Abstract: An observation substrate for observation capable of observing an overall plasma emission distribution. An observation wafer for observing a plasma emission state in a processing space of a process module of a substrate processing system includes a base and a plurality of image pickup units disposed on a surface of the base facing the processing space. Each of the image pickup units includes a lens and an image pickup device having a memory for storing a picked-up image.

Abstract: A temperature measurement apparatus includes a light source; a first splitter that splits a light beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam; a reference beam reflector that reflects the reference beam; an optical path length adjustor; a second splitter that splits the reflected reference beam into a first reflected reference beam and a second reflected reference beam; a first photodetector that measures an interference between the first reflected reference beam and a reflected measurement beam obtained by the measurement beam reflected from a target object; a second photodetector that measures an intensity of the second reflected reference beam; and a temperature calculation unit. The temperature calculation unit calculates a location of the interference by subtracting an output signal of the second photodetector from an output signal of the first photodetector, and calculates a temperature of the target object from the calculated location of the interference.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate by using a plasma includes a processing chamber for accommodating and processing the substrate therein, a lower electrode for mounting the substrate thereon in the processing chamber, an upper electrode disposed to face the lower electrode in the processing chamber, a radio frequency power supply for supplying a radio frequency power to at least one of the lower and the upper electrode, to thereby generate the plasma between the lower and the upper electrode, and an electrical characteristic control unit for adjusting an impedance of a circuit at the side of an electrode to the plasma for a frequency of at least one radio frequency wave present in the processing chamber such that the circuit does not resonate.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring plasma electron density precisely measures electron density in plasma even under a low electron density condition or high pressure condition. This plasma electron density measuring apparatus includes a vector network analyzer in a measuring unit, which measures a complex reflection coefficient and determines a frequency characteristic of an imaginary part of the coefficient. A resonance frequency at a point where the imaginary part of the complex reflection coefficient is zero-crossed is read and the electron density is calculated based on the resonance frequency by a measurement control unit.

Abstract: A substrate processing method that can eliminate unevenness in the distribution of plasma. The method is for a substrate processing apparatus that has a processing chamber in which a substrate is housed, a mounting stage that is disposed in the processing chamber and on which the substrate is mounted, and an electrode plate that is disposed in the processing chamber such as to face the mounting stage, the electrode plate being made of silicon and connected to a radio-frequency power source, and carries out plasma processing on the substrate. In the plasma processing, the temperature of the electrode plate is measured, and based on the measured temperature, the temperature of the electrode plate is maintained lower than a critical temperature at which the specific resistance value of the silicon starts changing.

Abstract: A method capable of accurately measuring a physical quantity of a measurement object in a substrate processing apparatus. In a temperature measurement apparatus for implementing the method, two interference positions are measured at different timings when a reference mirror is caused to move in the direction away from a collimator fiber, and a difference between the two interference positions is calculated. When the reference mirror remote from the collimator fiber is caused to move toward the collimator fiber, two interference positions are measured at different timings, and a difference between the two interference positions is calculated. An average value of the interference position differences is calculated, an optical path length difference is determined from the average value, and a wafer temperature is calculated from the optical path length difference.

Abstract: A shower plate of a processing gas supply unit disposed in a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus to supply a processing gas into a processing space in the processing chamber. The shower plate is interposed between a processing gas introduction space formed in the processing gas supply unit for introduction of the processing gas and the processing space. The shower plate includes processing gas supply passageways which allow the processing gas introduction space to communicate with the processing space. The processing gas supply passageways include gas holes formed toward the processing gas introduction space and gas grooves formed toward the processing space, the gas holes and gas grooves communicating with each other. A total flow path cross sectional area of all the gas grooves is larger than a total flow path cross sectional area of all the gas holes.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring plasma electron density precisely measures electron density in plasma even under a low electron density condition or high pressure condition. This plasma electron density measuring apparatus includes a vector network analyzer in a measuring unit, which measures a complex reflection coefficient and determines a frequency characteristic of an imaginary part of the coefficient. A resonance frequency at a point where the imaginary part of the complex reflection coefficient is zero-crossed is read and the electron density is calculated based on the resonance frequency by a measurement control unit.

Abstract: An apparatus, which performs a plasma process on a target substrate by using plasma, includes first and second electrodes in a process chamber to oppose each other. An RF field, which turns a process gas into plasma by excitation, is formed between the first and second electrodes. An RF power supply, which supplies RF power, is connected to the first or second electrode through a matching circuit. The matching circuit automatically performs input impedance matching relative to the RF power. A variable impedance setting section is connected to a predetermined member, which is electrically coupled with the plasma, through an interconnection. The impedance setting section sets a backward-direction impedance against an RF component input to the predetermined member from the plasma. A controller supplies a control signal concerning a preset value of the backward-direction impedance to the impedance setting section.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring thickness is provided. A light source irradiates a front surface or a rear surface of a substrate with a light. A splitter splits the light into a reference light and a measurement light. The reference light is reflected by a reference light reflecting device. An optical path changing device changes an optical path length of light reflected from the reference light reflecting device. A light receiving device measures an interference of the reflected light from the substrate and the reference light from the reference light reflecting device. A thickness of at least one of the front surface, rear surface or inside of the substrate is measured based on a measurement of the interference.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus can prevent a sheath from becoming distorted, simplify a configuration of the apparatus, and prevent particles from attaching to a substrate. The plasma processing apparatus performs plasma processing on the substrate. A housing chamber houses the substrate. A mounting stage is disposed within the housing chamber and mounted with the substrate. An annular member is disposed in the mounting stage. A power supply unit supplies high-frequency power to the mounting stage. An observation unit optically observes the distribution of the plasma. A voltage applying unit applies a DC voltage to the annular member. A control unit sets the value of the DC voltage to be applied based on the observed plasma distribution.

Abstract: A temperature measuring apparatus includes a light source, a first splitter, a second splitter, a reference beam reflector, an optical path length adjuster, a reference beam transmitting member, a first to an nth measuring beam transmitting member and a photodetector. The temperature measuring apparatus further includes an attenuator that attenuates the reference beam reflected from the reference beam reflector to thereby make an intensity thereof closer to an intensity of the measurement beam reflected from the temperature measurement object.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring plasma electron density precisely measures electron density in plasma even under a low electron density condition or high pressure condition. This plasma electron density measuring apparatus includes a vector network analyzer in a measuring unit, which measures a complex reflection coefficient and determines a frequency characteristic of an imaginary part of the coefficient. A resonance frequency at a point where the imaginary part of the complex reflection coefficient is zero-crossed is read and the electron density is calculated based on the resonance frequency by a measurement control unit.

Abstract: This invention includes a first filter (27) connected between a susceptor (21) and ground and having a variable impedance, a sensor (28) for detecting an electrical signal based on the state of a plasma (P) generated in a process chamber (11), and a control means (36) for controlling the impedance of the first filter (27) on the basis of a detection result output from the sensor (28). Thus, a preferable plasma distribution to match the object of the plasma process can be realized.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus including a light source that emits light with a wavelength that allows the light to be transmitted through and reflected at each measurement target, a splitter that splits the light from the light source into measurement light and reference light, a reference mirror at which the reference light from the splitter is reflected, a mechanism for driving the reference mirror to adjust the optical path length of the reference light reflected from the reference mirror and a mechanism for measuring the interference of the reference light reflected from the reference mirror as the reference light from the splitter is radiated toward the reference mirror and measurement beams reflected from a plurality of measurement targets as the measurement light from the splitter is radiated toward the measurement targets so as to be transmitted through the measurement targets.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed to face each other, a high frequency power supply unit for applying a high frequency power to either the first electrode or the second electrode, a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to a processing space, and a main dielectric member provided at a substrate mounting portion on a main surface of the first electrode. A focus ring is attached to the first electrode to cover a peripheral portion of the main surface of the first electrode and a peripheral dielectric member is provided in a peripheral portion on the main surface of the first electrode so that an electrostatic capacitance per unit area applied between the first electrode and the focus ring is smaller than that applied between the first electrode and the substrate by the main dielectric member.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, which generates a plasma by a radio frequency discharge in a processing chamber, includes a first member having a first front surface facing the plasma, and a first mating surface extending from the first front surface; and a second member having a second front surface that forms an angled portion together with the first front surface of the first member in a manner to face the plasma, and a second mating surface facing the first mating surface of the first member with a gap therebetween. In the angled portion, an opening portion of gap and an inner portion extending from the opening portion to at least an intermediate location of the gap are oriented along an extended straight line that bisects an angle between the first front surface of the first member and the second front surface of the second member.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode attached to the processing chamber via an insulator. To generate a plasma of a processing gas in the processing space, a high frequency power supply unit applies to the first electrode a high frequency power having a predetermined high frequency. Further, to control energy of incident ions on the first and the second electrode from the plasma, a first low frequency power supply unit applies to the first electrode a first low frequency power having the frequency lower than the frequency of the high frequency power, and a second low frequency power supply unit applies to the second electrode a second low frequency power having the frequency lower than the frequency of the high frequency power.

Abstract: A gas analyzing apparatus includes a measurement chamber having a mounting member for mounting thereon a substrate on which a sample is adsorbed; a depressurizing mechanism for depressurizing the inside of the measurement chamber; and a heating unit for heating the substrate having the adsorbed sample thereon and mounted on the mounting member. The apparatus further includes: a mass spectrometer inserted in the measurement chamber, for detecting gas molecules escaping from the sample with an increasing temperature; and a temperature measuring unit for measuring a temperature of the substrate having the adsorbed sample thereon by using an interferometer which detects an optical thickness of the substrate.

Abstract: A temperature measuring apparatus includes a light source, a first splitter, a second splitter, a reference beam reflector, an optical path length adjuster, a reference beam transmitting member, a first to an nth measuring beam transmitting member and a photodetector. The temperature measuring apparatus further includes a controller that stores, as initial peak position data, positions of interference peaks respectively measured in advance by irradiating the first to the nth measuring beam onto the first to the nth measurement point of the temperature measurement object, and compares the initial peak position data to positions of interference peaks respectively measured during a temperature measurement to thereby estimate a temperature at each of the first to the nth measurement point.