Patent · US Expired

Plasma processing method and apparatus

US6311638A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 2000
Grant dateNov 6, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/3299
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus has a vacuum vessel, a high-frequency power generator that generates a high-frequency wave, a waveguide for propagating the high-frequency wave generated by the high-frequency power generator into the vacuum vessel to produce a plasma by ionizing a processing gas supplied into the vacuum vessel and to process a semiconductor wafer supported on a support table in the vacuum vessel. A reflection coefficient measuring unit 5 is combined with a waveguide 35 to take data on a ratio .GAMMA..sub.0 of advancing wave from the high-frequency power generator 4 and reflected wave from the plasma and phase .theta. of reflection coefficient. Factors dominating the electron density of the plasma including the output power of the microwave power generator are controlled on the basis of the measured data, whereby the electron density is controlled and stable processing is ensured.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.