Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, a radio-frequency power supply adjusts frequencies of radio-frequency power in each bias cycle of electrical bias energy. The radio-frequency power supply uses a reference time series of frequencies of the radio-frequency power in each bias cycle. The radio-frequency power supply repeats using a changed time series of frequencies of the radio-frequency power in each bias cycle to increase a degree of match based on an evaluation value. The changed time series results from shifting the reference time series by a phase shift amount, scaling the reference time series in a frequency direction, or scaling two or more of multiple time zones of the reference time series in a time direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for plasma processing includes a chamber, a substrate support having a lower electrode and an electrostatic chuck disposed on the lower electrode and configured to support a substrate mounted on the electrostatic chuck in the chamber, and a radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power to generate plasma in the chamber. Further, in the apparatus, a bias power supply supplies a bias power. A first electrical path electrically connects the bias power supply and the lower electrode, and a second electrical path that is different from the first electrical path and the lower electrode is configured to supply the bias power from the lower electrode or the first electrical path to an edge ring disposed to surround an edge of the substrate. Further, an impedance adjuster provides a variable impedance to the second electrical path.

Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber body, a stage, a gas supply mechanism, a DC power supply, a radio-frequency power supply, and a controller. The gas supply is configured to supply a heat transfer gas to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck. The controller is configured to control the DC power supply. The controller controls the DC power supply to apply, to the electrostatic chuck, a voltage derived by combining an output of a first function that outputs a smaller value as the absolute value of a self-bias voltage generated according to the plasma becomes larger and an output of a second function that outputs a larger value as the pressure of the heat transfer gas supplied to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck by the gas supply increases.

Abstract: There is provided a focus ring that is capable of preventing deposits from adhering to a member having a lower temperature in a gap between two members having different temperatures. A focus ring 25 is disposed to surround a peripheral portion of a wafer W in a chamber 11 of a substrate processing apparatus 10. The focus ring 25 includes an inner focus ring 25a and an outer focus ring 25b. Here, the inner focus ring 25a is placed adjacent to the wafer W and configured to be cooled; and the outer focus ring 25b is placed so as to surround the inner focus ring 25a and configured not to be cooled. Further, a block member 25c is provided in a gap between the inner focus ring 25a and the outer focus ring 25b.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a substrate support. The substrate support includes a base, an electrostatic chuck, a chuck electrode, and an electrode structure. The electrostatic chuck is disposed on the base and has a central region and an annular region. The chuck electrode is disposed in the central region. The electrode structure is disposed below the chuck electrode in the central region and is placed in an electrically floating state. The electrode structure includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer disposed below the first electrode layer, and one or more connectors that connect the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. At least one bias power supply is electrically coupled to the substrate support.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprises a chamber, a substrate support, a plasma generator, a bias power supply and a chuck power supply. The substrate support includes a base and a dielectric part. The base includes a base member and an electrode. The base member is made of a dielectric or an insulator. The electrode is formed on an upper surface of the base member. The electrode forms an upper surface of the base. The dielectric part provides a supporting surface on which a substrate is placed. The dielectric part extends from the upper surface of the base to the supporting surface and is made of only a dielectric. The bias power supply and the chuck power supply are electrically connected to the electrode of the base.

Abstract: A disclosed plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, an electric path, and a measuring device. The substrate support is accommodated in the chamber. The electric path is coupled to or capacitively coupled to an edge ring on the substrate support. The measuring device measures an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with a voltage applied to the edge ring on the substrate support through the electric path. The electrical characteristic value measured by the measuring device is variable in accordance with a thickness of the edge ring.

Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber body, a stage, a gas supply mechanism, a DC power supply, a radio-frequency power supply, and a controller. The gas supply is configured to supply a heat transfer gas to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck. The controller is configured to control the DC power supply. The controller controls the DC power supply to apply, to the electrostatic chuck, a voltage derived by combining an output of a first function that outputs a smaller value as the absolute value of a self-bias voltage generated according to the plasma becomes larger and an output of a second function that outputs a larger value as the pressure of the heat transfer gas supplied to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck by the gas supply increases.

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes performing a first plasma processing in a processing chamber in a first period, and performing a second plasma processing in the processing chamber during a second period continuously after the first period. In the first period and the second period, a first radio-frequency power for bias is continuously supplied to a lower electrode. A second radio-frequency power for plasma generation may be supplied as a pulsed radio-frequency power in a first partial period in each cycle of the first radio-frequency power in the first period. The second radio-frequency power may be supplied as a pulsed radio-frequency power in a second partial period in each cycle of the first radio-frequency power in the second period.

Abstract: A plasma processing method according to an exemplary embodiment includes applying a first direct-current voltage to a lower electrode of a substrate support provided in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, in a first period during generation of plasma in the chamber. The plasma processing method further includes applying a second direct-current voltage to the lower electrode in a second period different from the first period during generation of plasma in the chamber. The second direct-current voltage has a level different from a level of the first direct-current voltage. The second direct-current voltage has a same polarity as a polarity of the first direct-current voltage.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber; an edge ring disposed on the substrate support to surround a substrate on the substrate support; an actuator configured to vertically move the edge ring; a gas supply configured to supply a cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber; a power source configured to supply a power to the substrate support; and a controller configured to: (a) maintain the edge ring at a first position spaced apart from the substrate support; and (b) supply a power to the substrate support while supplying the cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber to generate a local plasma in a gap between the edge ring maintained at the first position and the substrate support, thereby cleaning the edge ring and the substrate support.

Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of suppressing pressure fluctuations within a plasma processing chamber. A plasma processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a chamber; a gas supply that supplies a processing gas into the chamber; a power supply that generates a source RF signal to form a plasma from the processing gas within the chamber; a storage that stores in advance a source set value that is a set value of a parameter of the source RF signal; a pressure regulation valve connected to the chamber, the pressure regulation valve being configured to regulate an internal pressure of the chamber; an opening degree calculator that calculates an opening degree of the pressure regulation valve, the opening degree being calculated based on the source set value; and an opening degree controller that controls the opening degree of the pressure regulation valve based on the calculated opening degree.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container; an electrode that places a workpiece thereon; a plasma generation source that supplies plasma into the processing container; a bias power supply that supplies a bias power to the electrode; an edge ring disposed at a periphery of the workpiece; a DC power supply that supplies a DC voltage to the edge ring; a controller that executes a first control procedure in which the DC voltage periodically repeats a first state having a first voltage value and a second state having a second voltage value, the first voltage value is supplied in a partial time period within each period of a potential of the electrode, and the second voltage value is supplied such that the first and second states are continuous.

Abstract: A control method of a plasma processing apparatus including a first electrode that places a workpiece thereon includes supplying a bias power to the first electrode, and supplying a source power having a frequency higher than that of the bias power into a plasma processing space. The source power has a first state and a second state. The control method further includes a first control process of alternately applying the first state and the second state of the source power in synchronization with a signal synchronized with a cycle of a radio frequency of the bias power, or a phase within one cycle of a reference electrical state that represents any one of a voltage, current, and electromagnetic field measured in a power feeding system of the bias power.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, a radio-frequency power supply, and a bias power supply. The radio-frequency power supply generates source radio-frequency power to generate plasma in the chamber. The bias power supply provides a pulse of bias energy to a bias electrode in each of a plurality of pulse periods. The radio-frequency power supply sets, based on a change in a degree of reflection of the source radio-frequency power, a source frequency of the source radio-frequency power in each of a plurality of phase periods in each of a plurality of overlap periods. Each of the plurality of overlap periods overlaps a corresponding pulse period of the plurality of pulse periods. The degree of reflection is identified with the source frequency being set differently in identical phase periods in two or more preceding overlap periods.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, a radio-frequency power supply, and a bias power supply controller. The radio-frequency power supply generates source radio-frequency power to generate plasma in the chamber. The bias power supply periodically provides bias energy having a waveform cycle to a bias electrode on the substrate support. The radio-frequency power supply adjusts a source frequency of the source radio-frequency power in an n-th phase period in an m-th waveform cycle of a plurality of waveform cycles based on a change in a degree of reflection of the source radio-frequency power. The change in the degree of reflection is identified with the source frequency being set differently in the n-th phase period in each of two or more waveform cycles preceding the m-th waveform cycle.

Abstract: A plasma processing method according to an exemplary embodiment includes preparing a substrate in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. The substrate is disposed on a substrate support in the chamber. The substrate support includes a lower electrode and an electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck is provided on the lower electrode. The plasma processing method further includes applying a positive voltage to a conductive member when plasma is being generated in the chamber for plasma processing on the substrate. The conductive member extends closer to a grounded side wall of the chamber than the substrate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber; an edge ring disposed on the substrate support to surround a substrate on the substrate support; an actuator configured to vertically move the edge ring; a gas supply configured to supply a cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber; a power source configured to supply a power to the substrate support; and a controller configured to: (a) maintain the edge ring at a first position spaced apart from the substrate support; and (b) supply a power to the substrate support while supplying the cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber to generate a local plasma in a gap between the edge ring maintained at the first position and the substrate support, thereby cleaning the edge ring and the substrate support.

Abstract: A processing method includes: disposing a workpiece in a processing container of a processing apparatus, and maintaining an inside of the processing container in a vacuum state; providing a cluster nozzle in the processing container; supplying a cluster generating gas to the cluster nozzle and adiabatically expanding the cluster generating gas in the cluster nozzle, thereby generating gas clusters; generating plasma in the cluster nozzle to ionize the gas clusters and injecting the ionized gas clusters onto the workpiece; supplying a reactive gas to the cluster nozzle and exposing the reactive gas to the plasma such that the reactive gas becomes monomer ions or radicals; and supplying the monomer ions or radicals to the processing container, thereby exerting a chemical reaction on a substance present on a surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A plasma processing method according to an exemplary embodiment includes applying a first direct-current voltage to a lower electrode of a substrate support provided in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, in a first period during generation of plasma in the chamber. The plasma processing method further includes applying a second direct-current voltage to the lower electrode in a second period different from the first period during generation of plasma in the chamber. The second direct-current voltage has a level different from a level of the first direct-current voltage. The second direct-current voltage has a same polarity as a polarity of the first direct-current voltage.