JP2000160368A - Device and method for microwave plasma treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microwave plasma treating device capable of reducing the size of a whole device even when the diameter of a substrate to be treated as much as possible, being installed in a small space, and surely and uniformly achieving the plasma treatment. SOLUTION: This microwave plasma treating device is provided with a loading table 3 having a loading surface 3A on which a small to be treated by using the plasma is loaded, a treatment container 1 to store the loading table, a sealing member 4 which is arranged oppositely to the loading surface, seals the treatment container and allows the plasma-generating microwave to transmit and enter the treatment container, an annular tubular member in which a microwave inlet 13A to introduce the microwave is opened in the circumferential side surface and a dielectric body 14 to propagate the introduced microwave is internally fitted, and a slit plate which is arranged oppositely to the sealing member and the tubular member between the tubular member and the sealing member, and a specified slit 15 through which the microwave is passed is opened, and the area to be surrounded by the axis of the tubular member is larger than the loading area of the loading surface on which the sample is loaded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for generating plasma in a processing vessel using microwaves, and etching, ashing, or the like of an object to be processed such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display by the generated plasma. CV
The present invention relates to a microwave plasma processing apparatus for performing processing such as D (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and a microwave plasma processing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a front sectional view schematically showing a conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the same device shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a processing container, which is constituted by a metal conductor and defines a processing chamber 32. A sealing plate formed by using a dielectric plate made of quartz glass, alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ), or the like, which has heat resistance and microwave permeability, and has a small dielectric loss, is provided vertically above the processing container 31. 34 seals in an airtight state.

[0003] A cover member 40 for covering the upper portion of the processing container 31 is connected to the processing container 31. This cover member 4
A dielectric line 41 is attached to the ceiling portion inside 0.
An air gap 4 is provided between the dielectric line 41 and the sealing plate 34.
3 are formed. The dielectric line 41 is made of a dielectric material such as fluorocarbon resin such as Teflon (registered trademark), polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin or quartz, and is tapered from the width of the waveguide 21 to the width enough to cover the processing vessel 31. It is formed in a pentagon.

A mounting table 33 for mounting a substrate W as a sample is provided at a position facing the sealing plate 34 in the processing container 31.
Is provided, and an exhaust port 38 connected to an exhaust device (not shown) is formed in the bottom wall 31B of the processing container 31.
A gas supply pipe 35 for supplying a required reaction gas is connected to a side wall 31A of the processing container 31.

[0005] When, for example, the semiconductor substrate W mounted on the mounting table 33 is subjected to, for example, an etching process using the microwave plasma processing apparatus configured as described above, the processing vessel is evacuated through the exhaust port 38. After setting the inside of the chamber 31 to a required degree of vacuum, a reaction gas is supplied from the gas supply pipe 35. Next, in order to oscillate the microwave in the microwave oscillator 20 and uniformly spread and propagate the microwave through the waveguide 21, the microwave is introduced into the dielectric line 41 including the tapered portion 41A. Then, a uniform electric field is formed below the dielectric line 41, and the formed electric field is transmitted through the air gap 43 and the sealing plate 34 and supplied into the processing container 31 to generate a uniform plasma. A uniform process such as etching is performed on the surface of the substrate W.

[0006]

In the conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus as described above, the edge of the sealing plate 34 and the edge of the processing container 31 are required to uniformly spread and propagate the microwave on the dielectric line 41. A taper portion 41A is provided which protrudes in the horizontal direction from a position corresponding to the tapered portion.
1A is set to a predetermined size according to the area of the dielectric line 41, that is, the size of the processing container 31. Therefore, when installing the conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus, it is necessary to secure extra horizontal space for storing the tapered portion 41A protruding from the peripheral edge of the processing container 31.

With the increase in the diameter of the substrate W as a sample, a microwave plasma processing apparatus having a larger processing vessel 31 is required, and at the same time, it is required to reliably perform uniform plasma processing. . At this time, it is also required that there is no place where the device is installed, that is, it can be installed in a space as small as possible.
However, in the conventional device, the tapered portion 41A
Are determined according to the size of the processing container 31, and therefore, these requirements described above cannot be satisfied at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can reduce the size of the entire apparatus as much as possible even if the diameter of a substrate to be processed is large, and can be installed in a small space. It is another object of the present invention to provide a microwave plasma processing apparatus capable of more reliably performing uniform plasma processing.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, a microwave plasma processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention mounts a sample W to be processed by using a plasma as shown in FIG. A mounting table 3 having a mounting surface 3A to be mounted; a processing container 1 for housing the mounting table 3; and a micro-tube arranged to face the mounting surface 3A to seal the processing container 1 and generate the plasma. A sealing member 4 for transmitting a wave and introducing the microwave into the processing chamber 1; and a ring-shaped tubular member 13 having a microwave introduction port 13A for opening the microwave for introducing the microwave. Dielectric 14 to be propagated
Annular tubular member 13 in which is fitted; annular tubular member 1
A slit plate 10 disposed between the sealing member 4 and the sealing member 4 so as to face the sealing member 4 and the annular tubular member 13, and having predetermined slits 15, 15,. The area surrounded by the center line of the tubular member 13 is larger than the mounting area of the mounting surface 13A on which the sample W is mounted.

[0010] The annular tubular member is typically formed by annularly forming a channel-like member in which a part of a longitudinal section of a tubular member is open, and a slit plate closes the open portion. It is configured to The slit plate may be formed integrally with the annular tubular member, or may be formed as a separate member. When integrally formed, a tubular member having a closed cross section is constituted by a tubular member and a slit plate having a part of the vertical cross section opened. An antenna is configured including the annular tubular member and the slit plate. Further, it is assumed that the term “annular” is a concept including a C-shape in which a part of the ring is missing. If the center line of the tubular member is partially missing because a part of the ring is missing, calculate the area assuming that the ring exists at the missing part and the center line also exists .

The microwaves incident on the annular tubular member from the microwave inlet become traveling waves traveling in opposite directions in the tubular member and propagate through the tubular member. And collides with each other at a position opposing to the stationary wave to form a standing wave.

Due to the standing wave, a current that reaches a maximum at predetermined intervals flows through the wall surface of the tubular member. Under the tubular member, a slit is formed in a slit plate provided opposite to the sealing member and the tubular member, and a potential difference is generated between the inside and outside of the tubular member with the slit interposed therebetween due to the above-described current, and this potential difference is generated. As a result, an electric field is uniformly radiated from the slit to the sealing member. That is, the microwave propagates from the tubular member to the sealing member, and the microwave propagates inside the sealing member from the periphery to the center. The microwave passes through the sealing member and is introduced into the processing chamber, and plasma is generated by the microwave. The plasma spreads from the periphery to the center of the region inside the processing chamber, while maintaining the plasma at a high density and uniformity in a region directly below the tubular member.

[0013] Since the microwave can be directly incident into the tubular member in this manner, the tubular member does not protrude from the processing vessel that defines the processing chamber, and thus the horizontal dimension of the plasma processing apparatus is reduced. It can be as small as possible. On the other hand, since the microwave is guided from the tubular member to substantially the entire region of the processing chamber and is radiated from the slit, the microwave can be uniformly introduced into the processing chamber. Furthermore, by making the inner diameter of the tubular member the required size,
A single mode (fundamental mode) standing wave can be formed in the tubular member, so that energy loss can be minimized.

Since the area surrounded by the center line of the annular tubular member is configured to be larger than the mounting area on the mounting surface of the mounting table on which the sample is mounted, the uniformity of the central portion of the plasma is uniform. Only the region can be opposed to the surface to be processed of the sample, and the uniformity of the plasma processing can be easily improved.

Here, the center line of the annular tubular member is defined as a curve between the inner circumferential curve and the outer circumferential curve of the ring, and in the case of a ring, a circular center line between the outer circumferential circle and the inner circumferential circle. It means that. When the sample is a circular substrate, the mounting area on which the sample is mounted means an area surrounded by an outer peripheral circle of the substrate.

It is desirable that the mounting area of the sample is smaller than the area surrounded by the inner circumference of the annular tubular member. This is because the sample can be plasma-processed by plasma having higher uniformity.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microwave plasma processing method, wherein a pressure in a processing container sealed by a sealing member that transmits microwaves is maintained at a vacuum; and plasma is generated in the processing container. Microwaves are introduced into an annular tubular member in which a dielectric is fitted; microwaves that have propagated through the dielectric are passed through the slit from the tubular member and transmitted through the sealing member, Introducing into the processing container; providing a sample having an area smaller than an area surrounded by a center line of the tubular member, which is processed using the plasma generated by the microwave, into the processing container. I do.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view showing a structure of a microwave plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the microwave plasma processing apparatus shown in FIG. The microwave plasma processing apparatus of the present embodiment includes a processing vessel 1 having a bottomed cylindrical shape entirely formed of aluminum. Processing container 1
Defines a processing chamber 2 in which processing of a substrate W as a sample is performed. A microwave introduction window is opened in the upper part of the processing container 1, and the microwave introduction window is hermetically sealed by a sealing plate 4 as a sealing member. Sealing plate 4
Is made of a dielectric material such as quartz glass or alumina, which has heat resistance and microwave transparency and low dielectric loss.

A part of the upper surface and the outer peripheral side surface of the above-mentioned sealing plate 4 are covered with a cover member 10 formed by molding a conductive metal into a circular lid shape. It is fixed. An antenna 11 for introducing microwaves into the processing chamber 1 is provided on an upper surface of the cover member 10. The antenna 11 includes an annular waveguide type antenna section 12 which is fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 10 and is a tubular member formed in an annular shape. A plurality of slits 15, 15,... Are formed in a portion of the cover member 10 facing the annular waveguide antenna section 12. Cover member 1
0 also serves as a slit plate.

The annular waveguide type antenna section 12 is provided slightly inside the inner peripheral surface of the processing vessel 1 and concentric with the central axis of the processing vessel 1. Further, a tubular introduction portion 13 for introducing microwaves into the annular waveguide antenna portion 12 is horizontally arranged in a diameter direction of the annular waveguide antenna portion 12 at an introduction port 13A provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Then, it is connected to the annular waveguide antenna unit 12. The annular waveguide antenna unit 12 and the introduction unit 13 constitute the antenna 11. A dielectric 14 such as a fluororesin such as Teflon (registered trademark), a polyethylene resin, or a polystyrene resin (preferably Teflon) is inserted into almost the entire inner space of the introduction portion 13 and the annular waveguide antenna portion 12. I have. A rod-shaped waveguide 21 disposed horizontally is connected to the introduction portion 13, and a microwave oscillator 20 is connected to the waveguide 21. The outer diameter of the waveguide 21 is equal to the outer diameter of the introduction section 13.

The microwave oscillated by the microwave oscillator 20 enters the introduction section 13 of the antenna 11 via the waveguide 21. This incident wave is introduced from the introduction unit 13 to the annular waveguide antenna unit 12. The microwave introduced into the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12 travels in the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12 in the opposite directions to each other and travels through the dielectric 14 in the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12. Propagate. Both traveling waves are introduced into the inlet 13A of the annular waveguide antenna unit 12.
And a standing wave is generated.

Due to the standing wave, a current having a maximum value flows through the inner surface of the annular waveguide antenna unit 12 at predetermined intervals. The electric current causes a potential difference between the inside and outside of the annular waveguide antenna section 12 across the slits 15, 15,..., And the electric field is uniformly radiated from the slits 15, 15,. That is, the microwave propagates from the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12 to the sealing plate 4, and the microwave propagates from the peripheral portion to the center portion of the inside of the sealing plate 4, and An electric field is radiated from the substrate to the sealing plate 4. When a current flows through the inner surface of the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12, the frequency of the microwave is set so that the mode of the microwave propagating in the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12 becomes the rectangular TE1O which is the fundamental propagation mode. 2.45 GHz
, The dimensions of the annular waveguide antenna section 12 are determined (for example, a height of 27 mm and a width of 66.2 mm). The microwave in this mode is a single fundamental mode and has almost no loss of energy.
Propagating through the dielectric 14 within.

Further, for example, the diameter is 380 mm and the thickness is 2
Using a sealing plate 4 of 0 mm, the annular waveguide antenna unit 12
When Teflon (registered trader) with εr (relative dielectric constant of dielectric) = 2.1 is inserted into the ring waveguide antenna unit 1
The dimension from the center of the ring 2 to the center in the width direction of the annular waveguide antenna unit 12 is preferably set to 141 mm. in this case,
Circle C connecting the center in the width direction of the annular waveguide antenna section 12
(See FIG. 4) Circumferential length (for example, approximately 886 mm)
Is approximately an integral multiple of the wavelength (approximately 110 mm) of the microwave propagating in the annular waveguide antenna unit 12. Therefore, the microwave resonates in the annular waveguide type antenna unit 12, and the above-mentioned standing wave becomes a high voltage / low current at the antinode position, and becomes a low voltage / high current at the node position. Is improved. That is, the amplitude of the standing wave formed in the antenna 11 increases, and microwaves with high electric field intensity are radiated from the slits 15, 15,.

FIG. 3 shows the slit 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
It is explanatory drawing explaining 5, 15, .... As shown in FIG. 3, the rectangular (rectangular) slits 15, 15,... Have their lengths extending in the diametrical direction of the annular waveguide antenna unit 12, ie, inside the annular waveguide antenna unit 12. It is opened so as to be orthogonal to the traveling direction of the microwave propagating through.

Each of the slits 15, 15,...
An extension line L extending the center line in the longitudinal direction of
From the intersection point P _1, which is the side separated from the introduction portion 13, in the two directions along the circle C.
g / 4 (λg is the wavelength of the microwave propagating in the antenna), two slits 15, 15 are opened. From both slits 15, 15, in both directions along a circle C, Multiple other slits 1 at intervals of λg / 2
5, 15, ... have been established respectively. In this way, a plurality of regions having a strong electric field strength are formed on the dielectric 14 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center of the ring of the annular waveguide antenna unit 12 and the longitudinal center line of the introduction unit 13 which is a rod. You.

Each of the slits 15, 15,... Described above is located between adjacent regions where the electric field strength is strong. The light passes through the stop plate 4 and is introduced into the processing container 1.
That is, microwaves for generating plasma are introduced into the processing chamber 1. As described above, each slit 15, 15,
Are provided substantially radially on the cover member 10, so that the microwaves are uniformly introduced into the entire region in the processing container 1.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is on a cover member 10 having the same diameter as the diameter of the processing vessel 1,
Since it is provided without protruding from the peripheral edge of the cover member 10, even if the diameter of the processing container 1 is large, the size of the microwave plasma processing apparatus other than the processing container 1 can be reduced. Therefore, the microwave plasma processing apparatus can be installed in a small space. Conversely, if the size of the antenna 11 is increased, a large substrate can be uniformly processed.

A gas nozzle 6 is formed in the side wall 1A of the processing container 1 so as to extend horizontally through the side wall 1A.
Is exhausted from the exhaust port 18 to make the inside of the processing container 1 a pressure slightly higher than the vacuum pressure at which plasma is generated,
A required gas is introduced into the processing chamber 2 from the gas introduction pipe 5 connected to the gas nozzle 6. At the center of the bottom wall 1B of the processing chamber 2, there is a mounting surface 3A, and the substrate W as a sample is
A mounting table 3 to be mounted on A is provided, and a high frequency power supply 7 is connected to the mounting table 3 via a matching box 16. In addition, an exhaust port 18 is provided on the bottom wall 1B of the processing container 1.
The gas inside the processing chamber 2 is exhausted from the exhaust port 18.

The mounting area of the mounting table 3 on which the substrate W is mounted (the area of the substrate W) is an area surrounded by the center line of the annular waveguide type antenna section 12, that is, the annular waveguide type antenna section 12. Is smaller than the area of a circle having a diameter DA2 passing through the center between the outer circumference circle and the inner circumference circle. For example, if the diameter DW of the substrate is 20
When the diameter is 0 mm, the diameter DA2 of the circle surrounded by the center line is 282.
mm, and the mounting area is set to the annular waveguide type antenna unit 1.
When the diameter is smaller than the area of the inner circumference circle of the diameter DA1, the uniformity of the plasma processing is improved.

In order to perform, for example, an etching process on the surface of the substrate W, which is a sample, using such a microwave plasma processing apparatus, the processing chamber 2 is evacuated from the exhaust port 18 and then depressurized to a desired new and old pressure. , Gas introduction pipe 5 to processing chamber 2
Supply the reaction gas into the inside.

Next, a microwave is oscillated from a microwave oscillator 20, and is radiated through a waveguide 21 to an antenna 11.
To form a standing wave in the antenna 11. Due to this standing wave, the slits 15, 15,
Are transmitted through the sealing plate 4 and the processing chamber 2
And a uniform plasma is generated in the processing chamber 2, and the plasma uniformly etches the surface of the substrate W as a sample.

The density of the plasma generated on the mounting table 3 on which the substrate W having an outer peripheral circle having a diameter DW is mounted is high in the central region of the substrate W, and maintains a substantially constant value up to a certain distance from the center. When the distance exceeds a certain distance from the center, the value gradually decreases (see FIG. 5). The decrease in the value is generally small until it exceeds the circle (diameter DA2) surrounded by the center line of the inner circumference (diameter DA1) and the outer circumference circle of the annular waveguide type antenna section 12, but the outer circumference circle is reduced. If it exceeds, it will drop significantly. This decrease in plasma density causes a decrease in the uniformity of the etching rate of the substrate. The allowable value of the uniformity of the etching rate is 10% or less, but if the area of the inner circumference circle of the diameter DA1 of the annular waveguide antenna section 12 is made larger than the area surrounded by the outer circumference circle of the substrate W. In addition, the uniformity of the etching rate can be suppressed within 4%. Here, the uniformity of the etching rate is represented by a percentage number obtained by multiplying (maximum value−minimum value) / (maximum value + minimum value) of the etching rate by 100.

Therefore, in order to perform uniform plasma processing, the area of the circle having the diameter DA2 surrounded by the center line between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the annular waveguide antenna section 12 is reduced by the substrate having the diameter DW. It is desirable to make the area larger than the area surrounded by the outer circumference circle of W (the area where the substrate W of the mounting table 3 is mounted).
It is further desirable that the area of the inner circumference circle of the diameter DA1 of the annular waveguide antenna section 12 be larger than the area surrounded by the outer circumference circle of the substrate W.

Since the high frequency power source 7 is connected to the mounting table 3 via the matching box 16, a bias potential is generated on the substrate W mounted on the mounting table 3, and the power of the high frequency power source 7 is controlled. By controlling the bias potential and independently controlling the energy of the ions in the plasma, the workability of the substrate W (such as the etching shape) can be improved.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the plan view of FIG.
An embodiment will be described. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

As a second embodiment of the present invention, the waveguide-type antenna portion 112 as an annular tubular member is not annular, and a portion of the annular member is missing in one plane of the tubular member. It has an arc shape (C shape). In this case, one end of the waveguide antenna unit 112 is connected to the introduction unit 13 and the other end is closed. The longitudinal center line of the introduction portion 13 is attached so as to be in contact with the center line connecting the internal centers of the waveguide antenna portions 112.

The diameter of the center line assumed assuming that the waveguide type antenna section 112 has an annular shape is DA2, the diameter of the outer circumferential circle of the substrate W as a sample is DW, and DA2 is larger than DW. large. The area surrounded by the imaginary center line of the diameter DA2 is larger than the area of the outer circumferential circle of the substrate W. Therefore,
Uniform plasma can be made to face the substrate W, and uniform plasma processing can be performed.

Next, data on the results of measuring the density of the plasma are shown below. Microwave plasma processing equipment is 12
This is a device for inch wafers. The main dimensions are as follows. Diameter of the circle surrounded by the center line of the annular waveguide antenna:
403 mm Ring width of the annular waveguide type antenna portion: 70 mm (difference between outer radius and inner radius) Slit shape: 20 mm (width) × 56 mm (length) Seal plate shape: 500 mm (diameter) × 30 mm (thickness) Sa) Inner circumference diameter of processing container: 550mm Mounting table height: 80mm

The other specifications are as follows. Shape of annular waveguide type antenna part: annular number of slits: 22 height of measurement position: 25 mm above wafer surface Measurement direction: radial direction Processing chamber pressure: 20 mTorr Gas: argon

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the measurement results of the electron density of argon at this time. In this graph, the vertical axis represents the electron density (m ⁻³ ) (log scale), and the horizontal axis represents the distance (mm) of the measurement point from the wafer center. At this time, the decrease in the electron density is 3.8 in the inner circumference circle of the annular waveguide type antenna portion.
%, 8.2% at the center line in the middle of the inner and outer circles of the annular waveguide antenna unit, and 31% at the outer circle of the annular waveguide antenna unit. This result indicates that, for uniform plasma processing, the area surrounded by the center line in the middle of the inner and outer circles of the annular waveguide antenna section is reduced by the area surrounded by the outer circle of the substrate W ( It is desirable that the area of the inner circumferential circle of the annular waveguide type antenna portion be larger than the area surrounded by the outer circumferential circle of the substrate W. Indicates that it is more desirable.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, since an antenna having an annular tubular member and a slit plate having slits is provided, parts other than the processing container of the apparatus can be miniaturized. Even if the diameter of the substrate is large, the size of the entire device can be made as small as possible, and it can be installed in a small space. Furthermore, since the area surrounded by the center line of the annular tubular member is configured to be larger than the mounting area for mounting the sample on the mounting surface of the mounting table, a region where the density of plasma generated in the processing chamber is high, The sample can be opposed to the sample, the uniformity of the plasma treatment of the sample can be improved, and the uniform plasma treatment can be surely performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view of a microwave plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the microwave plasma processing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a slit of a cover member of the microwave plasma processing apparatus shown in FIG.

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

FIG. 5 is a graph showing data obtained by measuring a plasma electron density in a radial direction of a substrate.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front sectional view of a conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 processing container 1A side wall 1B bottom wall 2 processing chamber 3 mounting table 3A mounting surface 4 sealing plate 5 gas introduction pipe 6 gas nozzle 7 high frequency power supply 10 cover member 11 antenna 12 annular waveguide antenna section 13 introduction section 13A introduction port 14 Dielectric 15 Slit 16 Matching Box 18 Exhaust Port 20 Microwave Oscillator 21 Waveguide 112 Waveguide Antenna C Circle DA1 Diameter DA2 Diameter DW Diameter L Extension Line P ₁ Intersection W Substrate

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4G075 AA30 BC04 BC06 BC10 CA26 CA47 EB31 EC06 FA20 FB02 FB04 FB06 FB12 FC15 4K030 CA04 CA06 FA01 GA02 KA30 KA45 LA15 LA18 4K057 DA11 DA20 DD01 DM29 DM35 DM40 DN01 5F004 BB01A

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A mounting table having a mounting surface on which a sample to be processed using plasma is mounted; a processing container for storing the mounting table; A sealing member for sealing the container and transmitting the microwaves for generating the plasma and introducing the microwaves into the processing container; an annular tubular member having a microwave introduction port for introducing the microwaves opened on a peripheral side surface; An annular tubular member in which a dielectric for propagating the introduced microwave is inserted; and between the tubular member and the sealing member, facing the sealing member and the tubular member. And a slit plate provided with a predetermined slit through which the microwave passes. The area surrounded by the center line of the tubular member is larger than the mounting area for mounting the sample on the mounting surface. It is characterized by being configured to be large A microwave plasma processing apparatus. 2. A pressure in a processing container sealed by a sealing member that transmits microwaves is maintained at a vacuum; a microwave for generating plasma in the processing container is formed into an annular shape in which a dielectric is inserted. Introduced into the tubular member of; microwave transmitted through the dielectric, from the tubular member, through a slit,
A sample having an area smaller than an area surrounded by a center line of the tubular member, which is processed using the plasma generated by the microwave, and is transmitted through the sealing member and introduced into the processing container; The method is provided in a processing container; a microwave plasma processing method.