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:
Nov. 06, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2000
Nobuo Ishii, Minoo, JP;
Yasuyoshi Yasaka, Uji, JP;
Makoto Ando, Kawasaki, JP;
Naohisa Goto, Tokyo-to, JP;
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo-To, JP;
Abstract
A plasma processing apparatus has a vacuum vessel, a high-frequency power generator that generates a high-frequency wave, a waveguide for propagating the high-frequency wave generated by the high-frequency power generator into the vacuum vessel to produce a plasma by ionizing a processing gas supplied into the vacuum vessel and to process a semiconductor wafer supported on a support table in the vacuum vessel. A reflection coefficient measuring unit,is combined with a waveguide,to take data on a ratio &Ggr;,of advancing wave from the high-frequency power generator,and reflected wave from the plasma and phase &thgr; of reflection coefficient. Factors dominating the electron density of the plasma including the output power of the microwave power generator are controlled on the basis of the measured data, whereby the electron density is controlled and stable processing is ensured.