US6158383A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma processing method and apparatus
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1999-04-02
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Granted: 2000-12-12
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Expires: 2019-04-02
Abstract
Abstract In a plasma processing method and apparatus, microwaves are radiated from a slot antenna set at the bottom of a resonator, a plasma is generated using the microwave and a sample is processed by the plasma. A plasma having a ring-form is generated by the microwaves radiated from the slot antennas, which are disposed at an angle which is neither in parallel to nor perpendicular to a surface current flowing on a slot antenna plate. Thereby, the sample is uniformly processed.
Inventors
- 👤 Seiichi Watanabe
- 👤 Muneo Furuse
- 👤 Hitoshi Tamura
- 👤 Toru Otsubo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:56
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32211; H01J37/32247; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/511; H01J37/32266; H01J37/32284; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0418; H10P72/0421
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a microwave source; a microwave waveguide for transmitting microwaves radiated from said microwave source; a ring-shaped cavity resonator for resonating the microwaves transmitted by said microwave waveguide; a processing chamber including a sample stand for placing thereon a substrate to be treated; and microwave electromagnetic field radiating means for radiating a microwave electromagnetic field from said ring-shaped cavity resonator through a microwave introduction window into said precessing chamber, to generate a ring-shaped plasma in a region opposed to said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a microwave source; a microwave waveguide for transmitting microwaves radiated from said microwave source; a ring-shaped cavity resonator for resonating the microwaves transmitted by said microwave waveguide; a processing chamber including a sample stand for placing thereon a substrate to be treated; and microwave electromagnetic field radiating means for radiating a microwave electromagnetic field from said ring-shaped cavity resonator through a microwave introduction window into said precessing chamber, to generate a ring-shaped plasma in a region opposed to said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said microwave electromagnetic field is synthesized from both TE 0n and TM 0m modes, where n and m are each positive integers of at least 1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, where n and m are each 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ring-shaped cavity resonator from which the microwave electromagnetic field is irradiated includes a slot antenna plate forming a bottom of said ring-shaped cavity resonator, said slot antenna plate having a plurality of slot antenna holes therein, each of said slot antenna holes being elongated and extending at an angle which is not parallel with and not perpendicular to a surface current flowing on said slot antenna plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said slot antenna plate is a circular plate and said slot antenna holes are arranged in a ring-shaped pattern therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the microwave electromagnetic field is radiated radially and circumferentially from said slot antenna plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein microwaves are irradiated from said slot antenna plate which are mixed both in TE 0n and TM 0m modes, where n and m are each positive integers of at least 1, and an intersecting angle between the extension direction of each of said slot antennas and the surface current flowing on said slot antenna plate is selected in accordance with a desired ratio between the mode TE 0n and the mode TM 0m .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7, where n and m are each 1.
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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) | 2003-12-12 | 2004-06-12 | 2004-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-12 | 2008-06-12 | 2008-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-12 | 2012-06-12 | 2012-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |