Abstract: There is a unitary wafer plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) holding device. Particularly, there is a unitary device used for holding and rotating wafers during deposition of materials. Uniquely, single wafer holder arms 31 can be mounted and removed from the unitary device. Additionally, each wafer holding arm can individually calibrate the alignment between the parallel pair of arms and calibrate the wafer positioning to the heater. For example, using a simple screw to bias the positioning of the arms.

Abstract: A plasma processing device is described which is modular and can be scaled up by assembly together with similar devices to provide a capability for large area processing. The device includes a housing which contains an array of RF coils and into which a process gas is fed. The article to be processed is disposed close to the housing and egress of the process gas from the housing to the process region is resisted so as to maintain a positive pressure differential between the housing and the process region.

Abstract: A novel susceptor used in a chemical vapor deposition device that is made of a ceramic material, specifically, an aluminum nitride material.

Abstract: An apparatus is described as a source of a plasma for remote, or downstream, processing with a variety of applications. The plasma is produced in a gas by cooperation between a magnetic field of the proper strength and microwave energy of the proper frequency. The microwave field enters a chamber through a window of microwave transparent material to encounter a magnetic field formed by a permanent magnet placed on the opposite side of the chamber and designed such that the direction of propagation of the microwave field is parallel with the magnetic field lines in the center of the chamber. A gas or gas mixture is introduced to the chamber and the plasma effluent is guided by gas pressure gradients to a workpiece located downstream from the source chamber. With the proper choice of gases, pressure, and power the workpiece or substrate can be effected by deposition of a thin film, etching of the substrate surface, or otherwise modifying the surface or body of the workpiece.

Abstract: A microwave plasma processing apparatus is provided with a vacuum chamber, a substrate holder for mounting a substrate to be processed, a reactive gas feed port, a cleaning gas feed port, a plasma generation device for generating a processing plasma from the reactive gas and a cleaning plasma from the cleaning gas, and a high-frequency electric field application device for applying an electric field having a frequency that allows ions in the cleaning plasma to follow changes in the electric field. The high-frequency electric field application device is activated to apply the electric field to the cleaning plasma so as to remove substances that have been deposited on the surfaces of the vacuum chamber and substrate holder due to the processing of the substrate by the processing plasma, thereby cleaning up the vacuum chamber and substrate holder.

Abstract: A block of dielectric material having a long axis and a short axis and having low losses at a selected microwave frequency and a dielectric constant selected to produce a desired degree of phase modulation is mounted on a rotatable shaft in an orientation perpendicular to the long and short axes and arranged inside a waveguide feeding a CVD reactor containing a plasma species. The block is spun by a rotational force applied to the shaft at an angular acceleration such that the two axes of the block successively intersect the axis of the waveguide within the decay period of the plasma species. The frequency of phase modulation can be varied by changing the angular acceleration of the shaft, and the amplitude of the phase modulation can be varied by changing the ratio of block length to thickness and/or by selecting a material with higher dielectric constant. The incident microwave power may be modulated as a function of angular position of the spin shaft.

Abstract: A bottom electrode is of a double-layered structure composed of an aluminum portion and an anode oxide film. A surface of the aluminum portion is finished to a surface roughness of 1 .mu.m or less by polishing, for example, and the anode oxide film is grown by the anode oxidation technique. A surface of the anode oxide film is finished to a surface roughness of 1 .mu.m or less by polishing, for example. The polishing may be carried out by wrapping technique using diamond abrasive. The substrate slightly charged with descending cathode of plasma is weakly absorbed onto the bottom electrode, because the insulating film having a high degree of surface smoothness is interposed between the substrate and the bottom electrode. A large contact area and improved heat transfer are assured even with weak electrostatic absorption, thanks to excellent smoothness of the surface of the electrode. It is possible to control the temperature of the substrate without complicated mechanism.

Abstract: A deposited film-forming apparatus comprising a reaction chamber capable of maintaining at a reduced pressure, means for arranging a substrate on which a film is to be formed in said reaction chamber, a gas feed means for supplying a gaseous raw material into said reaction chamber and means for introducing a microwave energy into said reaction chamber, characterized in that said gas feed means is arranged in the space circumscribed by said substrate, said gas feed means comprises a multiple pipe structure, said multiple pipe structure being connected to a gas supply source for supplying said gaseous raw material, the respective constituent pipes of said multiple pipe structure being provided with a plurality of gas spouting holes such that said gas spouting holes are in communication with each other, and means for applying a bias voltage between said substrate and said gas feed means.

Abstract: A dry etching apparatus is provided with parallel electrodes confronting each other, and a high frequency voltage is impressed between the electrodes. The electrode for holding a base material has a recess in its surface and the surface of the electrode is covered with an insulating layer so that part of the structure constituted by the insulating layer and electrode is not in contact with the base material.

Abstract: An improved fluid distribution head for a plasma processing system characterized by a non-planar dispersion plate provided with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, and a mechanism for flowing a process gas through the apertures of the dispersion plate. The non-planar dispersion plate is preferably provided with a concave, spherical portion having a radius of curvature of at least four feet. The mechanism for flowing the process gas through the apertures includes an enclosure defining a chamber which communicates with the dispersion plate, a gas inlet communicating with the chamber, and a source of process gas coupled to the gas inlet. The fluid distribution head preferably forms a part of a complete plasma processing system including a wafer pedestal and an R.F. generator coupled to the pedestal to form a plasma between the dispersion plate and the wafer from the process gas flowing from the dispersion plate.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process of continuous coating, with a polymer deposition, of a metallic material in motion inside a chamber under a reduced pressure, in which process the monomer of the said polymer is injected, in the gaseous state, into the said chamber and the conditions for forming a cold plasma are created so as to cause coating of the said material with the said polymer deposition, which comprises, in at least one region of the said chamber, the said material being made to pass through a magnetic field so as to cause a variation in the composition of the said polymer deposition in the said region. The subject of the invention is also a device for the implementation of this process, and a product obtained thereby.

Abstract: The substrate in a plasma jet deposition system is provided with structural attributes, such as apertures and/or grooves, that facilitate efficient deposition. Groups of substrates are arranged with respect to the plasma beam in a manner which also facilitates efficient deposition. In addition to increasing the portion of the plasma beam volume which contacts the substrate surface or surfaces, it is advantageous to provide for the efficient evacuation of spent fluids away from the substrate so that fresh plasma containing the operative species can easily and continuously contact the substrate surface.

Abstract: A deposit film forming apparatus is disclosed. Cylindrical substrates are disposed within a reaction vessel to be substantially sealed so as to surround a discharge space, and microwave introducing means is provided to form a microwave discharge plasma containing a reactant arising from a source gas and contributing to the formation of film, apply the voltage to an electrode provided on said discharge space, and form a deposit film on a surface of said substrate, characterized in that said microwave introducing means except for at least a microwave introducing dielectric window is constituted of two areas made of mutually different materials, a first area for transmitting the microwave is composed of a metal, and a second area in contact with the plasma is composed of a dielectric of which the product of a dielectric constant (.epsilon.) and a dielectric loss tangent (tan .delta.) at a frequency of used microwave is equal to or less than 2.times.10.sup.-2.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for plasma processing involving the gettering of particles having a high charge to mass ratio away from a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, magnets are used to produce a magnetic field which is transverse to an electric field to draw the negative particles away from the wafer to prevent the formation of a sheath which can trap the particles. In a second aspect of the invention, a power source is connected to the wafer electrode to maintain a negative charge on the wafer, thereby preventing negative particles from being drawn to the wafer surface when the plasma is turned off. In other embodiments of the invention, a low density plasma source is used to produce a large plasma sheath which permits particles to cross a chamber to be gettered. A low density plasma discharge followed by a pulse to a higher density is used to overcome the negative effect of an insulating layer between the wafer and the wafer electrode.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of a reactive ion etching apparatus or the like, only a DC signal in a high frequency electric field can be accurately detected in a real-time manner without any noise, thereby enabling a temperature, a potential, or another parameter of a substrate (wafer) to be accurately measured. For this purpose, according to this manufacturing apparatus, a transmission line filter (coaxial cable) 8 having an electric length ((2n+1).lambda./4) that is an odd-number times as long as 1/4 of the wavelength .lambda. of a high frequency power source 1 is connected between a thermocouple or electrode 7 and a voltmeter 10 to measure a temperature or another parameter of a wafer (substrate) 5. A high frequency signal is separated by the transmission line filter, and a high frequency impedance is short-circuited by a capacitance 9 resulting in the high frequency component being removed, and only a DC signal being provided to the voltmeter 10.

Abstract: An apparatus useful in preparing a coated substrate is disclosed. The substrate is coated with a plasma generated polymer containing Si, O, C and H in specific atom ratio wherein the polymer also contains certain functional groups. A power density of about 106 to about 108 J/Kg is employed in the plasma polymerization process. The apparatus comprises a plasma generating vacuum reaction vessel utilizing parallel plate electrodes. One of the electrodes comprises a magnetically enhanced shower head. A magnet is positioned in the interior of the shower head in contact with both the inner surfaces of the upper and lower portion thereof to concentrate the magnetic field above the upper surface of the shower head.

Abstract: A deposited film-forming apparatus comprises a reaction chamber, a supporting member provided in the reaction chamber for holding a substrate, a plasma generating chamber adjacent to the reaction chamber with interposition of a light-transmissive perforated diffusion plate wherein at least a part of the plasma generating chamber is made of a light-transmissive member, a plasma-generation means for generating plasma in the plasma generating chamber, a first gas-introduction means for introducing a gas into the reaction chamber, a second gas-introduction means for introducing another gas into the plasma generating chamber, an evacuation means for evacuating the reaction chamber and the plasma generating chamber, and a light source provided outside the plasma generating chamber for irradiating light to the substrate held on the supporting member through the plasma generating chamber and the perforated diffusion plate, wherein the perforated diffusion plate has a light-scattering diffusion face at least at the si

Abstract: Plasma deposition or etching apparatus is provided which comprises a plasma source located above and in axial relationship to a substrate process chamber. The plasma source may include a sapphire or alumina source tube for use with plasmas containing fluorine. Surrounding the plasma source are an inner magnetic coil and an outer magnetic coil arranged in the same plane perpendicular to the axis of the plasma source and the substrate process chamber. Preferably a first current is provided through the inner coil and a second current in a direction opposite to the direction of the first current is provided through the outer coil. The inner and outer coils are wrapped with a thin sheet of conducting material to shield the coils from RF signal generated by the plasma source.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a II-VI Group compound thin film containing nitrogen as an impurity, on a substrate, comprises a container for holding a substrate, a vapor source for supplying Zn vapor on a surface of the substrate, a vapor source for supplying Se vapor on the surface of the substrate, and a discharge tube into which a nitrogen gas is introduced, having three-divided internal portions, a high-pressure portion, a middle-pressure portion, and a low-pressure portion from the gas introduction side, and supplying excitation species derived from discharge plasma generated in the low-pressure portion onto the surface of the substrate. Zn vapor and Se vapor are alternately supplied, and supply of nitrogen excitation species is performed in synchronous with supply of Zn vapor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma etching system, comprising a process chamber enclosing a plasma, means for evacuating said process chamber, a chuck electrode for supporting a substrate, a shower electrode positioned to face said chuck electrode and provided with a large number of small holes, a power source for applying a plasma voltage between the chuck electrode and said shower electrode, gas supply means communicating with said small holes of the shower electrode for supplying a plasma-forming gas into the process chamber through the small holes, and means for controlling said gas supply means such that said plasma-forming gas flows through said small holes at a mass flow rate of at least 620 kg/m.sup.2 /hr.