Abstract: A plasma probe device, which is provided in a member exposed to an internal space of a processing container in which plasma is generated, includes a probe cover including a tubular metal cover and a tubular insulating cover provided inside the tubular metal cover, a rod-shaped probe body provided inside the tubular insulating cover, and a metal plate connected to a tip end of the rod-shaped probe body and configured to cover a tip end of the probe cover. A discharge port, through which a gas is supplied to a space between the metal plate and the tip end of the probe cover, is provided near the rod-shaped probe body rather than a peripheral edge of the probe cover.

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave supply mechanism for supplying an electromagnetic wave into a processing container serving as a load, includes a first branch circuit provided downstream of a radio-frequency power source for generating the electromagnetic wave. The first branch circuit includes a first waveguide having an input end, a plurality of second waveguides having respective output ends, and a branch point at which the first waveguide is branched into the second waveguides corresponding to n branches. Each output end is connected to the load or an input end of a second branch circuit subsequent to the first branch circuit. In the first branch circuit, when a total number of the output ends seen from the branch point is n, lengths of the second waveguides from the branch point to the n output ends differ from each other by m×?/2+(?/2)/n.

Abstract: There is a method for controlling a plasma measuring system that measures a state of plasma using a probe device provided in a plasma processing apparatus and a measuring circuit including a signal generator that outputs an AC voltage, the method comprising: (A) outputting a fundamental wave voltage from the signal generator to the plasma to be measured; (B) detecting an output terminal AC voltage at an output terminal of the signal generator; and (C) superimposing a voltage of a harmonic voltage component, which reduces an amplitude of the harmonic voltage component contained in the output terminal AC voltage, on the fundamental wave voltage, and outputting the superimposed voltage from the signal generator.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma measurement method for measuring a state of plasma using a probe device provided in a plasma processing apparatus and a measurement circuit including a signal generator that outputs a fixed AC current, the method comprising: measuring an initial plasma voltage by supplying the fixed AC current to the plasma via the probe device, in a state where the plasma is generated in an initial state of the plasma processing apparatus; measuring a measurement voltage in an operating state by supplying the fixed AC current to the plasma via the probe device, in a state where the plasma is generated in the plasma processing apparatus in the operating state; deriving a conductive deposition film voltage by subtracting the initial plasma voltage from the measurement voltage; and deriving a plasma state using a plasma voltage obtained by subtracting the conductive deposition film voltage from the measurement voltage.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber disposed within a processing container; a stage located within the processing chamber and on which a substrate is placed; an upper electrode facing the stage; a waveguide located along the upper electrode and through which radio-frequency power in a VHF or UHF band propagates; a dielectric ring separating the processing chamber from the waveguide; and four or more electric field sensors located in a circumferential direction of the dielectric ring, wherein the electric field sensors are disposed at positions where, when a reference position is 0, an angle formed by a straight line connecting a center of the dielectric ring and one of the electric field sensors and a straight line connecting the center of the dielectric ring and each of the electric field sensors is represented by 0, (t1·?/2+?/6), (t2·?/2+2?/6), and (t3·?/2+3?/6), where t1, t2, and t3 are integers including 0.

Abstract: A plasma processing method, including: (A) supplying pulse power from an energy source into a processing container to generate plasma, (B) calculating a value which is at least one of an average value of a second level, a standard deviation of a pulse time of the second level, or a standard deviation of the second level, based on sensor data of the pulse power of a plurality of levels including a first level indicating a plasma OFF level and the second level indicating a plasma discharge level and on a plurality of pulse times respectively maintained at the plurality of levels, and (C) determining whether the plasma is normal or abnormal using the value calculated in process (B) and a preset threshold for the value calculated in process (B).

Abstract: Provided is a method for controlling a plasma measurement system including a probe device of a plasma processing apparatus, and a measurement circuit that outputs an AC voltage for plasma measurement to the probe device and measures a state of plasma generated by the plasma processing apparatus, wherein an absolute value of a voltage applied to the probe device during cleaning of the plasma processing apparatus is greater than an absolute value of the AC voltage for the plasma measurement.

Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a processing container configured such that a substrate is subjected to plasma processing; a dielectric top plate which is quadrangular and which is provided to close an upper opening of the processing container; and a conductor plate supporting the dielectric top plate and having four electromagnetic wave emitting ports for emitting electromagnetic waves to the dielectric top plate. Each of the four electromagnetic wave emitting ports has a rectangular shape having long side and short side, the electromagnetic wave emitting ports are arranged such that the long side of each of the four electromagnetic wave emitting ports are parallel to the closest side among four sides of the dielectric top plate forming the quadrangular shape, and the long sides of the two electromagnetic wave emitting ports oriented in a same direction do not overlap each other in the same direction.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided in one exemplary embodiment. A microwave output device of the plasma processing apparatus is configured to output microwaves that are provided into a chamber, and a controller is configured to control the operation of the microwave output device. The microwaves outputted by the microwave output device include an output wave for transmitting a power used for plasma generation, and a broadband sweep wave group used for detection of a plasma state. In the microwave output device, a modulator modulates the microwaves and transmits the modulated microwaves to a waveguide, and a demodulator receives and demodulates a reflected wave group obtained by the sweep wave group being reflected by plasma in the chamber. The controller is configured to determine a frequency of the output wave based on the reflected wave group, and control the microwave output device to output the output wave of the frequency.

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave supply mechanism for supplying an electromagnetic wave into a processing container serving as a load, includes a first branch circuit provided downstream of a radio-frequency power source for generating the electromagnetic wave. The first branch circuit includes a first waveguide having an input end, a plurality of second waveguides having respective output ends, and a branch point at which the first waveguide is branched into the second waveguides corresponding to n branches. Each output end is connected to the load or an input end of a second branch circuit subsequent to the first branch circuit. In the first branch circuit, when a total number of the output ends seen from the branch point is n, lengths of the second waveguides from the branch point to the n output ends differ from each other by m×?/2+(?/2)/n.

Abstract: Measuring a plasma state using a probe device in the case of performing plasma processing on a substrate by introducing process gas into a processing container accommodating the substrate and by producing pulsed plasma using an electromagnetic wave pulse obtained by processing an electromagnetic wave generated from an electromagnetic wave oscillator using a pulsing device. An AC voltage to the pulsed plasma is applied via the probe device; transmitting a signal from the pulsed plasma based on the AC voltage via the probe device and measuring data including a current value; and obtaining a state of the pulsed plasma by analyzing the measured data. The frequency of the AC voltage deviates from a frequency of the electromagnetic wave pulse so that the number of data required for the measurement of the pulsed plasma within one cycle of the electromagnetic wave pulse is obtained within allowable time.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma measuring method for measuring a plasma state using a probe device disposed at a plasma processing apparatus and a measuring circuit including a signal transmitter that outputs an AC voltage, the method comprising: measuring a first current in the measuring circuit when the AC voltage is outputted from the signal transmitter to the probe device in a state where plasma is not generated in the plasma processing apparatus and a second current in a state where plasma is generated in the plasma processing apparatus; measuring a phase difference between a current flowing through the plasma and the AC voltage by vector calculation using the measured first and second currents; and adjusting the AC voltage such that a voltage applied to the plasma becomes constant based on the phase difference and measuring a plasma state based on the measured current flowing through the plasma.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma measurement method for measuring a plasma state using a probe device that is provided in a plasma processing apparatus, and a measurement circuit including a signal transmitter that outputs an AC voltage, the method comprising: measuring a first current including a magnitude and phase of current in the measurement circuit when the AC voltage is output from the signal transmitter to the probe device, in a state where no plasma is generated in the plasma processing apparatus; measuring a second current including a magnitude and phase of current in the measurement circuit when the AC voltage is output from the signal transmitter to the probe device, in a state where plasma is generated in the plasma processing apparatus; and measuring current flowing through the plasma by vector operation using the magnitude and phase of the current included in the measured first current and second current.

Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a processing container configured such that a substrate is subjected to plasma processing; a dielectric top plate which is quadrangular and which is provided to close an upper opening of the processing container; and a conductor plate supporting the dielectric top plate and having four electromagnetic wave emitting ports for emitting electromagnetic waves to the dielectric top plate. Each of the four electromagnetic wave emitting ports has a rectangular shape having long side and short side, the electromagnetic wave emitting ports are arranged such that the long side of each of the four electromagnetic wave emitting ports are parallel to the closest side among four sides of the dielectric top plate forming the quadrangular shape, and the long sides of the two electromagnetic wave emitting ports oriented in a same direction do not overlap each other in the same direction.

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes: supplying a gas into a processing container; and intermittently supplying microwave powers output from a plurality of microwave introducing modules into the processing container. In the intermittently supplying the microwave powers, the supply of all the microwave powers from the plurality of microwave introducing modules is periodically in an OFF state for a given time.

Abstract: Measuring a plasma state using a probe device in the case of performing plasma processing on a substrate by introducing process gas into a processing container accommodating the substrate and by producing pulsed plasma using an electromagnetic wave pulse obtained by processing an electromagnetic wave generated from an electromagnetic wave oscillator using a pulsing device. An AC voltage to the pulsed plasma is applied via the probe device; transmitting a signal from the pulsed plasma based on the AC voltage via the probe device and measuring data including a current value; and obtaining a state of the pulsed plasma by analyzing the measured data. The frequency of the AC voltage deviates from a frequency of the electromagnetic wave pulse so that the number of data required for the measurement of the pulsed plasma within one cycle of the electromagnetic wave pulse is obtained within allowable time.

Abstract: A directional coupler includes: a hollow coaxial line including a central conductor forming a main line and an outer conductor surrounding the central conductor and having an opening formed therein; a dielectric substrate covering the opening and provided with film-shaped ground conductors, wherein a film-shaped ground conductor covers a rear surface of the dielectric substrate facing the central conductor via the opening and a film-shaped ground conductor covers a front surface of the dielectric substrate, respectively, and are grounded; and a coupling line provided on the rear surface of the dielectric substrate in a region surrounded by the ground conductor formed on the rear surface and serving as an auxiliary line, wherein the ground conductor formed on the front surface is provided with a conductor-removed portion in which a portion of a conductor film in a region facing the coupling line via the dielectric substrate is removed.

Abstract: A device includes an amplifier for amplifying and supplying a high frequency power supplied to a load, a parameter detector for detecting a parameter of a current, a voltage, or a power from the amplifier to the load, a current supply unit for supplying a driving current for the amplifier, and an output unit for outputting a command signal for changing an amplification degree of the amplifier based on the detected parameter such that the parameter becomes a target value. The device further includes a first abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality by monitoring the command signal, and/or a current detector for detecting the driving current, a current data storage unit storing an upper and a lower limit value of the driving current, and a second abnormality detector for detecting the abnormality based on at least one of the upper limit value or the lower limit value.

Abstract: A directional coupler includes: a hollow coaxial line including a central conductor forming a main line and an outer conductor surrounding the central conductor and having an opening formed therein; a dielectric substrate covering the opening and provided with film-shaped ground conductors, wherein a film-shaped ground conductor covers a rear surface of the dielectric substrate facing the central conductor via the opening and a film-shaped ground conductor covers a front surface of the dielectric substrate, respectively, and are grounded; and a coupling line provided on the rear surface of the dielectric substrate in a region surrounded by the ground conductor formed on the rear surface and serving as an auxiliary line, wherein the ground conductor formed on the front surface is provided with a conductor-removed portion in which a portion of a conductor film in a region facing the coupling line via the dielectric substrate is removed.

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes: supplying a gas into a processing container; and intermittently supplying microwave powers output from a plurality of microwave introducing modules into the processing container. In the intermittently supplying the microwave powers, the supply of all the microwave powers from the plurality of microwave introducing modules is periodically in an OFF state for a given time.