CN110872691A - Plasma processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus is capable of performing desired plasma processing on a workpiece that is circularly conveyed by a rotating body, according to positions where the passing speed of the surface of the rotating body is different. It includes: a conveying part which is provided with a rotating body which is arranged in the vacuum container and carries and rotates the workpiece, and circularly conveys the workpiece by a circumferential conveying path; a defining section having a side wall portion defining a part of a gas space into which a reaction gas is introduced, and an opening facing the transport path; a gas supply unit for supplying a reaction gas to the gas space; and a plasma source for generating a plasma for plasma processing the workpiece by using the reactive gas, wherein the gas supply unit supplies the reactive gas from a plurality of supply points having different times when the gas passes through a processing region where the plasma processing is performed from the surface of the rotating body, and the plasma source is provided with an adjustment unit for individually adjusting the supply amount of the reactive gas per unit time of the plurality of supply points according to the time when the gas passes through the processing region.

Description

Plasma processing apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a plasma (plasma) processing apparatus.

Background

In a manufacturing process of various products such as a semiconductor device, a liquid crystal display (display), and an optical disk (disk), a thin film such as an optical film may be formed on a work (work) such as a wafer (wafer) or a glass substrate. The thin film can be formed by film formation of a film such as a metal on a workpiece, film treatment such as etching (etching), oxidation, or nitridation of the formed film, or the like.

Film formation or film treatment can be performed by various methods, and one of them is a method using plasma. In film formation, an inert gas is introduced into a chamber (chamber) in which a target (target) is disposed, and a direct-current voltage is applied. Ions (ion) of the inert gas which has been converted into plasma are made to collide with the target, and the material which has been knocked out from the target is deposited on the workpiece to form a film. In the film processing, a process gas (process gas) is introduced into a chamber in which an electrode is disposed, and a high-frequency voltage is applied to the electrode. Active species such as ions and radicals of the process gas converted into plasma are caused to collide with a film on the workpiece, thereby performing film processing.

There is a plasma processing apparatus in which a rotating table (table) as a rotating body is installed in one chamber, and a plurality of units for film formation and units for film processing are arranged in a circumferential direction above the rotating table, so that such film formation and film processing can be continuously performed (for example, see patent document 1). As described above, the workpiece is held on the rotary table and conveyed, and passes directly below the film forming unit and the film processing unit, thereby forming an optical film and the like.

In a plasma processing apparatus using a rotary stage, a cylindrical electrode (hereinafter, referred to as "cylindrical electrode") having an upper end closed and a lower end having an opening is sometimes used as a film processing unit. In the case of using a cylindrical electrode, an opening is provided in the upper part of the chamber, and the upper end of the cylindrical electrode is attached to the opening via an insulating edge. The side wall of the cylindrical electrode extends inside the chamber, and the opening at the lower end faces the turntable with a slight gap therebetween. The chamber is grounded, the cylindrical electrode functions as an anode (anode), and the chamber and the rotary table function as a cathode (cathode). A process gas is introduced into the inside of the cylindrical electrode and a high-frequency voltage is applied, thereby generating plasma. Electrons contained in the generated plasma flow into the rotating platform side as a cathode. The workpiece held by the rotary stage is passed under the opening of the cylindrical electrode, and active species such as ions and radicals generated by the plasma collide with the workpiece to perform film processing.

[ Prior art documents ]

[ patent document ]

[ patent document 1] Japanese patent No. 4428873 publication

[ patent document 2] Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2011-

Disclosure of Invention

[ problems to be solved by the invention ]

In recent years, since a workpiece to be processed is increased in size and an improvement in processing efficiency is also required, a region where plasma is generated to perform film formation or film processing tends to be enlarged. However, when a voltage is applied to the cylindrical electrode to generate plasma, it may be difficult to generate plasma of a wide range and high density.

In view of this, a plasma processing apparatus has been developed which generates a linear uniform plasma with a high density and scans a workpiece in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of a plasma source to perform a film processing on a large-sized workpiece (for example, see patent document 2). In such a plasma processing apparatus, a plasma source generates plasma in a gas space into which a process gas is introduced, thereby performing a film processing.

In the plasma processing apparatus using the rotating stage as described above, the following is considered: as the film processing means, a film processing section using Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma is used. In this case, it is also conceivable that the range in which the film processing is performed in the circumferential direction of the rotary stage, that is, the width of the processing region, is formed in parallel in the direction along the radial direction of the rotary stage. However, a difference occurs between the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side of the rotary table in the speed of the processed region on the surface of the rotary table. That is, the passing speed within the same distance is fast on the outer peripheral side of the rotary table and slow on the inner peripheral side. In the case where the width of the processing region is formed in parallel in the radial direction of the rotary table as described above, the outer peripheral side of the surface of the rotary table passes through the processing region in a shorter time than the inner peripheral side. Therefore, the film processing rate after the processing for a certain period of time is small on the outer peripheral side and large on the inner peripheral side.

In this way, for example, when a compound film is formed by subjecting a niobium or silicon film formed by the film formation portion to oxidation or nitridation as film treatment, the degree of oxidation or nitridation of the niobium or silicon film may be greatly different between the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side of the turntable. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve a case where uniform processing is to be performed on the entire workpiece or to change the degree of processing at a desired position of the workpiece.

For example, the above problem occurs when a wafer such as a semiconductor as a workpiece is plasma-processed while being aligned in a row in the circumferential direction on a rotary stage. Further, from the viewpoint of efficiency of the process, a more significant problem arises when a plurality of plasma processes are performed in a radial direction. Specifically, if the radius of the rotating table exceeds 1.0m and the width of the processing region in the radial direction of the rotating table is large to the extent of 0.5m, the difference in processing rate between the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side becomes very large.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus that can perform a desired plasma processing on a workpiece that is circularly conveyed by a rotating body, according to the position where the speed of passage of the surface of the rotating body is different.

[ means for solving problems ]

In order to achieve the above object, a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a vacuum container capable of making the inside vacuum; a conveying section that has a rotating body that is provided in the vacuum container and holds and rotates a workpiece, and that conveys the workpiece in a circular conveying path by rotating the rotating body; a defining section having a side wall portion defining a part of a gas space into which a reaction gas is introduced, and an opening facing the transport path inside the vacuum container; a gas supply unit configured to supply the reaction gas to the gas space; and a plasma source that generates plasma in the gas space into which the reaction gas is introduced, the plasma being used to perform plasma processing on the workpiece that has passed through the conveyance path, wherein the gas supply unit supplies the reaction gas from a plurality of supply sites that have different times when the surface of the rotating body passes through a processing region in which the plasma processing is performed, and the plasma source includes an adjustment unit that individually adjusts the supply amount of the reaction gas per unit time of the plurality of supply sites in accordance with the elapsed time.

The adjusting portion may adjust the supply amount of the reaction gas introduced from each supply portion according to a position in a direction intersecting the transport path.

The plurality of supply locations may be disposed at opposing positions in the gas space and in a direction along the conveyance path.

The adjusting unit may adjust the supply amount of the reaction gas supplied from each supply port in accordance with the film thickness of the film formed on the workpiece and the elapsed time.

The workpiece may have a convex portion on a surface to be processed on which the plasma processing is performed, a gap through which the workpiece held by the rotating body can pass may be provided between a surface of the side wall portion of the scribe portion, the surface facing the rotating body, and the side wall portion may have a concave portion along the convex portion of the workpiece.

The plurality of trays holding the workpieces may be held by the rotating body, a gap through which the workpieces held by the trays can pass may be provided between a surface of the side wall portion of the scribe portion facing the rotating body and the trays, and the trays may have convex portions along concave portions of the side wall portion. A surface of the rotating body facing the scribing portion and a surface of the plurality of trays facing the scribing portion may have portions that are continuously flush along a trajectory of the circumference.

The rotating body may hold the workpiece on a setting surface side on which the vacuum vessel is set, and the opening of the scribe portion may face the workpiece from the setting surface side.

The plasma source may be a device for generating an electron cyclotron resonance plasma in the gas space.

The plasma source may be a device that causes an inductively coupled plasma to be generated in the gas space.

[ Effect of the invention ]

According to the present invention, a desired plasma process can be performed on a workpiece that is circularly conveyed by a rotating body, depending on the position where the passing speed of the surface of the rotating body is different.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the plasma processing apparatus according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 2.

Fig. 5(a) to 5(C) are a side view (a), a plan view (B), and a perspective view (C) of the workpiece.

Fig. 6(a) to 6(C) are a side view (a), a plan view (B), and a perspective view (C) of the tray.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a shielding member of the film forming portion.

Fig. 8(a) and 8(B) are enlarged sectional views (a) showing the distance between the workpiece and the shielding member and (B) showing the distance between the workpiece and the scribe portion.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing a flow path of the process gas.

Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a modification of the tray.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a modification of the tray.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a modification of the tray.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the tray and the rotating body.

Fig. 15(a) and 15(B) are sectional views showing a modification of the pallet, where fig. 15(a) shows a case where the workpiece has a convex portion, and fig. 15(B) shows a case where the workpiece is flat.

[ description of symbols ]

1: tray

4: sputtering source

5: processing unit

6: power supply unit

8: shielding component

11: facing surface

11 a: convex part

11 b: embedded part

12: inclined plane

13: inner peripheral surface

14: peripheral surface

15: extension part

16: opening of the container

16 a: insertion part

16 b: holding part

20: vacuum container

20 a: bottom surface

20 b: top board

20 c: inner peripheral surface

21: vacuum chamber

21 a: mounting hole

21 b: o-shaped ring

22: exhaust port

23: exhaust part

24: introducing port

25: gas supply unit 30: conveying part

31: rotating body

31 a: opening of the container

31 c: lower surface

31 d: notch (S)

31 e: placing part

32: motor with a stator having a stator core

33: holding part

33 a: opening of the container

33 b: mounting part

40. 40A to 40C: film forming part

41. 41A to 41C: target material

42: back plate

43: electrode for electrochemical cell

50. 50A, 50B: film processing part

51: marking part

51 a: opening of the container

51 b: concave part

51 c: side wall part

52: window part

52 a: window hole

52 b: window component

52 c: o-shaped ring

53: gas supply unit

53 a: piping

54: regulating part

54a：MFC

55: plasma source

55 a: waveguide tube

55 b: coil

56: cooling part

56 a: piping

56 b: hollow cavity

60: load lock

70: control device

71: mechanism control unit

72: power supply control unit

73: gas control unit

74: storage unit

75: setting part

76: input/output control unit

77: input device

78: output device

80: opening of the container

81: concave part

82: bottom surface part

82 a: target material hole

83: side surface part

83 a: outer peripheral wall

83 b: inner peripheral wall

83c, 83 d: partition wall

100: plasma processing apparatus

531. 531A to 531D, 531A to 531D: supply port

C: cooling water

Cp: convex part

D1, D2: spacer

E: exhaust of gases

F: film formation region

G: reaction gas

G1: sputtering gas

G2: process gas

M1, M3: membrane treated site

M2, M4, M5: film-forming part

R: gas space

And Rp: concave part

S: film forming chamber

Sp: processing the object surface

T: conveying path

W: workpiece

X1: opposite part

X2: supporting part

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as "the present embodiments") will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[ summary ]

The plasma processing apparatus 100 shown in fig. 1 is an apparatus for forming a compound film on the surface of each workpiece W by using plasma. That is, as shown in fig. 1 to 4, in the plasma processing apparatus 100, when the rotating body 31 rotates, the workpiece W on the tray 1 held by the rotating body 31 moves on a circular trajectory. By the movement, the workpiece W repeatedly passes through a position facing the film forming section 40A, the film forming section 40B, or the film forming section 40C. Each time the workpiece W passes, particles of the target materials 41A to 41C are attached to the surface of the workpiece W by sputtering.

Further, the workpiece W repeatedly passes through a position facing the film processing section 50A or the film processing section 50B. Each time the workpiece W passes, the particles adhering to the surface of the workpiece W are combined with the substance in the introduced process gas G2 to form a compound film. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plasma processing apparatus 100, fig. 2 is a perspective bottom view, fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 2, and fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 2. In the following description, the direction of the compliant gravity is set to be downward, and conversely, the direction of the counter gravity is set to be upward. When the vacuum chamber 20 of the plasma processing apparatus 100 is installed with a surface existing in a direction conforming to gravity with respect to the vacuum chamber 20, such as a floor surface or a floor surface of a building, as an installation surface, the installation surface side is set to be lower and the opposite side to the installation surface side is set to be upper in the vacuum chamber 20.

[ work ]

As shown in a side view of fig. 5a, a plan view of fig. 5B, and a perspective view of fig. 5C, the workpiece W is a plate-shaped member having a convex portion Cp on a surface facing the processing portion, that is, a surface to be processed (hereinafter, referred to as a processing target surface Sp), and a concave portion Rp on a surface opposite to the convex portion Cp. The convex portions Cp are curved portions having a center of curvature on the opposite side of the processing target surface Sp on the processing target surface Sp, or portions connecting different planes when the processing target surface Sp is formed of a plurality of planes having different angles. That is, the convex portion Cp includes not only the case having a curved portion but also the case having an angular portion. The concave portion Rp refers to a portion on the opposite side of the convex portion Cp.

In the present embodiment, the workpiece W is a rectangular substrate, and the convex portions Cp are formed on the processing target surface Sp by the bent portions formed on one short side. That is, in the present embodiment, the side that is stretched by bending is the convex portion Cp, and the side that is stretched by bending is the concave portion Rp. The processing target surface Sp from the convex portion Cp to the other short side of the workpiece W is a flat surface.

[ tray ]

As shown in a side view of fig. 6(a), a plan view of fig. 6(B), and a perspective view of fig. 6(C), the tray 1 is a member that holds the workpiece W. The tray 1 is a plate-like body having a substantially fan-like shape, and one surface thereof is an opposing surface 11 that faces the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 as the processing sections. In the present embodiment, when the tray 1 is mounted on the rotating body 31, the facing surface 11 faces downward as shown in fig. 3 and 4. However, fig. 6(a) to 6(C) are shown with the facing surface 11 side up. Here, the side of the tray 1 having the facing surface 11 is the facing portion X1, and the side opposite to the facing surface 11 is the support portion X2.

More specifically, the facing portion X1 has a pair of side surfaces along the V, i.e., the inclined surfaces 12. The end portions of the pair of inclined surfaces 12 on the side close to each other are connected by an inner circumferential surface 13 along a straight line. An outer peripheral surface 14 is connected to the end of the tray 1 on the side where the pair of inclined surfaces 12 are away from each other, and the outer peripheral surface 14 is formed in a convex shape by combining sides orthogonal in a plan view.

The facing surface 11 of the facing portion X1 has a protruding portion 11a that protrudes toward the film forming portion 40 and the film processing portion 50 as the processing portions. The convex portion 11a is formed along a concave portion 81 of the shield member 8 and a concave portion 51b of the side wall portion 51c of the defining portion 51, which will be described later. The concave portions 81 and 51b are formed along the concave portions 81 and 51b in a shape following the concave portions 81 and 51 b. The convex portion 11a of the tray 1 faces the concave portion 81 and the concave portion 51b in a non-contact manner (see fig. 3).

As shown in fig. 6(a), the convex portion 11a is also a curved surface that follows the concave portion Rp of the workpiece W. As shown in fig. 6(B), the convex portion 11a is formed along an arc connecting the centers of the pair of inclined surfaces 12 in a plan view. In the facing surface 11 of the tray 1, the inner peripheral surface 13 side is a flat surface close to the rotating body 31 and the outer peripheral surface 14 side is a flat surface far from the rotating body 31 with the convex portion 11a interposed therebetween. The workpiece W is held by adhering the surface of the workpiece W on the side of the recessed portion Rp to the opposing surface 11 via an adhesive such as a double-sided adhesive tape so as to follow the protruding portion 11 a.

The number of workpieces W held by the pallet 1 is not limited to a specific number. In the present embodiment, three workpieces W are held on one tray 1. The means for holding the workpiece W is not limited to the adhesive material. The tray 1 may also be provided with the following holding mechanisms: a holding mechanism such as a chuck mechanism for detachably holding the workpiece W; or a holding mechanism that can hold the workpiece W by a claw member or the like fitted into the workpiece W.

The outer shape of support portion X2 is substantially the same as the outer shape of facing portion X1, but support portion X2 is one size larger than facing portion X1. Therefore, in the tray 1, the outer periphery of the support portion X2 has the protruding portion 15 protruding outward over the entire periphery thereof, as compared with the outer periphery of the facing portion X1.

The tray 1 is preferably made of a material having high thermal conductivity, for example, metal. In the present embodiment, the material of the tray 1 is SUS. The material of the tray 1 may be, for example, ceramic or resin having good thermal conductivity, or a composite material thereof.

[ plasma processing apparatus ]

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the plasma processing apparatus 100 includes a vacuum chamber 20, a conveying section 30, a film forming section 40A, a film forming section 40B, a film forming section 40C, a film processing section 50A, a film processing section 50B, a load lock section 60, and a control device 70.

[ vacuum vessel ]

The vacuum vessel 20 is a vessel whose inside can be evacuated, that is, a so-called chamber. The vacuum vessel 20 internally forms a vacuum chamber 21. The vacuum chamber 21 is a cylindrical sealed space surrounded by the bottom surface 20a, the ceiling plate 20b, and the inner peripheral surface 20c inside the vacuum container 20. The vacuum chamber 21 is airtight and can be evacuated by reducing the pressure. The bottom surface 20a of the vacuum chamber 20 is configured to be openable and closable. The vacuum chamber 20 is provided on an installation surface, not shown, via a holder in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis. In this case, the bottom surface 20a is a lower surface, i.e., an installation surface.

A reaction gas G is introduced into a predetermined region inside the vacuum chamber 21. The reactive gas G includes a sputtering gas G1 for film formation and a process gas G2 for film processing (see fig. 3 and 4). In the following description, the sputtering gas G1 and the process gas G2 may be referred to as a reaction gas G without distinction. The sputtering gas G1 is a gas for causing ions generated by plasma generated by applying electric power to collide with the targets 41A to 41C, and depositing materials of the targets 41A to 41C on the surface of the workpiece W. For example, an inert gas such as argon can be used as the sputtering gas G1.

The process gas G2 is a gas for forming a compound film by permeating active species generated by plasma generated by microwaves into the film deposited on the surface of the workpiece W. Such surface treatment by plasma, that is, treatment without using the targets 41A to 41C, may be referred to as reverse sputtering hereinafter. The process gas G2 may be appropriately changed depending on the purpose of the treatment. For example, in the case of performing nitrogen oxidation of a film, oxygen O is used₂With nitrogen N₂The mixed gas of (1).

As shown in fig. 3, the vacuum chamber 20 has an exhaust port 22 and an introduction port 24. The exhaust port 22 is an opening for ensuring gas communication between the vacuum chamber 21 and the outside and performing exhaust E. The exhaust port 22 is formed on a side surface of the vacuum chamber 20, for example. An exhaust unit 23 is connected to the exhaust port 22. The exhaust unit 23 includes piping, and a pump, a valve, and the like, which are not shown. The inside of the vacuum chamber 21 is depressurized by the evacuation process performed by the evacuation unit 23.

The introduction port 24 is an opening for introducing the sputtering gas G1 into each of the film forming portions 40A, 40B, and 40C. The introduction port 24 is provided at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 20, for example. A gas supply unit 25 is connected to the introduction port 24. The gas supply unit 25 includes not only a pipe but also a gas supply source, a pump, a valve, and the like of the sputtering gas G1, which are not shown. The sputtering gas G1 is introduced from the introduction port 24 into the shield member 8 described later by the gas supply unit 25. The bottom surface 20A of the vacuum chamber 20 is provided with a mounting hole 21a into which a film processing portion 50A and a film processing portion 50B, which will be described later, are inserted.

[ conveying part ]

The outline of the conveying unit 30 will be described. The conveying unit 30 includes a rotating body 31 provided in the vacuum chamber 20. The rotary body 31 holds the workpiece W. The conveying unit 30 is a device that circularly conveys the workpiece W in the circumferential conveying path T by rotating the rotating body 31. The holding of the workpiece W on the rotating body 31 may be performed by defining the position of the workpiece W with respect to the rotating body 31 so that the workpiece W is circularly conveyed with the rotation of the rotating body 31. Therefore, the workpiece W may be directly held by the rotating body 31, or the workpiece W may be indirectly held by the rotating body 31 via another member such as the tray 1, and both of the above cases are included in the case of being held by the rotating body 31.

The workpiece W may be held on the lower side or the upper side of the rotating body 31. The processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W may be held on a surface of the rotating body 31 facing the film processing section 50 or the film forming section 40. The case where the workpiece W is placed on the rotary body 31 or the tray 1 is also included in the case where the workpiece W is held. In the present embodiment, the work W is held by the tray 1 held by the rotating body 31 and is cyclically conveyed.

The circulation conveyance is to move the workpiece W around the circumference repeatedly. The conveying path T is a trajectory along which the workpiece W or a tray 1 described later is moved by the conveying unit 30. The conveyance path T shown in fig. 2 is linear, but is actually an annular ring having a width. The details of the conveying unit 30 will be described below.

The rotary body 31 of the present embodiment is a circular plate-shaped rotary platform. The rotating body 31 may be formed by spraying alumina on the surface of a stainless plate-like member, for example. Hereinafter, the term "circumferential direction" refers to the "circumferential direction of the rotating body 31", and the term "radial direction" refers to the "radial direction of the rotating body 31".

The conveying unit 30 includes not only the rotating body 31 but also a motor 32 and a holding unit 33. The motor 32 is a drive source that provides a driving force to the rotating body 31 to rotate the rotating body 31 about the center of the circle. The holding unit 33 is a component for holding the tray 1 conveyed by the conveying unit 30. The plurality of holding portions 33 are formed at positions of equal circumference on the surface of the rotating body 31. The surface of the rotating body 31 described in the present embodiment is a surface facing downward, i.e., a lower surface when the rotation plane of the rotating body 31 extends in the horizontal direction. For example, the regions where the holding portions 33 hold the tray 1 are formed in a direction parallel to a tangent line of a circle in the circumferential direction of the rotating body 31, and are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

In the present embodiment, six holding portions 33 are provided. Therefore, six trays 1 are held at 60 ° intervals on the rotating body 31. However, one or more holding portions 33 may be provided. The rotary body 31 circularly conveys the tray 1 on which the workpiece W is mounted, and repeatedly passes the tray 1 on which the workpiece W is mounted through positions facing the film forming section 40A, the film forming section 40B, the film forming section 40C, the film processing section 50A, and the film processing section 50B.

More specifically, the holding portion 33 is an opening 33a provided in the rotating body 31. The opening 33a is a through hole provided at a circumferential position of the rotating body 31 where each tray 1 is placed. Since opening 33a has substantially the same shape as the outer shape of support portion X2 of tray 1 and is slightly larger than the outer shape of support portion X2, support portion X2 can be inserted.

A mounting portion 33b is provided on the inner periphery of the opening 33 a. The mounting portion 33b is a portion in which the inner circumference of the opening 33a protrudes to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the facing portion X1 in a shape substantially equal to the outer shape of the facing portion X1. Therefore, the facing portion X1 can be inserted into the mounting portion 33 b. That is, when the support portion X2 of the tray 1 on which the workpiece W is placed is fitted into the opening 33a, the mounting portion 33b supports the extension portion 15. The facing surface 11 penetrates the opening 33a and is exposed to the lower side of the rotating body 31. Thereby, the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W held on the facing surface 11 faces downward.

[ film Forming part ]

The film forming sections 40A, 40B, and 40C are processing sections that are provided at positions facing the workpiece W that is circularly conveyed on the conveying path T, and that deposit a film forming material on the workpiece W by sputtering to form a film. Hereinafter, the form of the film forming section 40 will be described without distinguishing the plurality of film forming sections 40A, 40B, and 40C. As shown in fig. 3, the film forming unit 40 includes a sputtering source 4, a power supply unit 6, and a shield member 8.

(sputtering source)

The sputtering source 4 is a supply source of a film forming material for depositing a film forming material on the workpiece W by sputtering to form a film. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the sputtering source 4 includes a target 41A, a target 41B, a target 41C, a backing plate (backing plate)42, and an electrode 43. The targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are formed of a film forming material deposited on the workpiece W as a film, and are disposed at positions facing each other with a distance from the conveyance path T.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the three targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are provided at positions arranged at the vertices of a triangle in a plan view. The targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are arranged in this order from the rotation center of the rotating body 31 toward the outer periphery. Hereinafter, the form of the target 41 will be described without distinguishing the target 41A, the target 41B, and the target 41C. The surface of the target 41 faces the workpiece W moved by the conveying unit 30 with a space therebetween.

The area where the film forming material can be deposited by the three targets 41A, 41B, and 41C is larger than the size of the tray 1 in the radial direction. As described above, the annular region along the transport path T corresponding to the region where the film is formed by the film forming section 40 is the film forming region F (indicated by a dotted line in fig. 2). The width of the film formation region F in the radial direction is longer than the width of the tray 1 in the radial direction. In the present embodiment, the three targets 41A to 41C are arranged so that the deposition material can be deposited without a gap over the entire width of the deposition region F in the radial direction.

As the film forming material, for example, niobium, silicon, or the like is used. However, as long as the material is a material for forming a film by sputtering, various materials can be used. The target 41 has a cylindrical shape, for example. However, other shapes such as a long cylindrical shape and a rectangular cylindrical shape are also possible.

The back plate 42 is a member for individually holding the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C. The electrode 43 is a conductive member for applying power to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C from the outside of the vacuum chamber 20. The power applied to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C can be individually changed. The sputtering source 4 includes a magnet, a cooling mechanism, and the like as needed.

(Shielding Member)

As shown in the perspective views of fig. 3 and 7, the shielding member 8 is a member facing the workpiece W placed on the tray 1 with a space therebetween. The shield member 8 of the present embodiment has an opening 80 on the side through which the workpiece W passes, and forms a film forming chamber S in which a film is formed by the film forming section 40. That is, the shield member 8 forms a space into which the sputtering gas G1 is introduced to generate plasma, and suppresses leakage of the sputtering gas G1 and the film forming material into the vacuum chamber 20.

The shield member 8 has a bottom surface 82 and a side surface 83. The bottom surface 82 is a member forming the bottom surface of the film forming chamber S. As shown in fig. 3 and 7, the bottom surface 82 is a substantially fan-shaped plate-like body disposed parallel to the plane of the rotating body 31. In the bottom surface portion 82, target holes 82a having the same size and shape as the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are formed at positions corresponding to the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C so that the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are exposed in the film forming chamber S. The bottom surface portion 82 is attached to the bottom surface 20a of the vacuum chamber 20 so that the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C are exposed from the target holes 82 a.

The side surface portion 83 is a member forming the periphery of the film forming chamber S. The side surface portion 83 has an outer peripheral wall 83a, an inner peripheral wall 83b, a partition wall 83c, and a partition wall 83 d. The outer peripheral wall 83a and the inner peripheral wall 83b are rectangular parallelepiped bodies curved in an arc shape, and are plate-like bodies standing in a direction orthogonal to the rotation plane of the rotating body 31. The lower edge of the outer peripheral wall 83a is attached to the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 82. The lower edge of the inner peripheral wall 83b is attached to the inner peripheral edge of the bottom surface 82. Partition 83c and partition 83d are flat rectangular parallelepiped-shaped plate-like bodies standing in the direction orthogonal to the plane of rotating body 31. The lower edges of the partition wall 83c and the partition wall 83d are attached to a pair of edges in the radial direction of the bottom surface 82.

The joint between the bottom surface 82 and the side surface 83 is hermetically sealed. Further, the bottom surface portion 82 and the side surface portion 83 may be formed integrally, that is, continuously from a common material. By such a shielding member 8, a film forming chamber S is constituted as follows: the lower portion and the side surface of the peripheral edge are covered with a bottom surface portion 82 and a side surface portion 83, and have an opening 80 in an upper portion facing the workpiece W. In the film forming chamber S, the tip of the gas supply portion 25 extends to the vicinity of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C.

The shield member 8 has a substantially fan shape that expands radially outward from the center of the rotor 31 in the radial direction when viewed from above. The substantially fan-shaped here means a shape of a fan surface portion of the fan. The opening 80 of the shield member 8 is also substantially sector-shaped. The speed at which the workpiece W held by the rotating body 31 passes over the opening 80 becomes slower toward the center and faster toward the outside in the radial direction of the rotating body 31. Therefore, if the opening 80 is rectangular or square in plan view, a difference occurs in the time for the workpiece W to pass over the opening 80 between the center side and the outer side in the radial direction.

In the present embodiment, by expanding the diameter of the opening 80 from the center side in the radial direction toward the outside, the time for the workpiece W to pass through the opening 80 can be made constant, and the plasma processing described later can be equalized. However, if the difference in elapsed time is of such a degree that it does not cause a problem in terms of products, it may be rectangular or square in plan view. As a material of the shielding member 8, for example, aluminum or SUS can be used.

As shown in fig. 8(a), between the upper ends of the partition walls 83c and 83D and the rotary body 31, a space D1 is formed through which the work W under the rotary body 31 rotating can pass. That is, the heights of the partition walls 83c, 83d are set so that a slight gap is created between the upper edge of the shield member 8 and the workpiece W.

More specifically, the opening 80 of the shielding member 8 has a concave portion 81 along the convex portion Cp of the workpiece W held by the tray 1. The term "along the convex part Cp" means that the shape of the convex part Cp is simulated. In the present embodiment, the concave portion 81 is a curved surface along the curvature of the convex portion Cp. However, the concave portion 81 and the convex portion Cp are spaced apart by the distance D1 as described above. That is, the upper edges of the partition walls 83c and 83d including the concave portion 81 are formed in a shape that follows the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W without contact. The distance D1 between the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W and the shielding member 8 (including the distance between the convex portion Cp and the concave portion 81) is preferably 1mm to 15 mm. This is to allow the workpiece W to pass therethrough and maintain the pressure of the film forming chamber S inside.

As shown in fig. 2, the film formation portion M2, the film formation portion M4, the film formation portion M5, the film treatment portion M1, and the film treatment portion M3, which are formed by the sputtering source 4, of the workpiece W are partitioned by the shield member 8. The diffusion of the sputtering gas G1 and the film forming material of the film forming portion M2, the film forming portion M4, and the film forming portion M5 into the vacuum chamber 21 can be suppressed by the shield member 8.

The horizontal ranges of the film formation region M2, the film formation region M4, and the film formation region M5 are defined by the shielding members 8. Further, the workpiece W circularly conveyed by the rotary body 31 repeatedly passes through the positions of the film formation part M2, the film formation part M4, and the film formation part M5 facing the target 41, and the film formation material is deposited as a film on the surface of the workpiece W.

The film forming chamber S defined by the shielding members 8 of the film forming part M2, the film forming part M4, and the film forming part M5 is a region of a majority of the film formation. However, even in the region other than the film forming chamber S, there is a leakage of the film forming material from the film forming chamber S. Therefore, the deposition of the film is not completely absent. That is, the film formation region F where the film is formed in the film formation section 40 is a region slightly wider than the film formation chamber S defined by the shield member 8.

In the film forming section 40, the same film forming material is used for the plurality of film forming sections 40A, 40B, and 40C to simultaneously form films, whereby the film forming amount in a certain period of time, that is, the film forming rate can be increased. Further, by simultaneously or sequentially forming films using different types of film-forming materials in the plurality of film-forming portions 40A, 40B, and 40C, a film including layers of a plurality of types of film-forming materials can be formed.

(Power supply section)

The power supply unit 6 is a component for applying power to the target 41. By applying power to the target 41 by the power supply unit 6, a sputtering gas G1 converted into plasma is generated. Further, ions generated by the plasma collide with the target 41, so that the film formation material ejected from the target 41 is deposited on the workpiece W. Therefore, the power supply portion 6 can be understood as a plasma source that generates plasma for performing plasma processing on the workpiece W. The power applied to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C can be individually changed.

In the present embodiment, the power supply unit 6 is a Direct Current (DC) power supply to which a high voltage is applied. In the case of an apparatus for performing high-frequency sputtering, a Radio Frequency (RF) power source may be used. The power supply unit 6 may be provided for each of the film forming units 40A, 40B, and 40C, or may be provided for only one of the plurality of film forming units 40A, 40B, and 40C. When only one power supply unit 6 is provided, the application of the use power is switched. The rotating body 31 has the same potential as the grounded vacuum chamber 20, and a high voltage is applied to the target 41 side to generate a potential difference.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, three film forming sections 40A, 40B, and 40C are disposed between the film processing section 50A and the film processing section 50B in the conveying direction of the conveying path T. The film forming portions M2, M4, and M5 correspond to the three film forming portions 40A, 40B, and 40C. The film treatment sites M1 and M3 correspond to the two film treatment sections 50A and 50B.

[ film treatment section ]

The film processing sections 50A and 50B are processing sections for performing film processing on the material deposited on the workpiece W conveyed by the conveying section 30. The film processing is reverse sputtering without using the target 41. Hereinafter, the film processing section 50 will be described as the film processing section 50 without distinguishing the film processing section 50A from the film processing section 50B. The film processing section 50 has a processing unit 5.

As shown in fig. 3 and 8(B), the processing unit 5 includes a scribe section 51. The defining portion 51 is a component having a side wall portion 51c defining a part of the gas space R into which the process gas G2 is introduced, and an opening 51a facing the transfer path T inside the vacuum chamber 20. The gas space R is a space formed between the inside of the defining portion 51, which is a space surrounded by the side wall portion 51c, and the rotating body 31, and the work W circularly conveyed by the rotating body 31 repeatedly passes through the space. That is, the gas space R includes not only the internal space of the compartment 51 but also the end face of the opening 51a, that is, the space between the facing surface of the compartment 51 facing the rotating body 31 and the rotating body 31. The term "defining a part of the gas space R" means a boundary forming a part of the gas space R. Therefore, the delimiting part 51 does not cover the entire gas space R, and the gas space R between the facing surface of the delimiting part 51 and the rotating body 31 is not covered.

The delimiting part 51 of the present embodiment is a cylindrical body having a rectangular horizontal cross section surrounded by the side wall part 51c and having rounded corners. The rounded rectangle described herein is in the shape of a track for track and field sports. The racetrack shape refers to the following shape: a pair of partial circles are opposed to each other with a space therebetween in the direction opposite to the convex side, and both ends of each of the partial circles are connected by straight lines parallel to each other. The paddle unit 51 is made of the same material as the rotor 31.

The length of the scribe portion 51 is arranged parallel to the radial direction of the rotating body 31. Furthermore, there need not be exact parallelism, but some tilt. The cross section of the inner space of the delimiting part 51 perpendicular to the axis is a rounded rectangle having a shape similar to the outer diameter of the delimiting part 51 from the facing surface, which is the end surface of the opening 51a, to the inner bottom surface. Said space constitutes a part of the gas space R. Therefore, the processing region, which is a region where the plasma processing, that is, the film processing is performed, is a rounded rectangle having a shape similar to the opening 51a of the defining portion 51. In this way, the length of the processing region in the rotational direction is substantially the same in the radial direction.

The opening 51a at the upper edge of the divider 51 faces the rotor 31 side away from the rotor 31 side and faces the conveyance path. That is, as shown in fig. 8(B), a space D2 through which the workpiece W held by the rotating body 31 can pass is formed between the surface of the defining portion 51 facing the rotating body 31 and the rotating body 31. That is, the height of the side wall portion 51c of the delimiting portion 51 is set so that a slight gap is created between the upper edge of the delimiting portion 51 and the workpiece W.

More specifically, the side wall portion 51c of the defining portion 51 has a recessed portion 51b along the convex portion Cp of the workpiece W held by the tray 1, similarly to the recessed portion 81 of the shielding member 8. The term "along the convex part Cp" means a shape imitating the convex part Cp. In the present embodiment, the concave portion 51b is a curved surface along the curvature of the convex portion Cp. However, the concave portion 51b and the convex portion Cp are spaced apart by the distance D2 as described above. That is, the upper edge of the defining portion 51 including the concave portion 51b is shaped to follow the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W without contact. The distance D2 between the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W and the defining portion 51 (including the distance between the convex portion Cp and the concave portion 51 b) is preferably 1mm to 15 mm. This is to allow the workpiece W to pass through and maintain the pressure inside the scribe portion 51. Inside the defining section 51, plasma is generated by introduction of microwaves.

As shown in fig. 3, most of the side wall 51c of the defining portion 51 is housed in the vacuum chamber 21. However, the bottom surface of the divider 51 protrudes downward and is inserted into the mounting hole 21a provided in the bottom surface 20a of the vacuum chamber 20. The space between the defining portion 51 and the vacuum chamber 20 is sealed by an O-ring 21 b. A window 52 is provided on the bottom surface of the defining portion 51. The window 52 is a component that separates the gas space R in the delimiting part 51 from the outside and allows microwaves to be introduced.

The window portion 52 of the present embodiment includes a window hole 52a and a window member 52 b. The window hole 52a is a through hole formed in the bottom surface of the defining portion 51. The aperture 52a may use its shape to change the distribution shape of the generated plasma. In other words, the distribution shape of the plasma may be determined by the shape of the aperture 52 a. In the present embodiment, by making the window hole 52a rectangular with a rounded horizontal cross section, plasma having a shape substantially similar to the horizontal cross section of the gas space R can be generated. When the material forming the window holes 52a, that is, the material of the delimiting part 51 is a dielectric such as quartz, the distribution shape of the plasma is determined by the shape of the waveguide 55a described later. The window member 52b is a flat plate that is housed inside the compartment 51 and closes the window hole 52 a. The window member 52b is placed on an O-ring 52c fitted around the window hole 52a of the inner bottom of the delimiting portion 51, and hermetically seals the window hole 52 a. The window member 52b may be a dielectric such as alumina, or may be a semiconductor such as silicon.

The processing unit 5 further includes a gas supply unit 53, an adjustment unit 54 (see fig. 10), a plasma source 55, and a cooling unit 56. As shown in fig. 3, 4, and 9, the gas supply unit 53 supplies the process gas G2 to the gas space R. The gas supply unit 53 is a device that supplies the process gas G2 from a plurality of supply points at different times when the surface of the rotating body 31 passes through the processing region. The plurality of supply points are provided at equal intervals along a pair of inner walls of the partitioning portion 51 that are located in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the radial direction of the rotating body 31 and face each other. Therefore, the plurality of supply points are provided at opposing positions in the gas space R and also in a direction along the conveyance path T. The direction along the transport path T is a direction substantially parallel to the transport path T or a tangential direction of the transport path T.

The gas supply unit 53 includes a supply source of a process gas G2 such as a pump, not shown, and a plurality of pipes 53a connected to the supply source. The process gas G2 is, for example, oxygen and nitrogen. Each pipe 53a is branched and connected to a supply source of oxygen and a supply source of nitrogen. The ends of the pipes 53a are arranged in the longitudinal direction in the defining section 51, and thereby form the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D as the supply portions.

Here, when the rotation center side (inner circumferential side) and the outer circumferential side of the rotary body 31 of the workpiece W held by the rotary body 31 are compared, the length of the circumference on which the point on the surface of the rotary body 31 travels, that is, the circumferential length, is different. Therefore, the point of the surface of the rotating body 31 generates a difference in speed passing a certain distance. In the present embodiment, the defining portion 51 is disposed such that the major axis of the opening 51 is parallel to the radial direction of the rotating body 31. The straight portions of the opening 51A in which the plurality of supply ports 531A to 531D and the plurality of supply ports 531A to 531D are formed are parallel to each other in the radial direction. In the following, the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D will be described as the supply ports 531 without being distinguished from each other.

With this configuration, the outer peripheral side of the rotary body 31 is shorter than the inner peripheral side with respect to the time for the workpiece W to pass a certain distance above the scribe portion 51. Therefore, the rate of film treatment differs between the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side. The plurality of supply ports 531 are provided at a plurality of locations where the surface of the rotating body 31 passes through a processing region where plasma processing is performed for different periods of time. The direction in which the plurality of supply ports 531 are arranged intersects the conveyance path T. Further, the supply ports 531 are disposed at positions facing each other across the gas space R. In the gas space R, the arrangement direction of the opposing supply ports 531 is along the conveyance path T.

More specifically, each of the pipes 53a branches at a position where one of the inner walls of the defining section 51 faces the other inner wall, and the respective end portions thereof serve as the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D of the process gas G2. The supply ports 531A to 531D are arranged at equal intervals along one of the inner walls of the compartment 51 in the longitudinal direction. The supply ports 531a to 531d are arranged at equal intervals along the other inner wall of the scribe portion 51 in the longitudinal direction.

Supply ports 531A to 531D are arranged in order of supply port 531A, supply port 531B, supply port 531C, and supply port 531D from the inner peripheral side toward the outer peripheral side. Similarly, supply ports 531a to 531d are arranged in order of supply port 531a, supply port 531b, supply port 531c, and supply port 531d from the inner periphery side toward the outer periphery side. The supply ports 531A to 531D are disposed on the downstream side of the conveyance path T, and the supply ports 531A to 531D are disposed on the upstream side of the conveyance path T. The supply ports 531A and 531A, the supply ports 531B and 531B, the supply ports 531C and 531C, and the supply ports 531D and 531D face the upstream side and the downstream side, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the innermost peripheral supply portion and the outermost peripheral supply portion are located outside the film formation region F. That is, the supply ports 531A and 531A are disposed inside the inner periphery of the film formation region F, and the supply ports 531D and 531D are disposed outside the outer periphery of the film formation region F.

As shown in fig. 9, the adjusting section 54 adjusts the supply amount of the process gas G2 introduced by the gas supply section 53 in accordance with the position in the direction intersecting the conveyance path T. The direction intersecting the conveyance path T is not parallel to the conveyance path T, and is not limited to a direction orthogonal to the conveyance path T. That is, the adjustment unit 54 individually adjusts the supply amount of the process gas G2 per unit time to the plurality of locations of the gas supply unit 53 in accordance with the time when the surface of the rotating body 31 passes through the processing region. The adjustment unit 54 includes Mass Flow Controllers (MFCs) 54a provided on a pair of paths of the pipe 53a, respectively. The MFC 54a is a member having a mass flow meter that measures the flow rate of a fluid and a solenoid valve that controls the flow rate.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the plasma source 55 is a component for generating plasma for processing the workpiece W passing through the transport path T in the gas space R into which the process gas G2 is introduced. The plasma source 55 includes a waveguide 55a and a coil 55 b. The waveguide 55a is a pipe having one end connected to a microwave transmitter, not shown, and the other end disposed outside the gas space R and in the vicinity of the window portion 52. The waveguide 55a guides the microwaves from the microwave transmitter to the window portion 52. The microwaves are introduced into the gas space R through the window member 52b of the window portion 52.

The coil 55b is a member that generates a magnetic field in the gas space R by applying a voltage from a power supply not shown. In the gas space R into which the process gas G2 is introduced, a magnetic field is generated by the coil 55b, and microwaves are introduced. When the frequency of electrons moving circularly around the magnetic field is matched with the frequency of the microwave, the electrons rotate at a high speed by resonance and collide with gas molecules, thereby generating high-density plasma. This generates active species such as electrons, ions, and radicals in the gas space R.

The cooling unit 56 is a component for cooling the defining unit 51. The cooling unit 56 includes a pipe 56a and a cavity (cavity)56 b. Although not shown, the pipe 56a is a circulation path connected to a cooler as a cooling water circulation device for circulating and supplying the cooling water C, and through which the cooling water C circulates. The cavity 56b is a space formed inside the side wall portion 51C of the defining portion 51 and through which the cooling water C flows, and the supply side and the discharge side of the pipe 56a communicate with each other. The cooling water C cooled by the cooler is cooled and suppressed from being heated by repeating the operations of being supplied from the supply side, flowing through the cavity, and being discharged from the drain side.

[ load lock portion ]

The load lock unit 60 is a device that carries in the tray 1 with the unprocessed workpieces W loaded thereon from the outside to the vacuum chamber 21 and carries out the tray 1 with the processed workpieces W loaded thereon to the outside of the vacuum chamber 21 by a not-shown carrying means while maintaining the vacuum of the vacuum chamber 21. Since a well-known structure can be applied to the load lock portion 60, the description thereof will be omitted.

[ control device ]

The controller 70 controls each part of the plasma processing apparatus 100. The control device 70 may be configured by, for example, a dedicated electronic circuit, a computer that runs a predetermined program, or the like. That is, the control contents of the control related to the introduction and exhaust of the sputtering gas G1 and the process gas G2 into the vacuum chamber 21, the control of the power supply unit 6, the control of the rotation of the rotating body 31, the control related to the introduction of the microwave into the plasma source 55, the generation of the magnetic field, the control related to the cooling water C in the cooling unit 56, and the like are programmed. The control device 70 can be adapted to various plasma processing specifications by executing the program by a processing device such as a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or a Central Processing Unit (CPU).

The following is a description of specific controlled objects. That is, the rotation speed of the motor 32, the initial exhaust pressure of the plasma processing apparatus 100, the selection of the sputtering source 4, the application of power to the target 41 and the coil 55, the output of the microwave transmitter, the flow rates, types, introduction times, and exhaust times of the sputtering gas G1 and the process gas G2, the times of film formation and film treatment, the flow rate and temperature of the cooling water C, and the like.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the control device 70 controls the film formation rate by controlling the application of power to the target 41 of the film formation section 40 and the supply amount of the sputtering gas G1 from the gas supply section 25. The control device 70 controls the output of the microwaves and the supply amount of the process gas G2 from the gas supply unit 53, thereby controlling the film processing rate.

The configuration of the control device 70 for executing the operations of the respective sections in the above-described manner will be described with reference to fig. 10, which is a virtual functional block diagram. Specifically, the control device 70 includes a mechanism control unit 71, a power supply control unit 72, a gas control unit 73, a storage unit 74, a setting unit 75, and an input/output control unit 76.

The mechanism control unit 71 is a processing unit that controls the exhaust unit 23, the gas supply unit 25, the gas supply unit 53, the adjustment unit 54, the motor 32, the cooler of the cooling unit 56, the drive source such as the load lock unit 60, the electromagnetic valve, the switch, the power supply, and the like. The power supply control unit 72 is a processing unit that controls the power supply unit 6, the microwave transmitter of the plasma source 55, the power supply of the coil 55b, and the like.

For example, the power supply control unit 72 individually controls the power applied to the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C. When the film formation rate is to be made uniform over the entire work W, the power is sequentially increased so that the target 41A < the target 41B < the target 41C in consideration of the speed difference between the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side. That is, the electric power may be determined in proportion to the speeds on the inner and outer circumferential sides.

However, proportional control is an example, and may be set so that the processing rate becomes uniform by increasing the power as the speed increases. Further, the power applied to the target 41 may be increased for a portion where the film thickness of the workpiece W is to be increased, and the power applied to the target 41 may be decreased for a portion where the film thickness is to be decreased.

The gas control unit 73 is a processing unit that controls the introduction amount of the process gas G2 by the adjustment unit 54. For example, the supply amount of the process gas G2 per unit time from each supply port 531 is individually controlled. In order to make the film processing rate uniform over the entire workpiece W, the supply amount from each supply port 531 is increased in order from the inner periphery side to the outer periphery side in consideration of the speed difference between the inner periphery side and the outer periphery side. Specifically, the supply amounts are supply port 531A < supply port 531B < supply port 531C < supply port 531D, supply port 531A < supply port 531B < supply port 531C < supply port 531D. That is, the supply amount may be determined in proportion to the speeds on the inner and outer circumferential sides.

The supply amount of the process gas G2 supplied from each supply port 531 is adjusted according to the film thickness formed on the workpiece W. That is, the supply amount of the process gas G2 is increased so as to increase the film processing amount for the portion where the film thickness is to be increased. Further, the supply amount of the process gas G2 is reduced so that the film processing amount is reduced for the portion where the film thickness is to be reduced.

For example, in the case of performing film processing on a film formed so that the film thickness becomes thicker on the inner peripheral side, the supply amount of the process gas G2 may be set so as to increase on the inner peripheral side. As a result, the relationship with the speed is recombined, and as a result, the supply amount from each supply port 531 may become uniform. That is, the adjusting unit 54 may adjust the supply amount of the process gas G2 supplied from each supply port 531 in accordance with the film thickness formed on the workpiece W and the time period during which the rotating body 31 passes through the processing region. The gas controller 73 also controls the amount of the sputtering gas G1 introduced.

The storage unit 74 is a component for storing information necessary for control in the present embodiment. The information stored in the storage unit 74 includes the amount of exhaust from the exhaust unit 23, the power applied to each target 41, the amount of supply of the sputtering gas G1, the power applied to the coil 55b, the output of the microwave transmitter, and the amount of supply of the process gas G2 to each supply port 531. The setting unit 75 is a processing unit that sets information input from the outside to the storage unit 74.

Further, the amounts of the process gas G2 supplied from the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D may be correlated with the amounts of the power applied to the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C. That is, when the rotation speed (rpm) of the rotating body 31 is constant and the electric power applied to the target 41A, the target 41B, and the target 41C is set by the setting unit, the supply amounts from the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D may be set in proportion to the electric power applied to the target 41A, the target 41B, and the target 41C. When the rotation speed (rpm) of the rotating body 31 is constant and the supply amounts from the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D are set by the setting unit, the electric power applied to the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C may be set in proportion to the supply amounts from the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D.

Such setting can be performed, for example, as follows. First, the relationship between the film thickness and the supply amount of the applied power or the process gas G2 corresponding to the film thickness, and the relationship between the applied power and the supply amount of the process gas G2 corresponding to the applied power are determined in advance by experiments or the like. Then, at least one of these is tabulated and stored in the storage section 74. Then, the setting unit 75 determines the applied power or the supply amount by referring to the table based on the inputted film thickness, applied power, or supply amount.

(calculation processing)

When a film having a uniform film thickness and a uniform film quality is to be formed over a large area, the following four conditions must be considered when adjusting the supply amount of the process gas G2.

[1] The thickness of the film formed by the film forming part during one rotation of the rotary body

[2] Film thickness distribution of film formed in radial direction of rotating body

[3] Speed difference between inner periphery and outer periphery of rotating body

[4] Width of plasma generation region (width of processing region)

Here, the condition [2] can be eliminated from the condition when power is applied individually to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C of the film formation section 40 to form a uniform film thickness. Further, as in the above-described embodiment, the gas space R has a rectangular shape with rounded corners when viewed in a planar direction, and thus the width of the process field is the same from the innermost circumference to the outermost circumference of the film formation field F. Therefore, the same plasma density can be set within the range of the width, and therefore the condition of [4] can be removed from the condition.

Therefore, the supply amount of each supply port 531 can be determined according to the conditions of [1] and [3 ]. That is, as the condition of [1], either the innermost periphery or the outermost periphery of the film formation region F and the optimum supply amount suitable for the film thickness are obtained in advance by a preliminary experiment or the like. Further, since the speed difference between the inner periphery and the outer periphery and the radius of the inner periphery and the outer periphery of [3] are in relation (proportional), the supply amount of each of the plurality of supply ports 531 can be determined based on the position (distance from the rotation center) in the radial direction of the plurality of supply ports 531, the film thickness, and the optimum supply amount. The information stored in the storage unit 74 includes the film thickness of the film formed in the innermost circumference of the film formation region F during one rotation of the rotary body 31, the film thickness of the film formed in the outermost circumference of the film formation region F during one rotation of the rotary body 31, the optimum supply amount suitable for the film thickness, and the position of each supply port 531 in the radial direction.

For example, the optimum supply amount of the innermost supply port 531, the radius of the innermost circumference, the radius of the outermost circumference, and the optimum supply amount of the outermost supply port 531 with respect to the predetermined film thickness of the film formed by the film forming section 40 are denoted by "a", Lin ", Lou", and "a", respectively. First, a case where the optimum supply amount a of the supply port 531 on the innermost circumference is known will be described. The supply amount calculation unit obtains the optimum supply amount a of the innermost circumference, the radius Lin of the circle passing through the supply port 531 of the innermost circumference, and the radius Lou of the circle passing through the supply port 531 of the outermost circumference from the storage unit 74, and obtains the optimum supply amount a of the outermost circumference based on the following equation.

A＝a×Lou/Lin

Similarly, the optimum supply amount of the other supply ports 531 can be obtained from the ratio of the radii. That is, when the optimum supply amount of the supply port 531 is Ax and the radius of the circle passing through the supply port 531 is Px, the optimum supply amount Ax can be obtained based on the following equation.

Ax＝a×Px/Lin

On the other hand, when the optimum supply amount a of the outermost supply port 531 is known, the optimum supply amount Ax of each supply port 531 can be obtained from the radius Px of the circle passing through the supply port 531 according to the following equation.

Ax＝A×Px/Lou

As described above, as long as [1] is known]The film thickness of the film formed by the film forming section 40 during one rotation of the rotary body can automatically determine the supply amount from the plurality of supply ports 531. Therefore, the amount of data held in the storage unit 74 can be reduced as compared with a case where a plurality of types of data are held as a pattern assumed for the supply amount from each supply port 531. For example, in the case of a film whose refractive index changes depending on the composition, such as SiONIn this case, the supply amount of each supply port 531 is automatically determined according to the film thickness of the innermost circumference or the outermost circumference of the film formation region F, and therefore N is simply adjusted₂And O₂The film having a desired refractive index can be obtained by the above mixing ratio.

The input/output control unit 76 is an interface (interface) that controls conversion of signals and input/output with each unit to be controlled. Further, an input device 77 and an output device 78 are connected to the control device 70. The input device 77 is an input device such as a switch, a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse for allowing an operator to operate the plasma processing apparatus 100 via the control device 70. For example, the selection of the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 to be used, the desired film thickness, the applied power to the targets 41A to 41C, the supply amounts of the process gas G2 from the supply ports 531A to 531D and the supply ports 531A to 531D, and the like can be input by the input device.

The output device 78 is an output device such as a display, a lamp, or a meter (meter) that allows an operator to visually recognize information for confirming the state of the device. For example, the output device 78 may display an input screen of information from the input device 77. In this case, the targets 41A, 41B, 41C, the supply ports 531A to 531D, and the supply ports 531A to 531D may be displayed in a schematic view so that the positions thereof can be selected and numerical values may be input. Further, the targets 41A, 41B, 41C, the supply ports 531A to 531D, and the supply ports 531A to 531D may be displayed in a schematic view, and the set values may be displayed as numerical values.

[ actions ]

The operation of the present embodiment as described above will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 10. Although not shown, the plasma processing apparatus 100 carries in, carries out, and carries out the tray 1 holding the workpieces W by a carrying device such as a conveyor or a robot.

The plurality of trays 1 are sequentially carried into the vacuum container 20 by the carrying means of the load lock unit 60. The rotary body 31 sequentially moves the empty holding portions 33 to the carrying-in position carried in from the load lock portion 60. The holding portions 33 individually hold the trays 1 carried in by the conveying device. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, all the trays 1 holding the workpieces W to be film-formed are held by the rotary body 31.

The film formation process is performed on the workpiece W introduced into the plasma processing apparatus 100 as described above in the following manner. As described above, the following operations are an example in which the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 are operated to form a film and perform a film processing, respectively. However, the multi-component film unit 40 and the film processing unit 50 may be operated to increase the processing rate. In addition, an example of film formation and film processing by the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 is processing of forming a film of silicon oxynitride. The formation of the film of silicon oxynitride is performed by: each time silicon is attached to the workpiece W at an atomic level, the treatment for penetrating oxygen ions and nitrogen ions is repeated while cyclically conveying the workpiece W.

First, the vacuum chamber 21 is constantly evacuated and depressurized by the evacuation unit 23. After the vacuum chamber 21 reaches a predetermined pressure, the rotary body 31 rotates as shown in fig. 2 and 3. Thus, the workpiece W held by the holding portion 33 moves along the conveyance path T and passes over the film forming portions 40A, 40B, 40C, the film processing portions 50A, 50B. After the rotating body 31 reaches the predetermined rotation speed, the gas supply unit 25 of the film forming unit 40 supplies the sputtering gas G1 to the periphery of the target 41. At this time, the gas supply unit 53 of the film processing unit 50 also supplies the process gas G2 to the gas space R.

In the film forming section 40, the power supply section 6 applies power to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C. Thereby, the sputtering gas G1 is made into a plasma. In the sputtering source 4, active species such as ions generated by the plasma collide with the target 41 to emit particles of the film forming material. Therefore, on the surface of the workpiece W passing through the film forming section 40, particles of the film forming material are deposited and a film is formed each time the workpiece W passes through the film forming section. In the example, a silicon layer is formed.

The power applied to each of the targets 41A, 41B, and 41C by the power supply unit 6 is set in the storage unit 74 so as to increase in order from the inner circumferential side to the outer circumferential side of the rotating body 31. The power supply control unit 72 outputs an instruction to cause the power supply unit 6 to control the power applied to each target 41, based on the power set in the storage unit 74. Due to the above control, the film formation amount per unit time by sputtering increases as the inner periphery side approaches the outer periphery side, but the passing speed of the rotating body 31 increases as the inner periphery side approaches the outer periphery side. As a result, the entire film thickness of the workpiece W becomes uniform.

Further, the workpiece W is not heated because the film formation or the film processing is not performed even though it passes through the film forming section 40 or the film processing section 50 which is not operated. In the unheated region, the workpiece W emits heat. The inactive film forming sections 40 include, for example, a film forming section M4 and a film forming section M5. The inactive membrane processing unit 50 is, for example, a membrane processing site M3.

On the other hand, the film-formed workpiece W passes through a position of the processing unit 5 facing the opening 51a of the scribe section 51. As shown in fig. 8(B), in the processing unit 5, oxygen gas and nitrogen gas as the process gas G2 are supplied from the gas supply portion 53 into the gas space R through the supply port 531, the coil 55B is energized to form a magnetic field, and the microwaves from the waveguide 55a are introduced through the window portion 52, thereby generating plasma in the gas space R. Oxygen ions and nitrogen ions generated by the generated plasma collide with the surface of the workpiece W on which the film is formed, thereby penetrating into the film material.

The flow rate per unit time of the process gas G2 introduced from the supply port 531 is set in the storage portion 74 so as to decrease toward the inner peripheral side of the rotary body 31 and increase toward the outer peripheral side. The gas control unit 73 outputs an instruction to cause the adjustment unit 54 to control the flow rate of the process gas G2 flowing through each pipe 53a, in accordance with the flow rate set in the storage unit 74. Therefore, the outer peripheral side is larger than the inner peripheral side with respect to the amount of active species such as ions generated per unit volume in the gas space R. Therefore, the throughput of the membrane affected by the amount of the active species increases from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side.

However, the processing region to be subjected to the film processing is a rounded rectangle having a shape similar to the opening 51a of the defining section 51. Therefore, the width of the processing region, i.e., the width in the rotational direction, is the same in the entire radial direction. That is, the processing region has a constant width in the radial direction. On the other hand, the closer to the outer peripheral side from the inner peripheral side, the faster the workpiece W passes through the processing region. Therefore, the closer to the outer peripheral side from the inner peripheral side, the shorter the time for the workpiece W to pass through the processing region. By increasing the supply amount of the process gas G2 toward the outer periphery side, the film processing amount increases toward the outer periphery side, and thus the elapsed time of the processing region can be compensated for. As a result, the film throughput of the entire workpiece W becomes uniform.

In the case of performing a film processing using two or more types of process gas G2, such as an oxynitride processing, it is necessary to completely form the film formed by the film forming portion 40 into a compound film while the rotating body 31 rotates once, and it is also necessary to make the composition of the film uniform over the entire film formation surface. This embodiment is suitable for plasma processing in which film processing is performed using two or more kinds of process gas G2. For example, to form silicon oxynitride (SiO)_xN_y) Is set to 1: 1 in the film. In this way, it is necessary to control both the amount of the active species and the ratio of oxygen to nitrogen contained in the active species when the formed film sufficiently becomes a compound film. In the present embodiment, the supply site of the process gas G2 can be provided in plurality, and the supply amount of the process gas G2 in each supply site can be adjusted for each process gas G2, so that both the amount and the ratio can be easily controlled.

During the film formation process described above, the rotary body 31 continues to rotate and continuously and cyclically conveys the tray 1 holding the workpiece W. As described above, the compound film is formed by repeating the film formation and the film treatment by circulating the workpiece W. In this embodiment, a film of silicon oxynitride is formed as a compound film on the surface of the workpiece W.

After a predetermined processing time for the film of silicon oxynitride to have a desired film thickness has elapsed, the operations of the film formation section 40 and the film processing section 50 are stopped. That is, the application of power to the target 41 by the power supply unit 6, the supply of the process gas G2 from the supply port 531, the energization of the coil 55b, and the introduction of microwaves from the waveguide 55a are stopped.

After the film forming process is completed, the tray 1 on which the workpiece W is mounted is sequentially positioned in the load lock portion 60 by the rotation of the rotating body 31, and is carried out to the outside by the conveying means.

The flow rate of the process gas G2 in the supply port 531D and the supply port 531D located on the outermost periphery outside the film formation region F may be less than that in the supply ports 531B, 531C, 531B, and 531C, without being maximized. That is, the flow rates were set so that supply port 531A < supply port 531D < supply port 531B < supply port 531C, and supply port 531A < supply port 531D < supply port 531B < supply port 531C.

At a position other than the film formation region F, the workpiece W does not pass through, and therefore the process gas G2 does not need to be supplied. However, as shown in fig. 9, when the divider 51 is formed in a rich space outside the film formation region F, if the process gas G2 is not supplied to the outside of the film formation region F at all, the process gas G2 diffuses outside the film formation region F in the vicinity of the inner peripheral edge or the outer peripheral edge of the film formation region F. As a result, the process rate is lowered near the inner peripheral end or the outer peripheral end of the film formation region F. Therefore, it is preferable to supply the process gas G2 to the outside of the film formation region F in advance. The process gas G2 at this time may be an amount to compensate for the amount of reduction due to diffusion, and therefore may be an amount sufficient to prevent diffusion depending on the relationship with the size of the region that becomes the margin. However, the supply amount may be larger than the supply ports 531C and 531C.

As described above, the supply ports 531A, 531D, and 531D located outside the film formation region F can be excluded from the targets of adjustment of the process gas G2 by the adjustment unit 54 according to the elapsed time.

Further, the supply ports 531D and 531D located outside the film formation region F are low in degree of participating in the film processing, and the process gas G2 is supplied even in a small amount without maximizing the flow rate of the process gas G2, whereby the degree of film processing can be further uniformized. The same is considered for the supply ports 531A and 531A on the inner peripheral side. That is, by providing the supply port 531 outside the film formation region F, effects such as uniformizing the degree of film processing can be obtained.

[ Effect ]

(1) The present embodiment includes: a vacuum container 20 capable of making the inside vacuum; a conveying unit 30 having a rotating body 31 provided in the vacuum chamber 20 and rotating while carrying the workpiece W thereon, and circulating the workpiece W along a circumferential conveying path T by rotating the rotating body 31; a defining part 51 having a side wall part 51c and an opening 51a, the side wall part 51c defining a part of a gas space R into which a process gas G2 is introduced, the opening 51a facing the conveying path T inside the vacuum chamber 20; a gas supply unit 53 configured to supply a process gas G2 to the gas space R; and a plasma source 55 for generating plasma in a gas space R into which a process gas G2 is introduced, the plasma being used to perform plasma processing on a workpiece W passing through the transport path T, wherein the gas supply unit 53 supplies the process gas G2 from a plurality of supply locations at different times when the surface of the rotating body 31 passes through a processing region where the plasma processing is performed, and the plasma source is provided with an adjustment unit 54, and the adjustment unit 54 individually adjusts the supply amount of the process gas G2 per unit time of the plurality of supply locations in accordance with the time when the processing region passes through.

Therefore, the degree of plasma processing performed on the workpiece W circularly conveyed by the rotating body 31 can be adjusted according to the position where the passing speed of the surface of the rotating body 31 is different. Therefore, the desired plasma processing can be performed by making the degree of processing performed on the workpiece W uniform, changing the degree of processing at a desired position, or the like. In this case, the larger the diameter of the rotating body 31 and the larger the width of the film formation region F, that is, the larger the difference in the peripheral speed between the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the film formation region F.

(2) The adjusting section 54 adjusts the supply amount of the process gas G2 introduced from each supply point according to the position in the direction intersecting the conveyance path T. Therefore, the supply amounts of the process gas G2 at the plurality of supply points can be individually adjusted according to the position where the passing speed of the surface of the rotating body 31 is different.

(3) The plurality of supply locations are arranged at opposing positions in the gas space R and in a direction along the conveyance path T. Therefore, the process gas G2 can be distributed throughout the gas space R in a short time.

(4) The adjusting unit 54 adjusts the supply amount of the process gas G2 supplied from each supply point in accordance with the film thickness of the film formed on the workpiece W and the time for the surface of the rotating body 31 to pass through the processing region where the plasma processing is performed. Therefore, film processing can be performed according to the film thickness.

(5) The present embodiment includes a plurality of trays 1 that are held by the rotating body 31 and hold the workpieces W, a gap through which the workpieces W held by the trays 1 can pass is provided between a surface of the tray 1 facing the defining portion 51 and a surface of the side wall portion 51c of the defining portion 51 facing the rotating body 31, and the side wall portion 51c has a recessed portion 51b along the convex portion Cp provided on the surface of the workpieces W facing the defining portion 51.

Therefore, when the workpiece W passes between the facing surface of the scribe portion 51 and the rotating body 31, the interval between the facing surface and the rotating body 31 can be reduced, and a drop in pressure due to leakage of the process gas G2 can be prevented. Further, by disposing the plurality of workpieces W so as to reduce the mutual intervals, immediately after one workpiece W passes, the next workpiece W arrives, and the gap between the scribe portion 51 and the rotating body 31 is continuously narrowed, so that the process gas G2 is less likely to leak. In addition, contamination caused by the inflow of the sputtering gas G1 into the gas space R can be prevented, so that a decrease in the film processing rate can be prevented. Further, the process gas G2 flowing out of the gas space R is prevented from flowing into the film forming section 40 and causing contamination, and a decrease in the film forming rate by the reaction of the target 41, the generation of an arc, and the generation of particles are prevented.

(6) The rotary body 31 holds the workpiece W on the installation surface side where the vacuum chamber 20 is installed, and the opening 51a of the scribe part 51 faces the workpiece W from the installation surface side. Therefore, since the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W faces the installation surface side, dust, dirt, a film forming material attached to the inside of the apparatus, and the like can be prevented from falling and attaching to the workpiece W due to gravity. The installation surface referred to herein is a surface such as a floor surface or a floor surface that is present in a direction in which gravity is applied to the vacuum chamber 20.

(7) The supply port 531 is provided in an annular region, i.e., a film forming region F, corresponding to the region where the film is formed by the film forming section 40 and along the transport path T, and is also provided outside the film forming region F, and the supply port 531 provided outside the film forming region F is excluded from the adjustment targets of the supply amount of the process gas G2 by the adjustment section 54.

As described above, the process gas G2 is supplied even outside the film formation region F, and thus the flow rate of the process gas G2 at the end of the film formation region F can be prevented from being insufficient. For example, even if the outermost supply port 531 or the innermost supply port 531 is outside the film formation region F, the process gas G2 is supplied, whereby the film formation process can be made uniform. However, the flow rate outside the outermost film formation zone F is not insufficient even if the maximum flow rate is not set, and therefore the flow rate can be saved. That is, the supply portion of the process gas G2 outside the film formation region F functions as an auxiliary supply portion or an auxiliary supply port that compensates for the flow rate of the process gas G2 inside the film formation region F.

[ modified examples ]

The embodiments of the present invention also include the following modifications.

(1) The supply port 531 for the process gas G2 may be provided in the dividing section 51. For example, the tip of each pipe 53a in the gas supply unit 53 may be extended to the supply port 531 formed in the defining unit 51. The diameter of the tip of the pipe 53a may be reduced to form a nozzle shape. In this case, the pipe 53a may be disposed not only in the film formation region F but also outside the film formation region F, and may function as an auxiliary supply port or an auxiliary supply nozzle that compensates for the flow rate of the process gas G2 in the film formation region F.

(2) The number of portions to which the process gas G2 is supplied by the gas supply unit 53 and the number of the supply ports 531 may be a plurality of portions having different speeds of passage of the surface of the rotating body, and is not limited to the above-described numbers. By providing three or more in one row in the film formation region F, finer flow rate control according to the processing position can be performed. Further, the distribution of the gas flow rate is made more linear as the number of supply portions and supply ports 531 is increased, thereby preventing local process variation. The supply ports 531 may be provided in any one row, and not provided in two opposing rows of the dividing section 51. The supply ports 531 may be arranged at positions shifted in the height direction, and may not be arranged on a straight line.

(3) The configuration of the adjustment portion 54 is not limited to the example. A manual valve may be provided in each pipe 53a to perform adjustment manually. Since the supply amount of the process gas G2 may be adjusted, the pressure may be adjusted by opening and closing a valve while keeping the pressure constant, or the pressure may be increased or decreased. The regulating portion 54 may also be implemented by the supply port 531. For example, the supply amount of the process gas G2 may be adjusted by providing the supply ports 531 of different diameters in accordance with the position where the speed of passage of the surface of the rotating body is different. The supply port 531 may be replaced with a nozzle having a different diameter. The diameter of the supply port 531 may be changed by a shutter (shutter) or the like.

(4) Since the velocity is the distance moved per unit time, the supply amount of the process gas G2 from each supply port can be set in accordance with the relationship with the time required to pass through the processing region in the radial direction.

(5) The shapes of the scribe portion 51 and the window portion 52 are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments. The horizontal section can also be square, round or oval. However, in the case of the shape in which the interval between the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side is equal, since the elapsed time of the workpiece W on the inner peripheral side and the elapsed time of the workpiece W on the outer peripheral side are different, it is easier to adjust the supply amount of the process gas G2 in accordance with the difference in the processing time.

(6) By holding the plurality of trays 1 to the rotating body 31, the facing surfaces 11 of the plurality of trays 1 can be formed to have portions that are continuously the same surface along the track of the circumference. Here, the opposed surfaces 11 of the plurality of trays 1 are flush with each other, and this means that corresponding portions of the opposed surfaces 11 of the respective trays 1 are at substantially the same height. For example, as shown in fig. 11, the tray 1 and the rotating body 31 are formed in the following manner: when the facing portion X1 of the tray 1 is fitted into the opening 31a of the holding portion 33, the facing surface 11 of the tray 1 and the surface of the rotating body 31 facing the defining portion 51 are continuously flush with each other along the circumferential path. In this case, a minute groove may be formed at the boundary of the opening 31a and the facing surface 11.

Thereby, the space between the surface of the tray 1 and the delimiting part 51 or the shielding member 8 can be prevented from being extremely enlarged as compared with the space between the surface of the workpiece W and the delimiting part 51 or the shielding member 8, thereby further suppressing the leakage of the reaction gas G. In addition, in the case where the processing unit includes the processing units using different reaction gases G, mutual contamination due to leakage of the reaction gases G can be further prevented.

Further, the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W and the facing surface 11 of the tray 1 may be formed to have portions that are continuously flush with each other along a circumferential path. For example, as shown in fig. 12, an insertion portion 11b into which the work W is inserted may be provided in the pallet 1. The embedded portion 11b is a notch embedded in a part or all of the workpiece W in the thickness direction. The depth of the fitting portion 11b is set so that the surface of the tray 1 is flush with the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W.

This can reduce the difference in level between the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W and the surface of the tray 1, and prevent the gap between the surface of the tray 1 other than the workpiece W and the shield member 8 and the delimiting portion 51 from being enlarged, thereby further suppressing the leakage of the reaction gas G.

Instead of using the tray 1, the workpiece W may be directly held by the rotating body 31 or a holding portion provided in the rotating body 31. In this case, for example, as shown in fig. 13, the workpiece W is also fitted into the notch 31d formed in the lower surface 31c of the rotating body 31, and thus the workpiece W and the rotating body 31 may be formed to have portions that are continuously flush with each other along the circumferential locus.

(7) The shape of the tray 1 and the shape of the rotating body 31 are not limited to the above shapes. For example, the shape of the tray 1 may be a shape along the irregularities of the workpiece W. That is, in the above example, the pallet 1 has the simple convex portions 11a along the concave portions Rp, but in the case where the workpiece W has the concave and convex portions, the facing surface 11 of the pallet 1 can be formed in a shape along the concave and convex portions of the workpiece W, and the workpiece W can be stably held.

(8) The tray 1 and the rotating body 31 may not be provided with the irregularities along the shape of the workpiece W. That is, if the workpiece W can be stably held, the holding surfaces of the tray 1 and the rotary body 31 for the workpiece W may be flat. For example, as shown in fig. 14, the facing surface 11 of the pallet 1 may be made flat, and the workpiece W may be held on the facing surface 11.

(9) The pallet 1 may be provided with a holding portion for supporting an edge portion of the workpiece W to hold the workpiece W. For example, as shown in fig. 15(a) and 15(B), a plurality of openings 16 penetrating in the vertical direction are formed in the tray 1. Fig. 15(a) is an example of a case of the workpiece W having the convex portions Cp, and fig. 15(B) is an example of a case of the workpiece W having a flat plate shape. Here, the support portion X2 side of the opening 16 is one turn larger than the opposing portion X1 side. More specifically, the support portion X2 side of the opening 16 is an insertion portion 16a having a size that allows the workpiece W to be placed inside the tray 1.

The facing portion X1 side of the opening 16 is a holding portion 16b that bulges inward and can hold the tray 1. The inner periphery of the holding portion 16b is substantially the same shape as the outer shape of the workpiece W, but is smaller than the workpiece W by one turn, and therefore holds the outer periphery of the processing target surface Sp of the workpiece W inserted from the insertion portion 16 a. Further, in this example, the weight of the pallet 1 is supported by the holding portion 16b, and therefore, it is not necessary to provide a complicated mechanism for holding the workpiece W. The holding portion 16b may be formed in an opening provided in the rotating body 31 so as to hold the workpiece W by the rotating body 31.

(10) The number of trays 1 and workpieces W to be simultaneously conveyed by the conveying section, and the number of holding sections 33 and 16b to hold them may be at least one, and are not limited to the numbers exemplified in the above embodiments. That is, the embodiment may be an embodiment in which one workpiece W is conveyed in a circulating manner, or an embodiment in which two or more workpieces W are conveyed in a circulating manner. Further, the work W may be arranged in two or more rows in the radial direction and may be conveyed in a circulating manner.

(11) In the above embodiment, the rotating body 31 is a rotating platform, but the rotating body 31 is not limited to a platform shape. The rotating body 31 may be a rotating body that holds a tray or a workpiece on arms extending radially from the center of rotation and rotates. The installation surface of the vacuum vessel 20 is not limited to the floor surface or the floor surface, and may be located on the upper side of the ceiling plate or the like. The film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 may be located on the ceiling side of the vacuum chamber 20, and the vertical relationship between the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 and the rotating body 31 may be reversed. In this case, when the rotation plane of the rotating body 31 extends in the horizontal direction, the surface of the rotating body 31 on which the holding portion 33 is disposed is an upward surface, that is, an upper surface. The opening 80 of the shielding member 8 and the opening 51a of the delimiting portion 51 face downward.

In the above embodiment, the case where the holding portion 33 is provided on the lower surface of the horizontally arranged rotating body 31, the rotating body 31 is rotated in the horizontal plane, and the film portion 40 and the film processing portion 50 are arranged below the rotating body 31 has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the arrangement of the rotating body 31 is not limited to the horizontal, and may be arranged vertically, or may be arranged obliquely to the vertical or horizontal. The holding portions 33 may be provided on both surfaces of the rotating body 31. That is, in the present invention, the direction of the rotation plane of the rotating body 31 may be any direction, and the position of the holding portion 33, the position of the film forming portion 40, and the position of the film processing portion 50 may be set to positions where the film forming portion 40, the film processing portion 50, and the workpiece W held by the holding portion 33 face each other.

(12) The plasma source 55 is not limited to the above-described device. Not only a device using ECR plasma but also a device generating plasma in the gas space R using other principles. For example, an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) may be generated in the gas space R. Such a device has an antenna outside the gas space R and in the vicinity of the window 52. By applying power to the antenna, the process gas G2 of the gas space R is ionized, generating a plasma. The workpiece W passing through the transport path T is processed by the plasma.

(13) The kind, shape and material of the workpiece W to be subjected to the plasma treatment are not limited to specific ones. For example, a workpiece W having a concave portion on the processing target surface Sp facing the film forming section 40 and the film processing section 50 may be used. Further, a workpiece W having a concave-convex portion on the processing target surface Sp may be used. In this case, the shielding member 8 and the delimiting part 51 may have a shape that is along the concave or convex portion of the workpiece W on the side facing the workpiece W.

Further, as described above, the workpiece W having the processing target surface Sp as a flat surface may be used. Further, a workpiece containing a conductive material such as metal or carbon, a workpiece containing an insulator such as glass or rubber, or a workpiece containing a semiconductor such as silicon can be used. The number of the workpieces W to be plasma-processed is not limited to a specific number. The holding portion 33 may be a groove, a projection, a jig, a holder, or the like for holding the tray 1, or may be constituted by a mechanical chuck, an adhesive chuck, or the like.

(14) As the film-forming material, various materials capable of forming a film by sputtering can be applied. For example, tantalum, titanium, aluminum, and the like may be applied. As a material for forming the compound, not only nitrogen and oxygen but also various materials can be applied.

(15) The number of targets 41 in the film forming section 40 is not limited to three. One, two, or four or more targets 41 may be provided. By adjusting the applied power by increasing the number of targets 41, finer film thickness control can be achieved.

(16) The number of the film forming sections 40 and the film processing sections 50 is not limited to a specific number. The number of the film forming sections 40 and the number of the film processing sections 50 may be one, two, or four or more. The number of film forming portions can be increased to increase the film forming rate. Accordingly, the number of the membrane processing sections 50 is also increased, and the membrane processing rate can be increased. In the case of having a plurality of membrane processing sections 50, the gas flow rate can be adjusted in the above manner by the respective adjusting sections 54. Further, a plurality of film processing sections 50 may be arranged in the radial direction.

(17) The shielding member 8 in the film forming section 40 may be understood as a defining section defining a part of the gas space into which the sputtering gas G1 is introduced and having an opening facing the transport path T inside the vacuum chamber 20. The gas space in this case is a space formed between the inside of the shielding member 8 and the rotating body 31, and the work W circularly conveyed by the rotating body 31 repeatedly passes through this space. That is, the gas space includes not only the space inside the shield member 8 but also the space between the rotating bodies 31 facing the opening 80. The gas supply unit 25 of the film forming unit 40 may be configured as follows: the sputtering gas G1 is supplied from a plurality of supply points, which are different in time, in which the plasma processing is performed from the surface of the rotating body 31, and the plasma processing apparatus has an adjustment unit that individually adjusts the supply amount of the sputtering gas G1 per unit time in the plurality of supply points according to the elapsed time.

(18) The present invention may have the film forming part 40 or may not have the film forming part 40. That is, the present invention is not limited to the plasma processing apparatus 100 for forming a film. The present invention is not limited to the plasma processing apparatus 100 that performs film processing, and can be widely applied to the plasma processing apparatus 100 that performs processing on a processing target by using active species generated by plasma. For example, the following plasma processing apparatus 100 may be configured: in addition to the above-described embodiments, or both or one of the film forming section and the film processing section may be omitted, and a processing unit may be provided for generating plasma in the gas space to perform surface modification such as etching and ashing, and cleaning. In that case, for example, the processing unit may be set as a linear ion source. For example, the process gas G2 may be an inert gas such as argon.

(19) The shape of the vacuum vessel 20 is not limited to the cylindrical shape. Or a polygonal cylinder such as a rectangular parallelepiped.

(20) While the embodiments and the modifications of the respective parts of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments and the modifications of the respective parts are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The above-described novel embodiments can be implemented in other various ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims.

Claims (10)

1. A plasma processing apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum container capable of making the inside vacuum;

a conveying section that has a rotating body that is provided in the vacuum container and holds and rotates a workpiece, and that conveys the workpiece in a circular conveying path by rotating the rotating body;

a defining section having a side wall portion defining a part of a gas space into which a reaction gas is introduced, and an opening facing the transport path inside the vacuum container;

a gas supply unit configured to supply the reaction gas to the gas space; and

a plasma source for generating plasma in the gas space into which the reaction gas is introduced, the plasma being used to perform plasma processing on the workpiece passing through the conveyance path,

the gas supply unit supplies the reaction gas from a plurality of supply points, which are different in time, on the surface of the rotating body through a processing region where the plasma processing is performed, and

and an adjustment unit that individually adjusts the supply amount of the reaction gas per unit time at the plurality of supply points, based on the elapsed time.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

The adjusting section adjusts the supply amount of the reaction gas introduced from each supply portion in accordance with a position in a direction intersecting the transport path.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

The plurality of supply portions are arranged at opposing positions in the gas space and in a direction along the conveyance path.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

The adjusting section adjusts the supply amount of the reaction gas supplied from each supply port in accordance with the film thickness of the film formed on the workpiece and the elapsed time.

5. The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein

The workpiece has a convex portion on a processing target surface on which the plasma processing is performed,

a gap through which the workpiece held by the rotating body can pass is provided between a surface of the side wall portion of the stroking portion facing the rotating body and the rotating body,

the side wall portion has a concave portion along the convex portion of the workpiece.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein

A plurality of trays holding the workpieces are held by the rotating body,

a gap through which the workpiece held by the tray can pass is provided between a surface of the side wall portion of the paddle portion facing the rotating body and the tray,

the tray has a convex portion along the concave portion of the side wall portion.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein

The surface of the rotating body facing the scribing portion and the surfaces of the plurality of trays facing the scribing portion have portions that are continuously flush along the trajectory of the circumference.

8. The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein

The rotating body holds the workpiece on a setting surface side where the vacuum vessel is set,

the opening of the scribe portion faces the workpiece from the installation surface side.

9. The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plasma source is an apparatus that generates an electron cyclotron resonance plasma in the gas space.

10. The plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein

The plasma source is a device that causes an inductively coupled plasma to be generated in the gas space.

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