The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1993
Saburo Kanai, Hikari, JP;
Yoshinao Kawasaki, Yamaguchi-Ken, JP;
Kazuaki Ichihashi, Kudamatsu, JP;
Seiichi Watanabe, Kudamatsu, JP;
Makoto Nawata, Kudamatsu, JP;
Muneo Furuse, Kudamatsu, JP;
Tetsunori Kaji, Tokuyama, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus. According to the present invention, the microwaves are introduced into the electric discharge means in correspondence with only the traveling direction thereof, whereby uniformity in a plasma density distribution corresponding to the surface to-be-processed of the sample can be sharply enhanced, so that the sample processed by utilizing such plasma can attain an enhanced processing homogeneity within the surface to be processed. In addition, homogeneity and stability of the plasma are improved by inserting a cavity resonator between the microwave generator and plasma processing (plasma generating) chamber, and coupling the cavity resonator and plasma processing chamber such that microwaves substantially only of a desired mode (e.g., TE.sub.11) pass into the plasma processing chamber. Such coupling to provide microwaves substantially only of circular TE.sub.11 mode can be achieved by providing the coupling such that a ratio of diameter of the discharge block, where the plasma is generated, to the diameter of the cavity resonator, is 0.345.