Plasma Processing Apparatus and Plasma Processing Method

Abstract

There is disclosed a plasma processing apparatus wherein a sample placed on the top surface of the sample table located within the processing chamber contained in a vacuum vessel is processed with plasma formed in the processing chamber, comprising a set of ducts cut within the sample table through which cooling medium flows; a film-shaped heater whose heating elements are concentrically embedded in the dielectric film serving as the top surface of the sample table; plural temperature controllers which set up the temperature of the cooling medium flowing through the ducts at different values, respectively; and a control unit which switches over the circulations through the ducts of the cooling medium supplied from the plural temperature controllers.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus wherein a sample placed on the top surface of the sample table located within the processing chamber contained in a vacuum vessel is processed with plasma formed in the processing chamber, comprising
 a set of ducts cut within the sample table through which cooling medium flows;   a film-shaped heater whose heating elements are concentrically embedded in the dielectric film serving as the top surface of the sample table;   plural temperature controllers which set up the temperature of the cooling medium flowing through the ducts at different values, respectively; and   a control unit for switching over from the circulation through the ducts of the cooling medium fed out of one of the plural temperature controllers to the circulation through the ducts of the cooling medium fed out of another temperature controller.   
   
   
       2 . A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the switchover of the circulations takes place in each interval between the two successive processes for treating films of different types. 
   
   
       3 . A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the film-shaped heater embedded in the dielectric film is made up with plural heater elements which can be independently controlled in heating. 
   
   
       4 . A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sample table is provided with plural independent sets of concentric ducts and the circulations of cooling medium are switched over between the plural temperature controllers and the plural independent sets of concentric ducts. 
   
   
       5 . A plasma processing method wherein the film in the top surface of a sample placed on the sample table located within the processing chamber contained in a vacuum vessel and provided with a film-shaped heater whose heating elements are concentrically embedded in the dielectric film serving as the top surface of the sample table, is processed with plasma formed in the processing chamber, and wherein the circulations through the concentric ducts, cut within the sample table, of the cooling medium fed out of the plural temperature controllers which can set up the temperature of the cooling medium fed through the concentric ducts at different values, are switched over while the wafer is being heated by the film-shaped heater. 
   
   
       6 . A plasma processing method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the circulations are switched over in each interval between the two successive processes for treating films of different types. 
   
   
       7 . A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the sample is processed while the temperature distribution in the wafer is controlled by operating the film-shaped heater made up with plural heater elements laid out concentrically in the dielectric film. 
   
   
       8 . A plasma processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein plural independent sets of concentric ducts are cut within the sample table, and the circulations of cooling medium fed out of the plural temperature controllers are switched over between the plural independent sets of concentric ducts and the plural temperature controllers.