Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus that generates a uniform plasma, thus allowing uniform processing of large-diameter wafers. The cylindrical apparatus includes a wafer mounting table, a silica plate providing an airtight seal, a microwave supplier for propagating a microwave in TE11 mode, and a cylindrical waveguide connected at one end to the microwave supplier. A radial waveguide box is connected between the other end of the cylindrical waveguide and the silica plate. The radial waveguide box extends radially outward from the cylindrical waveguide, forming a flange and defining an interior waveguide space. A disc-shaped slot antenna is located at the lower end of the radial waveguide box, above the silica plate. A circularly-polarized wave converter disposed in the cylindrical waveguide rotates the TE11-mode microwave about the axis of the cylindrical waveguide, and sends the rotating microwave to the radial waveguide box.

Abstract: An etching apparatus has an antenna connected to a radio frequency power supply through a matching box. At the center region of a dielectric plate, a columnar conductor and a cylindrical conduct ring are arranged. Between the columnar conductor and the conductor ring, four conducting wires, each of which forms a substantially circular loop outside the conductor ring, are connected in parallel with the radio frequency power supply. A loop formed by each of the conducting wires is arranged at an equal spacing with each other to be rotationally-symmetric around the axis orthogonal to a mounting table, with the columnar conductor as the center. The loops are arranged on the same plane such that a surface where each loop is placed faces the mounting table.

Abstract: An antenna portion includes a radial waveguide made of metal and connected to a lower end of a waveguide pipe, and a slot antenna. A top plate is arranged above a chamber. A layer of air is formed between the antenna portion and the top plate. Half a difference between an inner diameter B of a region, in which the top plate and the antenna portion are present, and an inner diameter A of the radial waveguide is equal to a product of a wave length ?g of the microwave, which is based on a composite dielectric constant resulting from a dielectric constant of the top plate and a dielectric constant of an atmosphere (air layer) in the region containing the top plate and the antenna portion, and zero or a natural number. An inner diameter C of the chamber is equal to or shorter than the inner diameter A of the radial waveguide. Thereby, the electromagnetic field for forming the plasma production region is controlled to achieve a uniform plasma density.

Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a vessel (1) which accommodates a target object (W), ultraviolet light-generating means (41) for outputting ultraviolet light (UV) toward an atmosphere (P) containing radicals in the vessel (1), ultraviolet light-receiving means (42) for receiving the ultraviolet light (UV) passing through the atmosphere (P), and analysis control means (43, 44) for obtaining a density of the radicals in the atmosphere (P) on the basis of an output signal from the ultraviolet light-receiving means (42), to control a process parameter. The density of the radicals can be held at a constant level, and process reproducibility can be improved.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a table (22) on which a processing target (W) is to be placed, a processing vessel (11) where the table is to be accommodated, and a power feed unit (40) for supplying a high-frequency electromagnetic field (F) into the processing vessel. The power supply unit includes at least a cylindrical waveguide (41) for introducing the high-frequency electromagnetic field, and a circular polarization antenna (51) arranged at one end of the cylindrical waveguide to supply the high-frequency electromagnetic field as a rotating electromagnetic field rotating in a plane perpendicular to its traveling direction. Accordingly, there is no need of providing a circular polarization converter for converting the high-frequency electromagnetic field in the cylindrical waveguide into the rotating electromagnetic field.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container 53, a mounting table 61 arranged in the processing container 53 to support a wafer W, a sealing plate 55 opposed to the wafer W supported by the mounting table 61, an annular antenna 73 arranged on the sealing plate 55 and consisting of an annular waveguide to introduce a microwave into the processing container 53 through the sealing plate 55, the annular antenna 73 being arranged so that a plane containing an annular waveguide path defined by the annular waveguide is generally parallel with the sealing plate 55, a directional coupler 79 arranged on the periphery of the annular antenna 73, a propagation waveguide 81 connected to the directional coupler 79 and a microwave oscillator 83 connected to the propagation waveguide 81. Accordingly, it is possible to form an uniform microwave in the antenna, so that an uniform plasma can be produced in the processing container.

Abstract: A plasma processing device includes a susceptor, processing vessel, dielectric plate, antenna, and projection. The susceptor has a stage surface on which a target object is to be arranged. The processing vessel accommodates the susceptor and has an opening in a side which opposes the stage surface of the susceptor. The dielectric plate closes the opening of the processing vessel. The antenna supplies a high-frequency electromagnetic field into the processing vessel through the dielectric plate. The projection projects from a surface of the antenna which opposes the dielectric plate toward the dielectric plate. The projection is conductive at least at its surface. A plasma processing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A machining device includes first branched waveguides (71A-71C) and second branched waveguides (73A-73C) connected perpendicularly to an axial (Z) direction of a cylindrical waveguide (14) and having one end which opens in the cylindrical waveguide (14) and the other end which is electrically short-circuited. The first branched waveguides (71A-71C) are arranged at a predetermined interval in an axial (z) direction of the cylindrical waveguide (14). The second branched waveguides (73A-73C) are arranged in positions which make an angle of 90° with positions of the first branched waveguides (71A-71C) when viewed from the axis (Z) of the cylindrical waveguide (14), and arranged at a predetermined interval in the axial (Z) direction of the cylindrical waveguide (14). With this arrangement, it is possible to accurately and easily control the impedance matching between the supply side and load side of the cylindrical waveguide (14).

Abstract: A apparatus includes a waveguide (21) including a first conductive plate (23) having a plurality of slots (26) and a second conductive plate (22) arranged opposite to the former plate, a cylindrical waveguide (13) connected to an opening of the second conductive plate (22), and a bump (27) provided on the first conductive plate (23) and projecting toward the opening (25) of the second conductive plate (22). At least part of the bump (27) is made of a dielectric. The cylindrical waveguide (13) larger in characteristic impedance than in a coaxial waveguide is used to generally reduce a transmission loss. The bump (27) can reduce power reflection at the connecting portion of the cylindrical waveguide (13) and waveguide (21). A transmission loss and power reflection thus reduced can enhance an electromagnetic field supply efficiency.

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave absorber (4) of a material that causes a large dielectric or magnetic loss is disposed so as to surround a region between a high-frequency wave transmitting window (3) and an antenna (32) to suppress the formation of a sanding wave by suppressing the reflection of microwaves.

Abstract: On the top wall of a processing vessel 1 of a plasma processing system, a transmission window 10 capable of transmitting microwaves is provided. On the top of the transmission window 10, a microwave antenna 2 is mounted. Microwaves are supplied from a microwave supply source 3 to the antenna 2 through a connecting waveguide 4. The antenna 2 has two ring-shaped antenna waveguides 5a and 5b which are substantially concentrically arranged. Each of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b comprises a rectangular waveguide having a bottom wall in which a plurality of slots 6a and 6b are formed at intervals, and the proximal end portion of each of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b is connected to the connecting waveguide 4. The proximal end portions 7a and 7b of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b are provided with control gates 9a and 9b for varying the size of apertures, respectively.

Abstract: A slot array antenna, comprising: a power feeding waveguide for feeding microwave power; and a plurality of rectangular radiating waveguides connected to a plurality of windows which are disposed along the longitudinal direction of the power feeding waveguide, so as to guide the microwave power from the plurality of windows to the outside of the antenna. In each of the radiating waveguides, the interval “d” between the centers of gravity of slot pairs or slots is substantially the same as the wavelength &lgr;m of the microwave in the rectangular radiating waveguide.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: at least, a plasma processing chamber for processing therein an object to be processed; antenna means for guiding microwaves into the plasma processing chamber; and a dielectric member disposed between the antenna means and the plasma processing chamber; wherein a surface of the dielectric member facing the inside of the plasma processing chamber has a projecting shape.

Abstract: A radial antenna (30) for supplying an electromagnetic field into a processing vessel has slots (36) that are arranged along a spiral line having an interval d of approximately N times (N is a natural number) a wavelength &lgr;g of the electromagnetic field within the radial antenna (30). The electromagnetic field is fed from the center of the radial antenna (30) in a rotational mode.

Abstract: A plasma apparatus includes a container (11) having an opening, a dielectric member (13) supported by an end surface of an outer periphery of the opening of the container (11), an electromagnetic field supplying means for supplying an electromagnetic field into the container (11) through the dielectric member (13), and a shield member (12) covering the outer periphery of the dielectric member (13) and shielding the electromagnetic field. A distance L1 from an inner surface of the container (11) to an inner surface of the shield member (12) at an end surface of the container (11) is approximately N/2 (N is an integer not smaller than 0) times the wavelength of the electromagnetic field in an area (18) surrounded by the end surface of the container (11), the electromagnetic field supplying means and the shield member (12).

Abstract: A plasma device includes a slot antenna (30) for supplying a high frequency electromagnetic field (F) supplied through a feeding part into a processing vessel (11). The feeding part has a cavity (35) for forming a resonator and converting the fed high frequency electromagnetic field (F) into a rotating electromagnetic field and supplying the rotating electromagnetic field to the slot antenna (30).

Abstract: An electromagnetic wave absorber (4) of a material that causes a large dielectric or magnetic loss is disposed so as to surround a region between a high-frequency wave transmitting window (3) and an antenna (32) to suppress the formation of a sanding wave by suppressing the reflection of microwaves.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus has a process container, a carriage housed in the process container and having a surface for carrying an object to be processed, and a slot antenna disposed to oppose the carrying surface of the carriage and having a radiation plane formed with a plurality of slots so as to radiate electromagnetic fields to the inside of the process container through the plurality of slots. The slot antenna radiates the electromagnetic fields in a direction oblique to the normal direction of the radiation plane.

Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target material which has a high reflectance and which is excellent in a sulfurization resistance, comprising an Ag alloy prepared by alloying Ag with a specific small amount of the metal component (A) selected from In, Sn and Zn, a specific small amount of the metal component (B) selected from Au, Pd and Pt and, if necessary, a small amount of Cu.

Abstract: A plasma apparatus includes a slot antenna (30) supplying an electromagnetic field to a container in which plasma is generated. Slot antenna (30) has a slot (36) so formed that a radiation plane (31) at a periphery B thereof allows the electromagnetic field to provide radiation smaller per unit area in amount than at an intermediate region C thereof located between a center A and periphery B thereof.