Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are arranged closed to and along an induction antenna 1 composed of an inner circumference coil 1a and an outer circumference coil 1b. Ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are each characterized in that the radius from the center of the apparatus and the cross-sectional shape of the conductor body varies along the circumferential angle of the coils. Since the mutual inductances between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the induction antenna 1 and between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the plasma along the circumferential position are controlled, it becomes possible to compensate for the coil currents varied along the circumference of the coils of the induction antenna 1, and to improve the non-uniformity in the circumferential direction of the current in the generated plasma.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a subject placed on a subject stage disposed in a processing chamber in a vacuum vessel, by using plasma formed in said processing chamber, includes: an exhaust space communicating with the processing chamber, extending in a horizontal direction, and exhausting gas in the processing chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the exhaust space, the gas being exhausted via the exhaust port; a pump disposed communicating with the exhaust port and exhausting the gas; and a plate member disposed in the exhaust space between a connection portion to the processing chamber and the exhaust port, extending along a direction connecting the connection portion and the exhaust port, and disposed outside a view angle from an upper surface of the subject stage.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.

Abstract: A semiconductor fabricating method including: placing the semiconductor wafer having a film thereon inside of a chamber; generating plasma; detecting a quantity of interference lights for each of at least two wavelengths obtained from a surface of the wafer for a predetermined time period during the etching of the wafer; detecting a first time point at which the detected quantity of interference lights for one of the two wavelengths becomes a maximum and a second time point at which the detected quantity of interference lights for the other wavelength becomes a minimum; determining a state of etching based on a result of comparing a predetermined value with an interval between the first and second time points, wherein both time points are detected by using outputs of a detector for detecting a quantity of the interference lights; and controlling etching in accordance with the determining.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber and a sample base, and processing a sample by using plasma generated inside the processing chamber, the processing chamber being located inside a vacuum container, the sample base being located inside the processing chamber, the sample being mounted on the sample base, the plasma processing apparatus including a component member configuring inner-side wall surface of the processing chamber, and having a dielectric portion on the inner-side wall surface, an exhaustion unit for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber, and an electric-field supply unit for supplying an electric field to the component member in a state where the plasma will not be generated inside the processing chamber, wherein magnitude of the electric field supplied from the electric-field supply unit is changed rapidly while exhausting the inside of the processing chamber by the exhaustion unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are arranged closed to and along an induction antenna 1 composed of an inner circumference coil 1a and an outer circumference coil 1b. Ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are each characterized in that the radius from the center of the apparatus and the cross-sectional shape of the conductor body varies along the circumferential angle of the coils. Since the mutual inductances between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the induction antenna 1 and between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the plasma along the circumferential position are controlled, it becomes possible to compensate for the coil currents varied along the circumference of the coils of the induction antenna 1, and to improve the non-uniformity in the circumferential direction of the current in the generated plasma.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a subject placed on a subject stage disposed in a processing chamber in a vacuum vessel, by using plasma formed in said processing chamber, includes: an exhaust space communicating with the processing chamber, extending in a horizontal direction, and exhausting gas in the processing chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the exhaust space, the gas being exhausted via the exhaust port; a pump disposed communicating with the exhaust port and exhausting the gas; and a plate member disposed in the exhaust space between a connection portion to the processing chamber and the exhaust port, extending along a direction connecting the connection portion and the exhaust port, and disposed outside a view angle from an upper surface of the subject stage.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a substrate with plasma by applying a high frequency to a reaction chamber, and applying a second high frequency to a substrate holder includes covering at least 90% of a total surface area of an inner wall of the reaction chamber that is directly exposed to plasma with a dielectric, disposing a DC earth comprising a conductive portion that is earthed and having an area less than 10% of the inner wall of the reaction chamber, and performing plasma processing to the substrate in the reaction chamber having the DC earth located at a position where a floating potential of plasma is higher than the floating potential of plasma at the inner wall of the reaction chamber that is closest to the substrate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having 90% or more of a side wall of an inner wall 101 of a reaction chamber 1 covered with a dielectric 102, and equipped with an earthed conductive member 21a having an area of less than 10% of the side wall area of the inner wall 101 and having a structure to allow direct current from a plasma to flow therein, wherein the DC earth formed of the conductive member 21 is located at a position where floating potential of plasma (or plasma density) is higher than the floating potential of plasma 9 located near a wafer holding electrode 14 where there is relatively large wall chipping.

Abstract: An etching technique capable of applying etching at high selectivity to a transition metal element-containing electrode material layer which is formed on or above a dielectric material layer made of a high-dielectric-constant or “high-k” insulator is provided. To this end, place a workpiece on a lower electrode located within a vacuum processing vessel. The workpiece has a multilayer structure of an electrode material layer which contains therein a transition metal element and a dielectric material layer made of high-k insulator. Then, while introducing a processing gas into the vacuum processing vessel, high-frequency power is applied to inside of the vacuum processing vessel, thereby performing plasma conversion of the introduced processing gas so that the workpiece is etched at its surface. When etching the electrode material layer, an HCl gas is supplied as the processing gas.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is disclosed for removing the deposition film in the processing chamber and suppressing the corrosion of wall surface material. The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generating means, a monitor means for detecting the existence of a reaction product containing a material constituting an inner wall of the processing chamber, and an alarm means for notifying that the existence of the reaction product containing the material constituting the inner wall of the processing chamber has exceeded a predetermined amount. The plasma processing apparatus is configured such that plasma cleaning is performed for every arbitrary etching process, and a wall surface stabilization process is subsequently performed using O2 gas or F gas.

Abstract: A system including: a film thickness measuring apparatus for measuring a film thickness of a member to be processed, including: a differential waveform pattern data base for holding a standard pattern consisting of a time differential value of an interference light for each of multiple wavelengths with respect to a film thickness of a first member to be processed; a unit for measuring an intensity of an interference light for each of multiple wavelengths of a second member to be processed; a unit for obtaining a real pattern consisting of time differential values of measured interference light intensities; and a unit for determining a processed amount of the film by using a pattern of zero-cross points of the differential values of intensities of the received interference light for a second wavelength among the received interference lights of the multiple wavelengths.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber and a sample base, and processing a sample by using plasma generated inside the processing chamber, the processing chamber being located inside a vacuum container, the sample base being located inside the processing chamber, the sample being mounted on the sample base, the plasma processing apparatus including a component member configuring inner-side wall surface of the processing chamber, and having a dielectric portion on the inner-side wall surface, an exhaustion unit for exhausting the inside of the processing chamber, and an electric-field supply unit for supplying an electric field to the component member in a state where the plasma will not be generated inside the processing chamber, wherein magnitude of the electric field supplied from the electric-field supply unit is changed rapidly while exhausting the inside of the processing chamber by the exhaustion unit.

Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a specimen is subjected to plasma processing, a specimen holder for holding the specimen, the specimen holder including a temperature controller for controlling temperatures at at least 2 positions of the specimen, at least two gas supply sources for supplying processing gases, at least two gas inlets for introducing the processing gases into the processing chamber, a regulator for independently controlling the compositions or the flow rates of the processing gases introduced from the at least two gas inlets and the temperatures controlled with at least two temperature controllers in the specimen holder, and an electromagnetic wave supply unit for sending an electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber, wherein the compositions or the flow rates of the processing gases introduced from the gas inlets and the temperature controlled with the temperature controllers in the specimen holder are independently controlled.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a sample by reducing a pressure within a processing chamber, including mounting the sample on a sample holder disposed in the processing chamber, and processing using a plasma generated in the processing chamber above the sample holder while supplying a gas for heat transfer to a space between a surface of the sample holder having the sample mounted thereon and a rear surface of the sample. The sample holder has a plurality of substantially ring-shaped depressed portions at the surface where the sample is mounted. A pressure in a space between the depressed portions arranged at a central portion of the sample holder with respect to outer circumferential portion and the sample is set to be lower than a pressure in a space between the depressed portions at the outer circumferential portion and the sample.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a specimen placed on a table disposed inside of a processing chamber by using plasmas formed in the processing chamber in which the table is disposed. A first member is placed in contact with the specimen and a second member is disposed below the first member. A temperature control device is disposed inside the table for controlling the temperature of the outer circumferential zone and the central zone of the table to first and second temperatures, respectively. A pressure control device is also provided for controlling pressure between the surface of the table and the specimen.

Abstract: A semiconductor fabricating method including: placing the semiconductor wafer having a film thereon inside of a chamber; generating plasma; detecting a quantity of interference lights for each of at least two wavelengths obtained from a surface of the wafer for a predetermined time period during the etching of the wafer; detecting a first time point at which the detected quantity of interference lights for one of the two wavelengths becomes a maximum and a second time point at which the detected quantity of interference lights for the other wavelength becomes a minimum; determining a state of etching based on a result of comparing a predetermined value with an interval between the first and second time points, wherein both time points are detected by using outputs of a detector for detecting a quantity of the interference lights; and controlling etching in accordance with the determining.