Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

This substrate processing apparatus comprises a processing container and a substrate support part that is disposed in the processing container and supports a substrate. The substrate support part includes: a base having a ceiling wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall; and a flow path that is provided in a hollow part defined by the ceiling wall, the side wall, and the bottom wall and circulates a heat-transfer fluid. The thickness of the side wall is 1 / 50 or less of the outside diameter of the base, and the thickness of a flow path wall surrounding the flow path ranges from 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the width of the flow path. Thus, the substrate processing apparatus can efficiently adjust the temperature of the substrate support part.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus including a mounting table for mounting a substrate inside a processing container. A base of the mounting table includes a heat insulating layer (a first heat insulating layer) between a first flow path and a second flow path through which a heat medium flows, and insulates a region where the first flow path is provided from the second flow path which is a region below the heat insulating layer.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2020-126900

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of improving the efficiency of temperature adjustment of a substrate support portion.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a processing container; and a substrate support portion disposed inside the processing container and configured to support a substrate, wherein the substrate support portion includes a base having a ceiling wall, a side wall and a bottom wall, and a flow path provided in a hollow portion defined by the ceiling wall, the side wall and the bottom wall and configured to circulate a heat transfer fluid, a thickness of the side wall is 1 / 50 or less of an outer diameter of the base, and a thickness of a flow path wall surrounding the flow path is within a range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of a width of the flow path.

[0006] According to one aspect, the efficiency of temperature adjustment of the substrate support portion can be improved.

[0007] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a plasma processing system. This is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus. This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the first embodiment. Figure 4(A) is a graph illustrating the temperature change of the substrate support portion when heating. Figure 4(B) is a graph illustrating the temperature change of the substrate support portion when cooling. This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the second embodiment. This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the third embodiment. This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the fourth embodiment. This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 9(A) is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the sixth embodiment. Figures 9(B) to 9(J) are side cross-sectional views illustrating other forms of the thickened groove portion. Figure 10(A) is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion according to the seventh embodiment. Figure 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XB-XB in Figure 10(A).

[0008] The following describes embodiments for implementing this disclosure with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for identical components, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0009] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a plasma processing system. In one embodiment, the plasma processing system includes a plasma processing apparatus 1 and a control unit 2. The plasma processing system is an example of a substrate processing system, and the plasma processing apparatus 1 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a substrate support unit 11, and a plasma generation unit 12. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space. The plasma processing chamber 10 also has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one processing gas to the plasma processing space, and at least one gas outlet for discharging gas from the plasma processing space. The gas supply port is connected to a gas supply unit 20, which will be described later, and the gas outlet is connected to an exhaust system 40, which will be described later. The substrate support unit 11 is located in the plasma processing space and has a substrate support surface for supporting a substrate.

[0010] The plasma generation unit 12 is configured to generate plasma from at least one processing gas supplied into the plasma processing space. The plasma formed in the plasma processing space may be capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) plasma, helicon wave excited plasma (HWP), or surface wave plasma (SWP), etc. Various types of plasma generation units, including AC (Alternating Current) plasma generation units and DC (Direct Current) plasma generation units, may also be used. In one embodiment, the AC signal (AC power) used in the AC plasma generation unit has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 10 GHz. Therefore, the AC signal includes an RF (Radio Frequency) signal and a microwave signal. In one embodiment, the RF signal has a frequency in the range of 100 kHz to 150 MHz.

[0011] The control unit 2 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. The control unit 2 may be configured to control the elements of the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. In one embodiment, part or all of the control unit 2 may be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control unit 2 is implemented, for example, by a computer 2a. The control unit 2 may include a processing unit 2a1, a storage unit 2a2, and a communication interface 2a3. The functions realized by the processing unit 2a1 described herein may be implemented in a circuit or processing circuit, including a general-purpose processor, an application-specific processor, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a conventional circuit, and / or a combination thereof, programmed to realize the described functions. The processor is considered to be a circuit or processing circuit, including transistors and other circuits. The processor may be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in the storage unit 2a2. This program may be pre-stored in the storage unit 2a2 or retrieved via a medium when needed. The acquired program is stored in the storage unit 2a2 and read from the storage unit 2a2 and executed by the processing unit 2a1. The storage medium may be various storage media readable by the computer 2a, or it may be a communication line connected to the communication interface 2a3. The storage unit 2a2 may include RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 2a3 may communicate with the plasma processing device 1 via a communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network).In this disclosure, circuits, units, and means are hardware programmed to perform or configured to perform the functions described. Such hardware may be any hardware described in this disclosure, or any hardware known to be programmed to perform or execute the functions described. If such hardware is a processor that is considered to be a type of circuit, such circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute such hardware and / or processor.

[0012] Next, we will describe an example configuration of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus as an example of a plasma processing apparatus 1. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus.

[0013] 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 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 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 is a processing container having 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 is grounded. The shower head 13 and the substrate support unit 11 are electrically insulated from the housing of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0014] The substrate support portion 11 includes a main body portion 111 and a ring 112. The main body portion 111 has a central region 111a for supporting the substrate W and an annular region 111b for supporting the ring 112. A wafer is an example of a 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 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 112.

[0015] In one embodiment, the main body 111 includes an electrostatic chuck 14 and a base 15. The electrostatic chuck 14 is placed on the base 15. The electrostatic chuck 14 includes a ceramic member 14a and an electrostatic chuck electrode 14b placed within the ceramic member 14a. The electrostatic chuck electrode 14b is also called a clamping electrode. In one embodiment, the electrostatic chuck electrode 14b 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 14a has a central region 111a. In one embodiment, the ceramic member 14a also has an annular region 111b. Other members surrounding the electrostatic chuck 14, such as an annular electrostatic chuck or an annular insulating member, may also have an annular region 111b. In this case, the ring 112 may be placed on the annular electrostatic chuck or annular insulating member, or on both the electrostatic chuck 14 and the annular insulating member. Furthermore, at least one bias electrode, which is electrically connected to or coupled to the power supply 31 and / or power supply 32 described later, may be placed inside the ceramic member 14a. In this case, at least one bias electrode functions as a lower electrode.

[0016] The base 15 includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the base 15 can function as a lower electrode. Alternatively, the conductive member of the base 15 and the bias electrode in the ceramic member 14a 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 in the ceramic member 14a, and the first RF generation unit 31a, described later, is electrically connected or coupled to the conductive member of the base 15. Additionally, the electrostatic chuck electrode 14b may function as a lower electrode. Therefore, the substrate support unit 11 includes at least one lower electrode.

[0017] The ring 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 portion 11 also includes a temperature control module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck 14, the ring 112, and the substrate W to a target temperature. The temperature control module of this disclosure includes at least a flow channel structure portion 154 through which a heat transfer fluid such as brine or gas flows. However, the temperature control module is not limited to the flow channel structure portion 154 alone, but may be configured in combination with heaters and the like. In one embodiment, the flow channel structure portion 154 is formed in the base 15, and one or more heaters 14c are arranged in the ceramic member 14a of the electrostatic chuck 14 (see also Figure 3). The substrate support portion 11 may also include a heat transfer gas supply portion 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 at least one flow modulation device that modulates or pulses 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 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 the plasma generation unit 12. 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 multiple cycles, each cycle including a burst of voltage pulses in a first period and a constant reference voltage in a second period. That is, the burst of voltage pulses is repeated in the sequence of voltage pulses. 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 exhaust system 40 may be connected to, for example, a gas outlet 10e located at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10. The exhaust system 40 may include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump. The pressure 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.

[0027] <First Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the substrate support portion 11 of the plasma processing apparatus 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11 according to the first embodiment.

[0028] In the main body 111 of the substrate support 11 according to the first embodiment, as described above, the electrostatic chuck 14 and the base 15 are stacked vertically. A bonding layer 16 is provided between the electrostatic chuck 14 and the base 15, which fixes both members and promotes heat transfer between them. This bonding layer 16 is not particularly limited and may be made of an adhesive or wax that can bond the two members together, or it may be a boundary layer created by friction bonding, diffusion bonding, fusion bonding, etc. Furthermore, the electrostatic chuck 14 and the base 15 may be fixed using mechanical fixing means such as a screw mechanism or an engagement mechanism.

[0029] As described above, the electrostatic chuck 14 is equipped with an electrostatic chuck electrode 14b inside a ceramic member 14a made of ceramic material. The electrostatic chuck 14 is also equipped with a heater 14c, which constitutes a temperature control module, located vertically below the electrostatic chuck electrode 14b. This heater 14c can be an electric heating wire, a sheet heater, or the like. The heater 14c is connected to the control unit 2 via a temperature control driver (not shown). Based on the control of the control unit 2, the heater 14c heats the substrate W or ring 112 supported on the electrostatic chuck 14 to a target temperature. Note that the installation location of the heater 14c is not limited to the electrostatic chuck 14, but may also be the base 15 (for example, inside the ceiling wall 151 described later).

[0030] In this embodiment, the base 15 is formed in a circular shape with the same size as the electrostatic chuck 14 in plan view, and supports the electrostatic chuck 14 on its upper surface. Preferably, the base 15 is made of a high thermal conductivity material. Examples of high thermal conductivity materials include aluminum, silicon carbide, metal matrix composites (MMC), or combinations thereof. In this embodiment, the base 15 is made of aluminum. Note that the base 15 does not have to be the same size as the electrostatic chuck 14 in plan view.

[0031] Furthermore, the base 15 according to the first embodiment has a hollow section 15s inside and is provided with a flow channel structure 154 within the hollow section 15s that allows heat transfer fluid to circulate. Specifically, the base 15 includes a ceiling wall 151, a side wall 152 projecting vertically downward from the outer periphery of the ceiling wall 151, and a bottom wall 153 connected to the lower end of the side wall 152. The hollow section 15s is defined by the ceiling wall 151, the side wall 152, and the bottom wall 153.

[0032] The ceiling wall 151 has a disc shape with a substantially constant thickness. The upper surface of the ceiling wall 151 is formed flat to support the electrostatic chuck 14 via the bonding layer 16. The ceiling wall 151 is fixed at its lower surface so that the flow channel structure 154 is positioned within the hollow portion 15s. That is, the side walls 152 of the flow channel structure 154 are positioned extending downward within the hollow portion 15s.

[0033] The side wall 152 is integrally molded with the ceiling wall 151. The side wall 152 has a cylindrical shape with the same diameter as the ceiling wall 151. The diameters of the ceiling wall 151 and the side wall 152 constitute the outer diameter of the base 15. The ratio of the thickness of the side wall 152 to the outer diameter of the base 15 is set to 1 / 50 or less. This allows the thickness of the side wall 152 surrounding the hollow portion 15s of the base 15 to be reduced, significantly reducing the overall heat capacity of the base 15. The ratio of the thickness of the side wall 152 to the outer diameter of the base 15 may more preferably be in the range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 40, and even more preferably in the range of 1 / 20 to 1 / 30. By setting it within this range, the base 15 can obtain the mechanical strength necessary to adequately support the ceiling wall 151 with the side wall 152, while also promoting a reduction in heat capacity.

[0034] The bottom wall 153 is made of a separate material from the top wall 151 and the side wall 152, and is connected to the flange 152f at the lower end of the side wall 152. However, the bottom wall 153 may be made of the same material as the top wall 151 and the side wall 152. The recessed space surrounded by the top wall 151 and the side wall 152 is closed by the bottom wall 153, thereby defining a hollow portion 15s inside the base 15. The side wall 152 and the bottom wall 153 may be connected by joining means similar to those used for the joining layer 16 described above, or by mechanical connecting means. Furthermore, a sealing member (not shown) capable of airtightly separating the plasma processing space 10s from the hollow portion 15s may be provided between the side wall 152 and the bottom wall 153. The sealing member is, for example, an O-ring.

[0035] The power supply system 30 described above is electrically connected to the bottom wall 153, and the source RF signal, bias signal, etc. are supplied from the power supply system 30. As a result, the base 15 can generate plasma in the plasma processing space 10s via the bottom wall 153, side wall 152, and top wall 151, and can also generate a bias potential. However, the plasma processing device 1 may be configured not to supply a source RF signal to the base 15. Also, the location on the base 15 to which the power supply system 30 is connected is not limited to the bottom wall 153, but may also be the top wall 151 or the side wall 152.

[0036] Furthermore, the thickness of at least one of the ceiling wall 151 and the bottom wall 153 may be set to 1 / 4 or less of the height of the side wall 152. This makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the ceiling wall 151 or the bottom wall 153 surrounding the hollow section 15s, thereby reducing the overall heat capacity of the base 15. Moreover, the ratio of the distance between the top surface of the ceiling wall 151 and the bottom surface of the flow channel structure 154 (thickness of the flow channel structure 154) to the height of the side wall 152 may be set to 1 / 2 or less. This allows the base 15 to have a wider hollow section 15s, and the volume of the base 15 can be significantly reduced.

[0037] The flow channel structure 154 is a structure that is fixed to the ceiling wall 151 and installed on the upper part of the hollow portion 15s of the base 15. As described above, the flow channel structure 154 constitutes a temperature control module, and the circulation of heat transfer fluid adjusts the temperature of the electrostatic chuck 14, substrate W or ring 112, etc., which are located on the vertically upper side of the base 15. The heat transfer fluid circulating in the flow channel structure 154 is not particularly limited and can be water, antifreeze mixed with ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, etc., alcohol-based, fluorine-based, etc. Alternatively, the heat transfer fluid is not limited to a liquid but may also be a gas.

[0038] The flow channel structure 154 has a flow channel 154c inside, which is a space through which a heat transfer fluid can circulate. The flow channel 154c of the flow channel structure 154 is in contact with the ceiling wall 151 on its vertically lower side. The flow channel 154c extends in a substantially horizontal direction, and although not shown in the illustration, it is formed in a spiral, concentric, meandering, grid-like, etc. shape in a plan cross-sectional view. As a result, the flow channel structure 154 can adjust the temperature of substantially the entire horizontal surface of the ceiling wall 151 by the heat transfer fluid flowing through the flow channel 154c.

[0039] The flow path structure 154 includes a flow path bottom wall 1541 and a pair of flow path side walls 1542 that surround the flow path 154c as part of the flow path structure 154, with the ceiling wall 151 being part of the flow path structure 154. That is, the flow path 154c is formed when a concave wall composed of the flow path bottom wall 1541 and the pair of flow path side walls 1542 is connected to the ceiling wall 151. The ceiling wall 151, the flow path bottom wall 1541, and the pair of flow path side walls 1542 can be said to constitute a flow path wall surrounding the flow path 154c. The flow path bottom wall 1541 and the pair of flow path side walls 1542 may be formed from the same material as the ceiling wall 151 (for example, aluminum), or from different materials. In Figure 3, an example is shown in which the flow path bottom wall 1541 and each flow path side wall 1542 are composed of separate components from the ceiling wall 151, but the flow path bottom wall 1541 and each flow path side wall 1542 and the ceiling wall 151 may be integrally molded by additive manufacturing or the like.

[0040] A hollow section 15s exists between one channel projection, which protrudes from the ceiling wall 151 and consists of a channel bottom wall 1541 and each channel side wall 1542, and other channel projections that are horizontally adjacent. In other words, the hollow section 15s is continuous on the vertically lower side of the base 15, while on the vertically upper side of the base 15, it is formed as an irregular shape that fits into the recess between one channel projection and the other channel projection. The top surface of the hollow section 15s and the top surface of the channel 154c can be set to the same height. In other words, the channel structure 154, in a side cross-sectional view, takes the form of repeating channel projections, hollow sections 15s, channel projections, hollow sections 15s, ... in the horizontal direction, thereby transferring heat from the heat transfer fluid circulating in each channel projection mainly towards the ceiling wall 151. As a result, the channel structure 154 can more efficiently adjust the temperature of the electrostatic chuck 14, substrate W, ring 112, etc., via the ceiling wall 151.

[0041] Furthermore, the distance between one adjacent flow path 154c and another flow path 154c in a side cross-sectional view should be set within the range of 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the outer diameter of the base 15. Here, the distance between one adjacent flow path 154c and another flow path 154c is the distance between the outer surface of the flow path side wall 1542 of one flow path 154c and the outer surface of the flow path side wall 1542 of the adjacent other flow path 154c. This ensures that adjacent flow paths 154c are spaced at appropriate intervals, improving the in-plane uniformity of temperature control of the ceiling wall 151 by the flow path structure 154. If the distance between adjacent flow paths is less than 1 / 20 of the outer diameter of the base 15, the number of horizontal flow paths 154c increases, leading to an increase in the flow path walls and ultimately an increase in the volume of the base 15 itself. Furthermore, if the spacing between adjacent flow channels exceeds 1 / 10 of the outer diameter of the base 15, the flow channels 154c will become too far apart, potentially resulting in insufficient in-plane uniformity of temperature control on the ceiling wall 151.

[0042] Furthermore, in the flow channel structure 154 according to the embodiment, the ratio of the thickness of the flow channel walls (the flow channel bottom wall 1541 and the flow channel side walls 1542) to the width of the flow channel 154c is set in the range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3. The width of the flow channel 154c refers to the distance between the inner surfaces of a pair of mutually opposing flow channel side walls 1542. In addition, the thickness of the flow channel wall refers to the dimension of the thick wall of at least one of the flow channel bottom wall 1541 and the flow channel side walls 1542. The thickness of the flow channel bottom wall 1541 and the thickness of the flow channel side walls 1542 may be the same as or different from each other. For example, in the flow channel structure 154, the thickness of the flow channel side walls 1542 may be greater than the thickness of the flow channel bottom wall 1541. If the ratio of the thickness of the flow channel wall to the width of the flow channel 154c is less than 1 / 10, the flow channel wall will be excessively thin, which may cause a problem such that the flow channel structure 154 cannot be stably connected to the ceiling wall 151. On the other hand, if the ratio of the thickness of the flow channel wall to the width of the flow channel 154c exceeds 1 / 3, the flow channel wall will be excessively thick, which becomes a factor that increases the heat capacity on the upper side of the base 15.

[0043] It should be noted that the thickness of the flow channel wall is preferably set to an appropriate dimension in consideration of the relationship with the bonding to the ceiling wall 151, the overall mechanical strength, and the thermal conductivity. For example, the thickness of the flow channel side wall 1542 may be set to about 2 mm.

[0044] The flow channel 154c of the flow channel structure 154 is connected to a heat transfer fluid circulation unit 17 provided outside the plasma processing chamber 10. The heat transfer fluid circulation unit 17 includes a circulation path 171 for circulating a heat transfer fluid through the flow channel 154c, and a chiller 172 provided at an intermediate position of the circulation path 171. The chiller 172 has a function as a heat exchanger that adjusts the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, and also has a function as a pump that circulates the heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid circulation unit 17 configured as described above can discharge the heat transfer fluid from the other end of the flow channel 154c while supplying the temperature-adjusted heat transfer fluid to one end of the flow channel 154c through the circulation path 171. It should be noted that the heat transfer fluid circulation unit 17 may include components such as an on-off valve, a flow regulator, and a pressure regulating valve (not shown) in the circulation path 171.

[0045] Furthermore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 may connect the hollow portion 15s of the base 15 to the exhaust system 40, so that the hollow portion 15s may be evacuated together with the plasma processing space 10s during plasma processing. Accordingly, the inside of the base 15 of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be brought into a vacuum atmosphere to achieve heat insulation, enabling efficient transfer of heat from the flow channel structure 154 to the ceiling wall 151 side. Note that the exhaust system for evacuating the hollow portion 15s may be a device separate from the exhaust system 40 for the plasma processing space 10s.

[0046] The substrate support 11 according to the first embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the operation and effects thereof will be described below.

[0047] The substrate support 11 includes, inside the base 15, a flow channel structure 154 for circulating a heat transfer fluid, and also includes the hollow portion 15s inside the base 15. Accordingly, while retaining the function of circulating the heat transfer fluid, the base 15 can, for example, reduce the volume of the thick wall of the base 15 itself to 70% or less. Therefore, the volume ratio, which is the ratio of the volume of the flow channel 154c to the volume of the base 15, becomes 30% or more. This enables the substrate support 11 to significantly reduce the heat capacity of the base 15, and improves the efficiency of temperature adjustment of the electrostatic chuck 14, the substrate W or the ring 112 by the temperature control module.

[0048] FIG. 4(A) is a graph illustrating temperature changes of the substrate support 11 during temperature increase. FIG. 4(B) is a graph illustrating temperature changes of the substrate support 11 during temperature decrease. In FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the solid line indicates the temperature change of the base 15 according to the embodiment, and the two-dot chain line indicates the temperature change of the base according to the reference example. The base according to the reference example does not include the hollow portion 15s inside, but includes a flow channel similar to the flow channel 154c of the base 15 according to the first embodiment.

[0049] The substrate support section 11 adjusts the temperature by heating the substrate W or ring 112 with the heater 14c when raising the temperature of the substrate W or ring 112. In the case of the base according to the reference example, the absence of a hollow section 15s results in a large heat capacity. That is, much of the heat generated by the heater 14c is transferred to the solid base below. As a result, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4(A), the temperature of the substrate W or ring 112 rises gradually over time.

[0050] In contrast, in the case of the base 15 according to this embodiment, the heat capacity is reduced by providing a hollow portion 15s. Furthermore, the heat transfer fluid circulation section 17 may reduce the supply of heat transfer fluid to the flow path 154c within the base 15, thereby reducing heat dissipation. As a result, much of the heat heated by the heater 14c is transferred to the substrate W or ring 112 instead of going to the lower base 15. Consequently, as shown by the solid line in Figure 4(A), the rate at which the substrate W or ring 112 heats up becomes faster. In other words, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can efficiently heat up the substrate W supported by the substrate support section 11, which ultimately leads to a reduction in the power consumption of the apparatus.

[0051] Furthermore, when the substrate support portion 11 is cooling the substrate W or the ring 112, it adjusts the temperature by circulating the heat transfer fluid through the heat transfer fluid circulation portion 17. In the case of the base according to the reference example, by not having a hollow portion 15s, the temperature of the heat transfer fluid is transmitted to the entire solid base. As a result, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4(B), the temperature of the substrate W or the ring 112 decreases gradually.

[0052] In contrast, the base 15 according to this embodiment has a small heat capacity due to the presence of a hollow portion 15s. When the heat transfer fluid circulation unit 17 supplies heat transfer fluid to the flow path 154c in the base 15, the heat transfer fluid no longer needs to remove heat from the base material in a volume corresponding to the hollow portion 15s, and as shown by the solid line in Figure 4(B), the rate at which the substrate W or ring 112 cools down becomes faster.

[0053] As described above, the substrate support section 11 according to the first embodiment can efficiently raise and lower the temperature of the substrate W or ring 112. Furthermore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can reduce the overall power consumption of the apparatus by improving the heating and cooling speed of the substrate support section 11. In particular, since the thickness of the side wall 152 is 1 / 50 or less of the outer diameter of the base 15, and the thickness of the flow path wall is in the range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the width of the flow path, the volume of the hollow section 15s (weight-reducing section) becomes sufficiently large, so the heat capacity can be reduced significantly.

[0054] Furthermore, the substrate support section 11 has a flow channel 154c adjacent to the ceiling wall 151 and extending horizontally, allowing the heat transfer fluid circulating in the flow channel 154c to smoothly dissipate heat from the ceiling wall 151. In addition, the presence of a hollow section 15s below the flow channel walls (flow channel bottom wall 1541, flow channel side wall 1542) allows the flow channel 154c to be insulated by the hollow section 15s, further suppressing heat transfer to the downward side. Moreover, the base 15 has hollow sections 15s interposed between the mutually adjacent flow channels 154c, allowing the heat from the ceiling wall 151 to be effectively dissipated by the heat transfer fluid.

[0055] <Second Embodiment> Figure 5 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11A according to the second embodiment. The substrate support portion 11A according to the second embodiment differs from the substrate support portion 11 described above in that it is provided with a support member 18 in the hollow portion 15s and a low heat transfer layer 19 between the support member 18 and the flow channel structure portion 154. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for components identical to those in the substrate support portion 11 according to the first embodiment, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0056] The support member 18 fits into each channel projection of the channel structure 154 via the low heat transfer layer 19. In other words, the support member 18 is present between one channel projection and another that are aligned horizontally in the channel structure 154. The substrate support 11A can reinforce the mechanical strength of the base 15A with this support member 18. Therefore, warping and other deformations in the ceiling wall 151 having the channel structure 154 can be effectively suppressed. Examples of materials for the support member 18 include aluminum, silicon carbide, and metal matrix composite materials, similar to those for the channel structure 154. Alternatively, alumina may be used as the material for the support member 18.

[0057] Furthermore, the low heat transfer layer 19 is made of, for example, an adhesive and joins the flow channel structure 154 and the support member 18. The low heat transfer layer 19 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity. For example, the thermal conductivity of the low heat transfer layer 19 may be 1 W / mK or less. Examples of materials for the low heat transfer layer 19 include silicone resin and polystyrene resin. As a result, the low heat transfer layer 19 can thermally separate the flow channel structure 154 and the support member 18. Therefore, the part of the base 15A that is involved in heating and cooling is concentrated in the upper part (flow channel structure 154), and as a result, the heat capacity of the base 15A can be reduced.

[0058] Furthermore, the dimensions of the support member 18, the thickness of the low heat transfer layer 19, etc., may be designed to appropriate values ​​considering thermal conductivity and mechanical strength. For example, the support member 18 may reach the ceiling wall 151 in part without the low heat transfer layer 19 in between. In addition, the thickness of the low heat transfer layer 19 should be determined considering not only ensuring thermal insulation, but also absorbing differences in the coefficient of linear expansion, ease of construction, etc. Furthermore, it is preferable to design the thickness of the channel walls (channel bottom wall 1541, channel side walls 1542) of the channel structure 154 to appropriate values ​​considering the joint surface with the low heat transfer layer 19, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. An example of the channel wall thickness in this case is to set it to about 3 mm.

[0059] <Third Embodiment> Figure 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11B according to the third embodiment. The substrate support portion 11B according to the third embodiment differs from the substrate support portions 11 and 11A described above in that it has a hollow portion 15s and is provided with a low heat transfer layer 155 at the upper end of the side wall 152 of the base 15B.

[0060] The low heat transfer layer 155 can be made of the same material as the low heat transfer layer 19 in the second embodiment. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of the low heat transfer layer 155 should be 1 W / mK or less. The side wall 152 supports the ceiling wall 151 via this low heat transfer layer 155. The thickness of the low heat transfer layer 155 should be set to an appropriate value considering thermal insulation and mechanical strength. The low heat transfer layer 155 provided at the upper end of the side wall 152 in this way can suppress the transfer of heat from the ceiling wall 151 to the side wall 152.

[0061] Furthermore, since the base 15B is configured with a ceiling wall 151, side walls 152, and bottom wall 153, the materials of the ceiling wall 151 and the side walls 152 and bottom wall 153 may be different. For example, by manufacturing the ceiling wall 151 side, which has a smaller processing volume, from a first material such as ceramic or metal matrix composite material, the processing time can be reduced. Also, the side walls 152 and bottom wall 153 can be made of a second material having a lower thermal conductivity than the ceiling wall 151. For example, stainless steel or the like, which has high mechanical strength, may be used as the second material for the side walls 152 and bottom wall 153.

[0062] <Fourth Embodiment> Figure 7 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11C according to the fourth embodiment. The substrate support portion 11C according to the fourth embodiment differs from the substrate support portions 11, 11A, and 11B described above in that it has a hollow portion 15s and changes the shape (size) and arrangement of the flow channels 154c in the horizontal direction of the flow channel structure portion 154.

[0063] The base 15C of the substrate support section 11C is designed to suppress warping of the ceiling wall 151 by changing the size and arrangement of the flow channels 154c. For example, in the central part of the ceiling wall 151 where the amount of warping is likely to be large, the flow channel structure 154 has a flow channel 154b and a flow channel wall with a small flow channel cross-sectional area. Then, in the peripheral part of the ceiling wall 151 where the amount of warping is small, the flow channel structure 154 has a flow channel 154a and a flow channel wall with a large flow channel cross-sectional area. In this way, the base 15C can suppress warping of the ceiling wall 151. Alternatively, the base 15C can also suppress warping of the ceiling wall 151 by increasing the spacing of the flow channels 154c in the central part of the ceiling wall 151, or by increasing the thickness of the ceiling wall 151. The base 15C may also be configured to suppress warping of the bottom wall 153 by changing the distance from the ceiling wall 151 or changing the thickness.

[0064] In short, the shape and arrangement of the flow channel structure 154, the thickness of the ceiling wall 151, and the thickness of the bottom wall 153 may be appropriately designed taking into consideration heat transfer, the effects of warping, etc. Furthermore, the base 15C may be configured to suppress warping of the ceiling wall 151 and the bottom wall 153 by providing one or more columns within the hollow section 15s to support the space between the ceiling wall 151 and the bottom wall 153.

[0065] <Fifth Embodiment> Figure 8 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11D according to the fifth embodiment. The substrate support portion 11D according to the fifth embodiment differs from the above-mentioned substrate support portions 11, 11A to 11C in that the flow channel wall (flow channel side wall 1542) of the flow channel structure portion 154 is integrally molded with the ceiling wall 151, and the thickness of the ceiling wall 151 between the flow channel structures 154 is increased to provide a thickened portion 1511.

[0066] Specifically, the thickened portion 1511 is continuous with the horizontally aligned flow channel structures 154 and the ceiling wall 151 between them. In other words, between adjacent flow channels 154c, a thickened portion 1511 is provided that protrudes vertically downward from the ceiling surface of the flow channel 154c. Due to this thickened portion 1511, the upper part of the flow channel 154c within the flow channel structure 154 has a shape that extends above the ceiling wall 151 and the thickened portion 1511. In Figure 8, the ceiling wall 151, the thickened portion 1511, and the flow channel structures 154 are integrally molded from the same material, but some or all of them may be molded separately from different materials.

[0067] Thus, the substrate support section 11D increases the heat capacity between the flow channel structures 154 (the hollowed-out portions) by increasing the thickness 1511 of the ceiling wall 151. In other words, the areas with increased heat capacity, such as the thickness 1511, do not function as heat dissipation paths but instead induce a temperature rise directly above them, thereby improving in-plane uniformity when adjusting the temperature of the substrate W. In other words, the substrate support section 11D can improve the efficiency of temperature changes during heating and cooling of the substrate W while also improving in-plane uniformity in temperature adjustment of the substrate W.

[0068] <Sixth Embodiment> Figure 9(A) is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11E according to the sixth embodiment. Figures 9(B) to 9(J) are side cross-sectional views illustrating other forms of the thickened groove portion 1511a. The substrate support portion 11E according to the sixth embodiment differs from the above-described substrate support portions 11, 11A to 11D in that it has a thickened groove portion 1511a that is recessed toward the ceiling wall 151 in addition to the thickened portion 1511 between the flow channel structures 154.

[0069] Specifically, the thickened portion 1511 shown in Figure 9(A) has a V-shaped thickened groove 1511a that is wide and narrows towards the vertical upward direction. For example, the top of the V-shaped thickened groove 1511a is positioned at the same height as the ceiling surface of the flow channel 154c of the flow channel structure 154 (or at a lower position than the ceiling surface of the flow channel 154c). The thickened groove 1511a formed in this way can more appropriately guide the heat capacity and heat transfer path of the thickened portion 1511 formed between the flow channel structures 154. In other words, the substrate support 11E can more easily achieve in-plane uniformity of temperature control and efficiency of temperature change by the thickened portion 1511 and the thickened groove 1511a.

[0070] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shapes of the thickened portion 1511 and the thickened portion groove 1511a are not limited to those shown in Figure 9(A), but various shapes may be adopted. For example, as shown in Figure 9(B), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 may be made thinner, and the depth of the V-shaped thickened portion groove 1511a may be made shallower. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9(C), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 may be made thicker, and the depth of the V-shaped thickened portion groove 1511a may be made deeper. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(D), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 may be made thicker, and the depth of the V-shaped thickened portion groove 1511a may be made shallower.

[0071] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9(E) to 9(G), the thickened groove portion 1511a may be formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section, and the width between the flow channel structures 154 (in other words, the flow channel side walls 1542 of the flow channel structures 154) may be adjusted. For example, in Figure 9(E), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 connected to the flow channel side walls 1542 is thin, resulting in a wider thickened groove portion 1511a. In Figure 9(F), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 connected to the flow channel side walls 1542 is increased, resulting in a slightly narrower thickened groove portion 1511a. In Figure 9(G), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 connected to the flow channel side walls 1542 is further increased, resulting in an even narrower thickened groove portion 1511a.

[0072] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9(H) to 9(J), the thickened groove 1511a may be formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section, and its thickness from the ceiling wall 151 may be adjusted. For example, in Figure 9(H), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 from the ceiling wall 151 is thin, resulting in a deeper thickened groove 1511a. In Figure 9(I), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 from the ceiling wall 151 is slightly increased, resulting in a slightly shallower thickened groove 1511a. In Figure 9(J), the thickness of the thickened portion 1511 from the ceiling wall 151 is further increased, resulting in an even shallower thickened groove 1511a.

[0073] <Seventh Embodiment> Figure 10(A) is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the substrate support portion 11F according to the seventh embodiment. Figure 10(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XB-XB in Figure 10(A). The substrate support portion 11F according to the seventh embodiment differs from the above-described substrate support portions 11, 11A to 11E in that it has a configuration in which the thickness of the flow channel wall (ceiling wall 151, flow channel bottom wall 1541, flow channel side wall 1542) surrounding the flow channel 154c is increased by providing irregularities in the flow channel wall. In addition, the base 15F of the substrate support portion 11F is made of ceramic in order to reduce the difference in the coefficient of linear expansion with the ceramic member 14a of the electrostatic chuck 14.

[0074] In this case, the joining of the material of the ceiling wall 151 and the material of the flow channel structure 154 will be a metal-to-ceramic joining, so the flow channel walls of the flow channel structure 154 (flow channel bottom wall 1541, flow channel side walls 1542) will need to have a certain thickness. However, if the thickness of the flow channel walls of the flow channel structure 154 is increased, it will not be possible to sufficiently reduce the volume of the base 15F. Therefore, the base 15F according to the fifth embodiment achieves both the maintenance of mechanical strength and the reduction of the volume of the base 15D (weight reduction) by providing multiple recesses in the flow channel walls.

[0075] Specifically, the base 15F has multiple hexagonal recesses 1545 formed in each of the ceiling wall 151 surrounding the flow path 154c, the flow path bottom wall 1541, and the pair of flow path side walls 1542. The multiple recesses 1545 are arranged with a substantially constant depth relative to the communicating flow path 154c. In addition, the protrusions 1544 surrounding each recess 1545 act as partition walls separating adjacent recesses 1545. The arrangement of the protrusions 1544 in a hexagonal shape causes the flow path wall as a whole to form a honeycomb structure.

[0076] The thickness of the channel side wall 1542 formed in this way becomes sufficiently thick at the portion of the protrusion 1544. As a result, the area (metal bonding layer 159) over which the ceiling wall 151 and the channel side wall 1542 are metal-bonded increases. Similarly, the metal bonding layer 159 over which the channel side wall 1542 and the channel bottom wall 1541 are metal-bonded also increases. Therefore, each metal bonding layer 159 can form a channel structure 154 that has a channel 154c on its inside and in which the channel walls are firmly connected to each other. It should be noted that the shape of the protrusions and indentations formed on the ceiling wall 151, the channel bottom wall 1541, and the channel side wall 1542 is not limited to a hexagonal shape, but can take various shapes (for example, other polygonal shapes such as triangular or square shapes, circular shapes, or slit shapes).

[0077] Furthermore, the flow channel 154c, surrounded by the flow channel wall with the aforementioned irregularities, will have an increased contact area with the circulating heat transfer fluid. Therefore, according to Newton's law of cooling, the base 15F can also improve the heat removal performance of the flow channel structure 154.

[0078] <Note> The embodiments disclosed above include, for example, the following aspects.

[0079] [Note 1] A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing container; and a substrate support section disposed inside the processing container and supporting a substrate, wherein the substrate support section includes: a base having a ceiling wall, side walls and a bottom wall; and a flow path provided in the hollow portion defined by the ceiling wall, the side walls and the bottom wall for circulating a heat transfer fluid, wherein the thickness of the side wall is 1 / 50 or less of the outer diameter of the base; and the thickness of the flow path wall surrounding the flow path is in the range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the width of the flow path.

[0080] [Note 2] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 1, wherein the flow path is in contact with the ceiling wall on the vertically lower side of the ceiling wall and extends horizontally, and the ceiling wall constitutes a part of the flow path wall.

[0081] [Note 3] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 2, wherein the flow path wall includes, in a side cross-sectional view, a pair of flow path side walls extending downward from the ceiling wall, and a flow path bottom wall connecting the lower ends of the pair of flow path side walls and facing the ceiling wall, and the hollow portion is located below the flow path bottom wall.

[0082] [Note 4] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, wherein the spacing between adjacent channels is within the range of 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the outer diameter of the base.

[0083] [Note 5] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 4, wherein the hollow portion is interposed between the mutually adjacent flow channels.

[0084] [Note 6] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 5, wherein the thickness of at least one of the ceiling wall and the bottom wall is 1 / 4 or less of the height of the side wall.

[0085] [Note 7] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 6, wherein the hollow portion is provided with a low heat transfer layer having a thermal conductivity of 1 W / mK or less.

[0086] [Note 8] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 7, wherein a support member is provided in the hollow portion to support the flow channel wall via the low heat transfer layer.

[0087] [Note 9] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 8 or 7, wherein the low heat transfer layer is a silicone resin.

[0088] [Note 10] A low heat transfer layer with a thermal conductivity of 1 W / mK or less is provided between the ceiling wall and the side wall, the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 9.

[0089] [Note 11] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 10, wherein the low heat transfer layer is made of silicone resin.

[0090] [Note 12] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Notes 1 to 11, wherein the ceiling wall and the flow channel wall are formed from the same first material.

[0091] [Note 13] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 12, wherein the side wall and the bottom wall are formed of a second material different from the first material.

[0092] [Note 14] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 12 or Note 13, wherein the first material is a ceramic or metal matrix composite material.

[0093] [Note 15] The substrate processing apparatus according to Notes 1 to 14, wherein between adjacent channels, there is a thickened portion that protrudes vertically downward from the ceiling surface of the channel.

[0094] [Note 16] The substrate processing apparatus according to Note 15, wherein the thickened portion has a thickened groove that is recessed toward the ceiling wall.

[0095] The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiments disclosed herein is illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be otherwise configured and combined in a non-consistent manner.

[0096] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-043703, a basic application filed with the Japan Patent Office on March 18, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0097] 1 Plasma processing apparatus 10 Plasma processing chamber 11 Substrate support section 15 Base 15s Hollow section 151 Ceiling wall 152 Side wall 153 Bottom wall 154c Flow channel 1541 Flow channel bottom wall 1542 Flow channel side wall W Substrate

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing container; and a substrate support section disposed inside the processing container and supporting a substrate, wherein the substrate support section includes a base having a ceiling wall, side walls and a bottom wall; and a flow path provided in the hollow portion defined by the ceiling wall, the side walls and the bottom wall for circulating a heat transfer fluid, wherein the thickness of the side walls is 1 / 50 or less of the outer diameter of the base; and the thickness of the flow path wall surrounding the flow path is in the range of 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the width of the flow path.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is in contact with the ceiling wall on the vertically lower side of the ceiling wall and extends horizontally, and the ceiling wall constitutes a part of the flow path wall.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the flow channel wall includes, in a side cross-sectional view, a pair of flow channel side walls extending downward from the ceiling wall, and a flow channel bottom wall connecting the lower ends of the pair of flow channel side walls and facing the ceiling wall, and the hollow portion is located below the flow channel bottom wall.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the spacing between mutually adjacent channels is within the range of 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the outer diameter of the base.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hollow portion is interposed between the mutually adjacent channels.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thickness of at least one of the ceiling wall and the bottom wall is 1 / 4 or less of the height of the side wall.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hollow portion is provided with a low heat transfer layer having a thermal conductivity of 1 W / mK or less.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a support member is provided in the hollow portion to support the flow channel wall via the low heat transfer layer.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the low heat transfer layer is a silicone resin.

10. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a low heat transfer layer with a thermal conductivity of 1 W / mK or less is provided between the ceiling wall and the side wall.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the low heat transfer layer is a silicone resin.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ceiling wall and the flow channel wall are formed of the same first material.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the side wall and the bottom wall are formed of a second material different from the first material.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first material is a ceramic or metal matrix composite material.

15. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein between adjacent channels, a thickened portion is provided that protrudes vertically downward from the ceiling surface of the channel.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the thickened portion has a thickened groove that is recessed toward the ceiling wall.

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