Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprising a plurality of plasma processing units is provided. Each of the plasma processing units has a matching circuit connected between a radiofrequency generator and a plasma excitation electrode. Among these plasma processing units, a variation <RA> between the maximum and minimum values of input-terminal-side AC resistances RA of the matching circuits defined by <RA>=(RAmax?RAmin)/(RAmax+RAmin) is adjusted to be less than 0.5. A variation between the maximum and minimum values of output-terminal-side AC resistances RB of the matching circuits defined by <RB>=(RBmax?RBmin)/(RBmax+RBmin) is also adjusted to be less than 0.5. The plasma processing units can be adjusted to achieve substantially uniform plasma results in a shorter period of time.

Abstract: There is provided a plasma treatment apparatus that carries out plasma treatment on an article, with which it is possible to make the plasma density uniform. A plasma treatment vessel houses a semiconductor wafer and a treatment gas is introduced into the plasma treatment vessel. A lower electrode is provided inside the plasma treatment vessel and the semiconductor wafer is placed onto the lower electrode. An upper electrode that has a plurality of holes formed therein and has a dome shape that is upwardly convex, is provided above the lower electrode in the plasma treatment vessel. A height of the upper electrode from the lower electrode becomes greater from an outside of the lower electrode to a center of the lower electrode.

Abstract: In an ion etching method for reducing a substrate thickness, an electric arc is generated in a vacuum chamber such that the electric arc is locally separated from the substrate and circulates about the substrate. A plasma of a supplied etching gas is produced by the electric arc, and the ions of the etching gas are accelerated onto the substrate by an electric potential. The employed device has a vacuum chamber, an etching gas supply, and first and second electrodes supplied with direct or alternating voltage for generating the electric arc that produces the plasma of the etching gas. The first electrode is ring-shaped and the second electrode is arranged centrally to the ring of the first electrode. A magnetic coil creates a migrating magnetic field such that the electric arc is locally separated from the substrate and circulates about the substrate in a carousel fashion.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a plasma processing apparatus for processing a processing object by applying two types of high-frequency power with different frequencies to generate plasma. A first high-frequency line is provided with a first filter circuit for attenuating a high-frequency current from a second high-frequency power supply. A second high-frequency line is provided with a second filter circuit for attenuating a high-frequency current from a first high-frequency power supply. The first filter circuit is provided with a variable capacitor for changing a circuit constant. For changing the circuit constant, the variable capacitor is varied so that a resonance point becomes greater than an optimum resonance point most attenuating a high frequency in the second high-frequency power supply. Doing so decreases a sputter rate of the generated plasma affected on a wall surface of the processing chamber.

Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing system and method capable of decreasing the non-uniformity of a field distribution on the surface of an electrode and making the density of plasma uniform, in a plasma processing using a high density plasma which can cope with a further scale down. First and second electrodes 21 and 5 are provided in a chamber so as to face each other. A feeder plate 52 is arranged so as to be slightly spaced from the opposite surface of a surface serving as a feeding plane of the first electrode facing the second electrode 5. A feeder rod 51 is connected to the feeder plate 52 at a position which is radially shifted from a position corresponding to the center of the feeding plane of the first electrode 21. The feeder plate 52 is rotated to rotate the feeding position of the feeder rod 51 on the feeding plane of the first electrode.

Abstract: The present invention presents an improved upper electrode for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of an electrode plate with a deposition shield coupled to the upper electrode advantageously provides gas injection of a process gas with substantially minimal erosion of the upper electrode while providing protection to a chamber interior.

Abstract: The present invention presents an improved deposition shield for surrounding a process space in a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the deposition shield advantageously provides for a clean processing plasma in the process space with substantially minimal erosion of the deposition shield.

Abstract: In a plasma treating apparatus, a ceramic porous substance having a three-dimensional network structure in which a frame portion formed of ceramic containing alumina is provided continuously like a three-dimensional network is used for the material of an electrode member for the plasma treating apparatus to be attached to the front surface of a gas supplying port of an electrode for plasma generation, and a gas for plasma generation is caused to pass through a hole portion formed irregularly in the three-dimensional network structure. Consequently, the distribution of the gas to be supplied is made uniform to prevent an abnormal discharge so that uniform etching having no variation can be carried out.

Abstract: A plasma processing system comprises a processing chamber into and from which processing gas is inlet and outlet; a pair of electrodes disposed so as to mutually oppose within the processing chamber; a RF feeding apparatus for generating plasma between the pair of electrodes; a retaining/removal apparatus for retaining a substrate to be processed on and removal from a sample table while one of the pair of electrodes is taken as the sample table; and a detection apparatus for detecting the electrostatic-chucking state of the substrate and for detecting removal state of electrical charges from the substrate, on the basis of variations in impedance arising between the sample table and the substrate.

Abstract: The invention encompasses a method of enhancing selectivity of etching silicon dioxide relative to one or more organic substances. A material comprising one or more elements selected from Group VIII of the periodic table is provided within a reaction chamber; and a substrate is provided within the reaction chamber. The substrate has both a silicon-oxide-containing composition and at least one organic substance thereover. The silicon-oxide-containing composition is plasma etched within the reaction chamber. The plasma etching of the silicon-oxide-containing composition has increased selectivity for the silicon oxide of the composition relative to the at least one organic substance than would plasma etching conducted without the material in the chamber. The invention also encompasses a plasma reaction chamber assembly. The assembly comprises at least one interior wall, and at least one liner along the at least one interior wall. The liner comprises one or more of Ru, Fe, Co, Ni, Rh, Pd, Os, W, Ir, Pt and Ti.

Abstract: An inductive plasma processor includes a multiple winding radio frequency coil having plural electrically parallel, spatially concentric windings (1) having different amounts of RF power supplied to them, and (2) arranged to produce electromagnetic fields having different couplings to different regions of plasma in the chamber to control plasma flux distribution incident on a processed workpiece. The coil is powered by a single radio frequency generator via a single matching network. Input and output ends of each winding are respectively connected to input and output tuning capacitors. In a first embodiment, the location of maximum inductive coupling of the radio frequency to the plasma and the current magnitude in each winding are respectively mainly determined by values of the output and input capacitors.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate to form electronic components thereon is disclosed. The plasma processing chamber includes a plasma-facing component having a plasma-facing surface oriented toward a plasma in the plasma processing chamber during processing of the substrate, the plasma-facing component being electrically isolated from a ground terminal. The plasma processing chamber further includes a grounding arrangement coupled to the plasma-facing component, the grounding arrangement including a first resistance circuit disposed in a first current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal. The grounding arrangement further includes a RF filter arrangement disposed in at least one other current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal, wherein a resistance value of the first resistance circuit is selected to substantially eliminate arcing between the plasma and the plasma-facing component during the processing of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a return current path for RF current between a chamber wall and a substrate support is provided comprising a low impedance flexible curtain having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to be electrically connected to the chamber wall and the second end adapted to be connected to the substrate support, wherein the curtain further comprises at least one fold in the curtain material, located an axial distance between the first end and the second end, and at least one perforation cut into the curtain proximate the second end.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a ground voltage source, a susceptor for placing a substrate, a center pin passing through the susceptor for lifting the substrate, and a ground member for connecting the center pin to the ground voltage source.

Abstract: A shield system for use in a plasma chamber, such as a source chamber for an ion implantation machine, including a top shield plate configured to be attached with a top interior surface of the plasma chamber; a bottom shield plate configured to be attached with a bottom interior surface of the plasma chamber; and a rear shield plate configured to be attached with a rear interior surface of the plasma chamber, wherein a rear edge of the top shield plate meets a top edge of the rear shield plate, and wherein a rear edge of the bottom shield plate meets a bottom edge of the rear shield plate, such that the top shield plate, the bottom shield plate and the rear shield plate fit together to substantially cover the chamber's interior surfaces, thus reducing depositions on the inside surfaces of the plasma chamber, while the plasma chamber is operating.

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma is produced with a permanent magnet assembly adjacent to a radio frequency (RF) biased wafer support electrode in a vacuum processing chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. An annular peripheral region is provided on the wafer support around the perimeter of the wafer being processed. A magnet arrangement using a plurality of magnet rings forms a magnetic tunnel over the peripheral region at which the plasma is generated away from the wafer. The magnetic field has components parallel to the substrate support surface over the annular peripheral region but which are perpendicular to the surface at the wafer. Preferably, the magnetic field has a flat portion parallel to the support surface in the peripheral region. Plasma propagates by diffusion from the peripheral region across the wafer surface. The magnets can be manipulated to optimize plasma uniformity adjacent the substrate being processed.

Abstract: A pulsed electric field system for inactivation of biological agents on a dielectric sheet material. The pulsed electric field (PEF) system includes a dielectric layer located between an active electrode and a ground electrode, wherein said dielectric layer has a uniform surface profile. A pulsed electric field is provided in a gap between the dielectric layer and the active electrode. A transport assembly moves the dielectric sheet material through the gap. In a preferred embodiment, the system also includes sensors for sensing the position of the dielectric sheet material as it passes through the pulsed electric field.

Abstract: A plasma treatment system for treating a workpiece with a downstream-type plasma. The processing chamber of the plasma treatment system includes a chamber lid having a plasma cavity disposed generally between a powered electrode and a grounded plate, a processing space separated from the plasma cavity by the grounded plate, and a substrate support in the processing space for holding the workpiece. A direct plasma is generated in the plasma cavity. The grounded plate is adapted with openings that remove electrons and ions from the plasma admitted from the plasma cavity into the processing space to provide a downstream-type plasma of free radicals. The openings may also eliminate line-of-sight paths for light between the plasma cavity and processing space. In another aspect, the volume of the processing chamber may be adjusted by removing or inserting at least one removable sidewall section from the chamber lid.

Abstract: A multi-purpose chamber that can be configured for a variety of processes, including deposition processes and etch processes, for example, by installing one or more removable chamber liners. The multi-purpose chamber provides uniform plasma confinement around a substrate disposed in the chamber for various processing conditions. The multi-purpose chamber also provides efficient and uniform exhaust of processing gas from the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for fixing an eletrode of an electrode of plama polymerization apparatus is provided, which comprises; a nonconductive holder for fixing an electrode by covering an end part of the electrode, a leadline connecting the electrode with a power supply, and a fixing part fixing the holder on a chamber wall.