Patent US5609774A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5609774A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for microwave processing in a magnetic field
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-02-10
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Granted: 1997-03-11
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Expires: 2014-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A microwave-assisted plasma processing apparatus has a reaction chamber in which a substrate holder is provided to support a substrate to be treated. The holder is formed congruent with the inside of reaction chamber and located to substantially separate a reaction space in the reaction chamber save for a narrow clearance therebetween through which exhausted gas passes from said reaction space into said auxiliary space. By this structure, high density plasmas can be formed in the reaction chamber without substantial loss of input microwave energy.
Inventors
- 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
- 👤 Masaya Kadono
- 👤 Kenji Itoh
- 👤 Toru Takayama
- 👤 Yasuyuki Arai
- 👤 Noriya Ishida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:53
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3244; H01J37/32449; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined in the chamber by inside walls of the chamber and a side of the substrate holder carrying a substrate; inputting a reactive gas into said reaction space; converting said reactive gas into plasma by supplying an electromagnetic energy to said reactive gas; evacuating said reaction space during the plasma processing through a gap between the substrate holder and the inside wall of the chamber, wherein said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy; and treating a surface of the substrate located on said substrate holder with said plasma; wherein said plasma is confined in said reaction space, whereby reactive gas in a part of the reaction chamber outside said reaction space has non-plasma form.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined in the chamber by inside walls of the chamber and a side of the substrate holder carrying a substrate; inputting a reactive gas into said reaction space; converting said reactive gas into plasma by supplying an electromagnetic energy to said reactive gas; evacuating said reaction space during the plasma processing through a gap between the substrate holder and the inside wall of the chamber, wherein said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy; and treating a surface of the substrate located on said substrate holder with said plasma; wherein said plasma is confined in said reaction space, whereby reactive gas in a part of the reaction chamber outside said reaction space has non-plasma form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The plasma processing method of claim 1 further comprising the step of exhausting a gas which is not used in plasma processing from said reaction space during the plasma processing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The plasma processing method of claim 1 wherein said plasma processing is a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The plasma processing method of claim 1 wherein said plasma processing is an etching.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber; inputting a reactive gas into a reaction space of said chamber, said reaction space being defined by at least an inside wall of said reaction chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; converting said reaction gas into plasma by supplying an electromagnetic energy to said reactive gas; performing a plasma process on the substrate in said reaction space; and evacuating said reaction space during the plasma processing through a gap between the substrate holder and the inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma reverts to a non-plasma gas form when passing through said gap and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber; inputting a reactive gas into a reaction space of said chamber, said reaction space being defined by at least an inside wall of said reaction chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; converting said reaction gas into plasma by supplying an electromagnetic energy to said reactive gas; performing a plasma process on the substrate in said reaction space; and evacuating said reaction space during the plasma processing through a gap between the substrate holder and the inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma reverts to a non-plasma gas form when passing through said gap and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The plasma processing method of claim 5 wherein said plasma processing is a chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The plasma processing method of claim 5 wherein said plasma processing is an etching.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space to convert said reactive gas to a plasma form; and exhausting said gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma is confined in said reaction space as the gas is exhausted, whereby reactive gas in a part of the reaction chamber outside said reaction space has non-plasma form and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
140 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space to convert said reactive gas to a plasma form; and exhausting said gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma is confined in said reaction space as the gas is exhausted, whereby reactive gas in a part of the reaction chamber outside said reaction space has non-plasma form and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted electromagnetic energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space to convert said reactive gas to a plasma form; and exhausting a gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma reverts to a non-plasma gas form when passing through said gap and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted microwave.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
122 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and a side of said substrate holder carrying a substrate; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space to convert said reactive gas to a plasma form; and exhausting a gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said plasma reverts to a non-plasma gas form when passing through said gap and said gap is not larger than 1/4 of a wavelength of the inputted microwave.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and said substrate holder; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space; and exhausting a gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said gap is not larger than 1/4 of the wavelength of the inputted microwave.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
93 words
A plasma processing method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate holder in a reaction chamber so that a reaction space is defined by at least an inside wall of said chamber and said substrate holder; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction space; inducing a magnetic field in said space; inputting a microwave into said reaction space; and exhausting a gas from said chamber through a gap between said holder and said inside wall of the chamber, wherein said gap is not larger than 1/4 of the wavelength of the inputted microwave.
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