Tokyo Electron Limited

Tokyo Electron Limeted

Shinya Nishimoto

Hiroyuki Nakayama

Kouji Mitsuhashi

Taira Takase

Hidehito Saigusa

Toshihisa Nozawa

Tamaki Yuasa

Junichi Kitagawa

Kiyotaka Ishibashi

Kazuki Moyama

Jun Yamashita

Tetsuya Nishizuka

Cai Zhong Tian

Hidetoshi Kimura

Takahiro Senda

Nobuhiko Yamamoto

Munetaka Yamagami

Singo Furui

In a plasma processing apparatus for generating a plasma in a processing space of a processing chamber and performing plasma processing on a target object, the apparatus includes an antenna configured to radiate a microwave for plasma generation into the processing chamber through a ceiling plate. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressing mechanism provided above the antenna and configured to press the antenna against the ceiling plate by a pressure of fluid supplied thereinto.

Plasma processing apparatus

An optical monitor device of the present microwave plasma etching device has: a monitor head located in a position more radially inward than the edge of a semiconductor wafer W mounted on a susceptor, more radially outward than a coaxial pipe, and above a cover plate; an optical waveguide for monitoring provided vertically below the monitor head, and longitudinally traversing the cooling plate, a dielectric plate, and a dielectric window; and a monitor main body optically connected to the monitor head via an optical fiber.

Plasma treatment device and optical monitor device

Provided is a temperature adjusting mechanism, which can keep deviation of a temperature of a portion in contact with the temperature adjusting mechanism to be small by controlling the temperature accurately at a high speed. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using such temperature adjusting mechanism is also provided. A cooling jacket () is provided with a cooling channel (), and a heat lane (). The heat lane () is provided with a heat receiving section (), and a heat dissipating section (), and seals a two-phase condensable working fluid (hereinafter referred to as the working liquid) in an annular narrow tube alternately folds back and forth therebetween. The heat dissipating section () is a portion to be cooled by the cooling channel (), and the heat receiving section () is a portion having a temperature higher than that of the heat dissipating section (). In the heat receiving section (), heat is received, the working liquid is self-excited by nucleate boiling, and the working liquid transfers sensible heat while being circulated. Furthermore, in the heat receiving section (), a liquid phase absorbs heat and the phase is transformed into a vapor phase, and in the heat dissipating section (), a vapor phase dissipates heat and is cooled and condensed, the phase is transformed into a liquid phase, and latent heat is transferred by vapor-liquid phase transformation. Heat is transferred between the heat receiving section () and the heat dissipating section (), and the temperature is uniformized in a short time.

Temperature adjusting mechanism and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using temperature adjusting mechanism

A structure of an improved processing vessel for a processing apparatus, which processes a target object using a processing gas, is disclosed. The target object, such as a semiconductor wafer, is heated within a metal cylindrical shaped processing vessel. The processing vessel includes a plurality of block bodies mutually connected by being stacked in the vertical direction. Heat insulating vacuum layers are arranged between the adjacent block bodies. Thus, heat transfer between block bodies is suppressed, so that temperature of each block body can be separately controlled, thereby improving energy efficiency.

Processing apparatus

A transmission path of microwaves even after a temperature increases, is maintained in an appropriate state. A microwave plasma processing apparatus performs plasma processing on a substrate by exciting gas due to the electric field energy of microwaves emitted from a slot plate of a radial line slot antenna (RLSA). The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container in which plasma processing is performed; a microwave source outputting microwaves; a rectangular waveguide transmitting the microwaves outputted from the microwave source; a coaxial converter converting a mode of the microwaves transmitted to the rectangular waveguide; a coaxial waveguide transmitting the microwaves of which the mode is converted by the coaxial converter; a taper-shaped connector attached to an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide without contacting the slot plate; and an elastic body electrically connecting the taper-shaped connector and the slot plate.

Microwave plasma processing apparatus and method of supplying microwaves using the apparatus

In a plasma processing apparatus that processes a wafer in a process vessel by plasma generated by the supply of a microwave, a transmissive window has, in a center area of its lower surface, a hanging portion made of the same material as a material of the transmissive window. Between an outer peripheral surface of the hanging portion and a sidewall inner surface continuing from a support part, a gap is formed, the gap having a gap length of 0.5 to 10 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 5 mm. The generation of a strong electric field and plasma at a contact point is inhibited and an amount of sputtered particles, radicals, or the like reaching the wafer is also reduced.

Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

A microwave plasma processing apparatus has a microwave antenna in which a wavelength-shortening plate and a cooling portion of a cooling jacket are arranged adjacent to each other.

Microwave plasma processing apparatus and method for producing cooling jacket

A microwave plasma processing apparatus performs plasma processing on a substrate by exciting a gas by electric field energy of microwaves emitted from a radial line slot antenna (RLSA). The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container in which plasma processing is performed; a microwave source outputting microwaves; a rectangular waveguide transmitting the microwaves outputted from the microwave source; a coaxial converter converting a mode of the microwaves transmitted to the rectangular waveguide; a coaxial waveguide including an inner conductor slidably and electrically connected to the coaxial converter by a first contact member; the first contact member fixed to the coaxial converter and slidably contacting the inner conductor; and a first spring member absorbing displacement, which is caused by thermal expansion, of the RLSA and a member disposed above the RLSA.

The present invention presents an improved baffle plate for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the baffle plate advantageously provides for a uniform processing plasma in the process space with substantially minimal erosion of the baffle plate.

Method and apparatus for an improved baffle plate in a plasma processing system

The present invention presents an improved optical window deposition shield for optical access to a process space in a plasma processing system through a deposition shield, wherein the design and fabrication of the optical window deposition shield advantageously provides an optically clean access to the processing plasma in the process space while sustaining substantially minimal erosion of the optical window deposition shield.

Method and apparatus for an improved optical window deposition shield in a plasma processing system

An electrostatic chuck for attracting and holding a substrate by using an electrostatic force includes a plurality of protrusion portions to be brought into contact with the substrate. The protrusion portions are formed of a ceramic dielectric including grains each having a specified particle diameter, and contact surfaces of the protrusion portions with the substrate are formed to have a surface roughness depending on the particle diameter.

Electrostatic chuck

The present invention presents an improved upper electrode for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of an electrode plate with a deposition shield coupled to the upper electrode advantageously provides gas injection of a process gas with substantially minimal erosion of the upper electrode while providing protection to a chamber interior.

Growing community of inventors

Nirasaki, Japan

Shinya Nishimoto