Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method and storage medium

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a first radio frequency (RF) power supply unit for applying a first RF power for generating a plasma from a processing gas to at least one of a first and a second electrode which are disposed facing each other in an evacuable processing chamber. The first RF power supply unit is controlled by a control unit so that a first phase at which the first RF power has a first amplitude for generating a plasma and a second phase at which the first RF power has a second amplitude for generating substantially no plasma are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 an evacuable processing chamber;   a first electrode for mounting thereon a target object in the processing chamber;   a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying desired processing gas to a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode;   a first radio frequency (RF) power supply unit for applying to at least one of the first and the second electrode a first RF power for generating a plasma from the processing gas; and   a control unit for controlling the first RF power supply unit so that a first phase at which the first RF power has a first amplitude for generating a plasma and a second phase at which the first RF power has a second amplitude for generating substantially no plasma are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals.   
   
   
       2 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second amplitude is zero. 
   
   
       3 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first phase is about 2 to 100 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       4 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first phase is about 2 to 50 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       5 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second phase is greater than or equal to about 2 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       6 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cycle of alternately repeating the first phase and the second phase is about 4 to 200 μsec. 
   
   
       7 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 an evacuable processing chamber;   a first electrode for mounting thereon a target object in the processing chamber;   a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying desired processing gas to a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode;   a first RF power supply unit for applying a first RF power to at least one of the first and the second electrode; and   a control unit for controlling the first RF power supply unit so that a state where a plasma is generated from the processing gas in the processing chamber and a state where no plasma is generated are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals during processing of the target object.   
   
   
       8 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the duration of the plasma generating state is about 2 to 100 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       9 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the duration of the plasma generating state is about 2 to 50 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       10 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the duration of the no-plasma generating state is greater than or equal to about 2 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       11 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cycle of alternately repeating the duration of the plasma generating state and the duration of the no-plasma generating state is about 4 to 200 μsec. 
   
   
       12 . A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a target object by generating a plasma of a processing gas in a processing space with the use of a plasma processing apparatus including:
 an evacuable processing chamber;   a first electrode for mounting thereon the target object in the processing chamber;   a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying desired processing gas to the processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; and   a first RF power supply unit for applying to at least one of the first and the second electrode a first RF power for generating a plasma from the processing gas,   wherein a first phase at which the first RF power has a first amplitude for generating a plasma and a second phase at which the first RF power has a second amplitude for generating substantially no plasma are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals.   
   
   
       13 . The plasma processing method of  claim 12 , wherein the second amplitude is zero. 
   
   
       14 . The plasma processing method of  claim 12 , wherein the first phase is about 2 to 100 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       15 . The plasma processing method of  claim 14 , wherein the first phase is about 2 to 50 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       16 . The plasma processing method of  claim 12 , wherein the second phase is greater than or equal to about 2 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       17 . The plasma processing method of  claim 12 , wherein the cycle of alternately repeating the first phase and the second phase is about 4 to 200 μsec. 
   
   
       18 . A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a target object by generating a plasma of a processing gas in a processing space with the use of a plasma processing apparatus including:
 an evacuable processing chamber;   a first electrode for mounting thereon the target object in the processing chamber;   a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying desired processing gas to the processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; and   a first RF power supply unit for applying a first RF power to at least one of the first and the second electrode,   wherein a state where a plasma is generated from the processing gas in the processing chamber and a state where no-plasma is generated are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals during processing of the target object.   
   
   
       19 . The plasma processing method of  claim 18 , wherein the duration of the plasma generating state is about 2 to 100 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       20 . The plasma processing method of  claim 19 , wherein the duration of the plasma generating state is about 2 to 50 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       21 . The plasma processing method of  claim 18 , wherein the duration of the no-plasma generating state is greater than or equal to about 2 μsec per cycle. 
   
   
       22 . The plasma processing method of  claim 18 , wherein the cycle of alternately repeating the duration of the plasma generating state and the duration of the no-plasma generating state is about 4 to 200 μsec. 
   
   
       23 . A storage medium storing a computer-executable control program for controlling a plasma processing apparatus including:
 an evacuable processing chamber;   a first electrode for mounting thereon a target object in the processing chamber;   a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber;   a processing gas supply unit for supplying desired processing gas to a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; and   a first RF power supply unit for applying to at least one of the first and the second electrode a first RF power for generating a plasma from the processing gas,   wherein, when executed, the control program controls the plasma processing apparatus to perform the plasma processing method described in  claim 12 .