream of the process chamber 300. The second plasma processing unit 200 may be fluidly connected to an exhaust port of the process chamber 300. The second plasma processing unit 200 may perform post-treatment of gaseous or solid process by-products exhausted from the process chamber 300 and facilitate collection of the by-products by a subsequent process unit 500.

[0071] The second plasma processing unit 200 includes a second reactor 210 (or reaction body) that provides a plasma excitation space, and may further include a 2-1 magnet core 221, a 2-2 magnet core 222, second insulating members 241, 242, 243, and 244, a 2-1 winding 251, and a 2-2 winding 252.

[0072] The second reactor 210 has an open internal space, and the electromotive force induced by the windings 251 and 252 is guided in the closed-loop or substantially annular internal space to excite plasma. Furthermore, neutral gas and / or excited ionized gas molecules and electrons are accelerated in the loop-shaped internal space to reach a plasma state or maintain the plasma state.

[0073] The second reactor 210 may have a structure substantially identical to or similar to the first reactor 110 described above. That is, the interior space of the second reactor 210 may have a toroidal or donut structure forming a discharge loop therein. For example, the second reactor 210 may include a second inlet 211 having an inlet, a second branch 212 (or a 2-1 horizontal flow path) fluidly connected to the second inlet 211 to provide a branch flow path, a 2-1 extension 213 (or a 2-1 vertical flow path) and a 2-2 extension 214 (or a 2-2 vertical flow path) branching from the second branch 212, a second junction 215 (or a 2-2 horizontal flow path), and a second discharge 216 having an outlet. The second branch 212 may be adjacent to the inlet side relative to the second junction 215, and the second junction 215 may be adjacent to the outlet side relative to the second branch 212. The second inlet 211 may be fluidly connected to an outlet of the process chamber 300, and the second outlet 216 may be fluidly connected to a subsequent process unit 500. That is, residual gases, etc., flowing from the process chamber 300 into the second reactor 210 through the second inlet 211 may be accelerated in a loop space formed by the second branch 212, the 2-1 extension 213, the second junction 215, and the 2-2 extension 214 to reach plasma. The plasma may then be discharged through the second outlet 216 and provided into the subsequent process unit 500.

[0074] One or more or all of the second inlet portion 211, the second branch portion 212, the 2-1 extension portion 213, the 2-2 extension portion 214, the second joining portion 215, and the second outlet portion 216 may be made of an electrically conductive metal or alloy, etc. In another embodiment, at least some of the above parts may be electrically insulating.

[0075] In some embodiments, second insulating members 241, 242, 243, and 244 may be disposed between the aforementioned components constituting the second reactor 210 to partially separate the components and prevent current saturation. For example, a second-first insulating member 241 may be disposed between the second branch portion 212 and the second-first extension portion 213, and a second-second insulating member 242 may be disposed between the second branch portion 212 and the second-second extension portion 214. A second-third insulating member 243 may be disposed between the second-first extension portion 213 and the second joining portion 215, and a second-fourth insulating member 244 may be disposed between the second-second extension portion 214 and the second joining portion 215. The second insulating members 241, 242, 243, and 244 may be understood to be included in the second reactor 210.

[0076] The second magnet cores 221, 222 may be shaped to at least partially surround the second reactor 210. The embodiment of Fig. 3 illustrates a case where the 2-1 magnet core 221 is arranged to surround the 2-1 extension portion 213 and its internal space S3, and the 2-2 magnet core 222 is arranged to surround the 2-2 extension portion 214 and its internal space S4.

[0077] Like the first magnet cores 121 and 122, the second magnet cores 221 and 222 may be made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material, such as ferrite. The second magnet cores 221 and 222 (or the second magnetic body) can focus the electromagnetic field formed by the second windings 251 and 252 (described later) inside the plasma discharge space. The focused electromagnetic field can induce an electromotive force in the internal space of the second reactor 210. That is, in the second plasma processing unit 200 according to this embodiment, the second windings 251 and 252 are not wound directly around the second reactor 210 and its internal space, but are wound around the second magnet cores 221 and 222, so that the electromagnetic field can be focused by the second magnet cores 221 and 222.

[0078] The 2-1 winding 251 (or third winding) and the 2-2 winding 252 (or fourth winding) may be wound one or more times around the 2-1 magnet core 221 and the 2-2 magnet core 222, which are spaced apart from each other in the first direction X, and may be disposed to surround the second magnet cores 221 and 222. In this case, the loop surrounding the internal space of the 2-1 magnet core 221 and the 2-2 magnet core 222 may be substantially perpendicular to or intersect with the loop formed by the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252. For example, the 2-1 magnet core 221 and the 2-2 magnet core 222 may surround the internal space in the first direction X and the second direction Y, respectively, and the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 may be wound simultaneously around the 2-1 magnet core 221 and the 2-2 magnet core 222, respectively, in a plane direction to which the first direction X and the third direction Z belong.

[0079] The second-first winding 251 may be electrically connected to the third power source 430 to receive AC power. As a non-limiting example, the second-first winding 251 may be constantly electrically connected to the third power source 430 regardless of the operation of the third switching element S3, which will be described later. The second-first winding 251 may also be grounded.

[0080] Furthermore, depending on the operation of the third switching element S3, the second-second winding 252 may be electrically connected to the third power source 430 to receive AC power or cut off the power supply, or the second-second winding 252 may be grounded.

[0081] The 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 may be physically separated and not be electrically connected to each other. For example, the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 may be separated from each other in the second direction Y.

[0082] The third power source 430, together with the first power source 410 and the second power source 420, can drive the process equipment 11, for example, by providing power for any step of the process. The third power source 430 can provide high-frequency AC power. The third power source 430 can include a high-frequency oscillator and a power amplifier that amplifies the power to generate high-power high-frequency power. In an exemplary embodiment, the third power source 430 can have a different frequency from one or more of the first power source 410 and the second power source 420. For example, the third power source 430 can have a power frequency of approximately 200 kHz to 500 kHz, or approximately 300 kHz to 400 kHz. In other words, the power frequency of the first power source 410 can be approximately 30 times or more the power frequency of the third power source 430.

[0083] Additionally, the power of the third power source 430 may be different from the power of the first power source 410 and / or the second power source 420. As a non-limiting example, the maximum power of the third power source 430 may be greater than the maximum power of the first power source 410 and the second power source 420. More specifically, the maximum power of the third power source 430 may be approximately four times or more, or approximately five times or more, that of the first power source 410, and approximately eight times or more, or approximately ten times or more, that of the second power source 420.

[0084] Similar to the first power source 410 and the second power source 420, the third power source 430 may also be electrically connected to the impedance matching unit 900. The impedance matching unit 900 can match impedances by varying the impedance components between the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 and the third power source 430. The impedance matching unit 900 has been described above, so a repeated description will be omitted.

[0085] The third power source 430 is connected to the third switching element S3, and depending on the operation of the third switching element S3, the third power source 430 can be electrically connected to the 2-2 winding 252 or the 1-2 winding 152. Here, being electrically connected to the 1-2 winding 152 includes being connected to another current path electrically connected to the 1-2 winding 152, for example, the 2-1 conduction path L21. For example, the 2-2 winding 252 is connected to the 3-2 conduction path L32, and the third switching element S3 can electrically connect the third switching element S3 to either the 3-2 conduction path L32 or the 2-1 conduction path L21.

[0086] As described above, the 2-1 winding 251 is connected to the 3-1 conduction path L31, and the 3-1 conduction path L31 is electrically connected to the third power supply 430 regardless of the operation of the third switching element S3.

[0087] In other words, the third power supply 430 can provide power to the 2-2 winding 252 and the 2-1 winding 251 or to the 1-2 winding 152 and the 2-1 winding 251 depending on the operation of the third switching element S3.

[0088] Although not shown, the controller 950 can control the third switching element S3.

[0089] The subsequent process unit 500 may include a collection chamber for collecting process by-products discharged through the process chamber 300 and / or the second plasma process unit 200, a pump for generating a fluid flow from upstream to downstream of the process treatment equipment 11, etc.

[0090] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but descriptions of structures that are substantially the same as or very similar to the above-described embodiments will be omitted, and these can be understood by those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings.

[0091] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a processing facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 6, the process treatment equipment 12 according to this embodiment includes a process chamber 300, a first plasma process unit 100 located upstream of the process chamber 300, and a subsequent process unit 500 located downstream of the process chamber 300. Although the process treatment equipment 12 further includes a second plasma process unit 200, the inlet of the second plasma process unit 200 is not directly fluidly connected to the outlet of the process chamber 300, which is different from the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and the like.

[0093] The inlet of the second plasma processing unit 200 is fluidly connected to a separate gas source (not shown) so that gas can be injected from the gas source, and the outlet of the second plasma processing unit 200 is fluidly connected to the outlet of the process chamber 300, which in turn is fluidly connected to the inlet of the subsequent process unit 500.

[0094] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 7, the first plasma processing unit 103 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment includes a first reactor 110, but differs from the first plasma processing unit according to embodiments such as FIG. 2 in that the first branch portion 112 and the first joint portion 115 of the first reactor 110 each include portions extending in a vertical direction, for example, in the third direction Z.

[0096] The first branch portion 112 includes a first branch portion horizontal portion 112a and may further include a first branch portion first vertical portion 112b and a first branch portion second vertical portion 112c connected to both ends of the first branch portion horizontal portion 112a. Similarly, the first joint branch portion 115 includes a first joint branch portion horizontal portion 115a and may further include a first joint branch portion first vertical portion 115b and a first joint branch portion second vertical portion 115c connected to both ends of the first joint branch portion horizontal portion 115a. The first branch portion first vertical portion 112b may be connected to the first joint branch portion first vertical portion 115b, and the first branch portion second vertical portion 112c may be connected to the first joint branch portion second vertical portion 115c. A first-first insulating member 141 may be arranged between the first branch portion first vertical portion 112b and the first joint portion first vertical portion 115b, and a first-second insulating member 142 may be arranged between the first branch portion second vertical portion 112c and the first joint portion second vertical portion 115c.

[0097] Furthermore, the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122 can partially surround the first branch portion 112 and the first joint portion 115, respectively. Specifically, the pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 can surround the first branch portion first vertical portion 112b and the first branch portion second vertical portion 112c, respectively, and their internal spaces, and the pair of 1-2 magnet cores 122 can surround the first joint portion first vertical portion 115b and the first joint portion second vertical portion 115c, respectively, and their internal spaces.

[0098] For example, the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122 may surround the internal space of the first reactor 110 in the directions to which the first direction X and the second direction Y belong, respectively, and the 1-1 winding 151 and the 1-2 winding 152 may be wound in the planar directions to which the first direction X and the third direction Z belong, respectively.

[0099] Although FIG. 7 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 7 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0100] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 8, the first plasma processing unit 104 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment includes a first reactor 110, but differs from the first plasma processing unit according to embodiments such as FIG. 2 in that the 1-1 winding 151 does not focus the electromagnetic field through a magnet core, but rather winds directly around the first reactor 110 and its internal space.

[0102] The first reactor 110 may include a first branch portion 112, a first joint portion 115, and a 1-1 extension portion 113 and a 1-2 extension portion 114 connecting the first branch portion 112 and the first joint portion 115. In an exemplary embodiment, the first branch portion 112 may be made of an electrically insulating material, for example, a dielectric material such as quartz, glass, or ceramic, or an insulated metal such as aluminum or iron, or an alloy thereof, and the 1-1 extension portion 113, the 1-2 extension portion 114, and the first joint portion 115 may be made of an electrically conductive metal material. In this case, the insulating member may be at least partially omitted.

[0103] The 1-1 winding 151, electrically connected to the 1-1 conductive path L11, can be wound around the first branch 112 and its internal space. For example, the first branch 112 can extend generally in the first direction X, and the cross section of the internal space of the first branch 112 can be generally parallel to a plane to which the second direction Y and the third direction Z belong. The 1-1 winding 151 can also be wound in the direction of the plane to which the second direction Y and the third direction Z belong.

[0104] The first-second winding 152 is wound around a pair of first-second magnet cores 122 in the same manner as described above, and therefore a repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0105] Although FIG. 8 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 8 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0106] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] 9, the first reactor 110 of the first plasma processing unit 105 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment includes a first branch portion 112, a 1-1 extension portion 113, a 1-2 extension portion 114, and a first joint portion 115, but differs from the first plasma processing unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 8 in that the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122 surround the 1-1 extension portion 113 and the 1-2 extension portion 114, respectively. In this embodiment, the 1-1 magnet core 121 is not configured to have the 1-1 winding 151 wound thereon, but the 1-2 winding 152 can be wound around both the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122.

[0108] The first branch portion 112 may be made of an insulating material. An insulating member may be omitted between the first branch portion 112 and the 1-1 extension portion 113 and between the first branch portion 112 and the 1-2 extension portion 114, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0109] The 1-1 magnet core 121 may be arranged to surround the 1-1 extension 113, and the 1-2 magnet core 122 may be arranged to surround the 1-2 extension 114. For example, the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122 may surround the first reactor 110 and its internal space in the planar directions to which the first direction X and the second direction Y belong, respectively.

[0110] Furthermore, the 1-2 winding 152 electrically connected to the 2-1 conductive path L21 may be at least partially wound around the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122. For example, the 1-2 winding 152 may be wound in a plane direction to which the first direction X and the third direction Z belong.

[0111] The first winding 151 is wound directly around the first extension portion 112, as described above, and therefore a repeated description will be omitted.

[0112] Although FIG. 9 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 9 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0113] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] Referring to FIG. 10, the first plasma processing unit 106 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment includes a first reactor 110, but differs from the first plasma processing unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 8 in that the 1-1 winding 151 focuses the electric field through the 1-1 magnet core 121, and the 1-2 winding 152 directly winds around the first reactor 110 and its internal space.

[0115] The first reactor 110 may include a first branch portion 112, a first joint portion 115, and a 1-1 extension portion 113 and a 1-2 extension portion 114 connecting the first branch portion 112 and the first joint portion 115. In an exemplary embodiment, the first joint portion 115 is made of an electrically insulating material, for example, an insulator such as quartz, glass, or ceramic, or an insulated metal, and the first branch portion 112, the 1-1 extension portion 113, and the 1-2 extension portion 114 may be made of a metal material. In this case, the insulating member may be at least partially omitted.

[0116] The 1-2 winding 152, electrically connected to the 2-1 conductive path L21, can be wound around the first joint portion 115 and its internal space. For example, the first joint portion 115 can extend generally in the first direction X, and the cross section of the internal space of the first joint portion 115 can be generally parallel to a plane to which the second direction Y and the third direction Z belong. The 1-2 winding 152 can also be wound in the direction of the plane to which the second direction Y and the third direction Z belong.

[0117] The 1-1 winding 151 is wound around a pair of 1-1 magnet cores 121 in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. 2 and the like, and therefore a repeated description will be omitted.

[0118] Although FIG. 10 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 10 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0119] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0120] Referring to FIG. 11, the first plasma processing unit 107 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment differs from the first plasma processing unit according to embodiments such as FIG. 2 in that the first branch portion 112 includes a first branch portion horizontal portion 112a, a first branch portion first vertical portion 112b, and a first branch portion second vertical portion 112c, and the first joint portion 115 includes a first joint portion horizontal portion 115a, a first joint portion first vertical portion 115b, and a first joint portion second vertical portion 115c.

[0121] The first branch portion first vertical portion 112b and the first joint portion first vertical portion 115b may be connected by a 1-1 extension portion 113, and the first branch portion second vertical portion 112c and the first joint portion second vertical portion 115c may be connected by a 1-2 extension portion 114. A 1-1 insulating member 141 may be disposed between the first branch portion first vertical portion 112b and the 1-1 extension portion 113, and a 1-2 insulating member 142 may be disposed between the first branch portion second vertical portion 112c and the 1-2 extension portion 114. A 1-3 insulating member 143 may be disposed between the first joint portion first vertical portion 115b and the 1-1 extension portion 113, and a 1-4 insulating member 144 may be disposed between the first joint portion second vertical portion 115c and the 1-2 extension portion 114.

[0122] Although FIG. 11 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 11 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0123] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a first plasma processing unit of a processing equipment according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0124] 12, the first plasma processing unit 108 of the processing equipment according to this embodiment differs from the first plasma processing unit according to the embodiment of FIG. 11 in that the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122 surround the 1-1 extension 113 and the 1-2 extension 114, respectively, the 1-1 winding 151 is wound directly around the first branch 112, and the 1-2 winding 152 is wound around the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122. In this embodiment, the 1-1 magnet core 121 is not configured to have the 1-1 winding 151 wound therearound, but the 1-2 winding 152 can be wound around both the 1-1 magnet core 121 and the 1-2 magnet core 122.

[0125] Although FIG. 12 shows a modified embodiment of the first plasma processing unit, the structure of FIG. 12 can also be applied to the second plasma processing unit of FIG.

[0126] A process treatment method or a method for controlling process treatment equipment according to the present invention will now be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process treatment method according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing electrical connections in the first step S100 of FIG. 13, and FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing electrical connections in the second step S200 of FIG. 13. FIGS. 14 and 15 will be described based on the embodiment of FIG. 1, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be readily understood that the process treatment method according to this embodiment may be performed using one or more of the plasma process units or process treatment equipment shown in FIGS. 6 to 12.

[0127] 13 to 15, the process treatment method (or the control method for process treatment equipment) according to this embodiment may include a first step S100 and a second step S200. Here, the first step S100 may be a step of forming an electric field between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 of the process chamber 300 to etch, deposit, clean, or ash a substrate W to be processed, e.g., a wafer, i.e., a main process step. Also, the second step S200 may be a step of cleaning the inside of the process chamber 300 when no substrate to be processed is placed in the process chamber 300, or a pause step between the main process steps.

[0128] The first step S100 may include using a controller to control at least some of the first switching element S1 to the third switching element S3, thereby electrically connecting the first power source 410 to the first electrode 310 to supply power, and electrically connecting the second power source 420 to the second electrode 320 to supply power. The first step S100 may further include electrically connecting the third power source 430 to the 2-2 winding 252 of the second plasma processing unit 200 to supply power. In other words, both the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 of the second plasma processing unit 200 may be supplied with power from the third power source 430.

[0129] The second step S200 may include using a controller to control at least some of the first switching element S1 to the third switching element S3, thereby electrically connecting the first power source 410 to the 1-1 winding 151 to supply power and electrically connecting the second power source 420 to the 1-2 winding 152 to supply power. The second step S200 may further include electrically connecting the third power source 430 to the 1-2 winding 152 of the first plasma processing unit 100 to supply power. In other words, in the second step S200, of the 2-1 winding 251 and the 2-2 winding 252 of the second plasma processing unit 200, only the 2-1 winding 251 may be supplied with power from the third power source 430.

[0130] In other words, at any one time, a power source, particularly the first power source 410, can be connected to only one of the 1-1 winding 151 and the first electrode 310. Also, at any one time, a power source, particularly the second power source 420, can be connected to only one of the 1-2 winding 152 and the second electrode 320.

[0131] Also, while the first power source 410 supplies power to the first electrode 310, the second power source 420 may not supply power to the first-second winding 152. And, while the second power source 420 supplies power to the second electrode 320, the first power source 410 may not supply power to the first-first winding 151.

[0132] In this embodiment, power can be provided to the primary winding of the first plasma processing unit 100 using a high frequency AC power source, i.e., the first power source 410 and the second power source 420, applied to the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. In addition, the third power source 430 can be used to constantly induce an electromotive force in the second plasma processing unit 200, and can be connected to the first and second windings 152 of the first plasma processing unit 100 as needed, thereby further improving the cleaning efficiency of the process chamber 300.

[0133] The above description has focused on the embodiments of the present invention, but these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. A person having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention pertains will understand that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible within the scope of the essential characteristics of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0134] Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood to include modifications, equivalents, and alternatives to the technical ideas exemplified above. For example, each component specifically illustrated in the embodiments of the present invention can be modified and implemented. Such modifications and differences in application should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. a process chamber including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other; a first plasma generating unit including a first reactor, a first winding, and a second winding, the first reactor being fluidly connected to the process chamber; a first AC power source; a second AC power source having a power supply frequency different from that of the first AC power source, the first AC power source is selectively electrically connected to the first winding or the first electrode; The second AC power supply is selectively electrically connected to the second winding or the second electrode.

2. the first reactor comprises a reactor body, an inlet and an outlet; The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first winding is wound around the reaction body closer to the inlet than the second winding.

3. a second plasma generating unit including a second reactor, a third winding, and a fourth winding, the second reactor being fluidly connected to the process chamber; a third AC power source; The third AC power supply is electrically connected to the second winding and the third winding; or The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third winding and the fourth winding are electrically connected.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the third winding and the fourth winding are physically separated from each other and are each grounded.

5. 4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a first power supply frequency of the first AC power supply is higher than a second power supply frequency of the second AC power supply and a third power supply frequency of the third AC power supply.

6. the second AC power source is configured to be electrically connected to the second winding when the first AC power source is electrically connected to the first winding; The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second AC power supply is configured to be electrically connected to the second electrode when the first AC power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode.

7. the first electrode includes a showerhead; The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode comprises a chuck.

8. 1. A method for controlling a plasma processing apparatus including: a process chamber including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other; a first reactor fluidly connected to the process chamber; a first plasma generation unit including a first winding and a second winding; a first AC power source; and a second AC power source having a power frequency different from that of the first AC power source, a first step of connecting the first AC power source to a first electrode and the second AC power source to a second electrode; a second step of connecting the first AC power source to the first winding and connecting the second AC power source to the second winding.

9. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a second plasma generating unit including a second reactor and a third winding fluidly connected to the process chamber, and a third AC power source; 9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein in the second step, the third AC power source is connected to the third winding.

10. 10. The control method according to claim 9, wherein in the first step, the third AC power source is connected to a third winding.

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