Process and apparatus for plasma treatment of semiconductor materials

Claim 2

Process for treating a semiconductor material, consisting in placing the material (8) in an electrically insulating enclosure (2) and subjecting it, in the enclosure, to a plasma of a gaseous compound which is appropriate to the treatment, this plasma being obtained by the action of a uniform magnetic field (B o ) in the enclosure (2) and of a radio-frequency electromagnetic field which is produced in the enclosure (2), in the region of action of the uniform magnetic field, and whose magnetic component (B T ) is perpendicular to the uniform magnetic field, the two fields (B o , B T ) being produced by means external to this enclosure.

Claim 3

Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the radio-frequency electromagnetic field is generated by a four-wire antenna (5) which surrounds the enclosure (2), in the region of action of the uniform magnetic field, and which is fed by a radio-frequency source (6).

Claim 4

Process according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the treatment is an etching of the material and in that the gaseous compound includes at least one gas capable of giving, on decomposition, an element capable of combining with at least one of the constituent elements of the material to give a volatile compound.

Claim 5

Process according to Claim 3, characterized in that in that the gaseous compound is a fluorine, carbonfluorine or chlorine compound.

Claim 6

Process according to Claim 3, characterized in that the material is silicon and in that the gaseous compound comprises argon and hydrogen.

Claim 7

Process according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the material is in the form of at least one wafer intended for the manufacture of integrated circuits and coated with a noncontinuous protective layer defining bands on the wafer, for producing therein trenches for insulation boxes or for initiating therein sectioning pathways before cleavage.

Claim 8

Process according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the treatment is a deposition of a substance on the material and in that the gaseous compound includes at least one gas capable of giving the substance by decomposition.

Claim 9

Device for treating a semiconductor material, comprising: - an electrically insulating enclosure (2), -means (7) for supporting the material (8) in the enclosure, - means (13, 14) for introducing into the enclosure and for removing therefrom a gaseous compound which is appropriate to the treatment, - means (3), external to the enclosure, for producing a uniform magnetic field (B o ) in the enclosure, and - means (4), external to the enclosure, for producing a radio-frequency electromagnetic field in this enclosure, in the region of action of the uniform magnetic field, the radio-frequency electromagnetic field being such that its magnetic component (B T ) is perpendicular to the uniform magnetic field, so as to treat the material by subjecting it to a plasma obtained by ionization of the gaseous compound present in the enclosure and subjected to the uniform magnetic field (B o ) and to the radio-frequency electromagnetic field.

Claim 10

Device for treating a semiconductor material, comprising: - an electrically insulating enclosure (2), -means (7) for supporting the material (8) in the enclosure, - means (13, 14) for introducing into the enclosure and for removing therefrom a gaseous compound which is appropriate to the treatment, - means (3), external to the enclosure, for producing a uniform magnetic field (B o ) in the enclosure, and - means (4), external to the enclosure, for producing a radio-frequency electromagnetic field in this enclosure, in the region of action of the uniform magnetic field, the radio-frequency electromagnetic field being such that its magnetic component (B T ) is perpendicular to the uniform magnetic field, so as to treat the material by subjecting it to a plasma obtained by ionization of the gaseous compound present in the enclosure and subjected to the uniform magnetic field (B o ) and to the radio-frequency electromagnetic field.

Claim 11

Device according to Claim 8, characterized in that the means (4) for producing the radio-frequency electromagnetic field comprise a four-wire antenna (5) which surrounds the enclosure (2) in the region of action of the uniform magnetic field, and a radio-frequency source (6) for feeding the antenna (5).

Claim 12

Device according to either of Claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the enclosure (2) is in the shape of a tube and in that the uniform magnetic field (B o ) is parallel to the axis (Z) of the tube.