Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container, an exhaust unit, an exhaust plate, an RF power application unit connected to a second electrode but not connected to the first electrode and configured to apply an RF power with a single frequency, the second electrode being connected to no power supply that applies an RF power other than the RF power with the single frequency, a DC power supply connected to the first electrode but not connected to the second electrode, the first electrode being connected to no power supply that applies an RF power, and a conductive member within the process container grounded to release through plasma a current caused by the DC voltage, the conductive member supported by the first shield part and laterally protruding therefrom only at a position that is located, in a height-wise direction, between a mount face and the exhaust plate and below a bottom of a focus ring.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck enclosing an electrostatic electrode plate and a chamber having a ground potential and housing the electrostatic chuck. When the absolute value of the potential generated at a wafer after DC discharge is generated between the wafer and the chamber is 0.5 kV, the potential of the electrostatic electrode plate is changed from 2.5 kV to 1.5 kV to generate DC discharge so that the absolute value of the potential of a placing surface of the wafer of the electrostatic chuck becomes 0.5 kV after the plasma etching process, the polarities of the potential of the placing surface after the change and the wafer become the same, and the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber becomes 0.5 kV or more. The wafer is then removed from the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum-evacuable processing chamber, a first lower electrode for supporting a substrate to be processed thereon is disposed in the processing chamber and an upper electrode is disposed above the first lower electrode to face the first lower electrode. Further, a second lower electrode is disposed under the first lower electrode while being electrically isolated from the first lower electrode. A processing gas supply unit supplies a processing gas into a space between the upper electrode and the first lower electrode. A first high frequency power supply unit applies a first high frequency power of a first frequency to the first lower electrode, and a second high frequency power supply unit applies a second high frequency power of a second frequency higher than the first frequency to the second lower electrode.

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: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum evacuable processing chamber, at least a portion of which is formed of a dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit for supporting a target substrate in the processing chamber; and a processing gas supply unit for supplying a desired processing gas into the processing chamber. Further, the plasma processing apparatus includes an RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window; a high frequency power supply unit for supplying to the RF antenna a high frequency power; and a switching network switched among a parallel mode, a multiplication series mode, and a minimization series mode.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a first radio frequency power supply for outputting a first radio frequency power, the first radio frequency power supply being electrically connected to a first electrode arranged in the processing chamber, a heater power supply for supplying electric power to a heating element provided in the first electrode, first and second power supply lines for electrically interconnecting the heating element and the heater power supply, and a filter circuit provided in the first and second power supply lines for attenuating radio frequency noises coming from the heating element. The filter circuit includes a first and a second air-core coil respectively provided on the first and the second power supply line at an initial stage of the filter circuit when viewed from the heating element, the air-core coils being in a coaxial relationship with each other and having substantially the same winding length.

Abstract: In an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, it is possible to control a plasma density distribution while suppressing a wavelength effect within a RF antenna. Provided at a ceiling of a chamber 10 or above a dielectric window 52 is a circular ring-shaped RF antenna 54 for generating inductively coupled plasma within the chamber 10. This RF antenna 54 includes two coil segments 84(1) and 84(2) each having a semicircular arc shape. The coil segments 84(1) and 84(2) are electrically connected to each other in parallel with respect to a high frequency power supply unit 62. On the dielectric window 52, a circular ring-shaped floating coil 60 having a variable capacitor 58 coupled to the RF antenna 54 by an electromagnetic induction is provided. The variable capacitor 58 is varied in a certain range by a capacitance varying unit 82 under the control of a main controller 80.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma process can effectively and properly control plasma density distribution within donut-shaped plasma in a processing chamber is provided. In an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, a RF antenna 54 disposed above a dielectric window 52 is segmented in a diametrical direction into an inner coil 58, an intermediate coil 60, and an outer coil 62 in order to generate inductively coupled plasma. Between a first node NA and a second node NB provided in high frequency transmission lines of the high frequency power supply unit 66, a variable intermediate capacitor 86 and a variable outer capacitor 88 are electrically connected in series to the intermediate coil 60 and the outer coil 62, respectively, and no reactance device is connected to the inner coil 58.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck enclosing an electrostatic electrode plate and a chamber having a ground potential and housing the electrostatic chuck. When the absolute value of the potential generated at a wafer after DC discharge is generated between the wafer and the chamber is 0.5 kV, the potential of the electrostatic electrode plate is changed from 2.5 kV to 1.5 kV to generate DC discharge so that the absolute value of the potential of a placing surface of the wafer of the electrostatic chuck becomes 0.5 kV after the plasma etching process, the polarities of the potential of the placing surface after the change and the wafer become the same, and the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber becomes 0.5 kV or more. The wafer is then removed from the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck enclosing an electrostatic electrode plate and a chamber having a ground potential and housing the electrostatic chuck. DC discharge is generated between a wafer and the chamber by setting the potential of the electrostatic electrode plate of the electrostatic chuck which is maintained at a first predetermined potential during a plasma etching process to a ground potential after the plasma etching process to increase the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber. DC discharge is then re-generated by applying, to the electrostatic electrode plate, DC voltage having the same potential as a second predetermined potential which is generated at the wafer after the DC discharge is generated, and by increasing the absolute value of the potential difference between the wafer and the chamber. The wafer is then easily removed from the electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum evacuable processing chamber; a first electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber; a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber; and a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to a processing space between the first and the second electrode. The apparatus further includes a first high frequency power supply for applying a first high frequency power for generating a plasma of the processing gas to at least one of the first and the second electrode; and a cavity plasma generation unit, having a cavity formed in one of the first and the second electrode, for generating a plasma of a discharging gas in the cavity.

Abstract: In an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, an RF antenna 54 provided on a dielectric window 52 is split into an inner coil 58, an intermediate coil 60, and an outer coil 62 in a radial direction. When traveling along each of the coils from a high frequency power supply 72 to a ground potential member via a RF power supply line 68, the RF antenna 54, and an earth line 70, a direction passing through the inner coil 58 and the outer coil 62 is a counterclockwise direction, whereas a direction passing through the intermediate coil 60 is a clockwise direction. Further, a variable intermediate capacitor 86 and a variable outer capacitor 88 are electrically connected in series with the intermediate coil 60 and the outer coil 62, respectively, between the first and second nodes NA and NB.

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: A cleaning substrate that can prevent a decrease in the operating rate of a substrate processing apparatus. The cleaning substrate that cleans the interior of a chamber in the substrate processing apparatus has a removal mechanism that removes foreign matter in the chamber.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum-evacuable processing chamber, a first lower electrode for supporting a substrate to be processed thereon is disposed in the processing chamber and an upper electrode is disposed above the first lower electrode to face the first lower electrode. Further, a second lower electrode is disposed under the first lower electrode while being electrically isolated from the first lower electrode. A processing gas supply unit supplies a processing gas into a space between the upper electrode and the first lower electrode. A first high frequency power supply unit applies a first high frequency power of a first frequency to the first lower electrode, and a second high frequency power supply unit applies a second high frequency power of a second frequency higher than the first frequency to the second lower electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for supporting a wafer disposed opposite each other within a process chamber. A first RF power supply configured to apply a first RF power having a relatively higher frequency is connected to the upper electrode. A second RF power supply configured to apply a second RF power having a relatively lower frequency is connected to the lower electrode. A variable DC power supply is connected to the upper electrode. A process gas is supplied into the process chamber while any one of application voltage, application current, and application power from the variable DC power supply to the upper electrode is controlled, to generate plasma of the process gas so as to perform plasma etching.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum-evacuable processing chamber, a first lower electrode for supporting a substrate to be processed thereon is disposed in the processing chamber and an upper electrode is disposed above the first lower electrode to face the first lower electrode. Further, a second lower electrode is disposed under the first lower electrode while being electrically isolated from the first lower electrode. A processing gas supply unit supplies a processing gas into a space between the upper electrode and the first lower electrode. A first high frequency power supply unit applies a first high frequency power of a first frequency to the first lower electrode, and a second high frequency power supply unit applies a second high frequency power of a second frequency higher than the first frequency to the second lower electrode.

Abstract: There is provided an inductively coupled plasma etching apparatus capable of suppressing a wavelength effect within a RF antenna and performing a plasma process uniformly in both a circumferential and a radial direction. In the plasma etching apparatus, a RF antenna 54 is provided on a dielectric window 52 to generate inductively coupled plasma. The RF antenna 54 includes an inner coil 58, an intermediate coil 60 and an outer coil 62 in the radial direction. The inner coil 58 includes a single inner coil segment 59 or more than one inner coil segments 59 connected in series. The intermediate coil 60 includes two intermediate coil segments 61(1) and 61(2) separated in a circumferential direction and electrically connected with each other in parallel. The outer coil 62 includes three outer coil segments 63(1), 63(2) and 63(3) separated in a circumferential direction and electrically connected with each other in parallel.

Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a dielectric window; a substrate holding unit for holding thereon a processing target substrate within the processing chamber; a processing gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber in order to perform a plasma process on the substrate; a RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window in order to generate plasma of the processing gas within the processing chamber by inductive coupling; and a high frequency power supply unit configured to supply a high frequency power having a frequency for generating a high frequency electric discharge of the processing gas. Here, the RF antenna includes a plurality of coil segments that are arranged along a loop having a preset shape and a preset size while electrically connected in parallel to each other.

Abstract: There is provided an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus capable of reducing a RF power loss within a high frequency power supply unit (particularly, a matching unit) and capable of enhancing a plasma generation efficiency. In this inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, a multiple number of closed-loop secondary circuits 96, 98 independent from each other are formed between a coaxial antenna group 54 and a transformer 68. Further, by varying electrostatic capacitances of variable capacitors 64 and 66, secondary currents I2A and I2B flowing through an inner antenna 58 and an outer antenna 60, respectively, of the coaxial antenna group 54 are independently controlled. Accordingly, it is possible to readily control a plasma density distribution on a semiconductor wafer W in a diametrical direction.