Patent EP0214660A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0275965A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma operation apparatus
Assignee: Hitachi Service Engineering Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1988-01-19
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-01-19
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a plasma operation apparatus which utilizes plasma generated by a microwave cooperative with a magnetic field so as to perform surface operation of a specimen (7, 101, 201) such as semiconductor substrates, for example, thin film deposition, etching, sputtering and plasma oxidation. The apparatus particularly takes advantage of electron cyclotron resonance and is suitable for performing highly efficient and high-quality plasma operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Takuya Fukuda
- 👤 Yasuhiro Mochizuki
- 👤 Naohiro Momma
- 👤 Shigeru Takahashi
- 👤 Noboru Suzuki
- 👤 Tadasi Sonobe
- 👤 Kiyosi Chiba
- 👤 Kazuo Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:39
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/02; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/511; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3266; H01J37/32678
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field has magnetic flux density having the shape of distribution which substantially monotonously decreases, starting from the microwave incident discharge space, toward said specimen stand (8), and a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance is located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field has magnetic flux density having the shape of distribution which substantially monotonously decreases, starting from the microwave incident discharge space, toward said specimen stand (8), and a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance is located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
132 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field has magnetic flux density having the shape of distribution by which a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance can lie on a curved surface, and said resonance conditioning position is located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field has magnetic flux density having the shape of distribution by which a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance can lie on a curved surface, and said resonance conditioning position is located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
117 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas-is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said apparatus has complemental magnetic field generation means (21) for causing a resonance conditioning position at which electron cyclotron resonance is caused by said magnetic field and microwave to be located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas-is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said apparatus has complemental magnetic field generation means (21) for causing a resonance conditioning position at which electron cyclotron resonance is caused by said magnetic field and microwave to be located at least partially within said specimen chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) is disposed externally of said specimen chamber (9) and substantially in parallel with said specimen stand (8).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) is disposed internally of said specimen chamber (9) and substantially in parallel with said specimen stand (8).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) is disposed at a substantially intermediate position between said discharge tube (2) and specimen chamber (9).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) is disposed at the back of said specimen stand (8).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
.8. A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) plays the part of said specimen stand (8).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field generation means (1) provides a magnetic flux having the magnitude which causes a resonance conditioning position at which electron cyclotron resonance is caused by said magnetic field and microwave to be located at least partially within said specimen chamber (9).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
123 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein said magnetic field generation means (1) provides a magnetic flux having the magnitude which causes a resonance conditioning position at which electron cyclotron resonance is caused by said magnetic field and microwave to be located at least partially within said specimen chamber (9).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
122 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein the maximum magnetic flux density within said discharge tube (2) is about 1.5 or more times the magnitude of the magnetic flux density at a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
122 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising: a discharge tube (2) forming a part of discharge space and into which a discharge gas is admitted; magnetic field generation means (1) for generating a magnetic field within the discharge space in said discharge tube; means (3) for introducing a microwave into the discharge space in said discharge tube; and a specimen chamber (9) coupled to said discharge tube and housing a specimen stand (8) for holding a specimen (7) to be operated, wherein the maximum magnetic flux density within said discharge tube (2) is about 1.5 or more times the magnitude of the magnetic flux density at a resonance conditioning position at which said magnetic field and microwave cooperate together to cause electron cyclotron resonance.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to claim 3, wherin said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) is disposed externally of said specimen chamber (9), and said complemental magnetic field generation means (21) provides magnetic flux density having the magnitude which is 50 Gauss or more.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherin a complemental magnetic filed generation means (21) is provided for controlling radius and density of a plasma flux drawn into said specimen chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A plasma operation apparatus wherein the magnetic field distribution is monotonously decreasing, starting from a microwave incident window (108), toward a substrate (101) to be operated and said substrate is operated within the range which is 150 mm or less distant from the electron cyclotron resonance position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
A plasma operation apparatus wherein the magnetic field distribution is monotonously decreasing, starting from a microwave incident window (108), toward a substrate (101) to be operated and said substrate is operated within the range which is 150 mm or less distant from the electron cyclotron resonance position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
A plasma operation apparatus wherein the magnetic field distribution is monotonously decreasing, starting from a microwave incident window (108), toward a substrate (101) to be operated and said substrate is operated within the range which is the meanfree path of active species or less distant from the electron cyclotron resonance position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A plasma operation apparatus wherein the magnetic field distribution is monotonously decreasing, starting from a microwave incident window (108), toward a substrate (101) to be operated and said substrate is operated within the range which is the meanfree path of active species or less distant from the electron cyclotron resonance position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the position of said operated substrate is adjustably movable in the incident direction of the microwave.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma operation apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein the electron cyclotron resonance position is adjustable through adjustment of the magnetic field distribution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
98 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising a microwave incident window (208), a vacuum evacuation system (212), a reaction gas supply system (205, 211) and magnetic field generation means (209, 213) for generating a magnetic field necessary for causing electron cyclotron resonance, wherein a range in which the magnitude of magnetic flux density is 1.0 to 1.1 times the magnitude of magnetic flux density necessary for causing the electron cyclotron resonance in the TE ü1 mode of an incident microwave is continuously set up over a length of 50 mm or more in the direction of a plasma flux (210).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
A plasma operation apparatus comprising a microwave incident window (208), a vacuum evacuation system (212), a reaction gas supply system (205, 211) and magnetic field generation means (209, 213) for generating a magnetic field necessary for causing electron cyclotron resonance, wherein a range in which the magnitude of magnetic flux density is 1.0 to 1.1 times the magnitude of magnetic flux density necessary for causing the electron cyclotron resonance in the TE ü1 mode of an incident microwave is continuously set up over a length of 50 mm or more in the direction of a plasma flux (210).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
A plasma operation method wherein a plasma flux is caused to take 2 × 10 2 seconds or more to pass through a continuous range in which the magnitude of magnetic flux density is 1.0 to 1.1 times the magnitude of magnetic flux density necessary for causing the electron cyclotron resonance in the TEo, mode of the microwave.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
58 words
A plasma operation method wherein a plasma flux is caused to take 2 × 10 2 seconds or more to pass through a continuous range in which the magnitude of magnetic flux density is 1.0 to 1.1 times the magnitude of magnetic flux density necessary for causing the electron cyclotron resonance in the TEo, mode of the microwave.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.