Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Shishido

Masahiro Kanai

Takahiro Yajima

Yuzo Koda

Shotaro Okabe

Koichiro Moriyama

Yasuyoshi Takai

Hiroyuki Ozaki

Tadashi Hori

Hidetoshi Tsuzuki

Takaharu Kondo

A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Exhaust processing method, plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus

A method of forming a silicon-based thin film according to the present invention comprises introducing a source gas containing silicon fluoride and hydrogen into a vacuum vessel, and using a high frequency plasma CVD method to form a silicon-based thin film on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel, wherein a luminous intensity attributed to SiF&#x3b1; (440 nm) is not smaller than a luminous intensity attributed to H&#x3b1; (656 nm), thereby providing a photovoltaic element with excellent performance at a low cost as compared with a conventional one, a method of forming a silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics in a short process cycle time at a further increased film-forming rate, a silicon-based thin film formed by the method, and a photovoltaic element comprising the silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics, adhesion, and resistance to the environments.

Method of forming silicon-based thin film, silicon-based thin film, and photovoltaic element

A deposited film forming apparatus has a power applying electrode disposed above a flat plate type base member grounded, in a vacuum chamber, and a power source for supplying a power to the power applying electrode, the deposited film forming apparatus being constructed to supply the power from the power source to the power applying electrode so as to generate a plasma in a discharge space between the power applying electrode and a substrate disposed in opposition to the power applying electrode in the vacuum chamber and serving as an electrode in a pair with the power applying electrode, thereby decomposing a source gas introduced into the vacuum chamber to form a deposited film on the substrate, wherein the power applying electrode is fixed to the base member with the power applying electrode being isolated from the base member.

Deposited film forming apparatus and deposited film forming method

A two-layer structured electric power application electrode including a non-split electrode consisting of a single planar plate and six split electrodes arranged on the non-split electrode so as to be electrically in contact with the non-split electrode is arranged on the upper side of a discharge chamber provided within a vacuum container such that the power application electrode faces a strip substrate in parallel. The split electrodes are arranged in such a manner as to form a planar plane, and the distance between the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate and the strip substrate is uniform. The total area of the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate is the same as the area of the non-split electrode on which the split electrodes are mounted. This improves the uniformity in plasma generated in the apparatus for forming a deposited film and enables cutting-down of the costs required to form deposited films.

Apparatus and method for forming deposited film

A deposited film forming apparatus has a vacuum chamber containing a power applying electrode spaced above a grounded flat plate base member. The power applying electrode is fixed to the base member with a plurality of electrically insulating fastening members, at positions effective to suppress deformation of the power applying electrode, wherein an electrically insulating spacer is placed between the power supplying electrode and the base member to electrically insulate said power applying electrode from the base member.

A two-layer structured electric power application electrode including a non-split electrode consisting of a single planar plate and six split electrodes arranged on the non-split electrode so as to be electrically in contact with the non-split electrode is arranged on the upper side of a discharge chamber provided within a vacuum container such that the power application electrode faces a strip substrate in parallel. The split electrodes are arranged in such a manner as to form a planar plane, and the distance between the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate and the strip substrate is uniform. The total area of the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate is the same as the area of the non-split electrode on which the split electrodes are mounted.

A film-forming apparatus by means of plasma CVD, comprising at least a vacuum chamber, a power application electrode for introducing a discharging power into said vacuum chamber, and a raw material gas supply means for supplying a film-forming raw material gas into said vacuum chamber, said power application electrode being arranged in said vacuum chamber so as to oppose to a substrate arranged in said vacuum chamber, characterized in that said power application electrode has a reinforcing member or said power application electrode comprises a power application electrode with no reinforcing member which has a thickness which is greater than a distance between said substrate and said power application electrode. A film-forming method using said film-forming apparatus.

Apparatus and method for forming a deposited film by means of plasma CVD

A film-forming apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, a power application electrode, a raw material gas introduction portion through which a raw material gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and an exhaustion portion through which the vacuum chamber is exhausted, the power application electrode being arranged so as to oppose a substrate for film formation positioned in the vacuum chamber, characterized in that at least said raw material gas introduction portion or the exhaustion portion is provided with an opening adjusting member having a desired thickness for intercepting the plasma, and the power application electrode and the opening adjusting member are arranged to satisfy an equation a or c&gE;b, with a being a shortest distance between the power application electrode and the opening adjusting member provided at the raw material gas introduction portion, c being a shortest distance between the power application electrode and the opening adjusting member provided at the exhaustion portion, and b being an average distance between the substrate and a horizontal plane face of the power application electrode which is opposed to a face of the substrate.

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Nara, Japan

Takeshi Shishido