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:
Dec. 11, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2002
Nobuo Ishii, Amagasaki, JP;
Nobuo Ishii, Amagasaki, JP;
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A plasma processing apparatus includes a table () on which a processing target (W) is to be placed, a processing vessel () where the table is to be accommodated, and a power feed unit () for supplying a high-frequency electromagnetic field (F) into the processing vessel. The power supply unit includes at least a cylindrical waveguide () for introducing the high-frequency electromagnetic field, and a circular polarization antenna () arranged at one end of the cylindrical waveguide to supply the high-frequency electromagnetic field as a rotating electromagnetic field rotating in a plane perpendicular to its traveling direction. Accordingly, there is no need of providing a circular polarization converter for converting the high-frequency electromagnetic field in the cylindrical waveguide into the rotating electromagnetic field. Consequently, it is possible to solve problems caused by the circular polarization converter, stabilize the operation of plasma generation by performing circular polarization feeding, and perform a continuous operation for a long period of time.