KR101542270B1 - Plasma treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plasma processing apparatus capable of efficiently using generated plasma. A plasma processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes a vacuum vessel 11, an antenna (plasma generating means) supporter 12 protruding into the inner space 111 of the vacuum vessel 11, And a high frequency antenna (plasma generating means) As a result, the area of the portion where the high-frequency antenna is mounted is reduced, and the utilization efficiency of the plasma is improved.

Description

[0001] Plasma treatment device [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus for generating plasma in the vicinity of a substrate to be processed in a vacuum container and performing deposition processing, etching processing, and the like on the processing target gas using the plasma.

Plasma processing apparatuses are widely used for deposition processing, etching processing, cleaning processing, and the like. For example, a plasma is generated from a gas containing silicon and nitrogen, and a silicon nitride thin film is deposited on a glass substrate to obtain a substrate used for a liquid crystal display or a solar cell. Here, the silicon nitride thin film has a function as a passivation film for preventing the diffusion of impurities from the glass. When a liquid crystal display or a solar cell unit is manufactured using such a substrate, the entire surface or a part of the substrate is etched or cleaned. Hereinafter, a substrate (a glass substrate in the above-described example) on which a plasma treatment is performed is referred to as a substrate to be processed.

In recent years, there has been a tendency that the number of the target gases to be treated at one time increases even if the size of the gas to be treated is large, or the size of the gas to be treated is increased, and the plasma processing apparatus is becoming larger in size. Among them, in the case of processing a large-sized target gas, it is necessary to uniformly generate plasma for all of the large-sized gas to be treated and a large number of relatively small substrates to be processed. For example, the quality such as the film thickness of a thin film formed on a glass substrate must fall within a predetermined limited range. Therefore, it is required that the variation of the density of the plasma generated in the plasma processing apparatus is accommodated within a certain range regardless of the enlargement of the plasma generation region.

Examples of the plasma processing apparatus include an ECR (electron cyclotron resonance) plasma method, a microwave plasma method, an inductively coupled plasma method, and a capacitively coupled plasma method. In the inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, a gas is introduced into a vacuum container to cause a high-frequency current to flow in a high-frequency antenna (induction coil), thereby accelerating induction electric field electrons induced in the interior of the vacuum container, By colliding the gas molecules, the gas molecules are ionized to generate the plasma. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus in which a spiral coil is placed on the top surface of a ceiling outside a vacuum container. However, in the plasma processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, merely enlarging the spiral coil in accordance with the enlargement of the plasma generation region simply increases the difference in plasma density between the central portion and the peripheral portion. Therefore, The standard of uniformity over the entire generated area is not satisfied. In addition, if the antenna is made larger, the conductor of the antenna becomes longer, and accordingly, the standing wave is formed in the antenna, so that the intensity distribution of the high-frequency current becomes uneven, and consequently, the plasma density distribution may become uneven (refer to Non-Patent Document 1 Reference).

Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1 describe a multi-antenna type inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus in which a plurality of high frequency antennas are mounted on the inner wall of a vacuum container. According to this apparatus, the distribution of the plasma in the vacuum container can be controlled by suitably setting the arrangement of the plurality of antennas. Further, since the length of the conductors of the respective antennas can be shortened, it is possible to prevent the adverse influence caused by the standing wave. For these reasons, the plasma processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1 can generate a plasma with higher uniformity than the conventional plasma processing apparatus.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-058297 ([0026] to [0027], Fig. 1) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-035697 ([0050], Fig. 11)

SETSUHARA, Yuichi, et al., "Plasma Source for Next-generation Meter-Size Large Area Process", Journal of Plasma and Fusion Research, Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 85-93, February 2005

The uniformity of the plasma density in the vacuum container is enhanced by the plasma processing apparatus described in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1. [ However, in these devices, about half of the generated plasma is not used for the plasma treatment because it spreads toward the inner wall of the vacuum container, rather than toward the center of the vacuum container. Further, in a plasma CVD apparatus for forming a film on a to-be-processed substrate, approximately half of the radicals (film precursor) generated by the plasma adhere to the inner wall of the vacuum vessel to form particles, which causes the quality of the film to fall do. As a result, it is necessary to periodically perform cleaning in the vacuum container, thereby lowering the operating rate of the apparatus. In addition, since it is necessary to use a large amount of expensive cleaning gas, the running cost rises.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus which can efficiently use the plasma and can suppress the running cost.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plasma processing apparatus,

(A) a vacuum container,

(B) a plasma generating means support portion provided so as to protrude in the internal space of the vacuum chamber;

(1) One or a plurality of plasma generating means

And FIG.

The plasma generating means generates plasma by ionizing gas molecules in the vacuum chamber. Various types of plasma generating means can be used, and a typical example thereof is a high frequency antenna. Further, a slit provided in the microwave waveguide, a high-frequency electrode, or the like can also be used as the plasma generating means.

In the present invention, the " plasma generating means supporting portion provided so as to protrude in the inner space "

In the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of the plasma generating means may be radially arranged from the plasma generating means supporting portion toward the wall surface of the vacuum container. For example, the plasma generating means may be a high frequency antenna, and the plasma generating means may be provided on the side surface of the cylindrical plasma generating means supporting portion or on the surface of the spherical plasma generating means supporting portion from these surfaces toward the wall surface (outside of the cylinder or sphere) A plurality of high-frequency antennas can be provided.

The plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention may include a gas holding section for holding a plurality of target gases so as to surround the plasma generating section supporting section.

The gas holding portion may include a cooperating portion for rotating the target gas around the plasma generating means supporting portion and / or a magnetic field portion for rotating the target gas.

The gas holding unit may further include a film-shaped gas holding unit for holding the film-shaped gas such that a film-like gas surrounds the plasma generating unit supporting unit. In this case, it may further comprise a delivery portion for sequentially delivering the strip-shaped film-shaped substrate to the film-shaped substrate holder, and a take-in portion for sequentially taking the film-like substrate from the film-shaped substrate holder.

In the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, the plasma generating means is mounted on a plasma generating means supporting portion provided so as to protrude into the internal space of the vacuum chamber. Since the surface area of the plasma generating means supporting portion is generally smaller than the surface area of the inner wall of the vacuum container, the plasma generating device is mounted on the inner wall of the vacuum container as in the case of the plasma processing device described in Patent Document 2 and Non- The smaller the total area of the portion to be formed. As a result, the use efficiency of the plasma is improved, and in the plasma CVD apparatus, the deposit deposited on the inner wall of the vacuum container can be reduced. As a result, the frequency of cleaning of the inner wall can be reduced, the operating rate of the apparatus can be improved, and the running cost can be suppressed.

When the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention has an orbiting portion, the plasma processing can be performed on all of the target gases under the same conditions by revolving the target gas around the plasma generating means supporting portion during the plasma processing.

When the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention has a magnetic field portion, the plasma processing can be performed uniformly on the surface of each target gas by rotating the gas to be processed.

By providing the film-shaped gas-holding portion in the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, plasma treatment can be suitably performed on the surface of the film-like base body. Particularly, the plasma processing can be performed over a large area by blowing and blowing the film-shaped substrate sequentially into the region where the plasma is generated by the sending portion and the blowing portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a plasma processing apparatus having a gas holding portion having a magnetic field portion and a revolving portion, which is a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the plasma processing apparatus of the first embodiment; Fig.
3 is a top view showing a plasma processing apparatus 30 having a load lock chamber 38 and a gas transfer device, which is a second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a top view showing a plasma processing apparatus 40 having a film-like base body holding portion, which is a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig.

An embodiment of the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig.

[Example 1]

The plasma processing apparatus 10 of the first embodiment is an apparatus for performing plasma processing on the surface of a bar-shaped substrate 21 to be processed. 1, the plasma processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment has a vacuum chamber 11 similar to that of the prior art. The plasma processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment has a structure in which the inner space of the vacuum chamber 11 from the vicinity of the center of the upper wall surface of the vacuum chamber 11 (Plasma generating means) supporting portion 12 is provided so as to protrude into the cylindrical portion 111. [ On the outer circumferential surface of the antenna support portion 12, four high-frequency antennas 13 are provided in four rows at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the circumference at regular intervals along the circumference, Each high-frequency antenna 13 is formed by bending a linear conductor into a U-shape. Each of the high frequency antennas 13 is connected in parallel to the power supply 14 and one impedance matching device 15 is provided between the entire high frequency antenna 13 and the power supply 14. The inside of the antenna supporting portion 12 is a cavity and a wiring for connecting the above-described high frequency antenna 13 and the power source 14 is provided in the cavity. The cavity of the antenna supporting portion 12 may be communicated with the vacuum container 11 or may be communicated with the outside (atmosphere).

A gas holding portion 16 is provided at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 11. The gas holding part 16 includes a circular plate-like electric conductive part 161 that is placed on a column 163 vertically provided on the bottom surface of the vacuum container 11 and rotates around the column 163, (FIG. 2) around the upper surface of the base 161 and six cylindrical portions 162 made of a circular plate rotatable around the center.

In addition, the present plasma processing apparatus 10 is provided with a vacuum pump for exhausting the internal space 111, a gas introduction port for introducing the plasma source gas, and the like.

The operation of the plasma processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described. First, the bar-like substrate 21 is fixed on the magnetic field generator 162 in a standing state. Next, the inner space 111 is evacuated by a vacuum pump, and then a plasma source gas is introduced from the gas inlet. The high frequency electric field is generated in the vacuum container 11 by introducing high frequency electric power from the electric power source 14 to the high frequency antenna 13 while rotating the electric power supply unit 161 and the electric power generator unit 162. The molecules of the plasma source gas are ionized by the high frequency electromagnetic field to become a plasma state, and the surface of the substrate 21 is subjected to plasma treatment such as etching treatment and deposition treatment.

In the plasma processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the area of the antenna mounting portion 12 protruding from the inner space 111 of the vacuum container 11 can be relatively small, It is possible to suppress the loss of the plasma toward the mounting surface side, as compared with the case where the high frequency antenna 13 is mounted on the wall surface of the mounting board 11. [

In addition, in the plasma processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the substrate to be processed 21 is revolved around the antenna supporting portion 12 by the common portion 161, so that all of the substrates 21 to be processed are subjected to plasma Processing can be performed. In the plasma processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, since the substrate to be processed 21 is rotated by the electric power generating unit 162, the surface of each substrate 21 can be uniformly subjected to the plasma treatment.

In the conventional plasma processing apparatuses described in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1, a plurality of high frequency antennas are dispersedly arranged on the wall surface of the vacuum container. Therefore, if a large number of high frequency power sources or impedance matching devices are connected to a small number of high frequency power sources or impedance matching devices, the wiring becomes long to increase the power loss when power is supplied. If a large number of high frequency power sources or impedance matching devices are arranged to increase the cost There was a problem that said. On the other hand, in the plasma processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, since the high frequency antenna 13 is intensively arranged in the antenna supporting portion 12, it is possible to reduce both power loss and cost,

In this embodiment, the antenna supporting portion 12 has a cylindrical shape, but other shapes such as a quadrangular column may also be used. The number of the antenna supporting portions 12 may be one or more, as in the present embodiment. In order to reduce the area of the portion where the high-frequency antenna 13 is to be mounted and to reduce the loss when power is supplied to the high-frequency antenna 13, the number of the antenna supporting portions 12 is preferably small (preferably only one) It is preferable to concentrate the high frequency antenna 13. In addition, the position of the antenna supporting portion 12 can be appropriately changed. The number of the high-frequency antennas 13 can also be appropriately changed by the magnitude and uniformity of the required plasma density. These also apply to other embodiments described below.

[Example 2]

The plasma processing apparatus 30 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the top view shown in Fig. The plasma processing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment is configured such that the flattened substrate 22 is carried into the inner space 311 of the vacuum container 31 and is then taken out of the vacuum container 31 And the like.

The plasma processing apparatus 30 of this embodiment has a hexagonal pillar-shaped vacuum vessel 31 and a hexagonal pillar-shaped antenna (plasma (not shown)) so as to protrude into the inner space 311 of the vacuum vessel 31 from the vicinity of the center of the wall surface. Generating means) support portion 32 is provided. A plurality of high-frequency antennas (plasma generating means) 33 are provided on each side surface of the hexagonal column of the antenna supporting portion 32 so as to be arranged in one row in the vertical direction. Each of the high-frequency antennas 33 is a U-shaped antenna, and the U-shaped bottom portion of the antenna supporting portion 32 is radially mounted so as to face the wall surface side of the vacuum container 31. All the high-frequency antennas 33 are connected in parallel to one power source through one impedance matching device (not shown).

A load lock chamber 38 is provided on one of the eight side walls of the vacuum vessel 31. The load lock chamber 38 is provided with a vacuum container side entrance and exit port 381 for carrying the object to be processed 22 in and out with the internal space 311, And the inside space 311 of the vacuum container 31 can be independently evacuated. The inside space 311 of the vacuum container 31 can be independently evacuated. In the internal space 311, there is provided a gas transfer device (not shown) for moving the target substrate 22 transferred from the load lock chamber 38 along the side wall.

In addition, as in the first embodiment, a vacuum pump, a gas inlet, and the like are provided.

The operation of the plasma processing apparatus 30 of this embodiment will be described. The plasma is generated in the inner space 311 as in the first embodiment. The object to be processed 22 is sequentially carried from the outside into the inner space 311 through the load lock chamber 38. The inner space 311 is circulated for a predetermined time by the gas transfer device, Processing is performed. The object 22 to be processed which has reached the load lock chamber 38 is carried out from the vacuum container side entrance and exit port 381 to the load lock chamber 38. After the door of the vacuum container side entrance entrance 381 is closed, The side entry / exit opening 382 is opened and carried out to the outside. Then, the next object 22 to be processed is carried into the load lock chamber 38 and brought into the internal space 311 in the reverse order of the previous one. Thus, a plurality of subject gases 22 are successively subjected to plasma treatment.

Since the plasma processing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment performs the carry-in / out of the processing target 22 while maintaining the plasma in the inner space 311, the plasma processing can be efficiently performed without interrupting the plasma processing, The treatment gas can be continuously treated. Further, the plasma processing can be performed on all the to-be-treated substrates 22 under the same conditions.

[Example 3]

The plasma processing apparatus 40 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to the top view shown in Fig. The plasma processing apparatus 40 of this embodiment is an apparatus for performing plasma processing on the surface of a film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 made of a strip-shaped film.

The plasma processing apparatus 40 of the present embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped vacuum vessel 41 and a hexagonal columnar antenna (plasma antenna) for projecting from the vicinity of the center of the upper wall surface thereof into the inner space 411 of the vacuum vessel 41 Generating means) support portion 42 is provided. In addition, like the plasma processing apparatus 30 of the second embodiment, the antenna supporting section 42 is provided with a high frequency antenna 43 and connected in parallel to one power source through one impedance matching device (not shown).

A film-like base body holding portion 46 is provided so as to surround the antenna supporting portion 42. [ The film-like base body holding portion 46 includes a cylindrical large-diameter roller 461 parallel to the antenna supporting portion 42, and a cylindrical-shaped large-diameter portion 461 parallel to the antenna supporting portion 42 and smaller in diameter than the large- And a small roller 462 of a small diameter. The large rollers 461 are arranged around the antenna support 42 in total of six at intervals of 60 degrees. One pair of small rollers 462 are arranged on the outer periphery of each of the large rollers 461, and a total of twelve small rollers 462 are arranged. A feed portion 471 and a take-in portion 472, each of which is a roller in the form of a cylinder, are provided parallel to the antenna supporting portion 42 at the side of the two adjacent large rollers 461.

In addition, as in the first and second embodiments, a vacuum pump, a gas inlet, and the like are provided.

The operation of the plasma processing apparatus 40 will be described. First, the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 wound on the delivery portion 471 is attached to the film-shaped substrate holding portion 46 and the blowing portion 472 as follows. The first small roller 462A adjacent to the feeding portion 471, the first large roller 461A adjacent to the first small roller 462A, the first large roller 461A and the first small roller 462A ..., and a twelfth small roller 462L adjacent to the take-in portion 472 in this order. Then, one end of the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 is fixed to the blowing portion 472.

Next, after the air in the inner space 411 is removed by a vacuum pump, a plasma source gas is introduced from the gas inlet, and a high frequency alternating current is introduced from the power source into the high frequency antenna 43, To generate a plasma. At the same time, the roll of the blowing portion 472 is rotated so that the film-like substrate 23 is received in the blowing portion 472 from the delivery portion 471 through the film-shaped substrate holding portion 46. [ During this time, the surface (the surface to be treated) of one side of the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 is exposed to the plasma, whereby plasma processing such as etching or deposition is performed on the surface to be processed.

With the plasma processing apparatus of the third embodiment, the plasma processing can be performed over the entire surface of the target surface. At that time, since the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 is moved in order, the processing on the surface of the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23 can be performed uniformly. Since the high frequency antenna 43 is surrounded by the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23, the generated plasma is also surrounded by the film-shaped substrate to be processed 23, and as a result, ). ≪ / RTI >

In the third embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the shape, number, position, and the like of the antenna supporting portion 42 and the high frequency antenna 43 can be appropriately changed.

10: Plasma processing apparatus of the first embodiment
11, 31, 41: vacuum container
111, 311, 411: inner space
12, 32, 42: antenna supporting portion (plasma generating means supporting portion)
13, 33, 43: a high frequency antenna (plasma generating means)
14: Power supply
15: Impedance matcher
16:
161: All balls
162: All in all
163: Holding
21:
23: film-shaped object to be processed
30: Plasma processing apparatus of the second embodiment
38: Load lock chamber
381: Vacuum container side entrance / exit
382: Outside entrance
40: Plasma processing apparatus of the third embodiment
46: Film-like gas holding part
461: large roller
462: small roller
471:
472:

Claims (9)

(A) a vacuum container,
(B) a plasma generating means support portion provided so as to protrude in the internal space of the vacuum chamber;
One or more inductively coupled high frequency antennas mounted on the surface of the plasma generating means supporting part;
A gas holding unit for holding a plurality of substrates to be processed so as to surround the plasma generating means supporting unit;
Wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises: The method according to claim 1,
A plurality of the plasma generating means are radially arranged from the plasma generating means supporting portion toward the wall surface of the vacuum container
And the plasma processing apparatus. The method according to claim 1,
And the gas holding portion is provided with a revolving portion for rotating the target gas around the plasma generating means supporting portion
And the plasma processing apparatus. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
And the gas holding portion is provided with a magnetic field portion for rotating the substrate to be processed
And the plasma processing apparatus. (A) a vacuum container,
(B) a plasma generating means support portion provided so as to protrude in the internal space of the vacuum chamber;
A plasma generating means, which is a plurality of inductively coupled high-frequency antennas mounted on the surface of the plasma generating means supporting portion;
A film-like substrate holder for holding the film-shaped substrate such that a film-shaped substrate surrounds the plasma-generating-
Wherein the plasma processing apparatus further comprises: The method of claim 5,
A delivery portion for sequentially delivering the strip-like film-like base body to the film-like base body holding portion, and a take-in portion for sequentially taking the film-like base body from the film-like base body holding portion
And the plasma processing apparatus. The method of claim 1, 2, 3, or 5 or 6,
And a load lock chamber for loading / unloading the target gas between the inside of the vacuum chamber and the outside of the vacuum chamber
And the plasma processing apparatus. The method of claim 4,
And a load lock chamber for loading / unloading the target gas between the inside of the vacuum chamber and the outside of the vacuum chamber
And the plasma processing apparatus. delete

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