Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Hiromi Asakura

Shogo Okita

Syouzou Watanabe

Hiroyuki Suzuki

Mitsuru Hiroshima

Ryuzou Houchin

Toshihiro Wada

Noriyuki Matsubara

Mitsuhiro Okune

A plasma processing apparatus that performs plasma processing to a substrate held on a transport carrier including a frame and a holding sheet that covers an opening of the frame includes: a transport mechanism that transports the transport carrier; a position measuring section that measures a position of the substrate to the frame; a plasma processing section that includes a plasma processing stage on which the transport carrier is loaded and a cover that covers the frame and a part of the holding sheet loaded on the plasma processing stage, and has a window section for exposing a part of the substrate; and a control section that controls the transport mechanism such that the transport carrier is loaded on the plasma processing stage to satisfy a positional relationship between the window section and the substrate based on the position information of the substrate to the frame.

Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

A plasma processing apparatus includes a beam-shaped spacerwhich is placed at an upper opening of a chamberopposed to a substrateto support a dielectric plate. The dielectric plateis supported by the beam-shaped spacer. In the beam-shaped spacerare provided a plurality of process gas introducing portswhich have a depression angle &#x3b8;d and which are provided downward and directed toward the substrate, as well as a plurality of rare gas introducing portshaving a elevation angle &#x3b8;e directed toward the dielectric plate. Improvement of processing rates such as etching rate as well as effective suppression of wear of the dielectric platecan be achieved.

In a plasma processing apparatus, thrust-up pins are elevated and a thrust-up force is detected when electrostatic attraction for a substrate by a substrate holding device is ceased after completion of plasma processing, the elevation of the thrust-up pins is ceased upon detection of a detection threshold, and a stepped elevating operation in which the elevation and stoppage of the thrust-up pins are repeated a plurality of times are thereafter commenced on condition that the detected thrust-up force falls to or below the detection threshold and that release of the substrate from a placement surface has not been completed. In the stepped elevating operation, operation timing of the thrust-up device is controlled so that the completion of the release of the substrate from the placement surface is detected when the thrust-up pins are stopped after being elevated and so that the stepped elevating operation is continued on condition that the release has not been completed.

A tray for a dry etching apparatus includes substrate accommodation holes penetrating a thickness direction and a substrate support portion supporting an outer peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of a substrate. An upper portion includes a tray support surface supporting a lower surface of the tray, substrate placement portions on each of which a lower surface of the substrate to be placed, and a concave portion for accommodating the substrate support portion. A dc voltage applying mechanism applies a dc voltage to an electrostatic attraction electrode. A heat conduction gas supply mechanism supplies a heat conduction gas between the substrate and substrate placement portion. During carrying of the substrate, the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate is supported by the substrate accommodation hole. During processing of the substrate, the substrate support portion is accommodated in the concave portion.

A tray for a dry etching apparatus includes substrate accommodation holes penetrating a thickness direction and a substrate support portion supporting an outer peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of a substrate. A dielectric plate includes a tray support surface supporting a lower surface of the tray, substrate placement portions inserted from a lower surface side of the tray into the substrate accommodation holes and having a substrate placement surface at its upper end surface. A dc voltage applying mechanism applies a dc voltage to an electrostatic attraction electrode. A heat conduction gas supply mechanism supplies a heat conduction gas between the substrate and substrate placement surface. The substrate is retained on the substrate placement surface with high degree of adhesion. Cooling efficiency of the substrate is improved and processing is uniform at the entire region of the substrate surface.

A trayfor a dry etching apparatushas substrate accommodation holesA toD penetrating thickness direction and a substrate support portionsupporting an outer peripheral edge portion of a lower surfaceof a substrate. A dielectric platehas a tray support surfacesupporting a lower surface of the tray, substrate placement portionsA throughD inserted from a lower surface side of the trayinto the substrate accommodation holesA throughD and having a substrate placement surfaceat its upper end surface for placing the substrate. A dc voltage applying mechanismapplies a dc voltage to an electrostatic attraction electrode. A heat conduction gas supply mechanismsupplies a heat conduction gas between the substrateand substrate placement surface. The substratecan be retained on the substrate placement surfacewith high degree of adhesion. This results in that the cooling efficiency of the substrateis improved and processing is uniformed at the entire region of the substrate surface including the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge.

Growing community of inventors

Hyogo, Japan

Hiromi Asakura