PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS USING TRANSMISSION ELECTRODE

1 . A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a unit for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber, a unit for partially generating a discharge in at least a part of a region in the processing chamber, and a sample holding unit for holding a sample, all of which form at least a part of a component for performing a plasma processing by introducing the sample into the processing chamber, the apparatus further comprising a unit for introducing a discharging electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber as at least a part of the unit for generating the discharge,

wherein:

at least a part of the discharging electromagnetic wave is introduced into a discharging region where the discharge is generated via a transmission electrode;

a transmission electrode layer is provided as at least a part of a component of the transmission electrode;

the transmission electrode layer is formed of an electric semiconductor or an electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

the sample held by the sample holding unit and the transmission electrode or the transmission electrode layer are oppositely arranged.

2 . A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a unit for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber, a unit for partially generating a discharge in at least a part of a region in the processing chamber, and a sample holding unit for holding a sample, all of which form at least a part of a component for performing a plasma processing by introducing the sample into the processing chamber, the apparatus further comprising a unit for introducing a discharging electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber as at least a part of the unit for generating the discharge,

wherein:

at least a part of the discharging electromagnetic wave is introduced into a discharging region where the discharge is generated via a transmission electrode;

a transmission electrode layer is provided as at least a part of a component of the transmission electrode;

the transmission electrode layer is formed of an electric semiconductor or an electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

a unit for forming a magnetic field is provided in at least a part of the discharging region.

3 . A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a unit for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber, a unit for partially generating a discharge in at least a part of a region in the processing chamber, and a sample holding unit for holding a sample, all of which form at least a part of a component for performing a plasma processing by introducing the sample into the processing chamber, the apparatus further comprising a unit for introducing a discharging electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber as at least a part of the unit for generating the discharge,

wherein:

at least a part of the discharging electromagnetic wave is introduced into a discharging region where the discharge is generated via a transmission electrode;

a transmission electrode layer is provided as at least a part of a component of the transmission electrode;

the transmission electrode layer is formed of an electric semiconductor or an electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

a frequency of the discharging electromagnetic wave is in a range from 0.1 GHz to 10 GHz.

4 . A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a unit for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber, a unit for partially generating a discharge in at least a part of a region in the processing chamber, and a sample holding unit for holding a sample, all of which form at least a part of a component for performing a plasma processing by introducing the sample into the processing chamber, the apparatus further comprising a unit for introducing a discharging electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber as at least a part of the unit for generating the discharge,

wherein:

at least a part of the discharging electromagnetic wave is introduced into a discharging region where the discharge is generated via a transmission electrode;

a transmission electrode layer is provided as at least a part of a component of the transmission electrode;

the transmission electrode layer is formed of an electric semiconductor or an electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

a resistivity of a material for forming the transmission electrode layer is equal to or smaller than 3×10 −7 Ωm.

5 . A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a unit for introducing processing gas into the processing chamber, a unit for partially generating a discharge in at least a part of a region in the processing chamber, and a sample holding unit for holding a sample, all of which form at least a part of a component for performing a plasma processing by introducing the sample into the processing chamber, the apparatus further comprising a unit for introducing a discharging electromagnetic wave into the processing chamber as at least a part of the unit for generating the discharge,

wherein:

at least a part of the discharging electromagnetic wave is introduced into a discharging region where the discharge is generated via a transmission electrode;

a transmission electrode layer is provided as at least a part of a component of the transmission electrode;

the transmission electrode layer is formed of an electric semiconductor or an electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

when physical quantity is expressed in International System of Units (SI system of units), following formulae (A1) to (A3) are established,

ρ te — RW ( R W — te =0.97)<ρ te <ρ te — Vrb (Δ V rb — te =3V)  (A1)

ρ te — RW =((2 d te /ln( R W — te )) 2 μ te ω pf )/2  (A2)

ρ te — Vrb =(4 d te ΔV rb — te )/( i is r te 2 )  (A3)

where:

ρ te : resistivity of transmission electrode layer,

d te : thickness of transmission electrode layer,

R W — te : power transmission factor of discharging electromagnetic wave in transmission electrode layer,

μ te : permeability of transmission electrode layer,

ω pf : angular frequency of discharging electromagnetic wave,

ΔV te — te : RF drop voltage in transmission electrode layer,

i is : incident ion current density of transmission electrode to the surface at discharging region side, and

r te : radius or equivalent radius of transmission electrode layer,

wherein following formula (B1) provides the value of r te — RW by calculating the formula (A2) using R W — te =0.97, and following formula (B2) provides the value of r te — Vrb by calculating the formula (A3) using DV rb — te =3V.

ρ te — RW ( R W — te =0.97)  (B1)

ρ te — Vrb (Δ V rb — te =3V)  (B2)

6 . The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

a bus electrode is provided as a part of the component of the transmission electrode;

the bus electrode is formed of the electric semiconductor or the electric conductor as a material with electric conductivity; and

at least a part of the bus electrode is electrically coupled with at least a part of the transmission electrode layer via circuit.

7 . The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission electrode layer is divided into plural regions by the bus electrode.

8 . The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least a transmission electrode layer missing region is formed in at least a part of the transmission electrode layer; and

the transmission electrode layer missing region is configured in the transmission electrode layer where the material with electric conductivity for forming the transmission electrode layer is missing.

9 . The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein at least a part of the processing gas is introduced into the processing chamber through the transmission electrode layer missing region formed in the transmission electrode layer.

10 . The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the transmission electrode layer changes depending on a radial or circumferential position of the processing chamber.