JP2002270396A - Plasma processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for attaining optimization of material selection of a reinforcement rib used for break prevention of dielectric top board and its long-life. SOLUTION: By connecting a gas introduction parts 4 and a gas diffusion parts 6 to the reinforcement rib 3 prepared for breakage prevention of the dielectric top board 2, a structure is constituted that gas is made to distribute uniformly on a substrate 9 in a vacuum processing room 8 from a gas blow-off hole 7 arranged in the gas diffusion parts 6. By this, the function for gas blowing-off can be separated from the reinforcement rib 3, and optimization of material selection and long-life can be made to attain.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus such as a dry etching apparatus used for manufacturing an electronic device such as a liquid crystal device, and more particularly to a plasma generated by exciting a gas in a processing chamber using electromagnetic waves. And a plasma processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a plasma processing apparatus which excites a gas in a processing chamber by using an electromagnetic wave and processes a substrate by using generated plasma, a gas is supplied from a reinforcing rib in contact with a vacuum side of a dielectric top plate toward a substrate surface. The gas is blown out like a shower.

The conventional configuration of this type of plasma processing apparatus is as follows:
This is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a gas is introduced through a gas inlet provided in the reinforcing rib 3, and further,
The gas is blown out uniformly into the vacuum processing chamber 8 through the gas main passage 5 and the gas blowout hole 7 provided in the reinforcing rib 3, and is exhausted by the exhaust passage. The gas in the vacuum processing chamber 8 is excited by an electromagnetic wave generated by applying high-frequency power to the coil 1 provided on the dielectric top plate 2, and is mounted on a substrate stage 10 in the processing chamber by generated plasma. The placed substrate 9 is processed.

[0004]

In general, when performing plasma processing, a thin film on a substrate can be uniformly processed by generating plasma uniformly at a target location in a processing chamber. As means for generating uniform plasma, it is generally effective to supply a process gas uniformly to the substrate surface.

However, in the conventional gas blowing method, a complicated gas introduction path and fine gas blowing holes are provided in the reinforcing rib for the purpose of uniformly supplying the process gas onto the substrate surface. It has been difficult to uniformly and uniformly perform a surface treatment for imparting corrosion resistance to a process gas. For this reason, it is necessary to select a material having corrosion resistance to the process gas for the reinforcing rib itself, and to reduce the weight required for improving the electrical characteristics and maintainability required for the plasma processing apparatus or to reduce the cost of parts. This caused a problem that it was difficult to select the target material.

Further, even when plasma processing is performed using a reinforcing rib made of a material having high corrosion resistance to a process gas, the gas introduction path and the gas blowing hole deteriorate as the frequency of use increases. For example, there is a problem that the reinforcing ribs themselves must be replaced with new ones, even though the ribs have a sufficient function as the ribs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a plasma processing apparatus which can solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, can select an optimum material for a reinforcing rib, and can easily maintain the same.

[0008]

To achieve this object, the present invention provides a gas supply device for supplying gas into a vacuum processing chamber, an exhaust device for exhausting the vacuum processing chamber, and a vacuum processing chamber. Processes a substrate placed on a substrate stage in a vacuum processing chamber by radiating electromagnetic waves to generate plasma in a vacuum processing chamber. In the plasma processing apparatus, a reinforcing rib for contacting the dielectric top plate on the vacuum side to reinforce the top plate, and a gas introduction component for introducing the gas provided in the reinforcing rib into the vacuum processing chamber, A gas diffusion component connected to the gas introduction component for uniformly diffusing the gas into the vacuum processing chamber is provided.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a substrate 9 is placed on a substrate stage 10 in a vacuum processing chamber 8, and a vacuum is supplied from an exhaust path 11. The processing chamber 8 is evacuated. After evacuation, the process gas passes through a gas main path 5 provided in a gas introduction part 4 connected to a reinforcing rib 3 provided to prevent damage to the dielectric top plate 2, and a gas diffusion part 6. And is uniformly distributed on the substrate 9 in the vacuum processing chamber 8. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the main gas path 5 may be circular or polygonal, and its cross-sectional area is 3 m.
from m ² may be set to 30 mm ² approximately. Gas blowout hole 7
May be, for example, about 0.5 mm to 2 mm in diameter. The gas diffusion component 6 may be a pipe-shaped component or a block-shaped component provided with a gas path. Accordingly, it is not necessary to provide a gas introduction path and a gas blowout hole in the reinforcing ribs 3, so that a surface treatment for imparting corrosion resistance to a process gas can be uniformly applied to the entire reinforcing ribs 3. Become. Therefore, for the reinforcing ribs 3, it is possible to select a material that emphasizes weight reduction for improving electrical characteristics and maintainability.

Further, even if the gas introduction path 5 and the gas blowout hole 7 are deteriorated due to an increase in the frequency of use, the life of the reinforcement rib 3 can be extended because the gas introduction component 4 and the reinforcement rib 3 are separated. become.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a plasma processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
A gas-introducing component 4 is inserted into a hole provided up to the center of the vacuum processing chamber 8 through a gas diffusing component 6.
With such a structure, the process gas can be uniformly supplied from around the center of the upper part of the vacuum processing chamber 8 toward the surface of the substrate 9.

At this time, the parts 4 for introducing gas and the parts 6 for diffusing gas are made to have corrosion resistance to the process gas, so that the life of each part can be extended.

In addition to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, a path for introducing a gas into the component 6 itself for gas diffusion is provided, and the gas is once introduced to the central portion on the substrate.
After that, the gas is introduced into the vacuum processing chamber 8 through the gas diffusion path and the gas blowing holes provided in the gas diffusion path, so that the gas can be uniformly supplied onto the surface of the substrate 9. Becomes

[0015]

According to the plasma processing apparatus of the present invention, components for gas introduction and components for gas diffusion are connected to the reinforcing ribs provided for preventing the dielectric top plate from being damaged as described above. This eliminates the need to provide a gas introduction path and gas blowout holes in the reinforcing ribs,
A surface treatment for imparting corrosion resistance to a process gas can be uniformly applied to the entire reinforcing rib, and a material can be selected with an emphasis on weight reduction for improving electrical characteristics and maintainability. Further, even if the gas introduction path and the gas blowout hole are deteriorated due to an increase in the frequency of use, the gas introduction component and the reinforcing rib are separated, so that the service life of the reinforcing rib can be extended.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the plasma processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a plasma processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional plasma processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional plasma processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Dielectric top plate 3 Reinforcement rib 4 Gas introduction component 6 Gas diffusion component 7 Gas blowout hole

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A gas supply device for supplying a gas into a vacuum processing chamber, an exhaust device for exhausting the vacuum processing chamber, and a coil formed on a top plate made of a dielectric material of the vacuum processing chamber. In the plasma processing apparatus configured of electrodes and generating plasma in the vacuum processing chamber by radiating electromagnetic waves, and processing a substrate mounted on a substrate stage in the vacuum processing chamber, the dielectric top plate on the vacuum side A reinforcing rib that contacts and reinforces the top plate, a gas introduction component that introduces the gas provided in the reinforcement rib into the vacuum processing chamber, and a gas introduction component that is connected to the gas introduction component. A plasma processing apparatus comprising a gas diffusion component for uniformly diffusing a gas. 2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas introduction component for introducing a gas into the vacuum processing chamber has a pipe shape and can be inserted into a hole provided in a reinforcing rib. 3. The gas introduction component for introducing a gas into a vacuum processing chamber is made of a material having corrosion resistance to a process gas used during vacuum processing. 3. The plasma processing apparatus according to 1.