WO2011013702A1

WO2011013702A1 - Plasma processing device and plasma processing method

Info

Publication number: WO2011013702A1
Application number: PCT/JP2010/062699
Authority: WO
Inventors: 大輔松嶋
Original assignee: 芝浦メカトロニクス株式会社
Priority date: 2009-07-28
Filing date: 2010-07-28
Publication date: 2011-02-03
Also published as: US20120192953A1; KR101308852B1; TW201130399A; KR20120037485A; JP2011029475A

Abstract

The disclosed plasma processing device is characterized by being provided with a processing receptacle that can maintain ambient air that has been depressurized from atmospheric pressure; a depressurization unit that depressurizes the interior of the aforementioned processing receptacle to a predetermined pressure; a carrying unit that carries an object to be processed that is provided within the aforementioned processing receptacle; a discharge tube that has therein a region wherein plasma is generated and that is provided at a location at a distance from the aforementioned processing receptacle; an introducing waveguide tube that propagates microwaves radiated from a microwave generating unit and that introduces microwaves to the aforementioned region wherein plasma is generated; a gas supply unit that supplies process gas to the aforementioned region wherein plasma is generated; a transport tube that connects the aforementioned discharge tube and the aforementioned processing receptacle; and a first heat detection unit that detects the heat of the aforementioned discharge tube.

Description

PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD

The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method.

Dry processes using plasma are utilized in a wide range of technical fields such as manufacturing of semiconductor devices, surface hardening of metal parts, surface activation of plastic parts, and chemical sterilization without chemicals. For example, in the production of semiconductor devices, liquid crystal displays, etc., various plasma treatments such as ashing treatment, etching treatment, thin film deposition (film formation) treatment, or surface modification treatment are performed. The dry process using plasma is advantageous in that it is low in cost, high in speed, and can reduce environmental pollution because it does not use a drug.

In such plasma processing, the generated plasma excites and activates a process gas to generate plasma products such as neutral active species and ions. Then, plasma processing (for example, etching processing, ashing processing, and the like) is performed on the processing object by the generated neutral active species and ions.

By the way, in recent years, the demand for the stability of plasma processing has become severe. For example, requirements for stability of processing accuracy (for example, dimensional accuracy in etching processing) in plasma processing are becoming stricter. In this case, the stability of plasma processing varies depending on the state of the plasma processing apparatus. For example, it changes with the temperature of elements, such as a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, the quantity of the deposit deposited inside the processing container, etc.

Therefore, in the case where the plasma processing to the object to be processed is repeated, the “warming process” for controlling the temperature of elements such as the processing vessel, and the “cleaning process” for removing deposits deposited inside the processing vessel It is made to carry out "pre-processing" suitably.

Here, prior to plasma processing of an object to be processed, a technology has been proposed in which plasma is generated for a preset time to heat the inner wall surface of the processing container to control the inner wall surface temperature (Patent Document 1) See).
According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inner wall surface temperature of the processing container can be controlled prior to the plasma processing of the object to be processed, so the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus can be stabilized. As a result, the stability of plasma processing can be improved.
However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inner wall surface temperature of the processing container is indirectly controlled based on a preset time. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the point of more accurately managing the temperature state in the plasma processing apparatus or plasma processing.

JP, 2006-210948, A

The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method that can more accurately manage the temperature state.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there are provided a processing container capable of maintaining an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure, a decompression unit configured to decompress the inside of the processing container to a predetermined pressure, and the inside of the processing container. A discharge tube having a mounting portion for mounting an object to be processed and a region for generating plasma inside, a discharge tube provided at a position separated from the processing container, and microwaves emitted from the microwave generating portion An introduction waveguide for introducing microwaves into a region for generating the plasma, a gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating the plasma, the discharge tube, and the processing container; A transport tube to be communicated, and a first temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the discharge tube;
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising:

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing container which has a region for generating plasma inside and can maintain an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure, and the inside of the processing container up to a predetermined pressure. A depressurizing unit for depressurizing, a mounting unit for mounting an object provided in the processing container, and a plasma generating unit for generating plasma by supplying electromagnetic energy to a region for generating the plasma; Providing a gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the area for generating the plasma, and a second temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of a member provided at a position facing the area for generating the plasma A plasma processing apparatus characterized by the present invention is provided.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, plasma is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, and a process gas supplied to the plasma is excited to generate a plasma product, and the plasma is generated. It is a plasma processing method which performs plasma processing to a processed object using a product, and the above-mentioned member by controlling generation of plasma based on temperature of a member provided in a position which faces a field which generates plasma. There is provided a plasma processing method comprising: a first processing step of controlling the temperature of the substrate; and a second processing step of performing plasma processing on an object using the plasma product.

According to the present invention, there are provided a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method capable of more accurately managing the temperature state.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic cross section for illustrating the plasma processing apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is AA arrow sectional drawing in FIG. It is a schematic cross section for illustrating the plasma treatment apparatus concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and the detailed description will be appropriately omitted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
The plasma processing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a microwave-excitation type plasma processing apparatus generally called “CDE (Chemical Dry Etching) apparatus”. That is, this is an example of a plasma processing apparatus which generates a plasma product from a process gas using plasma excited and generated by a microwave and processes an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma generation unit 2, a pressure reduction unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a microwave generation unit 5, a processing container 6, a temperature detection unit 7, a control unit 8 and the like. .
The plasma generation unit 2 is provided with a discharge tube 9 and an introduction waveguide 10.
The discharge tube 9 has a region for generating plasma inside, and is provided at a position separated from the processing container 6. Further, the discharge tube 9 has a tubular shape, and is made of a material that has a high transmittance to the microwaves M and is not easily etched. For example, the discharge tube 9 can be made of a dielectric such as alumina or quartz.

A tubular shield 18 is provided to cover the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9. A predetermined gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the shielding portion 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9, and the shielding portion 18 and the discharge tube 9 are disposed so as to be substantially coaxial. In addition, this clearance gap is made into the dimension to such an extent that the microwave M does not leak. Therefore, the shielding unit 18 can suppress the leakage of the microwaves M.

Further, an introduction waveguide 10 is connected to the shielding portion 18 so as to be substantially orthogonal to the discharge tube 9. A termination matching device 11 a is provided at the termination of the introduction waveguide 10. A stub tuner 11 b is provided on the inlet side (introduction side of the microwave M) of the introduction waveguide 10. The introduction waveguide 10 propagates the microwave M radiated from the microwave generation unit 5 described later, and introduces the microwave M to a region for generating the plasma P.

An annular slot 12 is provided at the connecting portion between the introduction waveguide 10 and the shielding portion 18. The slot 12 is for radiating the microwave M guided inside the introduction waveguide 10 toward the discharge tube 9. As described later, plasma P is generated inside the discharge tube 9, but the portion facing the slot 12 is substantially the center of the region where the plasma P is generated.

A temperature detection unit 7 is provided outside the discharge tube 9 so as to face the region where the plasma P is generated. The temperature detection unit 7 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a contact type using a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor or the like, or a non-contact type such as a radiation thermometer. . In addition, in FIG. 1, the non-contact type was illustrated as an example.

In this case, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 7 so as to detect the temperature of a portion that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 7 at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and to detect the temperature of a member having a certain amount of heat capacity. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is disposed so as to detect the temperature of the discharge tube 9.

Here, if the temperature detection unit 7 is provided inside the discharge tube 9, the temperature detection unit 7 may be damaged by the plasma P or metal contamination may be caused. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided outside the discharge tube 9 to detect the temperature of the discharge tube 9.

Also, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 detected by the temperature detection unit 7 can be corrected as needed. That is, the temperature is corrected to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the inner wall surface temperature of discharge tube 9 or the average temperature of discharge tube 9 closer to the region where plasma P is generated, in consideration of the influence on plasma processing of workpiece W It can also be done. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, it is possible to obtain the correction value by obtaining the correlation in advance by experiment or the like.

Further, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided to face the area for generating the plasma P. Therefore, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided in the area where the shielding unit 18 is provided. In this case, the temperature detection unit 7 or the probe portion of the temperature detection unit 7 can be provided in the gap provided between the inner peripheral surface of the shielding unit 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9. However, as described above, this gap is dimensioned so that the microwave M does not leak, so it is difficult to install it unless it is a small temperature detection unit 7 or a small probe portion.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided on the outside of the shielding unit 18. Further, since the temperature detection unit 7 is provided on the outside of the shielding unit 18, a hole 18 a for detection is provided in a portion of the shielding unit 18 facing the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, an opening and closing portion 19 for opening and closing the hole 18a may be provided. A drive unit (not shown) is connected to the opening / closing unit 19. The opening / closing unit 19 can be moved in the axial direction of the shielding unit 18 by a driving unit (not shown). Therefore, the hole 18 a can be opened and closed by moving the opening and closing unit 19.

By providing the opening / closing part 19, the hole 18a can be closed when the temperature detection is not performed. Therefore, it can suppress that a microwave leaks from the hole 18a. In addition, although the case where the opening and closing part 19 was provided in the inner wall surface side of the shielding part 18 was illustrated, it is also possible to provide the opening and closing part 19 in the outer wall surface side. Although the case where the opening and closing part 19 is moved in the axial direction of the shielding part 18 is illustrated, the opening and closing part 19 can also be moved along the circumferential direction of the shielding part 18.
When the temperature detection unit 7 is a contact type, the shielding unit 18 can also hold the probe portion. By doing so, the hole is closed by the held probe portion, and the opening / closing part 19 can be made unnecessary.

A microwave generator 5 is provided at one end of the introduction waveguide 10. The microwave generation unit 5 is configured to generate a microwave M having a predetermined frequency (for example, 2.75 GHz) and to radiate the microwave M toward the introduction waveguide 10.

A gas supply unit 4 is connected to one end of the discharge tube 9 via a flow control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. Then, the process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region in the discharge tube 9 for generating plasma through the flow rate control unit 13. Further, by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 8, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted.

One end of the transport tube 14 is connected to the other end of the discharge tube 9, and the other end of the transport tube 14 is connected to the processing container 6. That is, the transport pipe 14 connects the discharge pipe 9 and the processing container 6 with each other. The transport tube 14 is made of a material that can resist corrosion by neutral active species, such as quartz, stainless steel, ceramics, fluorocarbon resin, or the like.

The processing container 6 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, and the upper end thereof is closed by a top plate 6 a. A mounting unit 15 incorporating an electrostatic chuck (not shown) is provided inside the processing container 6, and a workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate) is mounted on the upper surface (mounting surface) thereof. It can be held.

A pressure reducing unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to the bottom of the processing container 6 through a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 6 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 6 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 6. That is, the processing container 6 can hold the object to be processed W, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate, and can maintain an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure.

A flow straightening plate 17 is provided below the connection portion with the transport pipe 14 and above the mounting portion 15 so as to face the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15. The rectifying plate 17 rectifies the flow of gas containing neutral active species introduced from the transport pipe 14 so that the amount of neutral active species on the treated surface of the object to be treated W becomes substantially uniform. belongs to. The straightening vane 17 is a substantially circular plate-like body provided with a large number of holes 17 a and is fixed to the inner wall of the processing vessel 6. Then, a region between the rectifying plate 17 and the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15 is a processing space 20 in which the processing of the object to be processed is performed. Further, the inner wall surface of the processing container 6 and the surface of the rectifying plate 17 are covered with a material (such as a tetrafluoride resin (PTFE) or a ceramic material such as alumina, etc.) that does not easily react with neutral active species.

The control unit 8 controls the pressure reduction unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the microwave generation unit 5, the pressure control unit 16, the flow rate control unit 13, and the like. Further, the control unit 8 determines the temperature state (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) of the discharge tube 9 based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7. Then, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the control of the temperature of the discharge tube 9 can be performed prior to the plasma processing on the workpiece W.
In addition, temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to control unit 8, and based on this display, the operator determines the temperature state of discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of plasma processing apparatus 1). It can also be
The determination of the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments or the like. be able to.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1.
First, “pretreatment” is performed prior to the plasma treatment of the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a "warm-up process" for controlling the temperature of the discharge tube 9 will be described as an example of the "pre-process".

The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state in which the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 6. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be placed and held so that the upper surface (placement surface) of the placement unit 15 is not damaged.

First, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is detected by the temperature detection unit 7, and a detection signal (detection value of temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7 is sent to the control unit 8. When the above-mentioned opening and closing part 19 is provided, the opening and closing part 19 is opened, and the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is detected through the hole 18a.
The control unit 8 determines the temperature state (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) of the discharge tube 9 based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments. You can do so.

When it is determined that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is low, the plasma P is generated to raise the temperature of the discharge tube 9. First, the pressure in the processing container 6 is reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 6 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16. Further, the inside of the discharge tube 9 communicating with the processing container 6 is also depressurized.
Then, plasma P is generated in the discharge tube 9 by the plasma generation unit 2 and the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is raised by the heat of the generated plasma P. In this case, a gas of a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 through the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or Ar (argon) gas used for plasma treatment of the object W to be treated) Can be supplied into the discharge tube 9. The details of the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

When it is determined by the control unit 8 that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 has entered the appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warm-up process” is ended. In addition, temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to control unit 8, and based on this display, the operator determines the temperature state of discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of plasma processing apparatus 1). It can also be In this case, the operator inputs a command to the control unit 8 to stop the generation of the plasma P.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is high, the discharge tube 9 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the discharge tube 9. Alternatively, the discharge tube 9 may be cooled by flowing a cooling medium into the inside of a cooling tube (not shown) wound around the outer peripheral wall of the discharge tube 9.

The above is the case of the “warm-up process” in which the “pre-process” controls the temperature of the discharge tube 9. The same procedure can be taken when "cleaning process" is performed as "pre-processing". In this case, the gas supplied into the discharge tube 9 is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen, an inert gas such as Ar (argon) or the like). In addition, a spectroscope or the like (not shown) may be provided to determine the end point of the “cleaning process”. That is, it is also possible to determine the end point of the "cleaning process" from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of the "pretreatment" is "cleaning treatment", it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) within an appropriate range. Therefore, even if it is determined from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength that the "cleaning process" has ended, if the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is appropriate. The generation of plasma P is continued until it falls within the range. Then, when it is determined by the control unit 8 that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is in the appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. If the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is higher than a predetermined temperature at the end of the "cleaning process", the "cleaning process" is ended and it is waited until the temperature of the discharge tube 9 falls within the appropriate range. "Pre-processing" should be finished. In this case, the discharge tube 9 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the discharge tube 9. Alternatively, the discharge tube 9 may be cooled by flowing a cooling medium into the inside of a cooling tube (not shown) wound around the outer peripheral wall of the discharge tube 9.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing on the object W, first, the object W (for example, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, etc.) is carried into the processing container 6 by a transfer device (not shown), and placed on the placement unit 15 It is held.
Next, the pressure in the processing container 6 is reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 6 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16. Further, the inside of the discharge tube 9 communicating with the processing container 6 is also depressurized.

Next, a plasma generation unit 2 generates a plasma product containing neutral active species. That is, first, a process gas G (for example, CF ₄ or the like) having a predetermined flow rate is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 into the discharge tube 9 via the flow rate control unit 13. On the other hand, microwaves M having a predetermined power are radiated from the microwave generator 5 into the introduction waveguide 10. The emitted microwaves M are guided in the introduction waveguide 10 and emitted toward the discharge tube 9 through the slot 12.

The microwave M radiated toward the discharge tube 9 propagates on the surface of the discharge tube 9 and is radiated into the discharge tube 9. Thus, the plasma P is generated by the energy of the microwave M radiated into the discharge tube 9. Then, when the electron density in the generated plasma P is equal to or higher than the density (cutoff density) capable of shielding the microwave M supplied through the discharge tube 9, the microwave M is discharged from the inner wall surface of the discharge tube 9 It will be reflected before entering a certain distance (skin depth) towards the space in 9. Therefore, a standing wave of the microwave M is formed between the reflection surface of the microwave M and the lower surface of the slot 12. As a result, the reflection surface of the microwave M becomes a plasma excitation surface, and the plasma P is stably excited and generated on this plasma excitation surface. In the plasma P excited and generated on the plasma excitation surface, the process gas G is excited and activated to generate plasma products such as neutral active species and ions.

The gas containing the generated plasma product is transported into the processing vessel 6 through the transport pipe 14. At this time, ions having a short life can not reach the processing vessel 6, and only neutral active species having a long life will reach the processing vessel 6. The gas containing neutral active species introduced into the processing container 6 is rectified by the rectifying plate 17 to reach the surface of the object to be processed W, and plasma processing such as etching is performed. In this embodiment, mainly isotropic processing (for example, isotropic etching and the like) with neutral active species is performed.

The to-be-processed object W which the process complete | finished is carried out of the processing container 6 by the conveying apparatus which is not shown in figure. Thereafter, the plasma processing on the object W is repeated if necessary. The “pre-processing” described above can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1, at the switching of lots, or the like. Also, "pre-processing" can be appropriately performed in the process of production. In this case, "pre-processing" can be performed periodically, or the necessity of "pre-processing" can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 7 or a spectroscope (not shown).

As exemplified above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, plasma P is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, and process gas G supplied toward plasma P is excited to generate plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on a workpiece W using the generated plasma product, a member provided at a position facing a region for generating plasma P (discharge tube 9 The first processing step ("pre-treatment" step) of controlling the temperature of the member by controlling the generation of plasma P based on the temperature of And a second processing step of performing plasma processing on the

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 7, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the object to be processed. Therefore, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be known more accurately than when the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1 is estimated by time management or the like. And since it becomes possible to perform more appropriate "pre-processing", the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W fluctuates depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1. Therefore, the productivity, the yield, the quality, and the like can be improved by performing the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 1 more accurately.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.
The plasma processing apparatus 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a microwave-excitation plasma processing apparatus generally referred to as “a surface wave plasma (SWP) apparatus”. That is, this is an example of a plasma processing apparatus which generates a plasma product from a process gas using plasma excited and generated by a microwave and processes an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plasma processing apparatus 30 includes a plasma generation unit 31, a pressure reduction unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a microwave generation unit 5, a processing container 32, a temperature detection unit 7, a control unit 33 and the like. .
The plasma generation unit 31 generates plasma P by supplying microwaves (electromagnetic energy) to a region for generating plasma P.
The plasma generation unit 31 is provided with a transmission window 34 and an introduction waveguide 35. The transmission window 34 has a flat plate shape, and is made of a material that has high transmittance to the microwaves M and is not easily etched. For example, the transmission window 34 can be made of a dielectric such as alumina or quartz. The transmission window 34 is provided at the upper end of the processing container 32 in an airtight manner.

An introduction waveguide 35 is provided outside the processing container 32 and on the upper surface of the transmission window 34. Although illustration is omitted, a termination matching unit or a stub tuner may be provided as appropriate. The introduction waveguide 35 guides the microwave M emitted from the microwave generator 5 toward the transmission window 34.
A slot 36 is provided at the connecting portion between the introduction waveguide 35 and the transmission window 34. The slot 36 is for radiating the microwave M guided inside the introduction waveguide 35 toward the transmission window 34.

As described above, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 7 so as to detect the temperature of a portion that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 7 at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and to detect the temperature of a member having a certain amount of heat capacity. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is disposed so that the temperature of the transmission window 34 can be detected. Note that the temperature detection unit 7 can be provided so that the temperature of the rectifying plate 17 or the wall surface of the processing container 32 can be detected. In the following, the case of detecting the temperature of the transmission window 34 is illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a temperature detection unit 7 is provided on the side of the introduction waveguide 35 so as to face the region where the plasma P is generated.
Also, the temperature of the transmission window 34 detected by the temperature detection unit 7 can be corrected as needed. That is, the temperature is corrected to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the inner wall surface temperature of the transmission window 34 closer to the region where the plasma P is generated, the average temperature of the transmission window 34, etc. be able to. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, it is possible to obtain the correction value by obtaining the correlation in advance by experiment or the like.

Further, similarly to the one illustrated in FIG. 1, it is provided on the outside of the transmission window 34 and provided in the shielding portion 28 for suppressing the leakage of the microwave M and the portion facing the temperature detection portion 7 of the shielding portion 28. It is also possible to provide a hole 28a and an open / close unit 29 for opening and closing the hole 28a.

A microwave generator 5 is provided at one end of the introduction waveguide 35. The microwave generation unit 5 is configured to generate a microwave M having a predetermined frequency (for example, 2.75 GHz) and to radiate the microwave M toward the introduction waveguide 35.
The gas supply unit 4 is connected to the upper side wall of the processing container 32 via a flow control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. Then, the process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 32 through the flow rate control unit 13. Further, by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 33, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted.

The processing container 32 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, and in the inside thereof, a mounting portion 15 containing an electrostatic chuck (not shown) is provided. The object to be processed W (for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate) can be placed and held on the upper surface (placement surface) of the placement unit 15.
A pressure reducing unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to a bottom surface of the processing container 32 via a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 32 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 32 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 32. That is, the processing container 32 has a region for generating the plasma P inside, and can maintain an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure.

A rectifying plate 17 is provided below the connecting portion with the gas supply unit 4 and above the mounting unit 15 so as to face the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting unit 15. The rectifying plate 17 rectifies the flow of the gas containing the plasma product generated in the region for generating the plasma P so that the amount of the plasma product on the processing surface of the object to be treated W becomes substantially uniform. It is for.

The straightening vane 17 is a substantially circular plate-like body provided with a large number of holes 17 a, and is fixed to the inner wall of the processing container 32. Then, a region between the rectifying plate 17 and the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15 is a processing space 20 in which the processing of the object to be processed is performed. In addition, the inner wall surface of the processing container 32 and the surface of the rectifying plate 17 are covered with a material (such as a tetrafluoride resin (PTFE) or a ceramic material such as alumina) which is less likely to react with neutral active species.

The control unit 33 controls the pressure reduction unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the microwave generation unit 5, the pressure control unit 16, the flow rate control unit 13, and the like. Further, the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is determined based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7. Then, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the control of the temperature of the transmission window 34 can be performed prior to the plasma processing on the workpiece W.

Note that temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to control unit 33, and the operator determines the temperature state of transmission window 34 (the temperature state of plasma processing apparatus 30) based on the display. It can also be
In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments. You can do so.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 30.
Also in the present embodiment, “pretreatment” is performed prior to the plasma treatment on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a "warm-up process" for controlling the temperature of the transmission window 34 will be described as an example of the "pre-process".

The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state in which the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 32. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be placed and held so that the upper surface (placement surface) of the placement unit 15 is not damaged.
First, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is detected by the temperature detection unit 7, and a detection signal (detection value of temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7 is sent to the control unit 33. When the opening / closing unit 29 described above is provided, the opening / closing unit 29 is opened and the temperature of the transmission window 34 is detected through the hole 28 a.
The control unit 33 determines the temperature state (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) of the transmission window 34 based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments. You can do so.

If it is determined that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is low, the plasma P is generated to raise the temperature of the transmission window 34. First, the inside of the processing container 32 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 32 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16.
Then, the plasma generation unit 31 generates plasma P, and the heat of the generated plasma P raises the temperature of the transmission window 34, the rectifying plate 17, the wall surface of the processing container 32, and the like. In this case, a gas of a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 through the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or Ar (argon) gas used for plasma treatment of the object W to be treated) Can be supplied to a region in the processing container 32 which generates the plasma P. The details of the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

When it is determined by the control unit 33 that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is in the appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warm-up process” is ended. Note that temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to control unit 33, and the operator determines the temperature state of transmission window 34 (the temperature state of plasma processing apparatus 30) based on the display. It can also be In this case, the operator inputs a command to the control unit 33 to stop the generation of the plasma P.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is high, the transmission window 34 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 32.

The above is the case of the "warm-up process" in which the "pre-process" controls the temperature of the transmission window 34. The same procedure can be taken when "cleaning process" is performed as "pre-processing". In this case, the gas supplied to the region for generating plasma P in the processing container 32 is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen, an inert gas such as Ar (argon), or the like). In addition, a spectroscope or the like (not shown) may be provided to determine the end point of the “cleaning process”. That is, it is also possible to determine the end point of the "cleaning process" from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of the "pretreatment" is "cleaning processing", it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) within an appropriate range. Therefore, even if it is determined from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength that the "cleaning process" has ended, if the temperature of the transmission window 34 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is appropriate. The generation of plasma P is continued until it falls within the range. Then, when it is determined by the control unit 33 that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is in the appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. If the temperature of the transmission window 34 is higher than the predetermined temperature at the end of the “cleaning process”, the “cleaning process” is ended and it is waited until the temperature of the transmission window 34 falls within the appropriate range. "Pre-processing" should be finished. In this case, the transmission window 34 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 32.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing on the object W, first, the object W (for example, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, etc.) is carried into the processing container 32 by a transfer device (not shown), and placed on the mounting unit 15 It is held.
Next, the pressure in the processing container 32 is reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 32 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16.

Next, a plasma generation unit 31 generates a plasma product containing a neutral active species. That is, first, a predetermined amount of process gas G (for example, CF ₄ or the like) is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 32 via the flow rate control unit 13. On the other hand, microwaves M having a predetermined power are radiated from the microwave generator 5 into the introduction waveguide 35. The emitted microwaves M are guided in the introduction waveguide 35 and emitted toward the transmission window 34 through the slots 36.

The microwave M radiated toward the transmission window 34 propagates on the surface of the transmission window 34 and is radiated into the processing container 32. The plasma P is generated by the energy of the microwaves M radiated into the processing container 32 in this manner. Then, when the electron density in the generated plasma P is equal to or higher than the density (cut-off density) capable of shielding the microwave M supplied through the transmission window 34, the microwave M is processed from the lower surface of the transmission window 34. It will be reflected before entering a certain distance (skin depth) towards the inner space. Therefore, a standing wave of the microwave M is formed between the reflection surface of the microwave M and the lower surface of the slot 36. As a result, the reflection surface of the microwave M becomes a plasma excitation surface, and the plasma P is stably excited and generated on this plasma excitation surface.

In the plasma P excited and generated on the plasma excitation surface, the process gas G is excited and activated to generate plasma products such as neutral active species and ions. The gas containing the generated plasma product is rectified by the rectifying plate 17 to reach the surface of the object to be processed W, and plasma processing such as etching is performed.

In the present embodiment, when the gas containing the plasma product passes through the rectifying plate 17, ions and electrons are removed. Therefore, isotropic processing (for example, isotropic etching etc.) with a neutral active species is mainly performed. Note that anisotropic processing (for example, anisotropic etching or the like) can be performed by applying a bias voltage to allow ions to pass through the rectifying plate 17.

The to-be-processed object W which the process complete | finished is carried out out of the processing container 32 by the conveying apparatus which is not shown in figure. Thereafter, the plasma processing on the object W is repeated if necessary. The “pre-processing” described above can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 30, at the switching of lots, or the like. Also, "pre-processing" can be appropriately performed in the process of production. In this case, "pre-processing" can be performed periodically, or the necessity of "pre-processing" can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 7 or a spectroscope (not shown).

As exemplified above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, plasma P is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, and process gas G supplied toward plasma P is excited to generate plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on a workpiece W using the generated plasma product, a member provided at a position facing a region for generating plasma P (for example, transmission) The first processing step ("pre-treatment" step) for controlling the temperature of the member by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the temperature of the window 34) and the like, and the object of And a second processing step of performing plasma processing on the processing object W.

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 7, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the object to be processed. Therefore, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30 can be known more accurately than when the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30 is estimated by time management or the like. And since it becomes possible to perform more appropriate "pre-processing", temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 30 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W fluctuates depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30. Therefore, by performing the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 30 more accurately, the productivity, the yield, the quality, and the like can be improved.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
The plasma processing apparatus 40 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) processing apparatus generally called a “parallel plate reactive ion etching (RIE) apparatus”. That is, this is an example of a plasma processing apparatus that generates a plasma product from the process gas G using plasma generated by applying high frequency power to parallel plate electrodes, and performs processing of an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the plasma processing apparatus 40 includes a plasma generation unit 43, a pressure reduction unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a power supply unit 44, a processing container 42, a temperature detection unit 47, a control unit 41 and the like.
The processing container 42 has a substantially cylindrical shape whose both ends are closed, and has an airtight structure capable of maintaining a reduced pressure atmosphere.

A plasma generation unit 43 for generating plasma P is provided inside the processing container 42. A lower electrode 48 and an upper electrode 49 are provided in the plasma generation unit 43.
The lower electrode 48 is provided below the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 42. The lower electrode 48 is provided with a holding portion (not shown) for holding the workpiece W. The holding unit (not shown) can be, for example, an electrostatic chuck. Therefore, the lower electrode 48 also serves as a placement unit for placing and holding the workpiece W on the upper surface (loading surface).

The upper electrode 49 is provided to face the lower electrode 48. The power supply 45 is connected to the lower electrode 48 via the blocking capacitor 46, and the upper electrode 49 is grounded. Therefore, the plasma generation unit 43 can generate plasma P by supplying electromagnetic energy to the region for generating plasma P.

Here, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 47 so as to detect the temperature of a portion that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 47 so as to be provided at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and to detect the temperature of the member having a certain amount of heat capacity. In the following, the case of detecting the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is illustrated.

The upper electrode 49 incorporates a temperature detection unit 47. The temperature detection unit 47 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a contact type using a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor or the like, or a non-contact type such as a radiation thermometer. . In the present embodiment, a contact type is used in order to incorporate the temperature detection unit 47 into the upper electrode 49.

Here, if the temperature detection unit 47 is provided so as to be exposed to the inside of the processing container 42, the temperature detection unit 47 may be damaged by the plasma P or metal contamination may be caused. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 47 is incorporated in the upper electrode 49. The temperature detection unit 47 can be incorporated in the lower electrode 48, or the temperature detection unit 47 can be incorporated in the wall surface of the processing container 42. In addition, the temperature detection unit 47 may be provided outside the processing container 42 so that the wall surface temperature or the like of the processing container 42 can be detected. Further, the temperature detection unit 47 may be a contact type, or may be a non-contact type as the temperature detection unit 7 described above.

Also, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 detected by the temperature detection unit 47 can be corrected as necessary. That is, in consideration of the influence on the plasma processing of the object to be processed W, correction is made to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the surface temperature of the upper electrode 49 closer to the region generating the plasma P Can. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, it is possible to obtain the correction value by obtaining the correlation in advance by experiment or the like.

The power supply unit 44 is provided with a power supply 45 and a blocking capacitor 46.
The power supply 45 applies high frequency power of about 100 KHz to 100 MHz to the lower electrode 48. The blocking capacitor 46 is provided to block the movement of electrons generated in the plasma P and reaching the lower electrode 48.

A pressure reducing unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to the bottom of the processing container 42 via a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 42 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 42 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 42. That is, the processing container 42 has a region for generating the plasma P inside, and can maintain an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure.

The gas supply unit 4 is connected to the upper side wall of the processing container 42 via a flow control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. Then, the process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 42 through the flow rate control unit 13. Further, by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 41, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted.

The control unit 41 controls the pressure reducing unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the power supply 45, the pressure control unit 16, the flow control unit 13, and the like.
Further, the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is determined based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 47. Then, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detection unit 47. In this case, the control of the temperature of the upper electrode 49 can be performed prior to the plasma processing on the workpiece W.

Note that temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 41, and the operator determines the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) based on this display. It can also be
In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments. You can do so.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 40.
Also in the present embodiment, “pretreatment” is performed prior to the plasma treatment on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a “warm-up process” for controlling the temperature of the upper electrode 49 will be described as an example of the “pre-process”.

The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state in which the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 42. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be placed and held so that the upper surface (placement surface) of the lower electrode 48 is not damaged.
First, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is detected by the temperature detection unit 47, and a detection signal (detection value of temperature) from the temperature detection unit 47 is sent to the control unit 41.
The control unit 41 determines the temperature state (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) of the upper electrode 49 based on the detection signal (the detection value of the temperature) from the temperature detection unit 47. In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is performed based on a threshold (for example, the limit value of the temperature related to the stability of the etching rate) previously obtained by experiments. You can do so.

If it is determined that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is low, plasma P is generated to raise the temperature of the upper electrode 49. First, the inside of the processing container 42 is depressurized to a predetermined pressure by the depressurizing unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 42 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16.
Then, the plasma generation unit 43 generates plasma P, and the heat of the generated plasma P raises the temperature of the upper electrode 49, the lower electrode 48, the wall surface of the processing container 42, and the like. In this case, a gas of a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 through the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or Ar (argon) gas used for plasma treatment of the object W to be treated) Can be supplied to the region in the processing container 42 that generates the plasma P. The details of the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

When it is determined by the control unit 41 that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 has entered an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warm-up process” is ended. Note that temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 41, and the operator determines the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) based on this display. It can also be In this case, the operator inputs a command for stopping the generation of the plasma P to the control unit 41.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is high, the upper electrode 49 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 42.

The above is the case of the “warm-up process” in which the “pre-process” controls the temperature of the upper electrode 49. The same procedure can be taken when "cleaning process" is performed as "pre-processing". In this case, the gas supplied to the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 42 is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen, an inert gas such as Ar (argon), or the like). In addition, a spectroscope or the like (not shown) may be provided to determine the end point of the “cleaning process”. That is, it is also possible to determine the end point of the "cleaning process" from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of the "pretreatment" is "cleaning treatment", it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) within an appropriate range. Therefore, even if it is determined from the emission intensity of the light of the predetermined wavelength that the “cleaning process” is completed, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is appropriate when the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is lower than the predetermined temperature. The generation of plasma P is continued until it falls within the range. Then, when it is determined by the control unit 41 that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is in the appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. If the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is higher than a predetermined temperature at the end of the "cleaning process", the "cleaning process" is ended and it is waited until the temperature of the upper electrode 49 falls within the appropriate range. "Pre-processing" should be finished. In this case, the upper electrode 49 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 42.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing on the object W, first, the object W (for example, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, etc.) is carried into the processing container 42 by a transfer device (not shown), and placed and held on the lower electrode 48 Be done.
Next, the pressure in the processing container 42 is reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 42 is adjusted by the pressure control unit 16.

Next, the plasma generation unit 43 generates a plasma product containing a neutral active species. That is, first, a predetermined amount of process gas G (for example, CF ₄ or the like) is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region for generating the plasma P in the processing container 42 through the flow rate control unit 13.
On the other hand, high frequency power of about 100 kHz to 100 MHz is applied to the lower electrode 48 from the power supply unit 44. Then, since the lower electrode 48 and the upper electrode 49 constitute a parallel plate electrode, a discharge occurs between the electrodes and a plasma P is generated. The generated plasma P excites and activates the process gas G to generate plasma products such as neutral active species, ions, and electrons. The generated plasma product descends in the processing container 42 to reach the surface of the object to be processed W, and plasma processing such as etching is performed.

In this case, among the generated ions and electrons, electrons with a light mass move fast and reach the lower electrode 48 and the upper electrode 49 immediately. The electrons reaching the lower electrode 48 are blocked by the blocking capacitor 46 to charge the lower electrode 48. The charged voltage of the lower electrode 48 reaches about 400 V to 1000 V, which is called "cathode drop". On the other hand, since the upper electrode 49 is grounded, the electrons reached are not blocked from moving, and the upper electrode 49 is hardly charged.

Then, the ions move in the direction of the lower electrode 48 (the object to be treated W) along the vertical electric field generated by the cathode fall and are incident on the surface of the object to be treated W to perform physical plasma treatment (anisotropic treatment ) Is done. The neutral active species descends by gas flow or gravity to reach the surface of the object to be treated W, and chemical plasma treatment (isotropic treatment) is performed.

The to-be-processed object W which the process complete | finished is carried out out of the processing container 42 by the conveying apparatus which is not shown in figure. Thereafter, the plasma processing on the object W is repeated if necessary. The “pre-processing” described above can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 40, at the switching of lots, or the like. Also, "pre-processing" can be appropriately performed in the process of production. In this case, “pre-processing” can be performed periodically, or the necessity of “pre-processing” can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 47 or a spectroscope (not shown).

As exemplified above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, plasma P is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, and process gas G supplied toward plasma P is excited to generate plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on a workpiece W using the generated plasma product, a member provided at a position facing a region for generating plasma P (for example, an upper portion Controlling the temperature of the member by controlling the generation of plasma P based on the temperature of the electrode 49 etc.) (the “pretreatment” step), and using the generated plasma product to be treated And a second processing step of performing plasma processing on the processing object W.

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 47, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the object to be processed. Therefore, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40 can be known more accurately than when the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40 is estimated by time management or the like. And since it becomes possible to perform more appropriate "pre-processing", the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 40 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W fluctuates depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40. Therefore, the productivity, the yield, the quality, and the like can be improved by performing the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 40 more accurately.

The present embodiment has been illustrated above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions.
Those skilled in the art can appropriately modify the above-described embodiment as long as they have the features of the present invention and fall within the scope of the present invention.
For example, the shapes, sizes, materials, arrangements, and the like of the elements included in the plasma processing apparatus 1, the plasma processing apparatus 30, and the plasma processing apparatus 40 are not limited to those illustrated, but can be changed as appropriate.

Further, although the microwave excitation type and capacitive coupling type plasma processing apparatus have been described as an example, the plasma generation method is not limited to these and can be appropriately changed. Further, plasma treatment is not limited to etching treatment, ashing treatment, etc. For example, surface activation treatment, film formation treatment (sputtering, plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), etc.), non-chemical sterilization treatment, etc. It can be plasma treatment.

Moreover, each element with which each embodiment mentioned above is provided can be combined as much as possible, and what combined these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as the feature of the present invention is included.

Reference Signs List 1 plasma processing apparatus 2 plasma generation unit 3 decompression unit 4 gas supply unit 5 microwave generation unit 6 treatment container 7 temperature detection unit 8 control unit 9 discharge tube 10 introduction waveguide tube 14 transport tube 15 placement unit 16 pressure control unit 30 Plasma processing apparatus 31 plasma generation unit 32 processing container 33 control unit 34 transmission window 35 introduction waveguide 40 plasma processing apparatus 41 control unit 42 processing container 43 plasma generation unit 44 power supply unit 45 power supply 46 blocking capacitor 47 temperature detection unit 48 lower electrode 49 Upper electrode M microwave P plasma W object to be processed

Claims

A processing vessel capable of maintaining an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure;
A pressure reducing unit that reduces the pressure in the processing container to a predetermined pressure;
A placement unit for placing an object provided inside the processing container;
A discharge tube having a region for generating plasma inside and provided at a position separated from the processing vessel;
An introduction waveguide which propagates the microwaves radiated from the microwave generator and introduces the microwaves into the region for generating the plasma;
A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating the plasma;
A transport tube that brings the discharge tube into communication with the processing vessel;
A first temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the discharge tube;
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first control unit configured to control the temperature of the discharge tube by controlling generation of the plasma based on a detection signal from the first temperature detection unit. Plasma processing equipment.
3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first control unit executes control of the temperature of the discharge tube prior to plasma processing on the object to be processed.
A processing vessel having an area for generating plasma inside and capable of maintaining an atmosphere decompressed below atmospheric pressure;
A pressure reducing unit that reduces the pressure in the processing container to a predetermined pressure;
A placement unit for placing an object provided inside the processing container;
A plasma generation unit for generating plasma by supplying electromagnetic energy to the region for generating the plasma;
A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating the plasma;
A second temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region for generating the plasma;
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a second control unit configured to control the temperature of the member by controlling generation of the plasma based on a detection signal from the second temperature detection unit. Plasma processing equipment.
6. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second control unit executes control of the temperature of the member prior to plasma processing on the object to be processed.
A plasma is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, a process gas supplied to the plasma is excited to generate a plasma product, and a plasma process is performed on an object using the plasma product. A plasma processing method,
A first processing step of controlling the temperature of the member by controlling the generation of plasma based on the temperature of the member provided at a position facing the region for generating plasma;
A second processing step of performing plasma processing on an object using the plasma product;
A plasma processing method comprising:
The plasma processing method according to claim 7, wherein the member is a discharge tube having a region for generating plasma inside.