Tokyo Electron Limited

Eiji Hirose

Jun Hirose

Jun Ozawa

Takeshi Yokouchi

Noriyuki Iwabuchi

Shingo Suzuki

Hiroshi Koizumi

Takaaki Hirooka

Kazunori Nagahata

Makoto Ohara

First and second pressure sensorsandthat perform pressure detection over different pressure detection ranges from each other detect the pressure within a process chamberof an etching device. A pressure controllerselects optimal pressure data in correspondence to the pressure inside the process chamber from the pressure data provided by the first and second pressure sensorsand. It also analyzes the selected pressure data at a resolution selected in correspondence to the pressure inside the process chamberand thus obtains pressure data achieving a predetermined data density. The pressure controllercontrols a pressure control valveso as to ensure that the pressure data match preset pressure data.

Pressure control method and processing device

According to the present invention, there is provided a holding mechanism of an object to be processed W, which comprises a relay switch to electrically disconnect a detection circuit having the function of detecting the stripped state of a protective film of a lower electrode and removing a residual charge from the direct-current component in a high-frequency power supply line from the power source supply line and which disconnects the detection circuit from the lower electrode in accordance with a process condition to prevent abnormal electric discharge and which electrically connects the detection circuit to the lower electrode to detect the stripped state (life) of the protective film of the lower electrode from the direct-current component in a plasma discharge or to remove a charge into the lower electrode or a residual charge during plasma processing under a process condition not causing abnormal electric discharge or at maintenance time.

Holding mechanism of object to be processed

The present invention concerns a plasma processing apparatus for processing a processing object by applying two types of high-frequency power with different frequencies to generate plasma. A first high-frequency line is provided with a first filter circuit for attenuating a high-frequency current from a second high-frequency power supply. A second high-frequency line is provided with a second filter circuit for attenuating a high-frequency current from a first high-frequency power supply. The first filter circuit is provided with a variable capacitor for changing a circuit constant. For changing the circuit constant, the variable capacitor is varied so that a resonance point becomes greater than an optimum resonance point most attenuating a high frequency in the second high-frequency power supply. Doing so decreases a sputter rate of the generated plasma affected on a wall surface of the processing chamber.

Plasma processing apparatus

Workpiece holding mechanism

A plasma etching apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode (susceptor) on which a semiconductor wafer is disposed, the upper and lower electrodes being arranged within a process chamber, a first high frequency power source for applying a first high frequency power to the upper electrode, a second high frequency power source for applying a second high frequency power having a frequency lower than the frequency of the first high frequency power to the lower electrode. A third high frequency power source for superposing a third high frequency power having a frequency lower than that of the first high frequency power and higher than that of the second high frequency power on the first high frequency power. A phase controller for adjusting the phase difference between the second high frequency power and the third high frequency power.

Plasma etching apparatus

A vacuum treatment device, comprising a vacuum treatment chamber ( ) etching a semiconductor wafer (W) as a body to be treated and a preliminary vacuum chamber ( ) communicating with the vacuum treatment chamber ( ), wherein a transfer arm ( ) and first and second buffers ( ) for temporarily supporting the wafer (W) are installed in the preliminary vacuum chamber ( ), the transfer arm ( ) is provided with a flexible arm part ( ) and a support part ( ) supporting the wafer (W), the arm part ( ) is extended and retracted by the rotations of a drive side swing arm ( ) and a driven side swing arm ( ) forming the arm ( ) so as to move the support part ( ) straight forward and backward while maintaining it in its attitude, and the first and second buffers ( ) are disposed on the motion route of the support part ( ) of the transfer arm ( ).

Vacuum treatment device

Multi-chamber processing apparatus

A transfer system,for carrying a wafer W into/out of a process chamber,is provided in a box,defining a load-lock chamber,. The box,is divided into a first chamber,and a second chamber,. A transfer arm,for carrying the wafer W is provided in the first chamber,. A linearly moving system,for linearly moving the transfer arm,is provided in the second chamber,. The internal pressure in the first chamber is set to be higher than the internal pressure in the second chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Nirasaki, Japan

Eiji Hirose