Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus 11 includes a reactant gas supply unit 13 for supplying a reactant gas for a plasma process into a processing chamber 12. The reactant gas supply unit 13 includes a first reactant gas supply unit 61 provided at a center of a dielectric plate 16 and configured to supply the reactant gas in a directly downward direction toward a central region of a processing target substrate W held on a holding table 14; and a second reactant gas supply unit 62 provided at a position directly above the holding table 14 but not directly above the processing target substrate W held on the holding table 14 and configured to supply the reactant gas toward a center of the processing target substrate W held on the holding table 14.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing chamber configured to perform therein a plasma process on a processing target substrate;   a holding table provided within the processing chamber and configured to hold the processing target substrate thereon;   a plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma within the processing chamber; and   a reactant gas supply unit configured to supply a reactant gas for the plasma process into the processing chamber,   wherein the reactant gas supply unit comprises:   a first reactant gas supply unit configured to supply the reactant gas in a directly downward direction toward a central region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table; and   a second reactant gas supply unit provided at a position directly above the holding table but not directly above the processing target substrate held on the holding table, and configured to supply the reactant gas toward a center of the processing target substrate held on the holding table.   
     
     
         2 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactant gas supply unit is provided in the vicinity of the holding table. 
     
     
         3 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactant gas supply unit is configured to supply the reactant gas in an inclined direction toward a central region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table. 
     
     
         4 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactant gas supply unit is configured to supply the reactant gas in a horizontal direction toward the center of the processing target substrate held on the holding table. 
     
     
         5 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second reactant gas supply unit comprises a ring-shaped member, and
 the ring-shaped member is provided with a supply hole through which the reactant gas is supplied.   
     
     
         6 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the processing target substrate is of a circular plate shape,
 the ring-shaped member is of a circular ring shape, and   an inner diameter of the ring-shaped member is larger than an outer diameter of the processing target substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a bottom positioned under the holding table and a sidewall upwardly extending from a periphery of the bottom, and
 the second reactant gas supply unit is embedded within the sidewall.   
     
     
         8 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the sidewall comprises an inwardly projecting protrusion, and
 the second reactant gas supply unit is embedded within the protrusion.   
     
     
         9 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma generating unit comprises a microwave generator capable of generating a microwave for exciting plasma and a dielectric plate positioned to face the holding table and configured to introduce the microwave into the processing chamber, and
 the first reactant gas supply unit is provided at a central portion of the dielectric plate.   
     
     
         10 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the central region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table; and   a second temperature controller configured to control a temperature of an edge region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table.   
     
     
         11 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second temperature controllers are provided within the holding table. 
     
     
         12 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second temperature controllers is divided into a plurality of members. 
     
     
         13 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing chamber comprises a bottom positioned under the holding table and a sidewall upwardly extending from a periphery of the bottom, and
 the apparatus further comprises a sidewall temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the sidewall.   
     
     
         14 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 12   13 , wherein the sidewall temperature controller is provided within the sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a processing target substrate, the method comprising:
 holding the processing target substrate on a holding table provided within the processing chamber;   generating a microwave for exciting plasma;   introducing the microwave into the processing chamber through a dielectric plate; and   supplying a reactant gas in a directly downward direction from a central portion of the dielectric plate toward a central region of the processing target substrate, and supplying the reactant gas in an inclined direction toward the processing target substrate from a position directly above the holding table but not directly above the processing target substrate held on the holding table.   
     
     
         16 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 a holding table configured to hold a processing target substrate thereon;   a processing chamber configured to perform therein a plasma process on the processing target substrate, and having a bottom positioned under the holding table and a ring-shaped sidewall upwardly extending from a periphery of the bottom;   a plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma within the processing chamber; and   a reactant gas supply unit configured to supply a reactant gas for the plasma process into the processing chamber,   wherein the reactant gas supply unit comprises:   a first reactant gas supply unit configured to supply the reactant gas in a directly downward direction toward a central region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table; and   a second reactant gas supply unit having a ring-shaped member provided at an upper position of the holding table and at a position deviated from a vertically upper region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table and at an inside position of the sidewall, and configured to supply the reactant gas toward a center of the processing target substrate held on the holding table.   
     
     
         17 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ring-shaped member is provided at an outside position of the holding table. 
     
     
         18 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the central region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table; and   a second temperature controller configured to control a temperature of an edge region of the processing target substrate held on the holding table.   
     
     
         19 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second temperature controllers are provided within the holding table. 
     
     
         20 . The plasma processing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first and second temperature controllers is divided into a plurality of members.