JPH01238018A - Microwave discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inform an operator of device abnormality with ease by producing microwave electrical discharge in a vacuum vessel and monitoring the presence of the discharge in the vessel. CONSTITUTION:Treatment gas is introduced into a quarts bell jar 5 from a treatment gas feed pipe 4, microwaves of 100-1000W are generated by a magnetron 7 and introduced into the quartz bell jar 5, and a 700-1000gauss magnetic field is applied in the quartz bell jar 5 through a coil 8 to produce electrical discharge. Emitted light by the electrical discharge transmits through the quartz bell jar to optical detector part provided in an optical fiber 10 and finally reaches a photomultiplier 11 provided in the optical detector part for conversion to an electric signal. The electric signal is inputted into a control unit 12 which detects the production of the electrical discharge in the quartz bell jar 5. In the case of no electrical discharge in the quartz bell jar 5, an operator is informed of that fact through a display of an alarm message.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a microwave discharge device, and particularly to a microwave discharge device for processing samples such as semiconductor element substrates.

[Conventional technology]

As a microwave discharge apparatus for processing samples such as semiconductor element substrates by etching, film formation, etc., for example, the
The one described in Japanese Patent No. 281883 and the like has been cut.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned conventional technology does not take into consideration the point of monitoring whether or not microwave discharge occurs within the vacuum container, and even if microwave discharge does not occur for some reason, the operator is not completely aware of this. There are problems like this.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a microwave discharge device that allows an operator to easily know about abnormalities in the device.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above object is achieved by providing a microwave discharge device with means for generating microwave discharge within a vacuum container, and means for monitoring whether or not the microwave discharge is generated within the N vacuum container. , achieved.

[For production]

When microwave discharge occurs in a vacuum container 1 For example, by capturing the light emitted by the discharge with a monitoring means,
The monitoring means detects that microwave discharge is occurring. on the other hand.

If microwave discharge is not occurring within the vacuum container (including a state where microwave discharge has stopped for some reason),
The monitoring means detects that no microwave discharge is occurring and notifies the operator. This allows the operator to easily know if there is an abnormality in the device, etc.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a microwave etching apparatus equipped with a discharge monitoring monitor. A sample stage 3 on which a Si substrate 2 as a sample is placed is provided in the vacuum chamber l. The vacuum chamber 1 is connected to a processing gas inlet pipe 4 for supplying processing gas and a vacuum pump (not shown), which evacuates the inside of the vacuum chamber 1 to a predetermined pressure.

A waveguide 6 is attached to the opening of the quartz belljar 5 constituting the vacuum chamber 1, and a magnetron 7 is attached to the end of the waveguide 6.
is the installation. A coil 8, which is a magnetic field generating means, is provided around the quartz belljar 5 via a waveguide 6.

In this case, a high frequency radio wave 9 is connected to the sample stage 3.

In this case, the monitoring means 1 takes out the light emitted by the discharge within the quartz belljar 5 to the outside of the system, for example, the optical fiber 1.
0 and the amount of light emitted from the optical fiber 10 are converted into electrical signals. For example, with Photomaru 11.

The control device detects the presence or absence of discharge within the quartz belljar 5 based on the presence or absence of an electric signal input from the photomultiplier 11 and notifies the operator. The light receiving portion of the optical fiber 10 passes through the waveguide 6 and corresponds to the side wall portion of the quartz belljar 5 in this case.

With the apparatus configured as described above, a processing gas is introduced into the quartz belljar 5 through the processing gas conduit 4, a microwave with an application amount of 100 to 100 OW is generated by the magnetron 7 and introduced into the quartz belljar 5, and the coil 8 is used to introduce the processing gas into the quartz belljar 5. 5
A magnetic field of 700 to 1000 Gauss is applied within the chamber to generate a discharge. In this state, the light emitted by the discharge passes through the quartz belljar 5 and is received by the light receiving portion of the optical fiber IO.

The received emitted light reaches the photomultiplex 11 via the source fiber 10, where the amount of emitted light is converted into an electrical signal and input to the control device. As a result, the control device detects the occurrence of electrical discharge within the quartz belljar 5.

On the other hand, if there is no discharge in the quartz belljar 5 due to some cause 1, for example, due to an earthquake in the amount of current applied to the coil 8, the above electric signal will not be input to the control device ν, and therefore, in the control device It is detected that there is no discharge occurring within the quartz belt 5, and the operator is notified by, for example, generating an alarm light or alarm sound or displaying an alarm message.

In this embodiment, the operator can easily know about abnormalities in the apparatus. Moreover, this makes it possible to prevent erroneous operations such as attempting to process a sample erroneously in a state where no discharge occurs.

In addition to the above-mentioned embodiment, as a monitoring means, for example, a light window may be provided in the waveguide facing the side wall of the quartz bell jar, and a photomultiplier may be placed opposite the window. Furthermore, as in this embodiment, the quartz belljar is surrounded by a waveguide.

The quartz belljar has a structure that prevents the light emitted from the discharge caused by the discharge from exiting the system, and the effect of providing a monitoring means is particularly high. The same effect occurs even if it is installed in a different position.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the operator can know whether microwave discharge is occurring in the vacuum container, there is an effect that the operator can easily know the abnormality of the apparatus or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a microwave discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Vacuum chamber, 5... Quartz bell jar,
6... Waveguide, 7... Magnetron,
8... Coil, 10... Optical fiber, 11
...Photomaru, Oka... Control device agent Patent attorney Katsuo Ogawa -〉〉2, (, - \!-/

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for generating microwave desire electricity in a vacuum container;
A microwave discharge device comprising: means for monitoring whether or not the microwave discharge occurs within the vacuum container.