Plasma processing equipment

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus comprises a processing vessel defined by an outer wall and provided with a stage that holds a substrate to be processed thereon, an evacuation system coupled to the processing vessel, a microwave window provided on the processing vessel as a part of the outer wall so as to face the substrate to be processed on the stage, a plasma gas supplying part supplying a plasma gas to the processing vessel, and a microwave antenna provided on the processing vessel in correspondence to the microwave. The plasma gas supplying part includes a porous medium and the plasma gas supplying part supplies the plasma gas through the porous medium.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus characterized by: 
 a processing vessel defined by an outer wall and provided with a stage that holds a substrate to be processed thereon;    an evacuation system coupled to said processing vessel;    a microwave window provided on said processing vessel as a part of said outer wall so as to face said substrate to be processed on said stage;    a plasma gas supplying part, said plasma gas supplying a plasma gas to said processing vessel; and    a microwave antenna provided on said processing vessel in correspondence to said microwave, said plasma gas supplying part including a porous medium, said plasma gas supplying part supplying said plasma gas through said porous medium.    
   
   
       2 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said microwave window comprises a cover place constituting a part of said processing vessel and a shower plate provided in intimate contact with said cover plate, said shower plate constituting said plasma gas supplying part.  
   
   
       3 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that said shower plate is formed of a porous medium.  
   
   
       4 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that said shower plate comprises a plasma gas passage and at least one plasma gas inlet communicating with said plasma gas passage, said plasma gas inlet comprises a porous medium.  
   
   
       5 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said porous medium comprises a sintered ceramic.  
   
   
       6 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that said cover plate comprises a dense ceramic.  
   
   
       7 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a processing gas supplying part between said substrate to be processed and said plasma gas supplying part.  
   
   
       8 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said process gas supplying part comprises a plasma passage that passes plasma, a processing gas passage connectable to a processing gas source, and plural nozzle apertures communicating with said processing gas passage.  
   
   
       9 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a high frequency source connected to said stage.  
   
   
       10 . The plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said microwave antenna comprises a radial line-slot antenna.