JPH07230899A - Plasma processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To heighten insulating performance and processing performance, and reduce time to clean a device by restraining a particle increase, by insulating a part between an electrode and a vacuum vessel by plural void layers and a shielding plate, and flowing reaction gas from a narrow clearance on an electrode surface. CONSTITUTION:A vacuum vessel 1 and a cathode 2 to which high frequency electric power of a plasma processing device is supplied are insulated by plural void layers 9 such as two layers and a shielding plate 8 to form the layers 9. On the other hand, reaction gas introduced from the atmosphere side flows into the vessel 1 from a narrow clearance 33 on a surface of the cathode 2 by using plasma. Cleaning dilute gas is flowed to this reaction gas passage at cleaning time, and exhaust speed is adjusted through a baffle plate 25 of an exhaust part 24. In this insulating shield unnecessary constitution, a plasma processing device by which insulating performance and plasma processing performance are heightened and a particle increase is restrained and time for cleaning is reduced, is formed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is generated in a vacuum container in which a reaction gas is flown in a vacuum container having a plasma generating mechanism and the vacuum container is evacuated to maintain a pressure for processing an object to be processed. The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing an object to be processed using plasma.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 1, in which a cathode 2 and an anode 3 facing the cathode 2 are built in a conductive vacuum container 1, and a reaction gas or a reaction gas is stored in the vacuum container 1. A vacuum gas is supplied by supplying a high-frequency power to the cathode 2 with respect to the anode 3 while performing vacuum exhaust from the exhaust port 12 so that a diluent gas is flown and the inside of the vacuum container 1 is maintained at a pressure for processing the object 13 to be processed on the anode 3. Plasma is generated in the chamber 1, and the object to be processed 13 is processed using the plasma.

The insulating structure of the cathode 2 to which high-frequency power is supplied is either a structure in which a gap 30 of about 1 mm is provided between the cathode 2 and the metal shield 29 as shown in FIG. 7 (A), or FIG. 7 (B). As shown in FIG. 3, an insulator 31 such as quartz having a dielectric constant of approximately 3.8, ceramics having a dielectric constant of approximately 7 to 10 and Teflon having a dielectric constant of approximately 2 is inserted between the cathode 2 and the vacuum container 1.

As shown in FIG. 7C, the electrode gas blowing structure for flowing the reaction gas or the reaction gas and the dilution gas into the vacuum container has a large number of holes 3 on the surface of the cathode 2 in contact with the plasma.
No. 2 penetrates the inside of the electrode and blows out gas into the vacuum container from each hole 32. The reaction gas and the diluent gas are mixed at the gas introduction port of the cathode 2 and introduced into the electrode. Alternatively, the gas supply system side mixes them.

The exhaust structure in the vacuum container is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, an exhaust device is directly attached to the exhaust port 12 to exhaust the gas, or as shown in FIG. 7E, the vacuum chamber 1 is partitioned from the plasma generating portion 26 between the cathode 2 and the anode 3. A non-plasma generating portion 27 is provided on the back side of the anode 3, and a small number of flow ports 28 are provided in the partition wall to exhaust gas from the exhaust port 12. Further, the volume of the plasma generating portion 26 and the volume of the non-plasma generating portion 27 are equal to each other, or the volume of the non-plasma generating portion 27 is smaller.

[0006]

However, in the above electrode insulating structure, (a) the stray capacitance between the cathode 2 and the shield 29 becomes large, and the high frequency current becomes large.
For this reason, the withstand voltage may fall below the discharge start voltage due to a decrease in the output voltage of the high-frequency matching box. (B) If the surfaces of the cathode 2 and the shield 29 in the void 30 have irregularities, the electric field at that portion increases, and a discharge occurs in the void 30. Further, since the voids 30 are constant, it is difficult and expensive to manufacture. (C) Since the end of the shield 29 is in contact with the plasma, the plasma enters the gap 30 and the horocathode effect is generated, so that the supplied high frequency power is limited to a low value. (D) The reaction gas excited by the plasma enters the gap 30, and the reaction products are deposited on the surfaces of the cathode 2 and the shield 29, which causes an increase in particles. Moreover, since the cleaning is difficult, the operation rate of the device is very small. (E) When the cathode 2 is heated, the void 30 cannot be made constant due to the expansion due to the linear thermal expansion of the cathode. Further, in the above-mentioned electrode insulating structure, in the case of (a) the quartz insulator, it is difficult to process, is easily damaged, and is expensive.
(B) Ceramic insulators are difficult to process, easily damaged, and expensive. Also, because of its large dielectric constant, cathode 2
In order to reduce the capacitance between the vacuum container 1 and the vacuum container 1, it is necessary to increase the thickness between them. Further, since the thermal conductivity is also high, the heat loss becomes large when the hot cathode is used.
(C) In the case of a Teflon insulator, the outgas from the Teflon causes the object to be treated to be contaminated with the outgas. Since the operating temperature is low, the temperature of the cathode is temperature limited.

In the above electrode gas blowing structure, (a)
If the number of the holes 32 is small, the velocity of the gas exiting the holes 32 is not sufficiently diffused before reaching the object 13 to be processed, so that the processing of the object 13 is uniform due to the influence of the reaction gas exiting from the holes 32. The sex becomes worse. (B) If the hole diameter is small, the reaction gas excited by the plasma is deposited so as to block the hole 32, so frequent cleaning is required. (C) When the hole diameter is large, plasma enters the hole 32 and a plasma concentration phenomenon occurs due to the hollow cathode effect, so that a large amount of high frequency power supplied to the electrodes cannot be supplied. Further, (d) the number of gas holes is required according to the flow rate of the mixed gas of the reaction gas and the diluent gas, and it is necessary to stop the flow of the reaction gas and the diluent gas when the object to be processed is transported. It takes a long time to maintain the processing pressure again. (E) When the reaction gas and the cleaning gas flow through the same hole, the residual gas contaminates the object to be processed. Therefore, since the purge gas for cleaning is repeatedly flowed for a long time, the throughput of the apparatus is reduced.

In the above exhaust structure, the reaction gas excited by the plasma reaches the exhaust port 12 while colliding and reflecting inside the vacuum container 1. For this reason, reaction products are deposited on the entire surface of the vacuum container 1, and it takes a lot of time to clean the reaction products. In addition, a stagnation portion of the reaction gas flow is formed in the vacuum container, and powder of the reaction product accumulates in this stagnation portion, which causes an increase in particles. Further, in the above exhaust structure, since the reaction gas has a small conductance at the flow port 28, the gas flow velocity around the flow port becomes fast, and since this flow velocity reaches near the object to be processed, the flow rate distribution is disturbed and the throughput is uniform. Becomes worse. In addition, the plasma of the plasma generation unit 26 is supplied to the flow port 2
Since the plasma and the excitation gas are concentrated when passing through 8, the reaction gas in the air is generated and becomes powder to be scattered in the plasma generating portion 26, which causes increase of particles. In order to reduce this air reaction, it is necessary to reduce the amount of high frequency power supplied to the electrodes, which results in a reduction in the throughput. Further, in the case of the above structure, when there is a flow of plasma, it is known that the plasma density distribution is deviated from the plasma generation unit 26 in the flow direction. For this reason, if the volume of the non-plasma generating portion 27 is small, an aerial reaction that has not occurred in the plasma generating portion 26 will occur in the non-plasma generating portion 27, causing an increase in particles. Further, when the baffle plate is not provided on the exhaust port 12, since the extinction of the plasma and the conversion of the energy of the excited reaction gas to the ground state are performed violently inside the exhaust port, a large amount of the inner wall of the exhaust port is present. The reaction product of is deposited. Normally, deposits having a weak binding force flow to the exhaust side by vacuum exhaust, but the deposits scatter in the vacuum container 1 by opening and closing a variable conductance valve provided on the exhaust side during adjustment of the processing pressure. And increase the number of particles. Thus, in the above-mentioned conventional plasma processing apparatus, there is a problem that performance such as insulation performance, processing performance, etc. is deteriorated, particles are increased, and a large amount of time is required for cleaning the apparatus, thereby lowering the operating rate. .

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the apparatus of the present invention provides a plurality of gaps for insulation between the cathode 2 and the vacuum container 1 to which high-frequency power is supplied, as shown in FIG. By forming the layer 9 and the shielding plate 8 forming the void layer 9, the discharge starting voltage of the electrode insulating structure can be increased, the floating capacitance can be reduced, the insulating performance can be improved, and the increase of particles can be suppressed. Therefore, it does not take time to clean the device, and the operation rate can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electrode gas blowing structure is
By making the reaction gas flow into the vacuum container 1 through the narrow gap 33 between the gas blowing attachment plate 19 on the surface of the cathode 2 and the outer gas penetrating metal fitting 21, the reaction gas can be sufficiently diffused from the gap 33, and the diameter 0 It is possible to easily obtain a gap having a width dimension corresponding to 0.2 mm or less, to improve the processing performance, and to easily clean and operate by removing the gas outlet mounting plate 19 and the outer gas penetrating metal fitting 21. The rate can be improved.

Further, as an electrode gas blowing structure, a diluting gas other than the reaction gas is always flowed from the electrode surface when processing the object to be treated, and the respective flow paths are separated to move the fine particles in the vacuum container in the flow direction. In addition to helping to prevent the particles from scattering to the upper surface due to the thermal motion, it is possible to suppress the increase of particles. Further, at the time of cleaning the inside of the vacuum container, the residual amount of the cleaning gas after the gas cleaning is completed can be greatly reduced by flowing the diluent gas through the reaction gas system passage and the cleaning gas through the dilution gas system passage. The residual amount of gas can be removed in a short time, which can contribute to the improvement of the operating rate.

As shown in FIG. 3, the exhaust conductance in the peripheral portion of the object to be processed is increased to quickly exhaust the reacted gas,
By decreasing the exhaust conductance and exhausting the reaction gas late as it goes to the wall of the vacuum container, it is possible to reduce the reaction products that stagnate in the stagnation of the flow, suppress the increase of particles and shorten the cleaning time and operate. You can increase the rate. Further, by making the volume of the non-plasma generating portion larger than the volume of the plasma generating portion in the vacuum container 1, it becomes difficult for an aerial reaction to occur in the non-plasma generating portion, and it is possible to suppress the increase of particles and to suppress the object to be processed. The flow of the reaction gas can be made uniform, and the processing performance can be improved. Further, by providing the baffle plate 25 which obstructs the gas flow on the exhaust port 12, it is possible to prevent the reaction products from scattering from the exhaust pipe and prevent the reaction products from entering the vacuum container 1.

[0013]

1 is a vertical sectional view showing an electrode insulating structure in a device of the present invention. A cathode 2 and an anode 3 are installed in an electrically conductive vacuum container 1 which is grounded.
High frequency power is supplied from the high frequency power supply 4 through the DC blocking capacitor 5. The cathode side surface is shielded by a metal cathode shield plate 6 with a cathode side surface insulator 7 interposed therebetween. A space layer 9 is divided by the shielding plate 8 between the cathode 2 and the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 1. The vacuum side of the cathode input unit 14 to which high-frequency power is supplied is covered with the cathode input insulator 11, and the atmosphere side is insulated and vacuum sealed by the atmosphere side insulation and the vacuum seal 10.
An object 13 to be processed is placed on the anode 3, a reaction gas is introduced into a vacuum container, and the exhaust port 12 is evacuated to a pressure for processing the object 13. When high-frequency power is supplied to the cathode 2, plasma is generated between the cathode 2 and the anode 3, and the object 13 to be processed is subjected to the intended processing.

FIG. 5 shows a relationship between a general discharge starting voltage (indicated by a spark voltage) and pressure × distance between electrodes. The discharge start voltage varies depending on the frequency of the supplied high frequency power, the size, shape and material of the electrodes. Void layer 9 of the present invention
It can be seen that by making the distance of the discharge start voltage sufficiently higher than the discharge start voltage between the electrodes 2 and 3, discharge occurs between the electrodes 2 and 3 but not in the void layer 9. However, since the distance between the void layers 9 is short, the floating capacitance of the electrode increases with one void layer 9.
, The discharge start voltage can be increased and the floating capacitance can be reduced. In this way, by forming the insulating structure between the cathode 2 and the vacuum container 1 with the plurality of void layers 9 and the shielding plate 8 forming the void layers 9, the vacuum capacitance is higher than that of other insulators. Since the insulating layer is thin, the thickness of the insulating layer can be reduced, so that the size of the vacuum container can be reduced. Less outgassing from the insulating layer. Little heat loss from the electrodes. Since the weight of the insulating layer is reduced, the lid opening / closing operation can be easily performed when the electrode is integrated with the lid. It can be manufactured at a low price and is not easily damaged. In particular, it is possible to improve the insulation performance, suppress the increase of particles, do not require time to clean the device, and increase the operation rate.

FIG. 6 shows experimental results on the relationship between the diameter of the blowout hole when the reaction gas blows out from the electrode (cathode) and the high frequency power density supplied to the cathode (high frequency power / cathode area in contact with plasma). . Here, the number of electrode (cathode) holes is 721, the electrode size is 2000 cm ^{2, the} distance between the electrodes is 3 cm, the electrode material is aluminum, the pressure is 0.3 Torr, the flow rate is N ₂ , and 100 SCCM. Abnormal discharge indicates that the plasma density in one or more holes is much higher than other holes, and the high-frequency power that can be applied to ordinary plasma processing equipment with a hole diameter of 0.2 mm or less. Is the density. However, diameter 0.
It is difficult to drill a large number of holes having a diameter of 2 mm or less, and reaction products are accumulated in the holes to block the holes, which makes it very difficult to clean the holes. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the reaction gas is sufficiently supplied from the gap 33 by making the reaction gas flow into the vacuum container 1 through the gap 33 between the gas blow-out mounting plate 19 on the surface of the cathode 2 and the outer gas penetration fitting 21. Since it can be diffused into the space and a gap having a width corresponding to a diameter of 0.2 mm or less can be easily manufactured, the range of the normal setting region is widened, high-density high-frequency power can be supplied to the cathode, and the processing performance can be improved. At the same time, the gas blow-out mounting plate 19, the outer gas penetrating metal fitting 21 and the like can be removed, so that the cleaning can be easily performed and the operation rate can be improved.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 15 denotes an inner inlet port, which is fixed to the gas seal plate 18. Reference numeral 16 denotes an outer introduction port that is concentrically arranged with respect to the inner introduction port 15 and is attached to the electrode cover 17. Inner gas penetrating fitting 20 on gas seal plate 18
The outer gas penetrating metal fitting 21 is concentrically arranged on the metal fitting 20 and is sandwiched between the gas seal plate 18 and the gas blow-out mounting plate 19. 22 is an electrode frame. At the time of processing the object to be processed, the object to be processed is carried into a vacuum container and placed on the anode, and the reaction gas and the diluent gas flow out from the electrode surface through separate system paths. The reaction gas is introduced between the inner introduction port 15 and the outer introduction port 16 and flows into the electrode. Then, the gas seal plate 18 diffuses the gas and the inner gas penetrating fitting 20
And through the hole of the gas seal plate 18 and through the gap between the inner gas penetrating fitting 20 and the outer gas penetrating fitting 21 to flow into the space between the electrodes. On the other hand, the dilution gas is introduced from the center of the inner introduction port 15, and the gas seal plate 18 and the gas blow-off mounting plate 19 are introduced.
Flowing between. Then, the gas blows out through the gap between the mounting plate 19 and the outer gas penetrating metal fitting 21 into the space between the electrodes. When the processing pressure is adjusted and high frequency power is supplied to the electrodes, plasma is generated between the electrodes. When plasma is generated, the matching device is activated to supply the prescribed high frequency power to the electrodes. Then, the object to be processed is processed. When the processing is completed, the supply of high-frequency power, reaction gas, and dilution gas is stopped, and the object to be processed is unloaded. In this process, the processing pressure adjustment time occupies a considerable amount of time. In the present invention, it is possible to greatly reduce the pressure adjusting time of the processing pressure by constantly flowing the diluting gas during the process of treating the object to be treated, and to move the fine particles in the vacuum container in the flow direction by flowing the diluting gas. The particle increase is very small because it helps prevent scattering to the upper surface due to thermal motion. Further, when cleaning the inside of the vacuum container, the residual amount of the cleaning gas after the gas cleaning can be significantly reduced by flowing the diluent gas through the reaction gas system path and the cleaning gas through the diluent gas system path. The time required to reduce the residual amount can be shortened.

Thus, the reaction gas and the diluting gas are separately flowed during the processing of the object to be processed, and the diluting gas is always flowed, so that the pressure adjusting time until the processing pressure is reached can be greatly shortened. As the throughput of goods increases,
The fine particles in the vacuum container are exhausted by constantly flowing the dilution gas, and the increase in the number of particles is suppressed because the flow of particles suppresses the scattering of the particles toward the upper surface due to thermal motion, and the particles on the object to be processed are suppressed. Will be reduced. Further, when the reaction gas is flown, the reaction gas is flown through the reaction gas system path and the cleaning gas system path (dilution gas system path) is supplied.
Since the cleaning gas system passage is not polluted by the reaction gas because the dilution gas is supplied to the cleaning gas, the cleaning gas is supplied to the dilution gas system passage when the cleaning gas is supplied, and the cleaning gas is supplied to the reaction gas system passage when the cleaning gas is supplied to the reaction gas system passage. Since it does not enter the passage, the cleaning gas is adsorbed only inside the vacuum container, and the structure inside the vacuum container makes it easy for the adsorbed gas to be easily desorbed, so the residual amount of cleaning gas can be easily reduced in a short time. As a result, the downtime due to cleaning is reduced and the operating rate of the device is greatly improved.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the structure for exhausting the reaction gas in the apparatus of the present invention. It is known that the reaction products present in the air gradually grow larger unless the reacted gas is promptly exhausted from the plasma generating part. In the present invention, the exhaust gas conductance of the peripheral portion of the object to be treated is increased to exhaust the reacted gas promptly, and the exhaust gas conductance is decreased to exhaust the reaction gas late as the exhaust gas conductance is reduced toward the vacuum vessel wall side. Laminar flow is created to reduce the amount of reaction products that are stagnant at the stagnation of the flow. When the reaction gas is introduced into the cathode 2 and flows out between the cathode 2 and the anode 3, it diffuses to the wall side of the vacuum container 1. Then, the gas flows to the exhaust portion 24 through the exhaust plate 23 having a difference in conductance between the inside and the outside. The reaction gas is evacuated from the exhaust unit 24 through the exhaust port 12.

As described above, since the exhaust conductance around the object to be processed is large, the reacted gas is quickly exhausted, the growth of the reaction product can be suppressed, and the adverse effect of the reacted gas on the end of the object to be processed is prevented. You can Moreover, since the flow velocity of the reaction gas on the wall side of the vacuum container is slow, the flow impinging on the wall is weak, so that turbulent flow does not occur and the flow cannot stagnant. For this reason, it is possible to eliminate the stagnation of fine particles. That is, it is possible to reduce the amount of reaction products that are stagnant at the stagnation of the flow, suppress the increase of particles, shorten the cleaning time, and increase the operating rate. Also, the vacuum container 1
The volume of the non-plasma generating portion is made larger than the volume of the plasma generating portion therein.

The volume between the anode 3 and the cathode 2 is defined as the plasma generating portion 26, and the volume other than the exhaust portion and the plasma generating portion is defined as the non-plasma generating portion 27. If the disappearance of plasma in the vacuum container 1 is small, the reaction occurs. Due to the flow of gas, the plasma density in the non-plasma generating portion 27 increases, and an air reaction may occur in this volume. Plasma generator 26
If the volume of the non-plasma generating part 27 is made larger than the volume of the above, the reaction in the air becomes difficult to occur. In addition, the non-plasma generator 27
If the volume is small, the flow of the reaction gas on the object cannot be made uniform depending on the mounting position of the exhaust port, but it is easy to make a uniform flow by increasing the volume, improving the processing performance. You can do it. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a baffle plate 25 for obstructing the flow of gas is provided on the exhaust port 12 to prevent the reaction products from scattering from the exhaust pipe and prevent the reaction products from entering the vacuum container 1. It can be prevented. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the plasma processing apparatus may be configured by adopting the electrode insulating structure of FIG. 1, the electrode gas blowing structure of FIG. 2 and the exhaust structure of FIG.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the performance such as the insulation performance and the processing performance, suppress the increase of particles, and do not require the time for cleaning the apparatus, and improve the operation rate. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an electrode insulating structure in a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing an electrode gas blowing structure in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing an exhaust structure in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing another embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between spark voltage and pressure × distance between electrodes.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship between a hole diameter of an electrode and a high frequency power density.

7A to 7E are explanatory views of an electrode insulating structure, an electrode gas blowing structure and an exhaust structure in a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vacuum Container 2 Cathode 3 Anode 4 High Frequency Power Supply 6 Cathode Shield Plate 7 Cathode Side Insulator 8 Shielding Plate 9 Void Layer 10 Atmosphere Side Insulation and Vacuum Seal 11 Cathode Input Insulator 12 Exhaust Port 13 Workpiece 14 Cathode Input 15 Inner introduction port 16 Outer introduction port 17 Electrode cover 18 Gas seal plate 19 Gas blowout mounting plate 20 Inner gas penetration metal fitting 21 Outer gas penetration metal fitting 23 Exhaust plate 24 Exhaust part 25 Baffle plate 26 Plasma generation part 27 Non-plasma generation part 28 Flow opening 33 Gap

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A high-frequency power is supplied to an electrode while supplying a high-frequency power to the electrode while evacuating the inside of the vacuum container to a pressure for processing an object by flowing a reaction gas into the vacuum container containing the electrode. In a device for generating plasma in a vacuum and processing an object using the plasma, the insulation between an electrode to which high-frequency power is supplied and a vacuum container is constituted by a plurality of void layers and a shield plate forming the void layers. A plasma processing apparatus characterized in that. 2. A reaction gas is introduced from the atmosphere side into an electrode contained in a vacuum container, and the reaction gas is caused to flow from the electrode surface into the vacuum container so that the inside of the vacuum container is maintained at a pressure for processing an object to be processed. High-frequency power is supplied to the electrodes while vacuum evacuation is performed to generate plasma in the vacuum container, and in the device that uses the plasma to process the object to be processed, the reaction gas is flowed through the narrow gap on the electrode surface. A plasma processing apparatus characterized by the above. 3. A reaction gas and a diluent gas are introduced from the atmosphere side into an electrode contained in a vacuum container, the reaction gas and the diluent gas are caused to flow from the electrode surface into the vacuum container, and an object to be treated is introduced into the vacuum container. While evacuating to maintain the pressure for processing, supply high-frequency power to the electrodes to generate plasma in the vacuum container, and use the plasma to process the object to be processed. A plasma processing apparatus, characterized in that a portion in which the gas flows and a portion in which the diluent gas flows are separated. 4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a diluent gas is flown in place of the reaction gas and a cleaning gas is flown in place of the diluent gas. 5. The plasma generated in the vacuum container is used while the reaction gas is flown into the vacuum container containing the plasma generation mechanism and the vacuum container is evacuated to maintain the pressure for processing the object to be processed. In the apparatus for processing the object to be processed, the plasma processing apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust speed around the object is increased and the exhaust speed on the vacuum container wall side is decreased. 6. The plasma generated in the vacuum container is used while a reaction gas is flown into the vacuum container having a plasma generation mechanism and the vacuum container is evacuated to maintain a pressure for processing an object to be processed. In the apparatus for processing an object to be processed, the volume of the non-plasma generating section is made larger than the volume of the plasma generating section in the vacuum container. 7. The plasma generated in the vacuum container is used while the reaction gas is flown into the vacuum container containing the plasma generation mechanism and the vacuum container is evacuated to maintain the pressure for processing the object to be processed. In the apparatus for processing an object to be processed, a plasma processing apparatus is characterized in that a baffle plate that obstructs the flow of gas is provided on the exhaust port in the vacuum container.