Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus capable of minimizing the non-uniformity of potential distribution around wafer circumference, and providing a uniform process across the wafer surface. The apparatus is equipped with a focus ring formed of a dielectric, a conductor or a semiconductor and having RF applied thereto, the design of which is optimized for processing based on a design technique clarifying physical conditions for flattening a sheath-plasma interface above a wafer and the sheath-plasma interface above the focus ring. A surface voltage of the focus ring is determined to be not less than a minimum voltage for preventing reaction products caused by wafer processing from depositing thereon.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus having enhanced plasma processing uniformity. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1, means 13 and 14 for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber, evacuation means 25 and 26 for decompressing the processing chamber 1, an electrode 4 on which an object 2 to be processed such as a wafer is placed, and an electromagnetic radiation power supply 5A, wherein at least two kinds of processing gases having different composition ratios of 02 or N2are introduced into the processing chamber through different gas inlets so as to control the in-plane uniformity of the critical dimension while maintaining the in-plane uniformity of the process depth.

Abstract: A vacuum processing method includes mounting a sample to be processed on a sample mounting surface on a sample holder placed in a vacuum container whose inside can be depressurized, feeding a processing gas and electric field to a space above the sample holder inside of the vacuum container to generate plasma, and etching films of a plurality of layers laid over the surface of the sample into a predetermined shape. A heat conducting gas is fed between the sample mounting surface and the backside of the sample, and at the same time, the pressure of the heat conducting gas is changed stepwise in accordance with the progress of the processing of the films of a plurality of layers of the sample.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing method and plasma processing device for manufacturing semiconductor devices in which the number of foreign particles being adhered to the wafer is reduced greatly and the yield is improved. In a plasma processing device having a plasma source capable of controlling plasma distribution, the shape of a sheath/bulk boundary above the wafer is controlled to a convexed shape when the plasma is turned on and off. By adding a step of applying a low source power and wafer bias power when the plasma is turned on and off in order to realize an out-high plasma distribution, it is possible to form a sheath that is thicker near the center of the wafer and thinner at the outer circumference portion thereof.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber disposed within a vacuum vessel for forming therein a plasma, a sample table disposed beneath the processing chamber for mounting on its upper surface a workpiece to be processed, an electrode disposed within the sample table for allowing application of high frequency power for adjustment of a surface potential of the workpiece, a passage disposed within the sample table for causing a refrigerant to flow therein, and a control device for adjusting a temperature of the refrigerant flowing in the passage. The workpiece is processed using a plasma created within the processing chamber under application of the high frequency power. Before application of the high frequency power, the control device starts to adjust the temperature of the refrigerant based on information of the high frequency power so that it has a predetermined value.

Abstract: Provided is a vacuum processing apparatus or processing method which, when films of a plurality of layers are etched into a predetermined shape, eliminates a deficiency in shape formed by sample processing, increases the aspect ratio of the processed shape, and provides a more precise shape.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus capable of preventing the production of particle and preventing the influence of particle on the sample. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber; process gas introducing means for introducing process gas into the vacuum chamber; means, coupled to a first RF power supply, for applying RF energy to the process gas introduced into the vacuum chamber to turn the process gas into plasma; a sample mounting electrode for mounting a sample on an upper surface thereof and holding the sample in the vacuum chamber; evacuation means for evacuating the process gas in the vacuum chamber; and plasma confining means, provided on a peripheral side of the mounting electrode in the vacuum chamber, for inflecting flow of the process gas caused by the evacuation means on a downstream side of a sample mounting surface of the mounting electrode to prevent plasma from diffusing downstream of the sample mounting surface.

Abstract: In processing a semiconductor device, foreign particles that may cause defects are reduced to improve production yield without decreasing availability of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The apparatus comprises a mechanism operable to control an ion sheath 32w on an electrode 14 for mounting a wafer 2 and an ion sheath 32f on a member 141 mounted on the periphery of the electrode 14. The thickness of the ion sheath 32f is made smaller than the thickness of the ion sheath 32w to provide a slope of ion sheath 32s near the edge of the wafer 2, thereby causing ions 31 to be obliquely incident on the wafer edge to reduce deposition film on the wafer edge.

Abstract: An antenna electrode having a substantially circular shape, is arranged on a plane of a processing vessel, which is located opposite to a stage for mounting a sample within the processing vessel, and positioned parallel to the stage. An emission monitor monitors emission intensity of plasma present in at least 3 different points along a radial direction of the antenna electrode. A control unit adjusts an energizing current supplied to an external coil for forming a magnetic field within the processing vessel. The control unit adjusts the energizing current supplied to the external coil based upon the monitoring result obtained from the emission monitor so as to control the emission intensity of the plasma to become uniform emission intensity.

Abstract: A high-dielectric-constant gate insulating film 32 such as HfO2 is etched with gas plasma using gas selected from Ar gas, He gas, Ar+He mixed gas, and mixed gases formed by mixing CH4 with the preceding gases while maintaining a temperature of 40° C. or higher, thus ensuring high etching selective ratio between a HfO2 film 32 and a Poly-Si layer 33, a substrate Si layer 31 and a SiO2 mask 34, reducing the amount of loss of the substrate Si layer 31 and side etching of side walls of the Poly-Si gate portion 33 during plasma etching of HfO2.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus having enhanced plasma processing uniformity. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1, means 13 and 14 for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber, evacuation means 25 and 26 for decompressing the processing chamber 1, an electrode 4 on which an object 2 to be processed such as a wafer is placed, and an electromagnetic radiation power supply 5A, wherein at least two kinds of processing gases having different composition ratios of O2 or N2 are introduced into the processing chamber through different gas inlets so as to control the in-plane uniformity of the critical dimension while maintaining the in-plane uniformity of the process depth.

Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus capable of minimizing the non-uniformity of potential distribution around wafer circumference, and providing a uniform process across the wafer surface. The apparatus is equipped with a focus ring formed of a dielectric, a conductor or a semiconductor and having RF applied thereto, the design of which is optimized for processing based on a design technique clarifying physical conditions for flattening a sheath-plasma interface above a wafer and the sheath-plasma interface above the focus ring. A surface voltage of the focus ring is determined to be not less than a minimum voltage for preventing reaction products caused by wafer processing from depositing thereon.

Abstract: In a plasma processing method which comprises supplying a processing gas to a vacuum vessel forming a plasma production part, producing a plasma using an antenna and a Faraday shield which are provided at outer periphery of the vacuum vessel and to which a high-frequency electric power can be applied, and carrying out the processing, a voltage of at least 500 V is applied to the Faraday shield and a sample which is disposed in the vacuum vessel and which is a nonvolatile material as a material to be etched is etched.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a gas ring forming a portion of a vacuum processing chamber and having a blowing port for a processing gas, a bell jar to define a vacuum processing chamber, an antenna for supplying an RF electric field into the vacuum processing chamber to form plasmas, a sample table, a Faraday shield, and a deposition preventive plate attached detachably at least to the inner surface of the gas ring excluding the blowing port. An area of the inner surface of the gas ring including the deposition preventive plate that can be viewed from the sample surface is set to about ½ or more of the area of the sample. A susceptor made of a dielectric material covers the outer surface and the outer lateral side of the sample table. A metal film is disposed with respect to the susceptor, and an RF voltage is applied to the metal film.

Abstract: A high-dielectric-constant gate insulating film 32 such as HfO2 is etched with gas plasma using gas selected from Ar gas, He gas, Ar+He mixed gas, and mixed gases formed by mixing CH4 with the preceding gases while maintaining a temperature of 40° C. or higher, thus ensuring high etching selective ratio between a HfO2 film 32 and a Poly-Si layer 33, a substrate Si layer 31 and a SiO2 mask 34, reducing the amount of loss of the substrate Si layer 31 and side etching of sidewalls of the Poly-Si gate portion 33 during plasma etching of HfO2.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus ands a plasma processing method of excellent mass production stability by controlling deposition films deposited on the wall of a vacuum vessel are provided. This apparatus comprises a gas ring forming a portion of a vacuum processing chamber and having a blowing port for a processing gas, a bell jar covering a portion above the gas ring to define a vacuum processing chamber, an antenna, disposed above the bell jar, for supplying RF electric fields into the vacuum processing chamber to form plasmas, a sample table for placing a sample in the vacuum processing chamber, a Faraday shield disposed between the antenna and the bell jar and applied with an RF bias voltage, and a deposition preventive plate attached detachably to the inner surface of the gas ring excluding the blowing port for the processing gas.

Abstract: In a plasma processing method which comprises supplying a processing gas to a vacuum vessel 2 forming a plasma production part, producing a plasma 6 using an antenna 1 and a Faraday shield 8 which are provided at outer periphery of the vacuum vessel and to which a high-frequency electric power can be applied, and carrying out the processing, a voltage of at least 500 V is applied to the Faraday shield 8 and a sample 12 which is disposed in the vacuum vessel 2 and which is a nonvolatile material as a material to be etched is etched.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having a process chamber, a process gas feeding pipe for introducing a process gas into the process chamber, a holding electrode for receiving and holding a sample placed in the process chamber, a bias-potential-generating radio-frequency power source for supplying a bias potential to the sample, and an induction coil to produce a plasma, wherein the process chamber comprises a conductor member, disposed to face a portion of an internal surface of the process chamber, for supplying a bias potential to the portion, and a detachable trap member having a surface for deposition of reaction products formed at another portion of the internal surface of the process chamber.

Abstract: In a plasma processing method which comprises supplying a processing gas to a vacuum vessel 2 forming a plasma production part, producing a plasma 6 using an antenna 1 and a Faraday shield 8 which are provided at outer periphery of the vacuum vessel and to which a high-frequency electric power can be applied, and carrying out the processing, a voltage of at least 500 V is applied to the Faraday shield 8 and a sample 12 which is disposed in the vacuum vessel 2 and which is a nonvolatile material as a material to be etched is etched.

Abstract: A high-frequency power supply apparatus for a plasma generation apparatus having a modulator for generating an intermittent high-frequency output on the basis of a modulation reference signal and a peak value setting signal, the high-frequency power supply apparatus having: a first control loop for comparing the peak value of the intermittent high-frequency output detected by a peak value detector with a preset peak value of the high-frequency output so that the output controller controls the peak value of the high-frequency output to be the preset peak value; and a second control loop for calculating an average value of the intermittent high-frequency output based on the preset peak setting value and a preset duty ratio setting value and generating a modulation reference signal for controlling the modulator on the basis of the average value of the high-frequency output detected by a monitor and the average value of the high-frequency output.