Abstract: A plasma generator includes an AC power supply, a power supply electrode and a ground electrode, one of which is disposed in a gas flow path and the other of which is a conductive wall constituting the gas flow path, an inflexible connection member configured to electrically connect the AC power supply and the power supply electrode, and an insulating material (power supply side insulating material, ground side insulating material) covering a side of one of the power supply electrode and the ground electrode, the side facing the other electrode.

Abstract: A plasma generator includes an AC power supply, a power supply electrode and a ground electrode, one of which is disposed in a gas flow path and the other of which is a conductive wall constituting the gas flow path, an inflexible connection member configured to electrically connect the AC power supply and the power supply electrode, and an insulating material (power supply side insulating material, ground side insulating material) covering a side of one of the power supply electrode and the ground electrode, the side facing the other electrode.

Abstract: A radio-frequency antenna through which a high amount of current can be efficiently passed even at a radio-frequency level for plasma generation, as well as a plasma processing device utilizing the radio-frequency antenna. A radio-frequency antenna includes a metal fiber sheet. A plasma processing device includes: a vacuum container including a wall having an opening; a radio-frequency antenna including a metal fiber sheet and located at the opening; and a dielectric protection plate located closer to the interior of the vacuum container than the radio-frequency antenna and configured to close the opening in a gas-tight manner. The radio-frequency antenna including a metal fiber sheet has a larger surface area and a lower impedance to a radio-frequency current than a radio-frequency antenna including a metal plate having the same outer shape. Therefore, it allows a radio-frequency current commonly used for plasma generation to be more efficiently passed through in large amounts.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma source with a simple configuration, has an antenna cooling mechanism capable of reducing costs required for such devices. The plasma source is configured to generate plasma in a vacuum vessel, and includes a frame (antenna fixing frame) provided in a wall of the vacuum vessel and a surface antenna fixed in the frame. Periphery of the antenna is surrounded by the frame, so that heat generated in the antenna flows from the periphery to the frame and further flows from the frame to the vacuum vessel. Thus, the antenna is efficiently cooled. Therefore, a liquid or gas refrigerant is unnecessary, and thus the configuration can be simplified. Furthermore, a temperature control device and a circulation device are unnecessary, so that the cost required for the devices is reduced.

Abstract: A plasma source which is capable of supplying a plasma processing space with plasma in a state where gas is sufficiently ionized is a device for supplying plasma to a plasma processing space in which a process using the plasma is performed, and includes: a plasma generation chamber; an opening that allows the plasma generation chamber to communicate with the plasma processing space; a radio-frequency antenna that is a coil of less than one turn provided in a position where a radio-frequency electromagnetic field having predetermined strength required to generate plasma is able to be generated in the plasma generation chamber; voltage application electrodes in a position close to the opening in the plasma generation chamber; and a gas supply unit (pipe) that supplies plasma source gas to a position closer to the side opposite to the opening than the voltage application electrodes in the plasma generation chamber.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a radio-frequency antenna unit capable of generating a high-density discharge plasma in a vacuum chamber. The radio-frequency antenna unit according to the present invention includes: a radio-frequency antenna through which a radio-frequency electric current can flow; a protective tube made of an insulator provided around the portion of the radio-frequency antenna that is in the vacuum chamber; and a buffer area provided between the radio-frequency antenna and the protective tube. The “buffer area” refers to an area where an acceleration of electrons is suppressed, and it can be formed, for example, with a vacuum or an insulator. Such a configuration can suppress an occurrence of an electric discharge between the antenna and the protective tube, enabling the generation of a high-density discharge plasma in the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma processing on a planar substrate body to be processed, the apparatus being capable of generating the plasma with good uniformity and efficiently using the plasma, and having a high productivity. That is, the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a vacuum chamber; one or plural antenna supporters (plasma generator supporters) projecting into the internal space of the vacuum chamber; radio-frequency antennas (plasma generators) attached to each antenna supporter; and a pair of substrate body holders provided across the antenna supporter in the vacuum chamber, for holding a planar substrate body to be processed.

Abstract: A flange, which forms a portion of a vacuum container, has a rectangular opening surrounded by an insulating frame. A plate-shaped radio-frequency antenna conductor 13 is provided so as to cover the opening, with the insulating frame clamped thereby. In this structure, a radio-frequency power source is connected via a matching box to one end along the length of the radio-frequency antenna conductor, the other end is connected to ground, and electric power is supplied so that a radio-frequency current flows from one end of the radio-frequency antenna conductor to the other. By this method, the impedance of the radio-frequency antenna conductor can be lowered, and high-density plasma with a low electron temperature can be efficiently generated.

Abstract: A thin-film forming sputtering system capable of a sputtering process at a high rate. A thin-film forming sputtering system includes: a vacuum container; a target holder located inside the vacuum container; a target holder located inside the vacuum container; a substrate holder opposed to the target holder; a power source for applying a voltage between the target holder and the substrate holder; a magnetron-sputtering magnet provided behind the target holder, for generating a magnetic field having a component parallel to a target; and radio-frequency antennae for generating radio-frequency inductively-coupled plasma within a space in the vicinity of the target where the magnetic field generated by the magnetron-sputtering magnet has a strength equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

Abstract: A thin-film formation sputtering device capable of forming a high-quality thin film at high rates is provided. A sputtering device includes a target holder provided in a vacuum container, a substrate holder facing the target holder, a means for introducing a plasma generation gas into the vacuum container, a means for generating an electric field for sputtering in a region including a surface of a target, an antenna placement room provided between inner and outer surfaces of a wall of the vacuum container as well as separated from an inner space of the vacuum container by a dielectric window, and a radio-frequency antenna, which is provided in the antenna placement room, for generating a radio-frequency induction electric field in the region including the surface of the target held by the target holder.

Abstract: A radio-frequency antenna includes a linear antenna conductor, a dielectric protective pipe provided around the antenna conductor, and a deposit shield provided around the protective pipe, the deposit shield covering at least one portion of the protective pipe and having at least one opening on any line extending along the length of the antenna conductor. Although the thin-film material adheres to the surfaces of the protective pipe and the deposit shield, the deposited substance has at least one discontinuous portion in the longitudinal direction of the antenna conductor. Therefore, in the case where the thin-film material is electrically conductive, the blocking of the radio-frequency induction electric field is prevented. In the case where the thin-film material is not electrically conductive, an attenuation in the intensity of the radio-frequency induction electric field is suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an internal antenna type plasma processing device which is easily maintained and capable of producing stable plasma. The plasma processing device has a plurality of antenna units 20 provided in the top wall 111 of a vacuum chamber 11. Each of the antenna units 20 includes: a dielectric housing 21 provided to protrude into the vacuum chamber 11 from the top wall 111 of the vacuum chamber 11; a cover 22 having a second gas discharge port 25 for discharging the atmosphere in the housing to the outside of the vacuum chamber; and a radio-frequency antenna 23 formed by a conductor tube which is fixed to the cover 22 by way of a feedthrough 24 and has gas passage holes 232 in its tube walls. An inert gas is supplied into the tube of the radio-frequency antenna 23, and the inside of the housing 21 is filled with the inert gas provided through the gas passage holes 232. The inert gas is discharged to the outside of the vacuum chamber 11 through the second gas discharge port 25.

Abstract: A plasma processing device has: a metallic vacuum chamber; an antenna-placing section in which a radio-frequency antenna is placed inside a through-hole (hollow space) provided in an upper wall of the vacuum chamber; and a dielectric separating plate covering the entire inner surface of the upper wall. In this plasma processing device, the entire inner surface side of the upper wall is covered with the separating plate so that surfaces in different level otherwise formed when a smaller separating plate is used is not formed between the inner surface and the separating plate. Therefore, the generation of particles caused by the formation of adhered materials on the surfaces in different level is prevented.

Abstract: A plasma processing device according to the present invention includes a plasma processing chamber, a plasma producing chamber communicating with the plasma processing chamber, a radio-frequency antenna for producing plasma, a plasma control plate for controlling the energy of electrons in the plasma, as well as an operation rod and a moving mechanism for regulating the position of the plasma control plate. In this plasma processing device, the energy distribution of the electrons of the plasma produced in the plasma producing chamber can be controlled by regulating the distance between the radio-frequency antenna 16 and the plasma control plate by simply moving the operation rod in its longitudinal direction by the moving mechanism. Therefore, a plasma process suitable for the kind of gas molecules to be dissociated and/or their dissociation energy can be easily performed.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a plasma generator capable of creating a spatially uniform distribution of high-density plasma. This object is achieved by the following construction. Multiple antennas are located on the sidewall of a vacuum chamber, and a RF power source is connected to three or four antennas in parallel via a plate-shaped conductor. The length of the conductor of each antenna is shorter than the quarter wavelength of the induction electromagnetic wave generated within the vacuum chamber. Setting the length of the conductor of the antenna in such a manner prevents the occurrence of a standing wave and thereby maintains the uniformity of the plasma within the vacuum chamber. In addition, the plate-shaped conductor improves the heat-releasing efficiency, which also contributes to the suppression of the impedance.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a plasma generator capable of creating a spatially uniform distribution of high-density plasma. This object is achieved by the following construction. Multiple antennas are located on the sidewall of a vacuum chamber, and a RF power source is connected to three or four antennas in parallel via a plate-shaped conductor. The length of the conductor of each antenna is shorter than the quarter wavelength of the induction electromagnetic wave generated within the vacuum chamber. Setting the length of the conductor of the antenna in such a manner prevents the occurrence of a standing wave and thereby maintains the uniformity of the plasma within the vacuum chamber. In addition, the plate-shaped conductor improves the heat-releasing efficiency, which also contributes to the suppression of the impedance.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a sputtering system capable of efficiently generating high-density plasma near the surface of a sputter target and forming a film at a high rate. It also aims at providing a large-area sputtering system and a plasma processing system having a simple structure and allowing the sputter target to be easily attached/detached, maintained, or operated otherwise. The present invention provides a sputtering system in which an inductively-coupled antenna conductor plate is attached to a portion of a vacuum chamber, wherein: a sputter target plate is attached to the inductively-coupled antenna conductor on its plasma formation space side; one end of the antenna conductor is connected to a radio-frequency power source; and the other end is grounded through a capacitor. A plurality of antenna conductors may be provided to form a large-area sputtering system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing device capable of inducing a strong radio-frequency electric field within a vacuum container while preventing sputtering of the antenna conductor, an increase in the temperature of the antenna conductor and the formation of particles. A plasma processing device according to the present invention includes a vacuum container, a radio-frequency antenna placed between an inner surface and an outer surface of a wall of the vacuum container, and a dielectric separating member for separating the radio-frequency antenna from an internal space of the vacuum container. As compared to a device using an external antenna, the present device can induce a stronger magnetic field in the vacuum container. The separating member has the effects of preventing the radio-frequency antenna from undergoing sputtering by the plasma produced in the vacuum container, suppressing an increase in the temperature of the radio-frequency antenna, and preventing the formation of particles.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma processing device using a radio-frequency electric discharge, including: a vacuum container; an antenna-placing section provided between an inner surface and an outer surface of a wall of the vacuum container; a radio-frequency antenna placed in the antenna-placing section, the radio-frequency antenna being terminated without completing one turn; and a dielectric separating member separating the antenna-placing section and an internal space of the vacuum container, wherein the radio-frequency antenna has a length equal to or shorter than one quarter of a wavelength of the radio-frequency waves.

Abstract: A thin-film forming sputtering system capable of a sputtering process at a high rate. A thin-film forming sputtering system includes: a vacuum container; a target holder located inside the vacuum container; a target holder located inside the vacuum container; a substrate holder opposed to the target holder; a power source for applying a voltage between the target holder and the substrate holder: a magnetron-sputtering magnet provided behind the target holder, for generating a magnetic field having a component parallel to a target; and radio-frequency antennae for generating radio-frequency inductively-coupled plasma within a space in the vicinity of the target where the magnetic field generated by the magnetron sputtering magnet has a strength equal to or higher than a predetermined level.