US5203959A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Microwave plasma etching and deposition method employing first and second magnetic fields
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-09-27
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Granted: 1993-04-20
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Expires: 2011-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A plasma processing apparatus and method is equipped with a vacuum chamber, helmoltz coils, Ioffe bars, a microwave generator and gas feeding systems. An auxiliary magnet is further provided in order to strengthen the magnetic field in the vacuum chamber to produce centrifugal drifting force which confine the plasma gas about the center position of the vacuum chamber. Specifically, the method includes establishing a first magnetic field in the vacuum chamber substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of microwaves emitted in the chamber and establishing a second magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the first magnetic field. A substrate in the chamber for plasma processing is placed so that a surface of the substrate is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the first magnetic field and parallel to the direction of the second.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoki Hirose
- 👤 Takashi Inujima
- 👤 Toru Takayama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:25
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/511; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32623; H01J37/3266; H01J37/32678
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A cyclotron resonance plasma processing method comprising: placing a substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; establishing a cyclotron resonance by virtue of said microwaves and said first magnetic field, thereby converting said reactive gas into a plasma; establishing a second magnetic field by virtue of ioffe bars placed around said reaction chamber where the direction of said second magnetic field is perpendicular to said first magnetic field in order to confine said plasma inside the reaction chamber; and carrying out a plasma processing including etching or deposition with said plasma gas on said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A cyclotron resonance plasma processing method comprising: placing a substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; establishing a cyclotron resonance by virtue of said microwaves and said first magnetic field, thereby converting said reactive gas into a plasma; establishing a second magnetic field by virtue of ioffe bars placed around said reaction chamber where the direction of said second magnetic field is perpendicular to said first magnetic field in order to confine said plasma inside the reaction chamber; and carrying out a plasma processing including etching or deposition with said plasma gas on said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said plasma processing is an etching process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said plasma processing is a deposition process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said reactive gas includes a hydrocarbon gas and a carbon material including diamond is deposited on said substrate by said plasma processing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said deposition process forms a film selected from the group consisting of BN, CN, TiN and BP.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is biassed with a DC voltage in order that charged particles in the plasma is accelerated toward the substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for forming a carbon material including diamond on a substrate comprising the steps of: placing said substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas including a hydrocarbon gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; producing a plasma gas by resonance between said reactive gas and the microwaves by virtue of said first magnetic field; establishing a second magnetic field in order to pinch said plasma near the substrate; and forming a carbon material including diamond on said substrate by virtue of said plasma.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for forming a carbon material including diamond on a substrate comprising the steps of: placing said substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas including a hydrocarbon gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; producing a plasma gas by resonance between said reactive gas and the microwaves by virtue of said first magnetic field; establishing a second magnetic field in order to pinch said plasma near the substrate; and forming a carbon material including diamond on said substrate by virtue of said plasma.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said second magnetic field is established by virtue of ioffe bars placed around said reaction chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said substrate is biassed with a DC voltage in order that charged particles in the plasma is accelerated toward the substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
A cyclotron resonance plasma processing method comprising: placing a substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; establishing a cyclotron resonance by virtue of said microwaves and said first magnetic field, thereby converting said reactive gas into a plasma; establishing a second magnetic field by virtue of ioffe bars placed around said reaction chamber where the direction of said second magnetic field is perpendicular to said first magnetic field in order to confine said plasma inside the reaction chamber; and carrying out a plasma processing including etching or deposition with said plasma gas on said substrate, wherein said substrate is placed in said reaction chamber so that a surface of the substrate is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the first magnetic field and substantially parallel to the direction of the second magnetic field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
182 words
A cyclotron resonance plasma processing method comprising: placing a substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a reactive gas into said reaction chamber; emitting microwaves into said reaction chamber; establishing a first magnetic field in said reaction chamber by virtue of an electromagnetic coil surrounding said reaction chamber where the direction of the magnetic field is substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the microwaves; establishing a cyclotron resonance by virtue of said microwaves and said first magnetic field, thereby converting said reactive gas into a plasma; establishing a second magnetic field by virtue of ioffe bars placed around said reaction chamber where the direction of said second magnetic field is perpendicular to said first magnetic field in order to confine said plasma inside the reaction chamber; and carrying out a plasma processing including etching or deposition with said plasma gas on said substrate, wherein said substrate is placed in said reaction chamber so that a surface of the substrate is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the first magnetic field and substantially parallel to the direction of the second magnetic field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said plasma processing is an etching process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said plasma processing is a deposition process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said reactive gas includes a hydrocarbon gas and a carbon material including diamond is deposited on said substrate by said plasma processing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said deposition process is to form a deposit selected from the group of BN, CN, TiN and BP.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said substrate is biassed with a DC voltage in order that charged particles in the plasma are accelerated toward the substrate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-19 | 1996-10-19 | 1997-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-19 | 2000-10-19 | 2001-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-19 | 2004-10-19 | 2005-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |