Microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus

Claim 2

In a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for the formation of a functional deposited film on a substrate which comprises a plasma generating chamber and a deposition chamber being separately disposed, said plasma generated chamber comprising a circumferential wall having an end portion thereof provided with a microwave introducing window to which a waveguide extending from a microwave power source is connected and having a first magnetic field generating means outside said circumferential wall for generating a first magnetic field having a first magnetic pole, said plasma generating chamber being provided with means for supplying a plasma-forming raw material gas thereinto, said plasma generating chamber being connected to said deposition chamber through a passage for plasma formed in said plasma generating chamber, said deposition chamber having a substrate holder having a front face capable of holding a substrate onto which a deposited film is to be formed, said deposition chamber being provided with means for supplying a film-forming raw material gas thereinto and means for evacuating said plasma generating chamber and said deposition chamber, the improvement comprising a second magnetic field generating means disposed at a rear face of said substrate holder to generate a second magnetic field having a second magnetic pole of a polarity reverse to that of said first magnetic pole, said second magnetic field being provided in the vicinity of said substrate and positioned opposite to said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field generating means being capable of scanning in a direction parallel to the surface of said substrate to provide a uniform time-average magnetic flux density on the surface of said substrate, wherein the direction of the line of magnetic force caused by said first and said second magnetic field generating means is perpendicular to the surface of said substrate.

Claim 3

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second magnetic field generating means is an electromagnet comprising solenoid coils, and the apparatus further comprises means for scanning said electromagnet in parallel with the surface of the substrate and controlling the electric current to said solenoid coils, so that the time-averaged magnetic flux density is made uniform on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 4

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second magnetic field generating means comprises a plurality of fixed magnets and the magnetic flux density for each of the magnets is controlled, so that the magnetic flux density is made uniform on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 5

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density generated by the first magnetic field generating means is of 100 and 3000 gauss.

Claim 6

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density generated by the second magnetic field generating means is of 100 to 20000 gauss.

Claim 7

In a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for the formation of a functional deposition film on a substrate which comprises a plasma generating chamber and a deposition chamber being separately disposed, said plasma generating chamber comprising a circumferential wall having an end portion thereof provided with a microwave introducing window to which a waveguide extending from a microwave power source is connected and having a first magnetic field generating means outside said circumferential wall for generating a first magnetic field having a first magnetic pole, said plasma generating chamber being provided with means for supplying a plasma-forming raw material gas thereinto, said plasma-generating chamber being connected to said deposition chamber through a passage for plasma formed in said plasma generated chamber, said deposition chamber having a substrate holder having a front face capable of holding a substrate on which a deposited film is to be formed, said deposition chamber being provided with means for supplying a film-forming raw material gas thereinto and means for evacuating said plasma generating chamber and said deposition chamber, the improvement comprising a second magnetic field generating means disposed at a rear face of said substrate holder to generate a second magnetic field having a second magnetic pole of a polarity reverse to the of said first magnetic pole, said second magnetic field being provided in the vicinity of said substrate and positioned opposite to said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field generating means being capable of scanning in a direction parallel to the surface of said substrate to provide a uniform time-averaged magnetic flux density on the surface of said substrate, wherein the magnetic flux density is measured by a plurality of magnetic flux density measuring instruments disposed in the deposition chamber and the measured magnetic flux density is fed back to an instrument for feedback control of the magnetic flux density so that the average magnetic flux density per unit time is made uniform on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 8

In a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus for the formation of a functional deposition film on a substrate which comprises a plasma generating chamber and a deposition chamber being separately disposed, said plasma generating chamber comprising a circumferential wall having an end portion thereof provided with a microwave introducing window to which a waveguide extending from a microwave power source is connected and having a first magnetic field generating means outside said circumferential wall for generating a first magnetic field having a first magnetic pole, said plasma generating chamber being provided with means for supplying a plasma-forming raw material gas thereinto, said plasma-generating chamber being connected to said deposition chamber through a passage for plasma formed in said plasma generated chamber, said deposition chamber having a substrate holder having a front face capable of holding a substrate on which a deposited film is to be formed, said deposition chamber being provided with means for supplying a film-forming raw material gas thereinto and means for evacuating said plasma generating chamber and said deposition chamber, the improvement comprising a second magnetic field generating means disposed at a rear face of said substrate holder to generate a second magnetic field having a second magnetic pole of a polarity reverse to the of said first magnetic pole, said second magnetic field being provided in the vicinity of said substrate and positioned opposite to said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field generating means being capable of scanning in a direction parallel to the surface of said substrate to provide a uniform time-averaged magnetic flux density on the surface of said substrate, wherein the magnetic flux density is measured by a plurality of magnetic flux density measuring instruments disposed in the deposition chamber and the measured magnetic flux density is fed back to an instrument for feedback control of the magnetic flux density so that the average magnetic flux density per unit time is made uniform on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 9

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the magnetic flux density generated by the first magnetic field generating means is of 100 to 3000 gauss.

Claim 10

The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the magnetic flux density generated by the second magnetic field generating means is of 100 to 20000 gauss.