Plasma film forming system

Abstract

In a plasma film forming apparatus, two first electrodes 51 connected to a power source 4 and two grounded second electrodes 52 are arranged in the order of the second electrode 52, the first electrode 51, the first electrode 51 and the second electrode 52. A first flow passage 50 a formed between the central first electrodes 51 allows a raw material gas (first gas) for being formed into a film to pass therethrough. A plasma discharge space 50 b of a second flow passage formed between the first and second electrodes 51, 52 on the both sides allows an excitable gas (second gas) to pass therethrough, which excitable gas is exited by plasma such that the raw material can be formed into a film, but that the excitable gas itself is merely excited but not formed into a film. Those gases are converged at a crossing part 20 c between the first and second flow passages and blown off via a common blowoff passage 25 a. By this, the apparatus composing members such as electrodes can be prevented from being adhered with a film.

1 .- 59 . (canceled)  
   
   
       60 . A plasma surface processing apparatus in which a first gas is contacted with a second gas excited by plasma discharge so that said first gas is excited and is contacted with a substrate to thereby process said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 a processing head including; 
 a first electrode which has a surface defining a first flow passage for said first gas; and  
 a second electrode which cooperated with another surface of said first electrode to define a second flow passage for said second gas, said plasma discharge being generated in said second flow passage by applying electric field between said first electrode and said second electrode;  
 said processing head having an opposing surface to be opposed in parallel to said substrate, said opposing surface having a first blow off port continuous with said first flow passage and a second blow off port continuous with said second flow passage, said first blow off port and said second blow off port being arranged separately from each other in a direction; and  
 a transfer mechanism which relatively transfers said substrate in said direction with regard to said processing head.  
   
   
   
       61 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein said first electrode and said second electrode extend in a direction orthogonal to the opposing direction of said electrodes, an upstream end of a plasma discharge space between said electrodes is disposed at one end part in a first direction orthogonal to said opposing direction and extending direction, and a downstream end thereof is disposed at the other end part in said first direction.  
   
   
       62 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  2 , wherein an electricity feed line from a power supply is connected to one end part in the longitudinal direction of said first electrode, and a ground line is connected to the other end part in the longitudinal direction of said second electrode.  
   
   
       63 . A plasma surface processing apparatus in which a first gas is contacted with a second gas excited by plasma discharge so that said first gas is excited and is contacted with a substrate to thereby process said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 two powered electrodes; and    two grounded electrodes;    said four electrodes being arranged in the order of one of said grounded electrodes, one of said powered electrodes, the other powered electrode and the other grounded electrode,    said two powered electrodes defining a first flow passage for said first gas therebetween,    said adjacent powered and grounded electrodes defining a second flow passage for said second gas therebetween, thereby two second flow passages are disposed so as to sandwich said first flow passage therebetween,    said plasma discharge being generated in each of said second flow passages by applying electric field between said adjacent powered and grounded electrodes.    
   
   
       64 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein further comprises: 
 a processing head including said four electrodes and an opposing surface to be opposed to said substrate, said opposing surface having a first blowoff port continuous with said first flow passage and two second blowoff ports, each second blowoff port being continuous with each said second flow passage, said three blowoff ports being arranged in the order of one of the second blowoff port, the first blowoff port and the other second blowoff port; and    a transfer mechanism which relatively transfers said substrate with regard to said processing head in a direction in which said three blowoff ports are arranged.    
   
   
       65 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein further comprises an opposing member having a common blow off passage and to be opposed to said substrate; 
 each said second flow passage includes a communication passage which is formed between said opposing member and each said powered electrode,    said communication passage crosses at a crossing part with said first flow passage, and    said common blowoff passage is continuous with said crossing part.    
   
   
       66 . A plasma surface processing apparatus in which a first gas is contacted with a second gas excited by plasma discharge so that said first gas is excited and is contacted with a substrate to thereby process said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of powered electrodes and a plurality of grounded electrodes which are arranged in such a manner that first flow passages for said first gas and second flow passages for said second gas are alternately arranged, each said first flow passage being formed between two of said powered electrodes or between two of said grounded electrodes, each said second flow passage being formed between one of said powered electrodes and one of said grounded electrodes.    
   
   
       67 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  7 , wherein said electrodes located at both ends of the arrangement are grounded.  
   
   
       68 . A plasma surface processing apparatus in which a first gas is contacted with a second gas excited by plasma discharge so that said first gas is excited and is contacted with a substrate to thereby process said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 a powered electrode which is provided as a member to define a first flow passage for said first gas; and    a grounded electrode which cooperated with said powered electrode to define a second flow passage for said second gas,    said plasma discharge being generated in said second flow passage by applying electric field between said powered electrode and said grounded electrode, and    said grounded electrode being arranged in such a manner as to be opposed to said substrate.    
   
   
       69 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein further comprises an opposing member to be opposed to said substrate, said opposing member being provided with said grounded electrode therein.  
   
   
       70 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  10 , wherein a gap is formed between said powered electrode and said opposing member, and said gap serves as said second flow passage.  
   
   
       71 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  11 , wherein said second flow passage is crossed at a crossing part with said first flow passage, and said opposing member is formed with a common blowoff passage of said first and second gases such that said common blowoff passage is continuous with said crossing part.  
   
   
       72 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  10 , wherein said opposing member is composed of ceramic and has a part formed a recess at a surface thereof which is to be faced with said substrate, said grounded electrode is received in said recess, and said recess formed part is provided as a solid dielectric layer which is to cover said metallic grounded electrode.  
   
   
       73 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  12 , wherein an end face to be faced with said common blowoff passage of said metallic grounded electrode is generally flush with or protruded relative to an end face facing the same direction of said metallic powered electrode.  
   
   
       74 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  12 , wherein an end face on the side faced with said common blowoff passage of said metallic grounded electrode is retracted from an end face on the side faced with said common blowoff passage of said metallic powered electrode.  
   
   
       75 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein further comprises an opposing surface opposed to said substrate; 
 said first flow passage is orthogonal to said opposing surface, and    said second flow passage is slant to said opposing surface and crossed with said first flow passage at an acute angle on or near said opposing surface.    
   
   
       76 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein further comprises: 
 an opposing member to be opposed to said substrate; and    an intake duct having an intake port surrounding a peripheral edge part of said opposing member.    
   
   
       77 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein comprises: 
 an upper side part including said powered electrode;    an opposing member to be opposed to an upper side of said substrate, said opposing member detachably arranged on a portion lower than said upper side part; and    a supporter which supports said opposing member in such a manner as to place a peripheral edge part of said opposing member thereon and said upper side part is placed on said opposing member.    
   
   
       78 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  18 , wherein said supporter includes an intake duct having an intake port which is open downward and disposed in such a manner as to surround said opposing member.  
   
   
       79 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein further comprises an opposing member to be opposed to said substrate; said opposing member includes a blowoff region for said first and second gas and an expanded region expanded from said blowoff region to an end side of the opposing member, said expanded region is connected to an inert gas supply and is composed of a gas permeable material having such a degree of gas permeability that the inert gas is allowed to permeate and the degree of oozing of said inert gas from said opposing member is such that said processing gas can be prevented from contacting said opposing member without disturbing a flow of said processing gas.  
   
   
       80 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  20 , wherein said gas permeable material is porous.  
   
   
       81 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  21 , wherein said gas permeable material is a porous ceramic.  
   
   
       82 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  20 , wherein a groove for temporarily storing therein the inert gas coming from said gas supply is formed in said expanded region of said opposing member.  
   
   
       83 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  23 , wherein said opposing member has a short direction and a longitudinal direction, expanded regions are provided at both sides in the short direction with a blowoff region sandwiched therebetween, and a groove for temporarily storing therein the inert gas coming from said gas supply is formed in each of said expanded regions in such a manner as to extend in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       84 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  23 , wherein said opposing member is entirely integrally formed from a gas permeable material, and a gas permeation prohibiting member for prohibiting gas permeation is disposed at an inner side surface facing with said blowoff region of said groove.  
   
   
       85 . A plasma surface processing apparatus according to claim  24 , wherein said groove is provided at an intermediate part thereof in a direction of the depth with a partition, said partition has a sufficiently higher gas permeability than said gas permeable material, and said groove is partitioned into an upper-stage groove part continuous with said inert gas supply and a lower-stage groove part by means of said partition.  
   
   
       86 . A plasma surface processing apparatus in which a first gas is contacted with a second gas excited by plasma discharge so that said first gas is excited and is contacted with a substrate to thereby process said substrate, said apparatus comprising: 
 a powered electrode;    a dielectric member which is disposed on a side of said powered electrode;    a grounded electrode which is to be opposed to said substrate and cooperates with said powered electrode to sandwich said dielectric member therebetween, a cutout being formed in a part of said grounded electrode, said cutout allowing said dielectric member to be exposed therethrough and the inside of said cutout serving as a plasma discharge space;    a first blowoff nozzle which makes said first gas blowoff between said grounded electrode and said substrate; and    a second blowoff nozzle which makes said second gas blowoff generally parallel to said first gas flow between said grounded electrode and said first gas flow, thereby said second gas entering said cutout.