Plasma processing system

Abstract

An antenna portion includes a radial waveguide made of metal and connected to a lower end of a waveguide pipe, and a slot antenna. A top plate is arranged above a chamber. A layer of air is formed between the antenna portion and the top plate. Half a difference between an inner diameter B of a region, in which the top plate and the antenna portion are present, and an inner diameter A of the radial waveguide is equal to a product of a wave length λ g of the microwave, which is based on a composite dielectric constant resulting from a dielectric constant of the top plate and a dielectric constant of an atmosphere (air layer) in the region containing the top plate and the antenna portion, and zero or a natural number. An inner diameter C of the chamber is equal to or shorter than the inner diameter A of the radial waveguide. Thereby, the electromagnetic field for forming the plasma production region is controlled to achieve a uniform plasma density.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus for effecting predetermined processing on a substrate by exposing the substrate to a plasma production region, comprising: 
 a chamber in which the substrate is introduced;    a top plate portion arranged above said substrate introduced in said chamber and forming a part of a wall of said chamber; and    an antenna portion supplying a high-frequency electromagnetic field into said chamber to form the plasma production region in a region between said top plate portion and said substrate located in said chamber, wherein    said antenna portion includes a radial waveguide having a predetermined inner diameter,    said chamber has a predetermined inner diameter in a portion containing said top plate portion sand said antenna portion, and    assuming that said radial waveguide has the inner diameter of A, the portion containing said top plate portion and said antenna portion has the inner diameter of B, and the high-frequency electromagnetic field has a wave length of λ g  based on a composite dielectric constant resulting from a dielectric constant of said top plate portion and a dielectric constant of a space of the portion containing said top plate portion and said antenna portion, the following formula is satisfied:      ( B−A )/2=(λ g /2)· N      where N is zero or a natural number.    
   
   
       2 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 a portion of said chamber opposed to a region for forming said plasma has a predetermined inner diameter, and    assuming that said region for forming the plasma has the inner diameter of C, the following formula is satisfied:      C≦A    
   
   
       3 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said top plate portion includes a dielectric material.    
   
   
       4 . The plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said top plate portion includes a dielectric material.