JP2004146734A - Plasma processing method, plasma processing apparatus, plasma chemical vapor deposition method, and plasma chemical vapor deposition system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decompose and reduce cluster generated in a plasma generation region while thermal deformation by heating a substrate or an electrode is controlled. <P>SOLUTION: A sign 10 indicates a vacuum film formation chamber in a plasma chemical vapor deposition system. In the vacuum film formation chamber 10, there is a ladder electrode 11 prepared as a flat-panel type electrode, and arrangement facing to the ladder electrode 11 with a prescribed space to each other is carried out, and a ground electrode 12, which is grounded, and a substrate 13 held by the ground electrode 12 are provided. A covering plate 16, which covers the ladder electrode 11 and the substrate 13, for preventing the generated plasma from dispersing to other parts in the vacuum film formation chamber 10 is provided. An Nd:YAG laser outgoing apparatus 25 for oscillating/feeding YAG pulse laser is provided at an outer side of the vacuum film formation chamber 10. In the vacuum film formation chamber 10, an inlet 26 for taking in the laser generated by the Nd:YAG laser outgoing apparatus 25 is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a plasma processing method, a plasma processing apparatus, a plasma chemical vapor deposition method, and a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for processing a substance by generating plasma by supplying high frequency power to a gas containing the substance.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plasma chemical vapor deposition method and a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus (plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus) for depositing a substance such as a semiconductor on a substrate include a substrate in a vacuum state and an earth ground that holds the substrate and is grounded. An electrode and a planar electrode arranged in parallel with the substrate at a distance from each other are provided. In this plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus, a film forming gas containing the substance is introduced, and power is supplied from a high-frequency power supply circuit to a flat electrode to generate plasma between the flat electrode and a substrate. The film gas is decomposed and deposited on the substrate.
[0003]
For example, an amorphous silicon thin film formed by the above-described plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus has a time-dependent deterioration in power generation efficiency called photodeterioration due to defects in the film generated during the film formation.
The defect density in the film of the defects occurring in the film during, for example, to suppress to less than 10 ¹⁵ / cc photodegradation is less, conventionally, there is a method and apparatus raising the substrate temperature ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
In addition, the above-mentioned photodegradation is considered to be caused by clusters generated inside the plasma during plasma formation being taken into the thin film. Therefore, in order to suppress the growth of the clusters, the temperature of the ground electrode is increased, or The film gas is diluted with hydrogen. Then, there is a method and an apparatus for forming a thin film with few defects by reducing the amount of clusters and suppressing the state in which the clusters reach the substrate (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-27627
[Non-patent document 1]
Masaharu Shiratani and two others, "Fine particle growth mechanism in low-pressure silane plasma", Hokuriku Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Materials Science, 2001 First Forum, "From Basics to Applications of Silane CVD Process" Japan Society of Applied Physics, March 2002, p. 13-18
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional plasma chemical vapor deposition method and plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus, it is necessary to heat the temperature of the electrodes and the substrate from about 150 ° C. to about 200 ° C. There has been a problem that thermal deformation occurs due to a temperature change from room temperature, which causes imbalance in the film thickness distribution and deteriorates film thickness distribution characteristics in a large-area substrate.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, a plasma processing method and a plasma processing apparatus for decomposing and reducing clusters generated in a plasma generation region while suppressing thermal deformation due to heating of a substrate or an electrode, An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma chemical vapor deposition method and a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is provided in which a substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a planar electrode are arranged facing each other in a vacuum chamber into which a gas containing a substance is introduced. A plasma processing method of supplying power to the planar electrode, generating plasma between the planar electrode and the substrate, and treating the substance,
By irradiating a laser beam toward the inside of the plasma generation region, clusters generated in the plasma are decomposed.
[0010]
With such a method, high-frequency power is supplied to the planar electrode in the vacuum chamber into which the gas containing the substance is introduced, and plasma is generated between the planar electrode and the ground electrode. By irradiating the generation region with the laser light, clusters generated together with the plasma are decomposed by the energy of the laser light.
[0011]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a vacuum deposition chamber into which a deposition gas containing a substance is introduced, a substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a flat electrode are disposed facing each other, and a high-frequency power supply circuit is provided. A plasma chemical vapor deposition method for supplying high-frequency power generated by the method to the flat electrode, generating plasma between the flat electrode and the substrate, and depositing the substance on the substrate. By irradiating a laser beam in the generation region of (1), clusters generated in the plasma are decomposed.
[0012]
By adopting such a method, high-frequency power is supplied to the planar electrode in the vacuum deposition chamber into which the film-forming gas containing the substance is introduced, and plasma is generated between the planar electrode and the ground electrode. By irradiating the generation region with laser light, clusters generated together with the plasma are decomposed by the energy of the laser light.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 3 is the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the laser beams having a plurality of oscillation wavelengths has an absorption wavelength band of the substance. It is characterized by existing in.
[0014]
By adopting such a method, the excitation energy unique to the cluster is given, and the decomposition of the cluster is promoted.
[0015]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a vacuum chamber into which a gas containing a substance is introduced, a substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a planar electrode are disposed facing each other, and high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is provided. A plasma processing apparatus for supplying plasma to the planar electrode, generating plasma between the planar electrode and the substrate, and processing the substance, wherein a laser beam is directed toward a plasma generation region. A laser oscillation device for irradiating is provided.
[0016]
With such a configuration, high-frequency power is supplied to the planar electrode in the vacuum chamber into which the gas containing the substance is introduced, and plasma is generated between the planar electrode and the ground electrode. Clusters generated together with the plasma in the generation region are decomposed by the energy of the laser light emitted from the laser oscillation device.
[0017]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a vacuum deposition chamber into which a deposition gas containing a substance is introduced, a substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a flat electrode are disposed facing each other, and a high-frequency power supply circuit is provided. A plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for supplying high-frequency power generated by the method to the planar electrode, generating plasma between the planar electrode and the substrate, and depositing the substance on the substrate. A laser oscillation device for irradiating a laser beam toward the inside of the generation region.
[0018]
With this configuration, high-frequency power is supplied to the planar electrode in the vacuum deposition chamber into which the film-forming gas containing the substance is introduced, and plasma is generated between the planar electrode and the ground electrode. Clusters generated together with the plasma in the generation region are decomposed by the energy of the laser light emitted from the laser oscillation device.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are block diagrams showing a configuration of a main part of a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for performing a plasma chemical vapor deposition method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a vacuum film forming chamber of the plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present embodiment, and a ladder electrode 11 prepared as a planar electrode in the vacuum film forming chamber 10; A ground electrode 12 is provided facing the ladder electrode 11 at a predetermined interval and is grounded, and a substrate 13 held by the ground electrode is provided.
[0020]
Further, the vacuum film forming chamber 10 has a gas supply pipe 14 for introducing a film forming gas containing a substance such as amorphous silicon or polycrystalline thin film silicon desired to be deposited on the substrate 13, and a gas supply pipe 14 after decomposition by plasma. A gas exhaust pipe 15 for exhausting gas is provided. The vacuum film-forming chamber 10 is supplied with a film-forming gas from a gas supply source (not shown) via a gas supply pipe 14, and after being decomposed by plasma through a gas exhaust pipe 15 by a vacuum pump (not shown). Is sucked.
Further, in order to prevent the generated plasma from diffusing to other portions in the vacuum film forming chamber 10, a deposition prevention plate 16 that covers the ladder electrode 11 and the substrate 13 is provided.
[0021]
The ladder electrode 11 is configured by assembling a plurality of parallel vertical electrode rods 11a and a pair of horizontal electrode rods 11b and 11c arranged in parallel and facing each other in a lattice shape. For example, eight feed points 17a to 17h are provided on the lateral electrode rod 11b constituting the ladder electrode 11, and eight feed points 18a to 18h are similarly provided on the lateral electrode rod 11c constituting the ladder electrode 11. ing. The power supply points 17a to 17h and the power supply points 18a to 18h are provided at positions that equally divide the horizontal electrode rods 11b and 11c, respectively.
[0022]
When the substrate 13 has a size of, for example, 1100 [mm] × 1400 [mm] square, the ladder electrode 11 has a size slightly larger than the substrate 13 having a size of about 1200 [mm] × 1500 [mm] square. Use
[0023]
Here, the power distributor 19a is a distributor for uniformly distributing the high-frequency power output from the high-frequency power supply 20a to the feeding points 17a to 17h via the cables 21a to 21h. An input terminal of the power divider 19a is connected to the high-frequency power supply 20a via a matching box 22a for adjusting impedance matching between the power distributor 19a and the high-frequency power supply 20a so that high-frequency power is supplied efficiently. It is connected.
[0024]
Similarly, the feeding points 18a to 18h are connected to the outside of the vacuum film forming chamber 10 to supply high frequency power for generating plasma for decomposing the film forming gas to the ladder electrode 11 through the cables 23a to 23h. Is electrically connected to the power distributor 19b disposed in the first position. The input terminal of the power distributor 19b is connected to the high-frequency power supply 20b via a matching box 22b for adjusting impedance matching with the high-frequency power supply 20b.
[0025]
Here, similarly to the power distributor 19a, the power distributor 19b is a distributor for uniformly distributing the high-frequency power output from the high-frequency power supply 20b to the feeding points 18a to 18h.
The above-described ladder electrode 11, power distributors 19a and 19b, high-frequency power supplies 20a and 20b, and matching boxes 22a and 22b constitute a high-frequency power supply circuit of the plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present embodiment.
A region between the ladder electrode 11 and the substrate 13 serves as a plasma generation region 24 where plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency power.
[0026]
An Nd: YAG laser transmitting device 25 for oscillating and supplying a YAG pulse laser is provided outside the vacuum film forming chamber 10, and a laser generated by the Nd: YAG laser transmitting device 25 is provided in the vacuum film forming chamber 10. The inlet 26 for taking in the inside is formed.
[0027]
In the plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus having the above configuration, an amorphous silicon film forming gas such as silane (SiH ₄ ) is introduced from the gas supply pipe 14 into the vacuum film forming chamber 10 in a vacuum state. Then, for example, high-frequency power having a frequency of 60.0 MHz is equally distributed from the high-frequency power supply 20a to the feeding points 16a to 16h via the matching box 22a and the power distributor 19a, and is supplied to the ladder electrode 11.
[0028]
Further, high-frequency power having a frequency of 60.0 MHz having a different phase from the high-frequency power supply 20b is evenly distributed to the feeding points 18a to 18h via the matching box 22b and the power distributor 19b, and supplied to the ladder electrode 11. At this time, the total power supplied from the high-frequency power supply 20a and the high-frequency power supply 20b is adjusted to, for example, 3000 W.
[0029]
By maintaining the above state for about 10 minutes, silane plasma is generated in the plasma generation region 22. The silane gas is decomposed in the silane plasma, and desired amorphous silicon crystals are generated on the surface of the substrate 13 while exhausting the gas decomposed by the plasma from the gas exhaust pipe 15. At this time, clusters having a size of several nm to several tens nm are simultaneously formed in the plasma generation region and diffused into the substrate 13.
[0030]
On the other hand, the Nd: YAG laser has a second harmonic (wavelength = 532 nm), a third harmonic (wavelength = 355 nm), a fourth harmonic (wavelength = 266 nm), and the like with respect to the fundamental wavelength 1064 nm. Therefore, an Nd: YAG laser whose oscillation wavelength is doubled so as to be shorter than 700 nm which is within the absorption wavelength band of amorphous silicon is supplied from the Nd: YAG laser oscillation device 25 through the inlet 26 to the plasma generation region. Irradiate 24. The pulse and energy density of the laser at this time are 10 Hz and 0.5 J / cm ² , respectively.
[0031]
When the above-mentioned laser collides with the cluster formed in the silane plasma, the cluster is energized to be excited and decomposed.
[0032]
According to the plasma chemical vapor deposition method and the plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus, since the substrate and the electrodes are not heated, the thermal deformation of the substrate and surrounding structures is suppressed, and the cluster generated in the plasma is decomposed. Can be reduced. Further, thereby, the density of defects generated in the amorphous silicon thin film is reduced to 10 ¹⁵ / cc or less, and a thin film with less light degradation than before can be obtained.
[0033]
As a modification of the present embodiment, the laser irradiation area is changed from the plasma area to the ground electrode. Thereby, energy is supplied to the substrate through the ground electrode, and defects in the thin film can be reduced.
[0034]
Further, the above-described embodiment is an embodiment for a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus. However, even when the present invention is applied to an etching process, the same operation and effect can be obtained, so that the etching process can be improved.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
The above-described plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus, plasma chemical vapor deposition method, and plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention have the following effects.
According to the first aspect of the invention, thermal deformation due to heating of the substrate and the electrodes can be suppressed, and clusters generated in the plasma generation region can be decomposed and reduced during plasma generation.
[0036]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, thermal deformation due to heating of the substrate and the electrodes can be suppressed, and the clusters that cause light degradation can be decomposed and reduced during plasma generation.
[0037]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the decomposition of clusters is promoted, and the clusters formed in the plasma generation region can be decomposed and reduced during plasma generation.
[0038]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the decomposition of the cluster is promoted, and the cluster is decomposed and reduced during the generation of the plasma, so that the performance of the thin film can be improved.
[0039]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a thin film with few defects is obtained by suppressing thermal deformation due to heating of a substrate or an electrode at the time of film formation, decomposing and reducing clusters causing light degradation during plasma generation. be able to.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Vacuum film forming device 11 Ladder electrode (flat electrode)
12 ground electrode 13 substrate 24 plasma generation region 25 laser oscillation device

Claims (5)

In a vacuum chamber into which a gas containing a substance has been introduced, a substrate and a planar electrode supported by a grounded earth electrode are disposed facing each other, and high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is supplied to the planar electrode, A plasma processing method for generating plasma between the planar electrode and the substrate, and processing the substance,
A plasma processing method comprising: irradiating a laser beam toward a plasma generation region to decompose clusters generated in the plasma. A substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a planar electrode are arranged face-to-face in a vacuum film-forming chamber into which a film-forming gas containing a substance is introduced, and high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is supplied to the flat-type electrode. A plasma processing method for supplying power to an electrode, generating plasma between the flat electrode and the substrate, and depositing the substance on the substrate,
A plasma chemical vapor deposition method characterized in that clusters generated in the plasma are decomposed by irradiating a laser beam toward the inside of the plasma generation region. 3. The plasma processing method and the plasma chemical vapor deposition method according to claim 1, wherein one of the laser beams having a plurality of oscillation wavelengths exists in an absorption wavelength band of the substance. . In a vacuum chamber into which a gas containing a substance has been introduced, a substrate and a planar electrode supported by a grounded earth electrode are disposed facing each other, and high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is supplied to the planar electrode, Generating plasma between the planar electrode and the substrate,
A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a laser oscillation device that irradiates a laser beam toward an inside of the plasma generation region. A substrate supported by a grounded earth electrode and a planar electrode are arranged face-to-face in a vacuum film-forming chamber into which a film-forming gas containing a substance is introduced, and high-frequency power generated by a high-frequency power supply circuit is supplied to the flat-type electrode. A plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus that supplies power to an electrode, generates plasma between the flat electrode and the substrate, and deposits the substance on the substrate,
A plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising a laser oscillation device that irradiates a laser beam toward the inside of the plasma generation region.

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