Apparatus for treating material by using plasma

Abstract

A sputter etching apparatus including a vacuum chamber provided with a gas supply system and an evacuator, a sputter etching electrode disposed within the vacuum chamber on which a substrate is disposed, a plasma generator for generating plasma by applying microwave energy and disposed in opposition to the sputter etching electrode, a voltage applying stud provided in association with the sputter etching electrode for causing ions in the plasma to impact against the substrate, a first power supply source provided in association with the plasma generator for generating the plasma, and a second power supply source provided independent of the first power supply source for supplying the voltage for causing the ions to impact against the substrate. A magnetic field generating magnet or coil assembly can be incorporated in the apparatus for generating a magnetic field in such a manner in which the plasma produced within a space defined between the substrate and the microwave inlet window is peripherally surrounded by the magnetic lines of forces. Further disclosed in a plasma treatment apparatus which includes an activating chamber equipped with plasma generator and a first raw gas supplying system, a reaction chamber spatially coupled to the activating chamber and containing an electrode for supporting thereon a substrate to be treated, an evacuator for evacuating the activating chamber and the reaction chamber down to a predetermined pressure. The activating chamber is directly connected to the reaction chamber for shortening the distance between the activating chamber and the substrate to be treated. A second raw gas supplying system for supplying a raw gas to the reaction chamber is provided in the connecting portion between the activating chamber and the reacting chamber.