Ignition control method, film formation method, and substrate processing apparatus
An ignition control method includes: preparing a substrate processing apparatus including a processing container that accommodates a substrate, a plasma box formed in the processing container, an electrode disposed on the plasma box, a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the electrode via a matching unit, and a switch disposed between the matcher and the electrode; setting the switch during a process performed by the substrate processing apparatus based on a recipe; and after setting the switch, selecting a region for igniting a plasma generated from a gas by applying a radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply.
1 . An ignition control method comprising:
preparing a substrate processing apparatus including:
a processing container configured to accommodate a substrate,
a plasma box formed in the processing container,
a pair of electrodes disposed to sandwich the plasma box therebetween,
a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box, and
a switch disposed between the matching box and one of the pair of electrodes;
setting the switch during a process performed by the substrate processing apparatus based on a recipe; and
after setting the switch, selecting a region for igniting a plasma generated from a gas by applying a radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply,
wherein a first voltage supply line connects the matching box and the one of the pair of electrodes, and the switch is disposed in a second voltage supply line that branches from the first voltage supply line and is connected to a ground potential of the matching box.
2 . The ignition control method according to claim 1 , wherein in the selecting the region for igniting the plasma, the region for igniting the plasma is selected from the plasma box and the processing container.
3 . The ignition control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
setting the switch before the process,
wherein the switch is set again during the process.
4 . The ignition control method according to claim 1 , wherein the process is an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process performed by repeating a plurality of steps, and
in a step of generating the plasma among the plurality of steps, the switch is set before generating the plasma.
5 . A film formation method comprising:
preparing a substrate processing apparatus including:
a processing container configured to accommodate a substrate,
a plasma box formed in the processing container,
a pair of electrodes disposed to sandwich the plasma box therebetween,
a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box, and
a switch disposed between the matching box and one of the pair of electrodes; and
performing a process based on a recipe, the process including:
(a) supplying a raw material gas to adsorb the raw material gas onto the substrate, and
(b) supplying a reaction gas to cause a reaction of the raw material gas adsorbed onto the substrate by a plasma generated from the reaction gas,
wherein, in (b), a region for igniting the plasma is selected by applying a radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply, and
a first voltage supply line connects the matching box and the one of the pair of electrodes, and the switch is disposed in a second voltage supply line that branches from the first voltage supply line and is connected to a ground potential of the matching box.
6 . The film formation method according to claim 5 , wherein the process further includes
(c) repeatedly performing (a) and (b),
wherein after the switch is set each time (b) is performed during (c), the region for igniting the plasma is selected by applying the radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply.
7 . A film formation method comprising:
preparing a substrate processing apparatus including:
a processing container configured to accommodate a substrate,
a plasma box formed in the processing container,
a pair of electrodes disposed to sandwich the plasma box therebetween,
a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box, and
a switch disposed between the matching box and one of the pair of electrodes; and
performing a process based on a recipe, the process including:
performing a first sequence, which includes at least one step, a first set number of times, and
after performing the first sequence, performing a second sequence, which includes at least one step, a second set number of times,
wherein in a step of generating a plasma from a gas during the first sequence and the second sequence, the switch is set, and then, a region for igniting the plasma is selected by applying a radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply, and
a first voltage supply line connects the matching box and the one of the pair of electrodes, and the switch is disposed in a second voltage supply line that branches from the first voltage supply line and is connected to a ground potential of the matching box.
8 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a processing container configured to accommodate a substrate;
a plasma box formed in the processing container;
a pair of electrodes disposed to sandwich the plasma box therebetween;
a radio-frequency (RF) power supply connected to the pair of electrodes via a matching box;
a switch disposed between the matching box and one of the pair of electrodes; and
a controller configured to perform a process including:
setting the switch during a process performed by the substrate processing apparatus based on a recipe, and
after setting the switch, selecting a region for igniting a plasma generated from a gas by applying a radio-frequency voltage from the RF power supply,
wherein a first voltage supply line connects the matching box and the one of the pair of electrodes, and the switch is disposed in a second voltage supply line that branches from the first voltage supply line and is connected to a ground potential of the matching box.