Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus comprising a chamber, a shutter, and a drive unit. The chamber has an opening formed in a side wall, the opening being sized to allow a substrate to pass through the opening, and is configured so that substrate processing can be performed inside the chamber. The shutter is disposed along the side wall in which the opening in the chamber is formed, and opens and closes the opening by moving up and down on the upper side of the opening. The drive unit drives the shutter to move up and down.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus.

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses "a reactor for growing an epitaxial layer, having a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber having a through-opening for inserting and removing a wafer carrier therein, and a cylindrical shutter disposed inside the reaction chamber for selectively closing the through-opening, the cylindrical shutter being movable between a first position for closing the through-opening and a second position for opening the through-opening, and the cylindrical shutter having an internal cavity adapted to receive a cooling fluid."

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-529272

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for improving the evacuation characteristics of a chamber.

[0005] The substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a chamber, a shutter, and a drive unit. The chamber is configured such that an opening having a size through which a substrate can pass is formed in a side wall, and substrate processing can be performed inside. The shutter is disposed along the side wall in which the opening in the chamber is formed, and opens and closes the opening by moving up and down above the opening. The drive unit drives the shutter to move up and down.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the evacuation characteristics of the chamber can be improved.

[0007] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus. Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of the schematic configuration of the upper surface of a shower head according to the embodiment. Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view showing the shutter according to the embodiment in a lowered state. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view showing the shutter according to the embodiment in a raised state. Figure 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of the workflow for attaching the shutter to the shower head according to the embodiment. Figure 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of the workflow for attaching the shutter to the shower head according to the embodiment. Figure 4C is a diagram illustrating an example of the workflow for attaching the shutter to the shower head according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration for connecting the shutter and the pole according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a reference example. Figure 7 is a diagram showing another example of the schematic configuration of the shower head and housing according to the embodiment. Figure 8 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration for connecting the shutter and the pole according to the embodiment.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus disclosed in this application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, this embodiment does not limit the disclosed substrate processing apparatus.

[0009] A substrate processing apparatus performs substrate processing on substrates such as semiconductor wafers within a chamber. The chamber has an opening for loading and unloading substrates and an outlet for discharging materials from the chamber. The opening is formed in the side wall of the chamber. The outlet is formed at a lower position than the opening. The chamber is equipped with a shutter to open and close the opening and an actuator to drive the shutter up and down. The shutter moves up and down from below the opening of the chamber to open and close the opening. The actuator is positioned below the shutter.

[0010] However, if the shutter is raised and lowered from below the chamber opening, there is a concern that the exhaust characteristics of the chamber may deteriorate. For example, the exhaust performance of the chamber will decrease. Also, the uniformity of the exhaust in the circumferential direction of the chamber will decrease.

[0011] Therefore, technologies that improve the exhaust characteristics of the chamber are highly anticipated.

[0012] [Embodiment] [Apparatus Configuration] An example of the substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure will be described below. In the embodiment described below, the substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure is configured as a plasma processing system, and the case in which plasma processing is performed as the substrate processing will be described as an example.

[0013] The following describes an example of a plasma processing system configuration. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a capacitively coupled plasma processing system configuration.

[0014] The plasma processing system includes a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1. The plasma processing system is an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the disclosure. The capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a gas supply unit 20, a power supply system 30, and an exhaust system 40. The plasma processing chamber 10 is an example of a chamber according to the disclosure. The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a substrate support unit 11 and a gas introduction unit. The gas introduction unit is configured to introduce at least one processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas introduction unit includes a shower head 13. The shower head 13 is an example of an upper member according to the disclosure. The substrate support unit 11 is located inside the plasma processing chamber 10. The shower head 13 is located above the substrate support unit 11. In one embodiment, the shower head 13 constitutes at least a portion of the ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s defined by the shower head 13, the side walls 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and the substrate support unit 11. The plasma processing chamber 10 has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one processing gas to the plasma processing space 10s, and at least one gas outlet for discharging gas from the plasma processing space. The plasma processing chamber 10 is grounded. The shower head 13 and the substrate support portion 11 are electrically insulated from the housing of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0015] The substrate support portion 11 includes a main body portion 111 and a ring assembly 112. The main body portion 111 is an example of the support portion of this disclosure. The main body portion 111 has a central region 111a for supporting the substrate W and an annular region 111b for supporting the ring assembly 112. A wafer is an example of the substrate W. The annular region 111b of the main body portion 111 surrounds the central region 111a of the main body portion 111 in a plan view. The substrate W is placed on the central region 111a of the main body portion 111, and the ring assembly 112 is placed on the annular region 111b of the main body portion 111 so as to surround the substrate W on the central region 111a of the main body portion 111. Therefore, the central region 111a is also called the substrate support surface for supporting the substrate W, and the annular region 111b is also called the ring support surface for supporting the ring assembly 112.

[0016] In one embodiment, the main body 111 includes a base 1110 and an electrostatic chuck 1111. The base 1110 includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the base 1110 can function as a lower electrode. The electrostatic chuck 1111 is placed on the base 1110. The electrostatic chuck 1111 includes a ceramic member 1111a and an electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b placed within the ceramic member 1111a. The electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b is also called a clamping electrode. In one embodiment, the electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b is electrically connected or coupled to a chuck power supply. The chuck power supply may be a DC power supply or an AC power supply. The ceramic member 1111a has a central region 111a. In one embodiment, the ceramic member 1111a also has an annular region 111b. Furthermore, other members surrounding the electrostatic chuck 1111, such as an annular electrostatic chuck or an annular insulating member, may have an annular region 111b. In this case, the ring assembly 112 may be placed on the annular electrostatic chuck or the annular insulating member, or it may be placed on both the electrostatic chuck 1111 and the annular insulating member. In addition, at least one bias electrode, which is electrically connected or coupled to the power supply 31 and / or power supply 32 described later, may be placed inside the ceramic member 1111a. In this case, at least one bias electrode functions as a lower electrode. Also, the conductive member of the base 1110 and the bias electrode inside the ceramic member 1111a may function as multiple lower electrodes. In one embodiment, the first voltage generation unit 32a, which functions as a voltage pulse generation unit described later, is electrically connected or coupled to the bias electrode inside the ceramic member 1111a, and the first RF generation unit 31a, described later, is electrically connected or coupled to the conductive member of the base 1110. Furthermore, the electrostatic chuck electrode 1111b may function as a lower electrode. Therefore, the substrate support portion 11 includes at least one lower electrode.

[0017] The ring assembly 112 includes one or more annular members. In one embodiment, the one or more annular members include one or more edge rings and at least one covering ring. The edge rings are formed of a conductive or insulating material, and the covering rings are formed of an insulating material.

[0018] The substrate support section 11 may also include a temperature control module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 1111, the ring assembly 112, and the substrate to a target temperature. The temperature control module may include a heater, a heat transfer medium, a flow path 1110a, or a combination thereof. A heat transfer fluid such as brine or gas flows through the flow path 1110a. In one embodiment, the flow path 1110a is formed within the base 1110, and one or more heaters are arranged within the ceramic member 1111a of the electrostatic chuck 1111. The substrate support section 11 may also include a heat transfer gas supply section configured to supply heat transfer gas to the gap between the back surface of the substrate W and the central region 111a.

[0019] The showerhead 13 is configured to introduce at least one processing gas from the gas supply unit 20 into the plasma processing space 10s. The showerhead 13 has at least one gas supply port 13a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 13b, and a plurality of gas inlet ports 13c. The processing gas supplied to the gas supply port 13a passes through the gas diffusion chamber 13b and is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s through the plurality of gas inlet ports 13c. The showerhead 13 also includes at least one upper electrode. In addition to the showerhead 13, the gas introduction unit may also include one or more side gas injectors (SGIs) attached to one or more openings formed in the side wall 10a.

[0020] The gas supply unit 20 may include at least one gas source 21 and at least one flow controller 22. In one embodiment, the gas supply unit 20 is configured to supply at least one processing gas to the shower head 13 from a corresponding gas source 21 via a corresponding flow controller 22. Each flow controller 22 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Furthermore, the gas supply unit 20 may include one or more flow modulation devices that modulate or pulse the flow rate of at least one processing gas.

[0021] The power supply system 30 includes a power supply 31 that is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. In one embodiment, the power supply 31 is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10 via at least one impedance matcher. The impedance matcher may be a mechanically controlled matcher or an electronically controlled matcher. The power supply 31 is configured to supply at least one RF (Radio Frequency) signal (RF power) to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. This generates plasma from at least one processing gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s. Therefore, the power supply 31 can function as at least part of a plasma generation unit configured to generate plasma from one or more processing gases in the plasma processing chamber 10. In addition, by supplying a bias RF signal to at least one lower electrode, a bias potential is generated on the substrate W, and ionic components in the formed plasma can be drawn into the substrate W.

[0022] The power supply 31 includes a first RF generation unit 31a and a second RF generation unit 31b. The first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected or coupled to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode and is configured to generate a source RF signal (source RF power) to generate plasma in the plasma processing space 10s. In one embodiment, the first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected or coupled to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode via at least one impedance matcher. In one embodiment, the source RF signal has a frequency in the range of 10 MHz to 150 MHz. In one embodiment, the first RF generation unit 31a may be configured to generate a plurality of source RF signals having different frequencies. One or more generated source RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode.

[0023] The second RF generation unit 31b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode and is configured to generate a bias RF signal (bias RF power). In one embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode via at least one impedance matcher. When the first RF generation unit 31a is electrically connected to or coupled to a lower electrode, the second RF generation unit 31b may be electrically connected to or coupled to the same lower electrode, or it may be electrically connected to or coupled to a different lower electrode. The frequency of the bias RF signal may be the same as or different from the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency lower than the frequency of the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 60 MHz. In one embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b may be configured to generate a plurality of bias RF signals having different frequencies. The generated one or more bias RF signals are supplied to at least one lower electrode. In various embodiments, at least one of the source RF signal and the bias RF signal may be pulsed.

[0024] The power supply system 30 may also include a power supply 32 that is electrically connected to or coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. The power supply 32 includes a first voltage generation unit 32a and a second voltage generation unit 32b. In one embodiment, the first voltage generation unit 32a is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one lower electrode and is configured to generate a first voltage signal. The generated first voltage signal is applied to at least one lower electrode. In one embodiment, the second voltage generation unit 32b is electrically connected to or coupled to at least one upper electrode and is configured to generate a second voltage signal. The generated second voltage signal is applied to at least one upper electrode.

[0025] In various embodiments, the first and / or second voltage signals may be pulsed. In this case, the first voltage generation unit 32a and / or the second voltage generation unit 32b function as voltage pulse generation units configured to generate a sequence of voltage pulses. Thus, the sequence of voltage pulses is applied to at least one lower electrode and / or at least one upper electrode. In one embodiment, the sequence of voltage pulses has a plurality of cycles, each cycle including a burst of voltage pulses in a first period and a constant reference voltage in a second period. That is, in the sequence of voltage pulses, the burst of voltage pulses is repeated. The absolute value of the voltage level of the voltage pulse is greater than the absolute value of the voltage level of the reference voltage. The voltage pulse may have an arbitrary waveform having a rectangle, trapezoid, triangle, or a combination thereof, and the arbitrary waveform may change over time. The voltage pulse may have positive polarity or negative polarity. The sequence of voltage pulses may also include one or more positive voltage pulses and one or more negative voltage pulses within one cycle. The first and second voltage generation units 32a and 32b may be provided in addition to the power supply 31, and the first voltage generation unit 32a may be provided in place of the second RF generation unit 31b.

[0026] The plasma processing chamber 10 has an opening 50 for loading and unloading the substrate W, and a gas outlet 10e for discharging gas from inside the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas outlet 10e is an example of an outlet in this disclosure.

[0027] The opening 50 is formed in the side wall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and is sized to allow the substrate W to pass through. A gate valve 51 for opening and closing the opening 50 is positioned on the outside of the side wall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0028] The gas outlet 10e is formed at a position lower than the opening 50 of the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, the gas outlet 10e is formed at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0029] The exhaust system 40 may be connected to the gas outlet 10e. The exhaust system 40 may include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump. The pressure regulating valve regulates the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s. The vacuum pump may include a turbomolecular pump, a dry pump, or a combination thereof.

[0030] The inside of the plasma processing chamber 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape. A baffle plate 55 and a shutter 60 are provided inside the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0031] The baffle plate 55 is provided between the substrate support portion 11 and the side wall 10a. The baffle plate 55 is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the substrate support portion 11. The baffle plate 55 is positioned to cover the space between the substrate support portion 11 and the side wall 10a. The baffle plate 55 is fixed to at least one of the substrate support portion 11 and the side wall 10a. Numerous through holes (not shown) are formed on the surface of the baffle plate 55 that covers the space between the substrate support portion 11 and the side wall 10a. The gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s flows through the through holes in the baffle plate 55 to the gas outlet 10e and is exhausted.

[0032] The shutter 60 is formed in an annular shape from a conductive or insulating material. When the shutter 60 is electrically connected to the shower head 13 and the baffle plate 55 and brought to the same potential as the shower head 13 and the baffle plate 55, the shutter 60 is formed from a conductive material. The axial length of the shutter 60 is formed to be longer than the vertical length of the opening 50. The shutter 60 is positioned along the side wall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10. The shutter 60 is made movable up and down by a drive unit 80 such as an actuator. The shutter 60 opens and closes the opening 50 by moving up and down above the opening 50 by the drive unit 80.

[0033] Here, we will briefly explain the process of performing plasma processing, such as plasma etching, on a substrate W using the plasma processing system according to this embodiment. The substrate W is loaded and unloaded by opening and closing the gate valve 51 and the shutter 60. The substrate W is placed on the central region 111a of the substrate support section 11 by a transport mechanism such as a transport arm.

[0034] The exhaust system 40 exhausts the inside of the plasma processing chamber 10 to a predetermined vacuum level via the gas outlet 10e. The gas supply unit 20 supplies processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10 via the shower head 13. The power supply 31 supplies at least one RF signal. The processing gas in the plasma processing space 10s is plasma-generated by the RF signal. This allows plasma processing to be performed on the substrate W.

[0035] The gate valve 51 is positioned outside the opening 50. Therefore, within the plasma processing chamber 10, the opening 50 becomes a space that protrudes outward. If the plasma generated in the plasma processing space 10s diffuses into the space of the opening 50, the uniformity of the plasma deteriorates and the sealing member of the gate valve 51 deteriorates.

[0036] Therefore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a shutter 60 that opens and closes the opening 50 inside the plasma processing chamber 10. When performing plasma processing, the plasma processing apparatus 1 uses a drive unit 80 to lower the shutter 60 to the position of the opening 50, thereby blocking the opening 50 from the plasma processing space 10s with the shutter 60. This prevents the plasma generated in the plasma processing space 10s from diffusing into the opening 50.

[0037] The plasma processing chamber 10 includes a housing section 70 for housing a shutter 60 in the shower head 13 that constitutes the top (ceiling). The housing section 70 is formed above the shutter 60 of the shower head 13 and is higher than the central part of the shower head 13. The housing section 70 is formed in an annular shape on the shower head 13 so that it can accommodate the annular shutter 60.

[0038] For example, the shower head 13 has an opposing surface 13d on its lower surface that faces the main body 111. The shower head 13 has a housing section 70 around the opposing surface 13d. A housing space 71 is formed in the housing section 70 that is recessed above the opposing surface 13d. The housing space 71 is formed in an annular shape along the housing section 70. The housing space 71 is formed to accommodate an annular shutter 60. For example, the housing space 71 is formed so that its vertical length is longer than the axial length of the shutter 60, its inner diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the shutter 60, and its outer diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the shutter 60. As a result, the housing section 70 can accommodate the raised shutter 60 in the housing space 71.

[0039] The drive unit 80 is positioned above the shutter 60. The drive unit 80 is located on the upper part of the housing 70. Multiple drive units 80 are provided at intervals around the circumferential direction of the housing 70.

[0040] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of the schematic configuration of the upper surface of a shower head 13 according to an embodiment. The shower head 13 has a housing section 70 formed in an annular shape. In Figure 2, four drive units 80 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the housing section 70. Note that the number of drive units 80 is not limited to four; there may be three or more. Furthermore, it is desirable that the drive units 80 be arranged at equal intervals.

[0041] Returning to Figure 1, a through hole 72 is formed in the housing section 70 at the location where the drive unit 80 is to be placed, communicating with the housing space 71. A pole 73 is positioned in the housing space 71 corresponding to the location where the drive unit 80 is to be placed. The pole 73 is formed with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the through hole 72 and longer than the vertical length of the housing space 71. The pole 73 passes through the through hole 72. The lower end of the pole 73 is connected to the shutter 60. An end portion 73a with a diameter larger than the diameter of the through hole 72 is formed at the upper end of the pole 73. The end portion 73a of the pole 73 is connected to the drive unit 80. A retractable bellows 74 is provided around the portion of the pole 73 above the upper surface of the housing section 70.

[0042] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the shutter 60 according to the embodiment has descended. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the shutter 60 according to the embodiment has ascended. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the case where the drive unit 80 is configured as a cylinder 81. The cylinder 81 has a rod 82 that can be extended and retracted. The rod 82 is connected to the end portion 73a of the pole 73.

[0043] The cylinder 81 extends and retracts the rod 82 to raise and lower the pole 73. As the pole 73 moves up and down, the shutter 60 moves up and down. FIG. 3A shows the state where the rod 82 of the cylinder 81 is extended and the shutter 60 has descended. FIG. 3B shows the state where the rod 82 of the cylinder 81 is contracted and the shutter 60 has ascended. The bellows 74 expands and contracts according to the up and down movement of the pole 73 while maintaining airtightness. Thereby, even when the shutter 60 is moved up and down by the drive unit 80, the airtightness inside the plasma processing chamber 10 is maintained.

[0044] In addition, in the state where the shutter 60 has descended, it is desirable that the upper end of the shutter 60 is positioned at the same height as or higher than the lower surface of the shower head 13. That is, in the state where the shutter 60 has descended, it is desirable that the lower surface of the shower head 13 is configured to be at the same height as the upper end of the shutter 60 or lower than the upper end of the shutter 60. Thereby, when plasma is generated in the plasma processing space 10s in the state where the shutter 60 is lowered to the position of the opening 50, the pole 73 connected to the shutter 60 is not directly irradiated with plasma, so damage to the pole 73 and generation of particles can be suppressed.

[0045] Therefore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment provides a shutter 60 in the plasma processing chamber 10 to open and close the opening 50. When performing plasma processing, the plasma processing apparatus 1 lowers the shutter 60 to the position of the opening 50 by the drive unit 80 to block the opening 50 and the plasma processing space 10s with the shutter 60. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the plasma generated in the plasma processing space 10s from diffusing into the opening 50.

[0046] Next, an example of the process of attaching the shutter 60 to the shower head 13 according to the embodiment will be described. FIGS. 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining an example of the process of attaching the shutter 60 to the shower head 13 according to the embodiment. In FIGS. 4A to 4C, the shower head 13 and the semi-circular portion of the annular shutter 60 are shown. In FIGS. 4A to 4C, illustration of the gas inlet 13c of the shower head 13 is omitted.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4A, the shower head 13 includes a first plate 91 and a second plate 92.

[0048] The first plate 91 is formed in a flat plate shape and has a housing portion 70 on the outer peripheral side. The second plate 92 is formed in a flat plate shape and has a plurality of protruding portions 92a protruding from the surface on the side of the first plate 91 and recessed portions 92b recessed between the protruding portions 92a. The second plate 92 is airtightly attached to the center surrounded by the housing portion 70 on the upper surface of the first plate 91. By airtightly attaching the second plate 92 to the first plate 91, the space of the recessed portion 92b functions as the gas diffusion chamber 13b.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4A, a pole 73 is disposed in the accommodation space 71 corresponding to the arrangement position of the driving unit 80. The shutter 60 is connected to the lower end of the pole 73. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration for connecting the shutter 60 and the pole 73 according to the embodiment. An end portion 60a having a large width on the side of the shower head 13 is formed on the shutter 60. Bolt holes 61 are formed at the connection locations on the pole 73 and the end portion 60a of the shutter 60. The shutter 60 is fixed to the pole 73 by fastening the end portion 60a and the pole 73 with bolts 62 through the bolt holes 61.

[0050] As shown in Figures 4B and 4C, the shower head 13 further includes an electrode plate 93. The electrode plate 93 is attached to the lower surface of the first plate 91. A gas inlet 13c (not shown) is formed on the lower side of the gas diffusion chamber 13b of the first plate 91 and on the electrode plate 93. The shower head 13 has a plurality of bolt holes 94 that extend from the upper surface of the second plate 92, through the first plate 91, and reach the electrode plate 93. The electrode plate 93 is fixed to the first plate 91 by fastening the first plate 91, the second plate 92, and the electrode plate 93 together with bolts (not shown) via the bolt holes 94.

[0051] Next, as a reference example, we will describe a configuration in which the opening 50 is opened and closed by raising and lowering a shutter 60 from below the opening 50. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the reference example. In the reference example plasma processing apparatus 1, the opening 50 of the plasma processing chamber 10 is opened and closed by raising and lowering a shutter 60 from below the opening 50. When the shutter 60 is raised and lowered from below the opening 50 in this way, there are concerns about adverse effects on the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10. When the shutter 60 is raised and lowered from below the opening 50, the drive unit 80 and the housing unit that houses the shutter 60 are located below the shutter 60. In this case, it is necessary to indent the shape of the plasma processing chamber 10, and there are concerns about deterioration of the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, the exhaust performance of the plasma processing chamber 10 will decrease. Also, the uniformity of the exhaust in the circumferential direction of the plasma processing chamber 10 will decrease.

[0052] In contrast, the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment opens and closes the opening 50 of the plasma processing chamber 10 by raising and lowering a shutter 60 above the opening 50. When the shutter 60 is raised and lowered above the opening 50, the drive unit 80 and the housing unit 70 that houses the shutter 60 are positioned above the shutter 60. In this case, the plasma processing apparatus 1 does not need to indent the shape of the plasma processing chamber 10. This improves the exhaust performance of the plasma processing chamber 10. In addition, the uniformity of exhaust in the circumferential direction of the plasma processing chamber 10 is improved. Thus, the plasma processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment can improve the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0053] The shutter 60 may be configured to be electrically conductive with the shower head 13. For example, the shutter 60 may be configured to be electrically conductive with the shower head 13 by contacting it when it has descended to close the opening 50. For example, in the configuration shown in Figures 4B and 4C, the electrode plate 93 is formed to reach the underside of the end 60a of the shutter 60. When the shutter 60 has descended to close the opening 50, the end 60a of the shutter 60 comes into contact with the electrode plate 93. When the end 60a comes into contact with the electrode plate 93, the shutter 60 becomes electrically conductive with the shower head 13. For example, if the shower head 13 is grounded, the shutter 60 is grounded via the shower head 13. However, in the configuration shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the electrode plate 93 reaches the underside of the end 60a of the shutter 60. Therefore, in the configuration shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the shutter 60 cannot be removed from the pole 73 unless the electrode plate 93 is first removed from the shower head 13.

[0054] Therefore, the housing section 70 may be configured as follows. Figure 7 shows another example of the schematic configuration of the shower head 13 and housing section 70 according to the embodiment. The pole 73 is connected to the shutter 60 via a connecting member 75. The connecting member 75 is made of a conductive material. The connecting member 75 is formed to be wider than the radial width of the pole 73 and the end 60a of the shutter 60. The electrode plate 93 is formed to reach the lower side of the connecting member 75. When the shutter 60 is lowered until the opening 50 is closed, the connecting member 75 comes into contact with the electrode plate 93. When the connecting member 75 comes into contact with the electrode plate 93, the shutter 60 becomes electrically conductive with the shower head 13 via the connecting member 75. Figure 8 shows another example of the configuration for connecting the shutter 60 and the pole 73 according to the embodiment. The shutter 60 has a wider end 60a on the shower head 13 side. The pole 73 has holes 73b and 73c that reach near the lower end along the axial direction. A bolt hole 76a is formed in the bottom of the hole 73b of the pole 73 and in the connecting member 75, penetrating the bottom of the hole 73b and reaching the connecting member 75. Additionally, a bolt hole 76b is formed in the bottom of the hole 73c of the pole 73, in the connecting member 75 and in the end 60a of the shutter 60, penetrating the bottom of the hole 73c and the connecting member 75 and reaching the end 60a. The connecting member 75 is fixed to the pole 73 by fastening the pole 73 and the connecting member 75 with a bolt 77a through the bolt hole 76a. The shutter 60 is fixed to the connecting member 75 by fastening the pole 73, the connecting member 75 and the shutter 60 with a bolt 77b through the bolt hole 76b. In the configuration shown in Figures 7 and 8, the shutter 60 can be removed from the connecting member 75 by removing the bolt 77b without having to remove the electrode plate 93 from the shower head 13.

[0055] The shutter 60 may be configured to be electrically conductive with the baffle plate 55. For example, the shutter 60 may be configured to be electrically conductive with the baffle plate 55 by contacting it when it has descended to close the opening 50. For example, in the configuration shown in Figure 1, the electrode plate 93 is formed to reach the underside of the end 60a of the shutter 60. When the shutter 60 has descended to close the opening 50, the lower end of the shutter 60 contacts the outer peripheral edge of the baffle plate 55. When the lower end of the shutter 60 contacts the outer peripheral edge of the baffle plate 55, the shutter 60 is electrically conductive with the baffle plate 55. For example, if the baffle plate 55 is grounded, the shutter 60 is grounded via the baffle plate 55.

[0056] Furthermore, it is desirable that the shutter 60, when lowered to close the opening 50, come into contact with at least one or both of the shower head 13 and the baffle plate 55. In other words, it is desirable that there be electrical conductivity between the shutter 60 and at least one or both of the shower head 13 and the baffle plate 55.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the case in which the shutter 60 is formed in an annular shape was described as an example. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. The shutter 60 may be formed in an arc shape and placed only on the side wall 10a where the opening 50 is formed. The shutter 60 may be of any size as long as it can cover the opening 50 from the inside of the plasma processing chamber 10. For example, the shutter 60 may be about the same size as the opening 50.

[0058] As described above, the plasma processing system according to the embodiment includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a shutter 60, and a drive unit 80. The plasma processing chamber 10 has an opening 50 formed in its side wall 10a that is large enough for a substrate W to pass through, and is configured to allow substrate processing to be performed inside. The shutter 60 is positioned along the side wall 10a in the plasma processing chamber 10 where the opening 50 is formed, and opens and closes the opening 50 by moving up and down above the opening 50. The drive unit 80 drives the shutter 60 up and down. As a result, the plasma processing system can improve the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0059] Furthermore, the drive unit 80 is positioned above the shutter 60. This allows the plasma processing system to suppress the drive unit 80 from affecting the exhaust flow to the gas outlet 10e, thereby improving the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0060] Furthermore, the plasma processing chamber 10 has a gas outlet 10e formed at a position lower than the opening 50 for discharging the internal gas. This allows the plasma processing system to improve the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0061] Furthermore, the plasma processing chamber 10 is equipped with a housing section 70 in the shower head 13 (upper member) that constitutes the ceiling, which houses the shutter 60. This allows the plasma processing system to house the raised shutter 60 in the housing section 70.

[0062] Furthermore, the lower surface of the shower head 13 (upper member) is configured to be at the same height as the upper end of the shutter 60 when the lower end of the shutter 60 has descended to the lower end of the opening 50, or lower than the upper end of the shutter 60. As a result, when plasma is generated in the plasma processing space 10s with the shutter 60 lowered to the position of the opening 50, the pole 73 connected to the shutter 60 is not directly irradiated by the plasma, thereby suppressing damage to the pole 73 and the generation of particles.

[0063] Furthermore, the lower surface of the showerhead 13 is set lower than the upper end of the shutter 60 when the lower end of the shutter 60 rises to the upper end of the opening 50. This allows the plasma processing system to position the showerhead 13 at a low height.

[0064] Furthermore, the plasma processing chamber 10 includes a main body portion 111 (support portion) that supports the substrate W. The shower head 13 is configured such that the opposing surface 13d facing the main body portion 111 is lower than the upper end of the shutter 60 when the lower end of the shutter 60 is raised to the upper end of the opening 50, and a housing portion 70 is provided around the opposing surface 13d. As a result, even when the plasma processing system raises and lowers the shutter 60 above the opening 50 to open and close the opening 50, the opposing surface 13d of the shower head 13 can be positioned lower, thus shortening the distance between the main body portion 111 and the opposing surface 13d.

[0065] Furthermore, the housing section 70 is recessed above the opposing surface 13d and has a housing space 71 for housing the shutter 60. This allows the plasma processing system to house the raised shutter 60 in the housing space 71 of the housing section 70. In addition, the plasma processing system can position the opposing surface 13d of the shower head 13 at a lower position, thus shortening the distance between the main body 111 and the opposing surface 13d.

[0066] Furthermore, the showerhead 13 has an inlet on its opposing surface 13d for introducing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. This allows the plasma processing system to introduce gas into the plasma processing chamber 10 from the showerhead 13.

[0067] Furthermore, the drive unit 80 is located at the top of the housing unit 70. This prevents the drive unit 80 from affecting the exhaust flow to the gas outlet 10e, thereby improving the exhaust characteristics of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0068] Furthermore, the shutter 60 is configured to be electrically conductive with the shower head 13 when it has been lowered to close the opening 50. This allows the plasma processing system to bring the shutter 60 to the same potential as the shower head 13 by lowering the shutter 60 to close the opening 50.

[0069] Furthermore, the plasma processing chamber 10 includes a substrate support portion 11 for supporting the substrate, and a baffle plate 55 is provided between the substrate support portion 11 and the side wall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10. The shutter 60 is configured to be electrically conductive with the baffle plate 55 when it is lowered to close the opening 50. As a result, the plasma processing system can bring the shutter 60 to the same potential as the baffle plate 55 by lowering the shutter 60 to close the opening 50.

[0070] Furthermore, the inside of the plasma processing chamber 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The shutter 60 is formed in an annular shape. As a result, the plasma processing system can equalize the influence of the shutter 60 on the exhaust flow in the circumferential direction inside the plasma processing chamber 10, thereby suppressing uneven exhaust characteristics within the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0071] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Indeed, the embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0072] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described an example in which plasma treatment is performed on a semiconductor wafer as the substrate W, the invention is not limited to this. The substrate W may be a glass substrate or the like.

[0073] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a case where plasma treatment such as plasma etching is performed on the substrate W as the substrate treatment, it is not limited to this. The substrate treatment can be any substrate treatment that is performed after exhausting the chamber. For example, the substrate treatment may be a film deposition treatment, a modification treatment, a heat treatment such as ashing.

[0074] Furthermore, the following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments.

[0075] (Note 1) A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber having an opening in its side wall that is sized to allow a substrate to pass through, and configured to enable substrate processing inside the chamber; a shutter positioned along the side wall in which the opening is formed, and opening and closing the opening by moving up and down relative to the opening; and a drive unit for driving the shutter up and down.

[0076] (Note 2) The drive unit is the substrate processing apparatus described in Note 1, which is positioned above the shutter.

[0077] (Note 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the chamber has an outlet formed at a position lower than the opening for discharging the internal gas.

[0078] (Note 4) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, wherein the chamber is provided with a housing for housing the shutter in an upper member constituting the ceiling.

[0079] (Note 5) The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 4, wherein the chamber has a support portion for supporting the substrate inside, and the upper member has a surface facing the support portion.

[0080] (Note 6) The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 4 or 5, wherein the lower surface of the upper member is at the same height as the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is lowered to the lower end of the opening, or lower than the upper end of the shutter.

[0081] (Note 7) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 4 to 6, wherein the lower surface of the upper member is lower than the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is raised to the upper end of the opening.

[0082] (Note 8) The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 5, wherein the upper member is configured such that the opposing surface facing the support portion is lower than the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is raised to the upper end of the opening, and the housing portion is provided around the opposing surface.

[0083] (Note 9) The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 5 or 8, wherein the housing portion is recessed above the opposing surface and has a space for housing the shutter.

[0084] (Note 10) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 5, 8, or 9, wherein the upper member is provided with an inlet on the opposing surface for introducing gas into the chamber.

[0085] (Note 11) The drive unit is a substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 4 to 10, provided on the upper part of the housing unit.

[0086] (Note 12) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 4 to 11, wherein the shutter is configured to be electrically conductive with the upper member when it has been lowered to close the opening.

[0087] (Note 13) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 12, wherein the chamber comprises a support portion for supporting the substrate, a baffle plate between the support portion and the side wall of the chamber, and the shutter is configured to be electrically conductive with the baffle plate when it has descended to close the opening.

[0088] (Note 14) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 13, wherein the inside of the chamber is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the shutter is formed in an annular shape.

[0089] 1 Plasma processing apparatus 10 Plasma processing chamber 10a Side wall 10e Gas outlet 10s Plasma processing space 11 Substrate support part 13 Shower head 13a Gas supply port 13b Gas diffusion chamber 13c Gas inlet 13d Opposing surface 20 Gas supply part 30 Power supply system 40 Exhaust system 50 Opening 51 Gate valve 55 Baffle plate 60 Shutter 60a, 73a End parts 61, 76a, 76b, 94 Bolt holes 62, 77a, 77b Bolts 70 Housing part 71 Housing space 72 Through hole 73 Pole 73b, 73c Hole 74 Bellows 75 Connecting member 80 Drive unit 81 Cylinder 82 Rod 91 First plate 92 Second plate 92a Protruding part 92b Recess 93 Electrode plate 111 Main body 111a Central region 111b Annular region 112 Ring assembly 1110 Base W Substrate

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber having an opening in its side wall that is sized to allow a substrate to pass through, and configured to enable substrate processing inside the chamber; a shutter positioned along the side wall in which the opening is formed, and opening and closing the opening by moving up and down relative to the opening; and a drive unit for driving the shutter up and down.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is positioned above the shutter.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber has an outlet formed at a position lower than the opening for discharging internal gas.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is provided with a housing portion for housing the shutter in an upper member constituting the ceiling.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the chamber comprises a support portion for supporting the substrate, and the upper member has a surface facing the support portion.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lower surface of the upper member is configured to be at the same height as the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is lowered to the lower end of the opening, or lower than the upper end of the shutter.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lower surface of the upper member is configured to be lower than the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is raised to the upper end of the opening.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the upper member is configured such that the opposing surface is lower than the upper end of the shutter when the lower end of the shutter is raised to the upper end of the opening, and the housing portion is provided around the opposing surface.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the housing portion is recessed above the opposing surface and has a space for housing the shutter.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the upper member is provided with an inlet on the opposing surface for introducing gas into the chamber.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the drive unit is provided on the upper part of the housing unit.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shutter is configured to be electrically conductive with the upper member when it has descended to close the opening.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises an internal support portion for supporting the substrate, a baffle plate between the support portion and the side wall of the chamber, and the shutter is configured to be electrically conductive with the baffle plate when it has descended to close the opening.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the chamber is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the shutter is formed in an annular shape.

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