Magnetron plasma processing apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side in said drift direction, and has a uniform magnetic field intensity over a large area along an upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction and a region outside said upstream end.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity at a position outside said upstream end of the target substrate is steeper than a gradient of a magnetic field on a surface of the target substrate in said drift direction.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic field generator comprises a dipole ring magnet formed such that a plurality of anisotropic magnet segments are arranged in a ring-like format around said chamber to form said magnetic field.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said anisotropic magnet segments are provide with cavities, respectively, formed therein and extending in said first direction, and said cavities have sizes set in accordance with positions of said segments to cause said magnetic field to have a profile.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: said large area of a uniform magnetic field intensity expands by at least 45° with respect to a center of the target substrate on either side of said upstream end in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 7

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side in said drift direction, and has a plurality of peaks of a magnetic field intensity in an upstream end area in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 8

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side in said drift direction, and has a plurality of peaks of a magnetic field intensity in an upstream end area in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said magnetic field has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity at a position outside said upstream end of the target substrate that is steeper than a gradient of a magnetic field on a surface of the target substrate in said drift direction.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said magnetic field has two peaks of a magnetic field intensity at positions which are located on both sides of an upstream end in said chamber in said drift direction and is declined by 45° with respect to a center of the target substrate.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said magnetic field generator comprises a dipole ring magnet formed such that a plurality of anisotropic magnet segments are arranged in a ring-like format around said chamber to form said magnetic field.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said anisotropic magnet segments are provide with cavities, respectively, formed therein and extending in said first direction, and said cavities have sizes set in accordance with positions of said segments to cause said magnetic field to have a profile.

Claim 13

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side, and has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity at a position outside said upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction that is steeper than a gradient of a magnetic field on a surface of the target substrate in said drift direction.

Claim 14

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side, and has a gradient of a magnetic field intensity at a position outside said upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction that is steeper than a gradient of a magnetic field on a surface of the target substrate in said drift direction.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said magnetic field has to have a uniform magnetic field intensity over a large area along an upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction and a region outside said upstream end.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein: said large area of a uniform magnetic field intensity expands by at least 45° with respect to a center of the target substrate on either side of said upstream end in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said magnetic field has to have a plurality of peaks of a magnetic field intensity in an upstream end area in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a conductive ring arranged to surround the target substrate.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said magnetic field has to have a magnetic field intensity of 200 gausses or less at an upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction.

Claim 20

The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said magnetic field has to have a magnetic field intensity of 300 gausses or more at an upstream end in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein: said magnetic field has a uniform magnetic field intensity over a large area along an upstream end of the target substrate in said drift direction and a region outside said upstream end.

Claim 22

The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein: said large area of a uniform magnetic field intensity expands by at least 45° with respect to a center of the target substrate, on either side of said upstream end in said chamber in said drift direction.

Claim 23

The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said magnetic field generator comprises a dipole ring magnet formed such that a plurality of anisotropic magnet segments are arranged in a ring-like format around said chamber to form said magnetic field.

Claim 24

The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein said anisotropic magnet segments are provide with cavities, respectively, formed therein and extending in said first direction, and said cavities have sizes set in accordance with positions of said segments to cause said magnetic field to have a profile.

Claim 25

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field generator comprises a dipole ring magnet formed such that a plurality of anisotropic magnet segments are arranged in a ring-like format around said chamber to form said magnetic field, and wherein said anisotropic magnet segments are provide with cavities, respectively, formed therein and extending in said first direction, and said cavities have sizes set in accordance with positions of said segments to cause said magnetic field to have a profile.

Claim 26

A magnetron plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate; a pair of electrodes arranged in said chamber to face each other, the target substrate being mounted on one of said electrodes to be position between said electrodes; an electric field generator configured to generate an electric field between said electrodes to have an electric field direction in a first direction connecting said electrodes to each other; an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust and set said chamber to a vacuum; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply a process gas into said chamber; and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field between said electrodes to have a magnetic field direction in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, electrons being caused to drift in a drift direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, in cooperation with said electric field and said magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field generator comprises a dipole ring magnet formed such that a plurality of anisotropic magnet segments are arranged in a ring-like format around said chamber to form said magnetic field, and wherein said anisotropic magnet segments are provide with cavities, respectively, formed therein and extending in said first direction, and said cavities have sizes set in accordance with positions of said segments to cause said magnetic field to have a profile.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein said magnetic field has, on a plane perpendicular to said first direction between said electrodes, a gradient of a magnetic field intensity such that the magnetic field intensity is higher on an upstream side and is lower on a downstream side in said drift direction.