Plasma processing apparatus, method for disassembling plasma processing apparatus, and method for assembling plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

In order to provide a plasma processing apparatus that achieves an improvement in operation efficiency or processing yield, the following configuration is employed.　In the plasma processing apparatus, a vacuum container of a processing module includes: an upper block having a side surface connected to a vacuum transfer chamber container in which a wafer is transferred; a lower block disposed below the upper block and movable together with a vacuum pump in the up-down direction so as to be attached to or detached from the bottom surface of the upper block, the lower block including a base plate that is connected to the vacuum pump and has an exhaust port of a processing chamber; a frame that is disposed below the upper block and is connected to a floor surface on which the plasma processing apparatus is placed; and an adjustment mechanism connecting an upper end portion of the frame and an outer peripheral portion of the base plate, and being capable of adjusting the distance of the base plate to the upper end portion of the frame in the up-down direction. The adjustment mechanism connects an upper end portion of the lower block to the bottom surface of the upper block in a manner allowing hermetic sealing by adjusting the distance in the up-down direction so as to bring the upper end portion of the lower block into contact with the bottom surface of the upper block.

Description

Plasma processing apparatus, method for disassembling plasma processing apparatus, and method for assembling plasma processing apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus, a method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus, and a method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus.

[0002] In a plasma processing apparatus that processes a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is transported into the processing chamber in a state where the processing chamber disposed inside the vacuum vessel is decompressed, and is placed and held on the upper surface of a sample stage (wafer stage) provided with an electrostatic chuck. The processing gas introduced into the processing chamber is converted into plasma using an electric field or a magnetic field supplied into the processing chamber, and the semiconductor wafer is processed using a chemical reaction with radicals or a physical reaction such as sputtering of charged particles such as ions.

[0003] In plasma processing of a semiconductor wafer, particles of reaction products formed in the processing chamber during processing float and adhere to the inner wall surface. Further, as the cumulative number of wafers processed and the cumulative processing time increase, the adhered particles accumulate on the inner surface of the processing chamber to form a film. As a result, fragments and particles of the deposited film float due to the interaction with the plasma generated in the processing chamber, and reattach to the upper surface of the wafer, contaminating the film structure for the semiconductor device circuit formed on the wafer, causing performance defects in the semiconductor device, and reducing the yield. For this reason, in a plasma processing apparatus, when the cumulative number of wafers processed and the cumulative processing time reach a predetermined value, the operation is temporarily stopped, the processing chamber in the vacuum vessel is opened to atmospheric pressure, and cleaning work (wet cleaning) is performed using a chemical solution or the like to remove the substances adhering to the inner surface of the processing chamber. This is generally done regularly.

[0004] In order to perform wet cleaning, it is necessary to work with the inside of the processing chamber at atmospheric pressure, so production of semiconductor devices must be interrupted. For this reason, semiconductor device manufacturers plan to perform this as regular maintenance, but since the plasma processing apparatus cannot be produced during that time, the operating rate of the apparatus decreases.

[0005] Furthermore, while plasma processing equipment periodically monitors the amount of particles generated in the processing chamber to ensure it does not exceed acceptable limits in order to suppress performance defects in semiconductor devices, there are cases where production is interrupted and wet cleaning is performed before reaching the predetermined cumulative number of sheets or processing time due to a sudden increase in particles, or when production is interrupted and wet cleaning is performed due to recovery work caused by a malfunction of equipment installed in the plasma processing equipment. These are unplanned, non-routine maintenance events, and opportunities for non-routine maintenance are not uncommon in semiconductor device production lines. Therefore, shortening the maintenance time for both routine and non-routine events, or reducing the opportunities for such maintenance work itself, is important for improving the operating rate of plasma processing equipment and has a significant impact on improving the productivity of semiconductor devices.

[0006] In recent years, global population decline has become a serious problem, and in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, a shortage of workers to perform routine and non-routine maintenance is also a challenge. With the global production of semiconductor devices expected to increase in recent years, securing personnel for routine and non-routine maintenance is not keeping pace, resulting in waiting times for maintenance work, and in many cases, it takes a long time to restore production of the plasma processing equipment in question.

[0007] As mentioned above, improving productivity is a challenge in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and in plasma processing equipment as well, there is a need to improve productivity through measures such as reducing the time required for routine / transient maintenance and reducing manpower.

[0008] As a technology related to improving the productivity of such plasma processing equipment, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of containers having a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical cross-section on their inner wall surface are placed on a rectangular base plate having an exhaust opening and stacked vertically to form a single vacuum vessel. Furthermore, in one of these plurality of containers, a cylindrical sample stage base, on which a wafer is placed, is held in the center of the cylindrical container and connected to the vertical axis of a lifter connected to the outer peripheral end of the base plate. The sample stage base is configured to be movable between a location above the base plate and a location outside the base plate by rotating it around the lifter axis.

[0009] In the vacuum vessel described above, when performing maintenance and assembly work to remove or attach the upper or lower vessel, which is located above or below the sample stage base while the vacuum vessel is assembled on the base plate, the sample stage base is moved to a location that does not interfere with the work. This shortens the so-called downtime period during which the plasma processing equipment is not processing wafers, such as for maintenance and inspection, thereby improving the operational efficiency of the equipment.

[0010] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-141908

[0011] The technology described in Patent Document 1 had problems because it did not adequately consider the following points.

[0012] For example, the conventional technology described above requires a large number of parts to be attached and detached during maintenance and inspection work, and there was a need to further reduce the working time.

[0013] Furthermore, in this conventional technology, when the vacuum vessel is assembled, the sample stage, which is positioned in the center of the sample stage base, is located above the exhaust opening in the center of the lower base plate. In addition, in this state, the side wall of the upper container placed on top of the sample stage base is pressed horizontally against the seat surface of the side wall of the valve box housed inside the gate valve. In this configuration, when multiple containers, including the upper container, are pressed vertically and connected with a sealing member such as an O-ring in between to form a vacuum vessel, the upper container moves not only horizontally but also vertically relative to the valve box. This raises concerns that foreign matter such as wear particles may be generated due to friction and sliding between the side wall surface of the upper container and the sealing member such as an O-ring attached to the seat surface of the valve box.

[0014] Therefore, the yield of wafer processing could be impaired, or the time and volume of work required for maintenance, inspection, and cleaning during downtime to mitigate the adverse effects of such foreign matter could increase, potentially impairing the operational efficiency of the plasma processing equipment.

[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus, a method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus, and a method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus that can improve the efficiency of operation or the yield of processing.

[0016] The present invention provides the following configuration for solving the above problems: A plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing module comprising: a processing chamber disposed inside a vacuum vessel in which plasma is formed internally; a sample stage disposed inside the processing chamber on which a wafer to be processed is placed on its upper surface; and a vacuum pump located below the vacuum vessel, communicating with the processing chamber, exhausting the processing chamber, and movable vertically by the operation of a drive mechanism, wherein the vacuum vessel of the processing module comprises: an upper block whose side is connected to a vacuum transport chamber container in which wafers are transported internally; a lower block disposed below the upper block, which moves vertically together with the vacuum pump and is detachable from the bottom surface of the upper block, and is connected to the vacuum pump and has a base plate having an exhaust port for the processing chamber; a stand disposed below the upper block and connected to the floor surface on which the plasma processing apparatus is installed; and an adjustment mechanism that connects the upper end of the stand to the outer periphery of the base plate, which allows adjustment of the vertical distance of the base plate to the upper end of the stand, and which allows for hermetically sealed connection by adjusting the vertical distance to bring the upper end of the lower block into contact with the bottom surface of the upper block.

[0017] Furthermore, a method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus, comprising a vacuum vessel having an upper block and a lower block, a stand positioned below the upper block and connected to the floor, the upper block being laterally connected to a vacuum transport container for transporting wafers, the lower block having a vacuum pump, and the lower block being positioned below the upper block and movable vertically, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of connecting the stand and a trolley, lowering the lower block, moving the lower block horizontally toward the trolley, connecting the lower block to the trolley, and removing the trolley and the stand.

[0018] Furthermore, a method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus comprising a vacuum vessel having an upper block and a lower block, a stand positioned below the upper block and connected to the floor, the upper block being laterally connected to a vacuum transport container for transporting wafers, the lower block having a vacuum pump, and the lower block being positioned below the upper block and movable up and down, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of connecting the stand and a trolley, removing the lower block and the trolley, moving the lower block below the upper block, raising the lower block, and removing the trolley and the stand.

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plasma processing apparatus that can improve the efficiency of operation or the yield of processing, a method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus, and a method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus.

[0020] This is a schematic perspective view showing the general configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic top view of the plasma processing apparatus shown in Figure 1. This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of the processing module of the plasma processing apparatus according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the main part of the processing module of this embodiment shown in Figure 3. This is a diagram showing the schematic process of removing components from the processing module according to this embodiment shown in Figure 4. This is a diagram showing the schematic process of removing components from the processing module shown in Figure 5. This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the processing module according to this embodiment shown in Figure 5 after the discharge block has been removed. This is a diagram showing the schematic process of removing components from the processing module shown in Figure 7. This is a diagram showing the state after the connection between the base plate and the frame has been released in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 8. This is a diagram showing the process of releasing the fastening between the upper container and the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 9. This is a diagram showing the process of removing the upper container from the valve box 110 in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 10. This is a diagram showing the schematic process of removing the upper container from the processing module shown in Figure 10. This figure shows the process of removing the lower container from its position on the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 11. This figure shows the process of removing the lower container from its position on the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 13. This figure shows the process of removing the lower container from its position on the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 14. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 2. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 2. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 2. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 2. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 2. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 3. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 3. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 3. This figure illustrates the method of disassembling the plasma processing apparatus of Embodiment 3.

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] In the following embodiments, the description will be divided into multiple sections or embodiments where necessary for convenience. Unless otherwise specified, these are not unrelated, and one may be a modification, detail, or supplementary explanation of part or all of the other.

[0023] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, when referring to the number of elements, etc. (including number, numerical value, quantity, range, etc.), unless specifically stated or clearly limited in principle to a particular number, it is not limited to that particular number, and may be greater than or less than that specific number.

[0024] Furthermore, it goes without saying that in the following embodiments, the constituent elements (including elemental steps, etc.) are not necessarily essential, except in cases where they are specifically indicated or where they are clearly essential in principle.

[0025] Similarly, in the following embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc., of components, unless otherwise specifically stated or when it is clearly not the case in principle, it shall include those that substantially approximate or resemble such shapes, etc. The same applies to the numerical values ​​and ranges mentioned above.

[0026] Furthermore, in all the drawings used to illustrate the embodiments, the same reference numerals are generally used for identical components, and repeated explanations are omitted. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the plasma processing apparatus shown in Figure 1.

[0028] As shown in these figures, the plasma processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is broadly divided into an atmospheric block 101 located at the front and a vacuum block 102 located at the rear. The atmospheric block 101 is the part that transports, stores, and positions the object to be processed (sample), such as a semiconductor wafer (also called a "wafer"), under atmospheric pressure, while the vacuum block 102 is the part that transports the sample such as a wafer under a pressure reduced from atmospheric pressure, performs processing, and raises and lowers the pressure while the sample is placed on it. The rear end of the atmospheric block 101 and the front end of the vacuum block 102 are connected and linked.

[0029] The atmospheric block 101 comprises an atmospheric transport chamber container 106 whose internal space is at atmospheric pressure or a pressure that can be considered equivalent to atmospheric pressure, and a plurality of cassette stands (not shown) attached to the front side of the atmospheric transport chamber container 106 (upper side in Figure 2), on which cassettes or FOUPs containing substrate-shaped samples such as semiconductor wafers for processing or cleaning are placed. The atmospheric block 101 is the point where wafers for processing or cleaning stored inside each cassette on the cassette stands are exchanged with a vacuum block 102 connected to the rear side of the atmospheric transport chamber container 106 (lower side in Figure 2). An atmospheric transport robot (not shown) equipped with wafer-holding arms is positioned inside the atmospheric transport chamber container 106 for the purpose of transporting such wafers.

[0030] The vacuum block 102 comprises a plurality of processing modules 200 (six in Figures 1 and 2) into which wafers are transported and processed under reduced pressure, a vacuum transport chamber container 103 connected to these processing modules 200 and equipped with a vacuum transport robot (not shown) for transporting wafers in the reduced-pressure vacuum transport chamber inside, and a plurality of lock chamber containers 104 (two in Figure 2) positioned between the vacuum transport chamber container 103 and the atmospheric transport chamber container 106, having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and attached to and connected to the back of the atmospheric transport chamber container 106. The vacuum block 102 is equipped with an exhaust mechanism (not shown) capable of reducing the pressure inside and exhausting to a predetermined vacuum level. In this embodiment, the operation of the atmospheric transport robot and vacuum transport robot, as well as the wafer processing operation in the processing modules, are controlled and adjusted by a control device 500 configured to communicate with them via wired or wireless means (dashed lines in Figure 1 indicate communication lines).

[0031] In this embodiment, a power supply box 201 and a processing gas box 202 are located above each processing module 200. The power supply box 201 contains a DC power supply for the coils used in the processing module 200 and a power supply for high-frequency (RF) power. The processing gas box 202 contains supply lines for supplying at least one type of processing gas or dilution gas used in the processing module 200, along with their flow regulators and sensors, which are arranged in parallel. The dimensions of these components are set so that their projected range when viewed from above is contained within the projected area of ​​each processing module 200 below, thereby reducing the occupied area of ​​the processing module 200 and the plasma processing apparatus 100.

[0032] Furthermore, the vacuum transport chamber container 103 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape when viewed from above, and a lock chamber container 104 is connected to the front side wall corresponding to the front edge of the rectangle, and three processing modules 200 are connected to each of the side walls corresponding to the left and right sides (both ends in the horizontal direction when viewed from the front). In this embodiment, the front-to-back length of the vacuum transport chamber container 103 is greater than the left-to-right (horizontal) length. Moreover, the spacing between adjacent processing modules 200 connected to each of the left and right side walls is smaller than the size of the user or operator of the plasma processing apparatus 100, as will be described later.

[0033] Furthermore, each processing module 200 and the left and right side walls of the vacuum transport chamber container 103 to which it is connected are connected by a valve box 110 sandwiched between them. The valve box 110 is a container with a rectangular plan shape when viewed from above and has space inside. In this embodiment, it is attached and connected to the side walls of the vacuum transport chamber container 103 and the vacuum container 300 of the processing module 200 by bolts or the like. As will be described later, the space inside the valve box 110 constitutes a transport path through which the semiconductor wafer to be processed is transported. Within this space, there are gate valves that open and close two gates, which are openings in the transport path between the processing chamber inside the vacuum container 300 of the processing module 200 and the vacuum transport chamber inside the vacuum transport chamber container 103, thereby sealing and closing or opening the transport path.

[0034] Furthermore, the six processing modules 200 in this embodiment, including the power supply box 201 and the processing gas box 202, have substantially the same structure and arrangement and configuration, and are configured to be connectable to or detachable from the vacuum transfer chamber container 103 via the valve box 110. These components constituting the processing module 200 are configured to be detachable as a single module, and each of these processing modules 200 is configured to be detachable from the plasma processing apparatus 100.

[0035] Furthermore, work areas are provided on the left and right sides of the three processing modules 200 on each side of the plasma processing apparatus 100, allowing operators to perform predetermined tasks. When an operator works on a specific processing module 200, from the standpoint of preventing injury, as mentioned above, it is made difficult for the operator to work in the gap between the processing module 200 and the processing module 200 adjacent to it, and the occupied area of ​​the plasma processing apparatus 100 can be reduced by decreasing the length of the area occupied by the plasma processing apparatus 100 in the front-to-back direction.

[0036] Using Figure 3, the general configuration of one processing module 200 of the plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of the processing module 200 of the plasma processing apparatus according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0037] The processing module 200 in this embodiment includes a vacuum vessel 300 having a processing chamber inside which a semiconductor wafer, which is the sample to be processed, is placed and processed under reduced pressure; an electric field forming unit that forms an electric or magnetic field for forming a plasma for processing the wafer inside the processing chamber; and an exhaust unit located below the vacuum vessel 300 and having an exhaust pump for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber. As shown in the figure, the side walls of the vacuum vessel 300 in the processing module 200 are connected to the left and right end side walls of the vacuum transport chamber container 103 when viewed from the front, via a valve box 110 which is positioned between them and airtightly attached and connected to them with bolts or the like.

[0038] The processing module 200 in this embodiment includes a processing block comprising a vacuum vessel 300, an electric field forming unit located above it, and an exhaust unit located below the vacuum vessel 300. Furthermore, it includes a power supply box 201 and a processing gas box 202 located above the processing block, and a distribution board box 203 located on the opposite side of the valve box 110 (i.e., between the processing block and the work area) with the vacuum vessel 300 in between. The distribution board box 203 houses a distribution board for power supplied to the devices in the processing block, the power supply box 201, and the processing gas box 202.

[0039] Furthermore, the processing block is arranged around the vacuum chamber, the electric field forming section, and the exhaust section, and includes a frame 301 made of multiple beam-like metal members connected and linked together. The frame 301 in this embodiment has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the edges of each face of the rectangular shape are made up of beam-like members. The power box 201 and the processing gas box 202 are arranged on the upper part of the rectangular parallelepiped of the frame 301, and the distribution board box 203 is arranged on the side.

[0040] The distribution board box 203 is positioned at the left and right ends when viewed from the front, with the processing module 200 connected to the plasma processing apparatus 100 main body or the vacuum transport chamber container 103 via the valve box 110. The distribution board box 203 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a shape that can be considered as such, and its vertical size is longer than the horizontal length of the plasma processing apparatus 100, so to speak, it is elongated vertically and narrow horizontally. Furthermore, the distribution board box 203 is connected to a beam-like member extending vertically from the frame 301 via a hinge, and is configured to rotate around the hinge, so that it can be rotated as needed and moved to the work area.

[0041] The frame 301, which is constructed by connecting the ends of beam-like members extending horizontally or vertically, has an upper and lower section that is roughly rectangular in shape. The upper frame 301 encloses the vacuum vessel and the electric field forming section and houses them inside the roughly rectangular interior, while the lower frame 301 encloses the exhaust section and houses them inside the roughly rectangular interior, with the upper part of the frame 301 resting on top of and connected. Hereinafter, the lower part of the frame 301 will be referred to as the support base 222, and is connected to support the vacuum vessel and the exhaust section, forming the base of the processing module 200.

[0042] The vacuum chamber 300 that constitutes the processing block is connected or joined to the pedestal 222 and has a rectangular base plate 221 with a planar shape whose position is determined. A plurality of cylindrical containers placed on the base plate 221 are stacked vertically and interconnected to form one container. The space inside the vacuum chamber constitutes a processing chamber, which forms one space where a sample such as a semiconductor wafer is placed, a processing gas is supplied, and plasma is formed. The electric field forming unit is disposed above or around the outer periphery of those of the plurality of containers that constitute the vacuum chamber and are arranged at the upper part.

[0043] The exhaust unit is disposed below the lower surface of the base plate 221. The exhaust unit includes an exhaust pump 220 such as a turbo molecular pump and at least one exhaust pipeline (exhaust pipe) connected thereto, and is housed inside the pedestal 222 to which a beam-shaped member is connected in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape together with the base plate 221. The upper end of one exhaust pipe whose lower end is connected to the inlet of the exhaust pump 220 is connected to the lower surface of the base plate 221, and the exhaust from the exhaust pump 220 is configured to be discharged to the outside of the building where the plasma processing apparatus 100 is installed through the exhaust pipe.

[0044] Above the upper surface of the base plate 221, a lower container 217, an upper container 213, a discharge chamber container 208, and a window member 205 are stacked in this order vertically with a seal member such as an O-ring sandwiched therebetween. The upper container 213, the lower container 217, and the discharge chamber container 208 are members having a substantially circular horizontal cross section and a cylindrical inner peripheral wall surface. These, including the window member 205, sandwich a seal member disposed at the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface or the lower surface between adjacent members in the vertical direction and are connected to each other in contact or non-contact to deform the seal member, thereby hermetically sealing between the inside and outside of the container to form the vacuum chamber.

[0045] Inside the upper container 213 is a sample stage 215, which is a wafer stage on which a semiconductor wafer is placed and held on its upper surface. The sample stage 215 is supported by a plurality of support beams (not shown) that extend from the inner circumferential wall surface of the upper container 213 to the central part. The block including the upper container 213, which is connected to the vacuum transport chamber container 103 in which the semiconductor wafer is transported inside, on its side, and the discharge chamber container 208 located above it, is also referred to as the "upper block".

[0046] Multiple support beams are arranged radially, so to speak, extending radially from the center of the cylindrical cross-section of the inner circumferential wall of the upper container 213, and the angles between the axes passing through the centers of two adjacent support beams are arranged to be approximately equal. In the above configuration, a gap is formed between the sample stage 215 and the inner circumferential wall of the upper container 213, forming a channel through which processing gas supplied to the processing chamber configured inside the vacuum container and particles such as reactive organisms generated during wafer processing pass.

[0047] As described above, the inner circumferential walls of the upper container 213 and the lower container 217 each have a cylindrical shape in at least a portion of their horizontal cross-section. This configuration reduces the non-uniformity of the distribution of the plasma flow around the sample stage 215 in the circumferential direction of the wafer, as well as the processing of the wafer by the plasma formed in the processing chamber space above the sample stage 215.

[0048] The base plate 221 is a plate-shaped member having a rectangular planar shape. Its upper surface is where the lower container 217 is placed with a sealing member interposed therebetween and is connected to the bottom surface of the lower container 217. A circular opening is arranged at the central portion of the base plate 221, and an exhaust lid 218 is arranged above it to move vertically covering the opening or to close the opening. The lower surface of the base plate 221 is where the outer periphery of the opening and the exhaust portion are connected as described above, and a cylindrical actuator 219 is arranged below the lower surface of the base plate 221 to drive and move the exhaust lid 218 along the vertical axis. According to the vertical height of the exhaust lid 218, the flow path area of the gas and particles in the processing chamber flowing into the opening is increased or decreased, and the pressure in the processing chamber is adjusted according to the balance with the amount of exhaust from the processing chamber and thus the supply amount of the processing gas or dilution gas (dilute gas) supplied into the processing chamber. That is, the opening at the central portion of the base plate 221 is an exhaust port 233 that communicates the processing chamber inside the vacuum container composed of the base plate 221, the lower container 217, the upper container 213, etc. with the exhaust pump 220 of the exhaust portion.

[0049] The upper portion of the sample stage 215 is coated with a film (dielectric film, not shown) made of a dielectric such as ceramics like alumina, and forms a substantially circular wafer placement surface in accordance with the circular wafer. Inside the dielectric film, a plurality of film-shaped heaters and a plurality of film-shaped electrodes for electrostatically adsorbing the wafer on the placement surface are arranged. Electric power from a DC power source is supplied to these, and the temperature of the wafer placed on the placement surface of the sample stage 215 is adjusted or the wafer is held.

[0050] Inside the sample stage 215, a base material having a disk or cylindrical shape made of metal is arranged. Inside the base material, refrigerant flow paths are arranged concentrically or spirally multiple times around the circular center, and the temperature of the base material, the sample stage 215, or the placed wafer is adjusted by the refrigerant supplied inside and flowing through and circulating. Further, the base material is connected via a power supply path such as a cable to a high-frequency power source of a predetermined frequency not shown, and high-frequency power for forming a bias potential on the wafer during the processing of the wafer is supplied.

[0051] An opening for He gas to flow out is provided on the upper surface of the dielectric film that constitutes the mounting surface of the sample stage 215. Through this opening, He gas is supplied to the gap between the wafer and the dielectric film so that the inside of the sample stage 215 reaches a predetermined pressure while the wafer is placed on the mounting surface, adsorbed, and held in place. This configuration promotes heat transfer between the wafer and the sample stage 215, improving the accuracy and efficiency of wafer temperature control.

[0052] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which high-frequency power is supplied to a metal substrate was described. However, a film-like electrode placed in a dielectric film may be provided, and the electrode and the high-frequency power supply may be electrically connected to supply high-frequency power for bias potential formation. In this configuration, the metal substrate may be electrically connected to a grounded electrode and brought to ground potential during processing.

[0053] In this embodiment, a cylindrical container, the sample stage base 214, is positioned below the base material of the sample stage 215. One end of a plurality of support beams is connected to the outer peripheral side wall of the sample stage base 214, and the space inside the sample stage base 214 is connected to the upper container 213 or the outside of the processing module 200 via a passage that is located inside the support beams and communicates with an opening located in the outer peripheral side wall of the upper container 213. The space inside the sample stage base 214 is maintained at atmospheric pressure or a pressure that can be considered to be atmospheric pressure, and is an area that houses power supply routes such as cables that supply high-frequency power, and piping for supplying refrigerant and He gas.

[0054] Furthermore, the substrate has multiple through holes, and inside each through hole are multiple pusher pins (not shown) that are driven to move up and down with a wafer placed on their tip. The lower ends of the pusher pins are located in the space inside the sample stage base 214 and are connected to a drive mechanism such as an actuator, allowing them to move up and down within the storage space inside the sample stage base 214. This allows the tip of the pusher pin to move from a lower end position, which is inside the through hole and below the opening at its upper end, to an upper end position that protrudes to a height above the upper surface of the dielectric film. At the upper end position, the wafer transported into the processing chamber is placed on the tip of the pusher pin and passed to it. The pusher pin then moves downward toward the lower end position to pass the wafer onto the mounting surface, or moves upward from the lower end position to bring the tip into contact with the back surface of the wafer that is placed on the mounting surface, moving the wafer upward from the mounting surface and separating it, and then lifting it to an upper end position where it can be passed to a vacuum transfer robot.

[0055] A gate (not shown), which is an opening through which the conveyed wafer passes, is positioned on the side wall of the upper container 213. The outer wall of the upper container 213 around the gate abuts against the sheet surface that forms the side surface of the valve box 110, with a seal such as an O-ring in between. This configuration hermetically seals the space between the inside of the valve box 110 or upper container 213, including the gate, and the external atmosphere, and hermetically seals the space between the wafer conveying path and the outside.

[0056] The connection between the outer peripheral side wall surface of the upper container 213 and the seat surface of the valve box 110 is made by fastening them together using bolts or other screws. To connect these side walls, a sealing member such as an O-ring is placed on the side wall and fastened, thereby applying a pressing force with a horizontal component to the surfaces of both. In this embodiment, the upper container 213, which is attached to and detached from the seat surface of the valve box 110, moves horizontally to perform this attachment and detachment.

[0057] On the other hand, the upper container 213 is connected vertically to the lower container 217 located below it, and is configured to receive vertical pressure from the lower container 217, the base plate 221, and the exhaust section. In order to suppress sliding and friction between the outer peripheral wall of the upper container 213 and the seat surface of the valve box 110 even when subjected to vertical forces, the outer peripheral wall surface of the upper container 213 and the seat surface of the valve box 110 are provided with pins or projections that extend horizontally (not shown) and holes into which the pins or projections are inserted and fitted. The upper container 213 and the valve box 110 are fastened together in a positioned manner by the insertion of the projections and pins or projections into the holes and the fitting, thereby creating an airtight connection.

[0058] A ring-shaped metal grounding member is placed on and connected to the upper end of the upper container 213. The surface of the grounding member faces the flow path between the inside of the discharge chamber container 208 and the inside of the upper container 213, specifically the space between the sample stage 215 and the inner circumferential wall surface of the upper container 213, and can come into contact with the plasma formed inside the discharge chamber container 208. By electrically connecting the grounding member to the ground electrode and maintaining it at ground potential, the plasma potential can be stabilized.

[0059] A discharge chamber container 208 is placed and connected above the upper container 213. The discharge chamber container 208 has a cylindrical shape, and in a vacuum state, a processing gas is supplied to the internal space, and an electric field or magnetic field is supplied to form a discharge chamber in which plasma is formed from the processing gas. The discharge chamber is located above the sample stage 215, and the discharge chamber container 208 is a container that surrounds the discharge chamber.

[0060] An inner cylinder 207 made of quartz is positioned inside the inner side wall of the discharge chamber container 208. The lower end of the inner cylinder 207 is located above the grounding member 212 and extends to the upper end of the inner side wall of the discharge chamber container 208, covering the inner side wall. The inner cylinder 207 is positioned at a predetermined gap between the inner side wall of the discharge chamber container 208 and the discharge chamber or plasma, and wear is reduced by covering the inner side wall of the discharge chamber container 208 with respect to the plasma.

[0061] A disc-shaped quartz window member 205 is placed above the upper end of the discharge chamber container 208, covering the inside of the discharge chamber container 208. A seal such as an O-ring is sandwiched between the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the window member 205 and the upper end of the cylindrical discharge chamber container 208, hermetically sealing the inside and outside of the processing chamber, and the window member 205 constitutes a vacuum vessel. The window member 205 is made of ceramic such as quartz and is constructed with a material and dimensions such as thickness that allow the electric field supplied from above to form plasma in the processing chamber to pass through.

[0062] A dielectric shower plate 206, which has a disc shape, is arranged inside the processing chamber below the window member 205. The shower plate 206 is a component that forms the top surface of the processing chamber, facing the discharge chamber, and multiple through holes are arranged in its central part, through which processing gas or noble gas is introduced, and the gas is dispersed and introduced into the processing chamber.

[0063] Although not shown in this embodiment, a gas supply line through which the supplied processing gas or dilution gas (rare gas) flows is connected to the vacuum container. For example, a metal ring-shaped member may be placed between the window member 205 and the cylindrical upper end of the upper container 213, and the gas supply line may be connected to the member on the ring and communicate with a gas flow path provided in a ring shape on the ring-shaped member. Furthermore, the processing gas or rare gas inside the gas flow path may be supplied and dispersed into the gap between the window member 205 and the shower plate 206 from a plurality of openings arranged circumferentially on the inner circumferential wall surface of the ring-shaped member, and then supplied into the processing chamber from the gas supply hole.

[0064] The electric field forming unit of this embodiment includes a cylindrical cavity 232 positioned above the window member 205, a waveguide 211 (also referred to as a "circular waveguide"), a power supply for forming an electric field for plasma formation, a solenoid coil 209, and a coil case 210. The coil case 210 may include a yoke.

[0065] The cylindrical cavity 232 is a cylindrical container positioned above the window member 205 and having approximately the same diameter as the discharge chamber container 208. The electric field supplied to the internal space for plasma formation is amplified in a specific mode. The bottom surface of the internal space of the cylindrical cavity 232 is formed by the upper surface of the window member 205, and the electric field is transmitted through it and introduced into the processing chamber. The lower end of the waveguide 211 is connected to the central part of the upper part of the cylindrical cavity 232.

[0066] Waveguide 211 is a tubular metal member that has a portion of its axis extending both vertically and horizontally. The portion with the axis extending vertically is a circular waveguide portion with a circular cross-section, and its lower end is connected to a disc that forms the ceiling of the cylindrical cavity 232 below waveguide 211, thus connecting the inside of the cylindrical cavity 232 with the inside of the circular waveguide. The upper end of circular waveguide 211 is connected to one end of a rectangular waveguide portion with a rectangular vertical cross-section and an axis extending horizontally. The field for plasma formation formed at or near the other end of the rectangular waveguide propagates through the inside of the rectangular waveguide and circular waveguide and is supplied from above into the processing chamber via the cylindrical cavity.

[0067] At the other end of the rectangular waveguide section, a radio wave source 231 is positioned to form an electric field for plasma formation. The radio wave source 231 oscillates an electric field of a specific frequency, forming and supplying it inside the rectangular waveguide. In this embodiment, the frequency of the electric field for plasma formation is in the microwave band at 2.45 GHz.

[0068] Solenoid coils 209 and a coil case 210 are arranged around the circular waveguide section of the waveguide 211, the upper and outer periphery of the cylindrical cavity 232, and the outer periphery of the discharge chamber container 208. Multiple solenoid coils 209 are arranged vertically within the coil case 210. DC power is supplied to each solenoid coil 209 from the power supply in the power box 201, forming a magnetic field of predetermined strength which is then supplied into the processing chamber.

[0069] The microwave electric field generated and formed by the radio wave source 231 propagates through the waveguide 211 and the cylindrical cavity 232 and is supplied into the processing chamber via the window member 205, while the magnetic field formed by the solenoid coil 209 is also supplied into the processing chamber. These electric and magnetic fields generate ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) inside the processing chamber, exciting and ionizing or dissociating the atoms or molecules of the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber, thereby forming a plasma inside the processing chamber. With the plasma formed, high-frequency power is supplied to the electrodes in the sample stage 215, which holds the wafer on the mounting surface, and the wafer is processed.

[0070] The exhaust section is located inside the frame 222 and below the base plate 221, and includes an exhaust pump 220 and an exhaust pipe connected thereto. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exhaust section includes a lifting device 223 (also referred to as a "lifter") located below the exhaust pump 220 or the exhaust pipe downstream of it. The lifting device 223 is connected to the exhaust pump 220 and the exhaust pipe, and includes an actuator that is powered and driven by electricity from a power source, and is configured so that its height from the floor can be changed vertically by the operation of the actuator. In this embodiment, the height of the exhaust pump 220 and the exhaust pipe and the base plate 221 connected thereto can be changed vertically by the operation of the lifting device 223.

[0071] In other words, as the height of the exhaust section is raised and lowered by the elevator 223, the base plate 221 connected to it and the lower container 217 placed on the base plate move up and down. In this embodiment, this makes it possible to set the distance between the upper end surface of the base plate 221 and the cylindrical lower container 217 placed on the base plate and the lower surface of the upper container 213 to a desired value, and to move and maintain the upper end surface of the lower container 217 at a height where the distance to the lower surface of the upper container 213 is sufficiently small.

[0072] Below the base plate 221, two actuators 219 are positioned, the tips of which are connected to the protruding parts on the outer circumference of the exhaust cover 218. By driving the actuators 219, the flow area between the exhaust cover 218 and the upper surface of the base plate 221 or between the exhaust port 233 and the exhaust cover 218 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the amount of exhaust gas from the processing chamber and adjusting the pressure inside the processing chamber.

[0073] As described above, the valve box 110 is positioned between the processing module 200 and the vacuum transport chamber container 103, and is connected to the outer peripheral side wall of the upper container 213 and the side wall of the vacuum transport chamber container 103, sealing the interior hermetically and forming a wafer transport path. Inside the valve box 110 are a first gate valve 111 and a second gate valve 112. Each gate valve is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) located below the valve box 110, and each opens or hermetically closes the gate on the side wall of the vacuum transport chamber container 103 and the gate on the side wall of the upper container 213.

[0074] The vacuum transport chamber container 103 is equipped with a vacuum transport chamber under reduced pressure. A vacuum transport robot 234 is positioned in the vacuum transport chamber, which rotates while holding a wafer at the tip of its arm and transports the wafer by extending and retracting the arm. Below the vacuum transport chamber container 103, a drive mechanism 235 is positioned, which is connected to the vacuum transport robot 234 and controls and adjusts the wafer transport operation.

[0075] The configuration of the main part of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 3 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the main part of the processing module of this embodiment shown in Figure 3. Figure 4(a) is a perspective view of the main part of the processing module 200, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-section.

[0076] In this figure, the upper part of the frame 301 is omitted from the configuration of the processing module shown in Figure 3, excluding the waveguide 211, radio wave source 231, cylindrical cavity 232, and support base 222. Furthermore, in the example shown in this figure, the vacuum transport chamber container 103 is not shown, and this figure does not show the valve box 110 of this embodiment being held in a hollow state, but rather is shown connected to the side wall surface of the vacuum transport chamber container 103.

[0077] On the other hand, the vacuum vessel, exhaust section, and electric field forming section, specifically the coil case 210 and solenoid coil 209, are shown. Furthermore, a coil lifter 401 positioned above the frame 222 is shown. The coil lifter 401 is connected to the coil case 210.

[0078] Furthermore, in this figure, the frame 222 comprises a rectangular base plate 404, beam-like support columns 403 connected to its four corners and extending upward, and two upper plates 402 connected to the upper ends of the two front and rear support columns 403. The ends of these members form a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape for the frame 222, and the frame is configured with the necessary strength to support the weight of the exhaust unit and base plate 221 housed inside, as well as the vacuum vessel and electric field forming unit placed on and connected above the base plate 221.

[0079] The coil lifter 401 is placed on top of the upper plate 402 and its lower end is connected to it. The coil lifter 401 is a columnar member having a vertical axis, and a coil case 210 containing a solenoid coil 209 is connected to this axis. The connection between the coil lifter 401 and the coil case 210 is configured to be movable along the vertical axis, allowing the coil case 210 to be moved upward away from the vacuum vessel or to a position where it surrounds and covers the top of the vacuum vessel.

[0080] The exhaust section elevator 223 is mounted on and connected to the bottom plate 404 of the frame 222. In this embodiment, the operation of the elevator 223 allows the base plate 221, which is connected to the exhaust section and housed inside the frame 222, to increase or decrease the distance between itself and the lower surface of the top plate 402 of the frame 222.

[0081] Hereinafter, using Figures 5 to 15, the process of removing and disassembling each block, which is composed of multiple parts, from the processing module 200 of this embodiment will be explained.

[0082] Using Figure 5, the process of removing the coil case 210 from the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 4 will be explained. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the process of removing the components that make up the processing module according to this embodiment shown in Figure 4. Figure 5(a) is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of the processing module 200, and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view.

[0083] In addition, in Figures 5, 7, 9 through 15, (a) of each figure is a perspective view schematically showing the general configuration, and (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. Also, as with Figure 4, the vacuum transport chamber container 103 is not shown in Figures 5 through 15, but the valve box 110 shown should be interpreted as being connected to the side wall surface of the vacuum transport chamber container 103.

[0084] In this figure, the coil case 210 is moved further upward (in the direction of the arrow in the figure) along its vertical axis from the position where it surrounds and covers the top of the vacuum vessel, using the coil lifter 401. After the coil case 210 has been moved to a position where the distance between the lower end of the coil case 210 and the upper surface of the lower window member 205 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the coil case 210 is rotated horizontally around the connection point between the coil lifter 401 and the coil case 210, thereby moving (retracting) the coil case 210 from above the vacuum vessel.

[0085] In this state, the components that constitute the upper part of the vacuum vessel, including the discharge chamber container 208, window member 205, shower plate 206, ground member 212, and inner cylinder 207, are interconnected or joined to each other to form a single block that can be attached and detached. This block is referred to as the discharge block 224. In this figure, when the coil case 210 is moved, at least one of the other components that constitute the electric field forming section, such as the waveguide 211, cylindrical cavity 232, and radio wave source 231, may also be configured to move upward while connected to the coil case 210.

[0086] Next, using Figure 6, the process of removing the discharge block 224 from the processing module 200 shown in Figure 5 will be explained. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the process of removing components from the processing module shown in Figure 5. In this figure, an example is shown of the state during the removal of the discharge block 224, with the coil case 210 moved from above the processing block 204 and space secured above the processing block 204. In this operation, the movable lifter 229 shown is used, and the discharge block 224 is shown being detached from the upper end of the upper container 213 and separated upward from the state in which it was connected to the upper container 213 below.

[0087] The mobile lifter 229 comprises a columnar body having an axis in the vertical direction, a base connected to the lower part of the body and in contact with the floor surface to support the body, and an arm connected to the vertical axis of the body and equipped with a connector at its tip that connects to the discharge block 224. The arm tip and the connector are connected by a wire of adjustable length, and the height of the connector can be adjusted to a desired level by adjusting the length of the wire. In this embodiment, the mobile lifter 229 has a beam-shaped arm extending horizontally from the body that is rotatable around the vertical axis of the body. Furthermore, the base is equipped with wheels such as casters that allow the mobile lifter 229 to move on the floor surface.

[0088] Next, the state in which the discharge block 224 has been removed from the processing block 204 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the processing module in the state in which the discharge block 224 has been removed from the state in which the discharge block 224 has been removed from the processing module in this embodiment shown in Figure 5. In this figure, with the discharge block 224 removed, the upper end of the upper container 213 is exposed. Even in this state, the upper container 213 and the valve box 110 are fastened and connected with a seal in between.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in this figure, the rectangular base plate 221 constituting the vacuum vessel of this embodiment is connected to the upper plate 402 of the frame 222 by bolts 225 at its four corners, as indicated by 701. Specifically, the lower end of the male threaded portion of the bolt 225, which is inserted into a through hole in the upper plate 402, is fitted into the female threaded portion located on the base plate 221 below and tightened. As the bolt 225 is tightened further, the base plate 221 can be moved upward and brought closer to the lower surface of the upper plate 402.

[0090] In the processing module 200 of this embodiment, the base plate 221 is connected to the upper plate 402 of the frame 222 at four locations on its outer circumference. The distance between the base plate 221 and the lower surface of the upper plate 402, or, if the lower container 217 is placed on the base plate 221, the distance between the upper end of the lower container 217 and the bottom surface of the upper container 213, can be appropriately adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of tightening of the bolts 225 at each location. Furthermore, the circumferential distribution of the gap between the upper end of the outer circumference wall portion of the ring of the lower container 217 and the bottom surface of the upper container 213 can also be adjusted. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of tightening of the four bolts 225 and their distribution, the connection between the upper end of the lower container 217 and the bottom surface of the upper container 213, and the magnitude and circumferential distribution of the pressing force applied to them as a result, can be appropriately adjusted.

[0091] In this configuration, the weight from other components applied to the base plate 221, such as the exhaust section, the lower container 217 mounted on the base plate 221, and the upper container 213 and discharge block 224 connected thereto, is transmitted via bolts 225 to the upper plate 402 and, consequently, to the support frame 222. The support frame 222 is configured to have sufficient strength to support such weight.

[0092] Next, using Figure 8, we will explain the process of disconnecting the base plate 221 and the frame 222 from the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the process of removing the components that make up the processing module shown in Figure 7.

[0093] This figure shows an example in which, in the processing module 200 where the discharge block 224 has been removed from above the upper container 213 as shown in Figure 7, the connection between the base plate 221 to which the exhaust section is connected and the upper plate 402 of the frame 222 is released, thereby releasing the connection between the upper container 213 and the lower container 217. That is, in Figure 8, the connection between the upper plate 402 and the base plate 221, which is made by a bolt 225 inserted into a through hole in the upper plate 402 and then inserted into a female screw hole in the base plate 221 and tightened, is released.

[0094] Furthermore, when the connection between the frame 222 and the base plate 221, to which the exhaust section is connected, is released, the total weight of the base plate 221 and the block (lower block 226) to which the exhaust section or lower container 217 is connected is supported by the elevator 223. Even if a slight sinking occurs immediately after the connection of the bolts 225 is released, the elevator 223 is configured to support the weight of the base plate 221 and the exhaust section.

[0095] Next, using Figure 9, we will explain the state in which the connection between the base plate 221 and the frame 222 is released in the processing module 200 shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the state after the connection between the base plate and the frame has been released in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 8.

[0096] In Figure 8, after the bolt 225 is loosened and the connection between the base plate 221 and the upper plate 402 of the frame 222 is released, the elevator 223 is driven and lowers to the lower limit of its vertical movement range. As a result, the lower block 226, including the exhaust pump 220, exhaust pipe and the base plate 221 above it, and the lower container 217, moves downward as shown by the arrow in the figure. Consequently, a gap is created between the upper end of the lower container 217 and the bottom surface of the upper container 213. With a sufficiently large gap obtained, the fastening between the upper container 213 and the valve box 110 is released, and the process moves on to removing the upper container 213.

[0097] As shown in the figure, the upper container 213 has a cylindrical base and a flange portion that protrudes radially outward from the upper part of its outer peripheral side wall. A portion of the side wall of the flange portion forms a seat surface that contacts the side wall of the valve box 110 with a seal such as an O-ring in between. Furthermore, with the seat surface of the flange portion in contact with the side wall surface of the valve box 110, the upper container 213 has multiple through holes that penetrate from the end of the flange portion (circled by dashed lines in the figure) to the seat surface. Multiple fastening bolts 227 are inserted into the through holes and fitted into female screw holes on the side wall surface of the valve box 110 for fastening. In this way, the upper container 213 is attached to and connected to the valve box 110.

[0098] In this way, the upper container 213 is fitted horizontally by fastening bolts 227, which apply a force that presses the seat surface of the flange portion horizontally against the side wall surface of the valve box 110. This deforms and holds the sealing member such as an O-ring between the seat surface of the upper container 213 and the side wall surface of the valve box 110, and the upper container 213 is attached to the valve box 110 in a state where the inside and outside are airtightly sealed.

[0099] Furthermore, with the lower container 217 separated from the upper container 213 and the connection between them released, only the upper container 213 remains in the processing block 204 with the valve box 110 attached. This upper container 213 may also be referred to as the intermediate block 228.

[0100] Next, using Figure 10, the process of releasing the fastening between the upper container 213 and the valve box 110 in the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 9 will be explained. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the process of releasing the fastening between the upper container and the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 9.

[0101] In this figure, the fastening bolt 227 shown in Figure 9 is loosened, releasing the fastening between the valve box 110 and the upper container 213. With the fastening bolt 227 sufficiently loosened, the mutual pressing force acting between the upper container 213 and the valve box 110 is substantially eliminated. In this state, there is a risk that the upper container 213 may fall downward, but as described above, the risk of falling is reduced by the engagement of the positioning pins or projections and holes located on the seat surface of the flange portion of the upper container 213 and the side wall of the valve box 110.

[0102] Next, using Figure 11, we will explain the process of removing the upper container 213 from the valve box 110 and separating it from the processing module 200 shown in Figure 10. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the process of removing the upper container from the valve box 110 in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 10.

[0103] In this figure, the upper container 213 is removed by moving horizontally in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The force fastening the upper container 213 to the valve box 110 is removed, and a horizontal force (in the direction of the arrow in the figure) is applied to the upper container 213, causing the side wall surface of the valve box 110 and the seat surface of the flange portion of the upper container 213 to separate and become detached. The upper container 213 is transported using a moving lifter 229 (which can also be called a "maintenance lifter" due to its function), and the upper end surface of the lower container 217 is exposed with a large space above it.

[0104] Furthermore, when removing the upper container 213 from the valve box 110, the movable lifter 229 shown in Figure 6 can be used. In this case, before loosening the fastening bolts 227, the connector located at the tip of the arm of the movable lifter 229 can be connected to the upper container 213, so that the weight of the upper container 213 is supported by the arm, thereby preventing the upper container 213 from falling.

[0105] Next, using Figure 12, the process of removing the upper container 213 from the valve box 110 in the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 10 will be explained. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the process of removing the upper container from the processing module shown in Figure 10.

[0106] This figure shows an example of the work in progress where the discharge block 224 has been removed from the processing block 204, exposing the upper end of the upper container 213 and creating space above, and the upper container 213 has been removed. In this work, a moving lifter 229, as shown in Figure 6, is also used to move the upper container 213, and the figure shows the upper container 213 being removed from the valve box 110 and the lower container 217, and moved to a position separated upward or horizontally.

[0107] Next, using Figure 13, we will explain the process of removing the lower container 217 from the upper surface of the base plate 221 and separating it from the processing module 200 shown in Figure 11. Figure 13 is a diagram showing the process of removing the lower container from its position on the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 11.

[0108] In this process, the lower container 217 is exposed to the space above, with a large open space above it, and any components that would hinder the removal and movement of the lower container 217 have been removed. In this state, the lower container 217 is removed from the upper surface of the base plate 221 and transported to the outside from the space above it. Using Figure 14, the process of removing the exhaust cover 218 from the upper surface of the base plate 221 in the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 13 will be explained. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the process of removing the exhaust cover from its position on the base plate in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 13.

[0109] In this process, the lower container 217 is removed from the base plate 221, exposing the exhaust cover 218. The exhaust cover 218 has a disc shape, and protrusions are provided at both ends on either side of the center of the disc shape, projecting radially outward. The upper end of the actuator 219 is connected to these protrusions. The operation of the actuator 219 moves the protrusions of the exhaust cover 218 up and down, and consequently drives the exhaust cover 218 up and down.

[0110] The exhaust cover 218 can be removed by disconnecting the actuator 219 at the protruding portion and lifting and moving the exhaust cover 218 upwards.

[0111] In this embodiment, the process of removing the valve body of the gate valve located in the valve box 110 is performed in the state of the processing module 200 shown in Figure 14. This process will be explained using Figure 15. Figure 15 is a diagram showing the process of removing the valve body from the valve box in the processing module of the embodiment shown in Figure 14.

[0112] In this figure, the side wall surface of the valve box 110 that abuts against the seat surface of the flange portion of the upper container 213 is exposed after the process shown in Figure 14 has been completed. An operator can remove the valve body from the first gate valve 111 or the second gate valve 112 housed inside the valve box 110 through the gate on the side wall surface of the valve box 110 and take it out of the valve box 110.

[0113] As described above, in this embodiment, the vacuum vessel of the processing block 204 of the processing module 200, and the components and materials that constitute it, are removed from the processing block 204 or processing module 200 in blocks, such as a discharge block, an intermediate block, a lower block, etc., where multiple blocks of these components are grouped together. The removed blocks are then further disassembled into their constituent components and materials, and maintenance work such as inspection and replacement of these components and materials is performed.

[0114] The removed blocks may be transported to a work area arranged around the plasma processing apparatus 100 for maintenance work, or they may be transported as blocks, along with other blocks, to a work room or building suitable for maintenance work on each block, rather than to the aforementioned work area, and the maintenance work may be carried out there.

[0115] In this case, the blocks being transported may be placed in specific containers or wrapped to reduce contamination, damage, or loss during transport.

[0116] Furthermore, blocks containing parts or components that require replacement or cleaning can be replaced as a whole by preparing replacement blocks in advance. This configuration reduces the time required for maintenance and inspection of the plasma processing apparatus 100, thereby reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.

[0117] Furthermore, in the state shown in Figures 9 to 15, when the elevator 223 is driven and the lower container 217, base plate 221, and exhaust section have moved downward, the entire lower block 226 may be pulled out from inside the frame 222 and moved to perform maintenance and inspection work on the base plate 221, exhaust section, exhaust cover 218, actuator 219, etc. The lower block 226 is pulled out into the work area around the plasma processing apparatus 100, but it may also be moved to another location suitable for maintenance and inspection work using a mobile lifter 229 or the like to perform the work.

[0118] Furthermore, in the maintenance and inspection of the plasma processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, it is not necessary to perform all of the operations shown in Figures 5 to 15, and the operations may be selected and performed as needed.

[0119] Furthermore, after the maintenance and inspection work is completed, the processing module 200 can be reassembled following the reverse procedure of the disassembly shown in the diagram.

[0120] In Example 1, the process of removing and disassembling each block, which is a combination of multiple components constituting the processing module 200, from the processing module 200 was described. In Examples 2 and 3, a method for disassembling a vacuum processing device is described, including a method for transporting the disassembled lower block 226 to a maintenance location using a trolley. In Example 2, a method for disassembling a vacuum processing device is described in which the lower block is removed from the vacuum processing device and transported using an LM guide (linear motion guide).

[0121] First, the trolley-side fixing part 601, which is equipped with a clamp lever 602 and a positioning pin 603 attached to the tip of the trolley 600, is aligned with the positioning bracket 605 attached to the frame 222. Then, the clamp lever 602 is operated to engage the trolley-side fixing part 601 with the positioning bracket 605, thereby fixing the trolley 600 and the frame 222 (Figure 16(a),(b),(c)).

[0122] Next, the arm fixing pin 606 is pulled out, the arm 607 which is mounted on the trolley 600 is extended, and the arm fixing pin 606 that was just pulled out is inserted into the arm fixing pin socket 608 to lock the extended arm in its extended position (Figure 17(a)(b)).

[0123] Next, the fixing bolts 610 connecting the frame 222 and the base plate 221 are removed to disconnect the frame 222 and the base plate 221 (Figure 18).

[0124] Next, the lower block 226 is lowered by the lifter 223 (also called the "lower lifter" or "elevator") (Figure 19).

[0125] Next, the lower block 226 is lowered until it rests on the arm 607, and then the arm 607 and the vacuum pump plate 612 are secured together with screws 613 through the fixing screw holes 614 (Figure 19. See Figure 16(b) for the screw holes).

[0126] Next, the arm fixing pin 606 is pulled out to release the lock on the arm 607, and then the arm handle 624 is pulled to the right in the figure to retract the arm 607, thereby pulling out the lower block 226 that is placed on the arm 607 (Figure 20).

[0127] Next, the arm fixing pin 606 is inserted to lock the arm 607, and then the clamp lever 602 is operated to release the connection between the trolley 600 and the frame 222, detaching the trolley-side fixing part 601 from the positioning bracket 605, and transporting the lower block 226 (Figure 20).

[0128] In this procedure, the lower block 226 can be transported to another location where maintenance is possible. The above series of steps will be referred to as the disassembly method of the plasma processing apparatus.

[0129] Alternatively, the plasma processing apparatus can be assembled by joining the lower block 226 and the upper block using the reverse procedure described above. Specifically, the lower block 226, which has undergone maintenance elsewhere, is placed on the arm 607 of the trolley 600 (with the arm 607 retracted), the trolley 600 is connected to the frame 222, the lower block 226 is raised with the lifter 223, the frame 222 and the base plate 221 are connected with fixing bolts 610, the arm 607 is retracted and housed in the trolley 600, and then the connection between the trolley 600 and the frame 222 is released, separating the trolley 600 from the frame 222. This series of steps is referred to as the method for assembling the plasma processing apparatus.

[0130] Example 3 describes an alternative method for transporting the disassembled lower block 226 to a maintenance location using a trolley. Example 3 uses casters. Casters are a term that refers to "wheels attached to the bottom of equipment to move objects smoothly."

[0131] First, attach the caster 700 to the vacuum pump plate 612 with screws 613 (Figure 21).

[0132] Next, caster guide rails 710 for the casters to pass over are attached to the frame 222 with screws, and steps 702 for connecting the casters 700 to the trolley 600 are attached to the frame 222 with screws (not shown). Next, the clamp lever 705 is rotated to connect the step-side fixing part 703 provided on the step 702 and the trolley-side fixing part 704 provided on the trolley 600 side, and then attached with screws (not shown) (Figure 22).

[0133] Next, the fixing bolts 610 that connected the frame 222 and the base plate 221 are removed, separating the frame 222 and the base plate 221 (Figure 23).

[0134] Next, the lower block 226, which has a vacuum pump, is lowered using the lower lifter 223 (Figure 24).

[0135] Next, the caster 700 is moved to the right in Figure 23, the lower block 226 is placed on the trolley 600, and then the lower block 226 is attached to the fixing bracket 706 using screws 707. Next, the clamp lever 705 is rotated to join the step-side fixing part 703 and the trolley-side fixing part 704 provided on the trolley 600 side, and then screws (not shown) are removed to separate the trolley 600 and the step 702, and the lower block 226 is transported by the trolley 600 (Figure 25).

[0136] In this procedure, the lower block 226 can be transported to another location where maintenance is possible. The above series of steps will be referred to as the disassembly method of the plasma processing apparatus, as in Example 2.

[0137] Furthermore, similar to Example 2, the plasma processing apparatus can also be assembled by joining the lower block 226 and the upper block using the reverse procedure described above. This series of steps is also referred to as the method for assembling the plasma processing apparatus.

[0138] 100: Plasma processing apparatus, 101: Atmospheric block, 102: Vacuum block, 103: Vacuum transport chamber container, 104: Lock chamber container, 106: Atmospheric transport chamber container, 110: Valve box, 111: First gate valve, 112: Second gate valve, 200: Processing module, 201: Power box, 202: Processing gas box, 203: Distribution board box, 204: Processing block, 205: Window member, 206: Shower plate, 207: Inner cylinder, 208: Discharge chamber container, 209: Solenoid coil, 210: Coil case, 211: Waveguide, 212: Grounding member, 213: Upper container, 214: Sample stage base, 215: Sample stage, 217: Lower container, 218: Exhaust cover, 219: Actuator, 220 : Exhaust pump, 221: Base plate, 222: Stand, 223: Lower lifter, 224: Discharge block, 225: Bolt, 226: Lower block, 227: Fastening bolt, 228: Intermediate block, 229: Mobile lifter, 231: Radio wave source, 232: Cylindrical cavity, 233: Exhaust port, 234: Vacuum transport robot, 235: Drive mechanism, 300: Vacuum vessel, 301: Frame, 401: Coil lifter, 402: Top plate, 403: Support column, 404: Bottom plate, 500: Control device, 600: Trolley, 601: Trolley side fixing part, 602: Clamp lever, 603: Positioning pin, 605: Bracket, 606: Arm fixing pin, 607: Arm, 610 : Fixing bolt, 612; Vacuum pump plate, 613; Screw, 614; Fixing screw hole, 624; Handle for arm, 700; Caster, 702; Step, 703; Step-side fixing part, 704; Cart-side fixing part, 705; Clamp lever, 706; Fixing bracket, 707; Screw, 710; Guide rail for caster.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising a processing module having a processing chamber located inside a vacuum vessel in which plasma is formed, a sample stage located inside the processing chamber on which a wafer to be processed is placed on its upper surface, and a vacuum pump located below the vacuum vessel, communicating with the processing chamber, exhausting the inside of the processing chamber, and being movable up and down by the operation of a drive mechanism, wherein the vacuum vessel of the processing module comprises an upper block whose side is connected to a vacuum transport chamber container in which the wafer is transported inside, a lower block located below the upper block, movable up and down together with the vacuum pump and detachably attached to the bottom surface of the upper block, connected to the vacuum pump and having a base plate with an exhaust port for the processing chamber, and a frame located below the upper block and connected to the floor on which the plasma processing apparatus is installed, A plasma processing apparatus comprising: an adjustment mechanism that connects the upper end of the frame and the outer periphery of the base plate, allows adjustment of the vertical distance of the base plate relative to the upper end of the frame, and allows for hermetically sealed connection by adjusting the vertical distance to bring the upper end of the lower block into contact with the bottom surface of the upper block.

2. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the vertical distance of the base plate with respect to the upper end of the frame when the operation of the drive mechanism is stopped.

3. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a plurality of screws or bolts inserted into at least one of the upper end of the frame and the base plate, tightened into the other to connect the two, and increasing or decreasing the vertical distance by rotation.

4. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adjustment mechanism is inserted above the upper end of the frame and is tightened into the base plate located below the upper end of the frame, connecting the two, and comprises a plurality of screws or bolts that increase or decrease the vertical distance by rotation.

5. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper block is removable from the vacuum transport chamber container when the lower block is detached from the bottom surface.

6. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a plasma forming block disposed above or around the upper block, which generates an electric or magnetic field for forming plasma in the processing chamber, wherein the upper block is removable from the vacuum transport chamber container when the plasma forming block is moved above the upper block and the lower block is detached from the bottom surface.

7. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper block is removable by moving horizontally relative to the vacuum transport chamber container when the lower block is detached from the bottom surface.

8. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper block is removable by moving horizontally relative to the vacuum transport chamber container when the lower block is detached from the bottom surface.

9. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper block includes an upper chamber that constitutes an upper side wall surrounding the processing chamber, and the lower block includes a lower chamber that is detachably disposed on the upper surface of the base plate and constitutes a lower side wall surrounding the processing chamber.

10. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower block is moved downward by the adjustment mechanism and detached from the bottom surface of the upper block, and is further moved downward together with the vacuum pump by the operation of the drive mechanism, and is configured to be movable horizontally on the floor surface from below the upper block.

11. A method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus, comprising a vacuum vessel having an upper block and a lower block, and a frame located below the upper block and connected to the floor, wherein the upper block is connected at its side to a vacuum transport container for transporting wafers, the lower block has a vacuum pump, and the lower block is located below the upper block and is movable up and down, the method comprising the steps of: connecting the frame and a trolley; lowering the lower block; moving the lower block horizontally toward the trolley; connecting the lower block to the trolley; and removing the trolley and the frame.

12. A method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the step of moving the lower block horizontally toward the trolley includes the steps of extending an arm from the trolley toward the support, placing the lower block on the extended arm, and retracting the arm to move the lower block on the arm horizontally toward the trolley.

13. A method for disassembling a plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the step of moving the lower block horizontally toward the trolley includes the steps of attaching casters to the lower part of the lower block, and further placing a guide rail between the trolley and the frame on which the casters can move, and moving the lower block with the casters attached along the guide rail to move the lower block horizontally toward the trolley.

14. A method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus, comprising a vacuum vessel having an upper block and a lower block, and a stand positioned below the upper block and connected to the floor, wherein the upper block is connected at its side to a vacuum transport container for transporting wafers, the lower block has a vacuum pump, and the lower block is positioned below the upper block and is movable up and down, the method comprising the steps of: connecting the stand and a trolley; removing the lower block and the trolley; moving the lower block below the upper block; raising the lower block; and removing the trolley and the stand.

15. A method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the step of moving the lower block below the upper block includes the steps of extending an arm on which the lower block is placed from the trolley toward the frame, transferring the lower block on the extended arm toward the frame, and retracting the arm.

16. A method for assembling a plasma processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the step of moving the upper block downward includes the steps of placing a guide rail on which casters can move between the trolley and the frame, and moving the lower block to which the casters are attached along the guide rail, thereby moving the lower block horizontally toward the frame.

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