Plasma processing apparatus and sample stage

1. A plasma processing apparatus, in which a wafer is placed on a sample stage disposed in a processing chamber in a vacuum vessel, and the wafer is processed by use of plasma generated in the processing chamber, the plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a metallic basic member arranged in the sample stage, the metallic basic member having a refrigerant path therein, the refrigerant path configured to enable refrigerant to flow therethrough;

a dielectric film made of dielectric material and disposed on an upper surface of the metallic basic member, the dielectric film being formed through a plasma spray process, the dielectric film being configured to have a thickness for making a quantity of heat generated per unit area of the upper surface of the dielectric film in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof, wherein the dielectric film includes:

a first dielectric film formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the metallic basic member;

a second dielectric film formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film so as to be above a film-shaped heater; and

the film-shaped heater disposed in the dielectric film between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film, the heater being made of a metal and formed through a plasma spray process and thereafter adjusted a thickness thereof in at least one topical area of a region where the film-shaped heater is disposed;

an adhesive layer arranged on the dielectric film;

a sintered ceramic plate adhered onto the dielectric film via the adhesive layer disposed between the sintered ceramic plate and the dielectric film, the sintered ceramic plate having therein, or on a lower surface thereof, an electrostatic- chuck electrode film configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation between a lower surface of the wafer and an upper surface of the sintered ceramic plate;

a sensor disposed in the metallic basic member for sensing a temperature; and

a controller configured to receive an output from the sensor and to adjust a quantity of heat generated by the heater by use of feedback control using data detected from output of the sensor;

wherein the dielectric film has the thickness thereof such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area of the upper surface thereof is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof after the second dielectric film is formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film and the film-shaped heater and before the sintered ceramic plate is adhered onto the dielectric film via the adhesive layer.

2. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic-chuck electrode film is disposed in the sintered plate, and configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation.

3. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the film-shaped heater disposed in the dielectric film between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film is formed through a plasma spray process and thereafter the thickness adjusted such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area thereof is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction of a range where the heater is disposed inside the dielectric film, and the second dielectric film is formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film and the film-shaped heater after the adjustment of the thickness of the film-shaped heater, and thereafter the thickness adjusted thereof such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area of the upper surface of the second dielectric film is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof.

4. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the electrostatic-chuck electrode film is disposed in the sintered plate, and configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation.

5. A sample stage according to claim 1 , wherein the film-shaped heater disposed in the dielectric film between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film is formed through a plasma spray process and thereafter the thickness adjusted such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area thereof is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction of a range where the heater is disposed inside the dielectric film, and the second dielectric film is formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film and the film-shaped heater after the adjustment of the thickness of the film-shaped heater, and thereafter the thickness adjusted thereof such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area of the upper surface of the second dielectric film is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof.

6. A sample stage according to claim 5 , wherein the electrostatic-chuck electrode film is disposed in the sintered plate, and configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation.

7. A sample stage, which is disposed in a processing chamber in a vacuum vessel, and on which a wafer to be processed by use of plasma generated in the processing chamber is placed, the sample stage comprising:

a metallic basic member arranged in the sample stage, the metallic basic member having a refrigerant path therein, the refrigerant path configured to enable refrigerant to flow therethrough;

a dielectric film made of dielectric material and disposed on an upper surface of the metallic basic member, the dielectric film being formed through a plasma spray process, the dielectric film being configured to have a thickness for making a quantity of heat generated per unit area of the upper surface of the dielectric film in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof, wherein the dielectric film includes:

a first dielectric film formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the metallic basic member;

a second dielectric film formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film so as to be above a film-shaped heater; and

the film-shaped heater disposed in the dielectric film between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film, the heater being made of a metal and formed through a plasma spray process and thereafter adjusted a thickness thereof in at least one topical area of a region where the film-shaped heater is disposed;

an adhesive layer arranged on the dielectric film;

a sintered ceramic plate adhered onto the dielectric film via the adhesive layer disposed between the sintered ceramic plate and the dielectric film, the sintered ceramic plate having therein, or on a lower surface thereof, an electrostatic-chuck electrode film configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation between a lower surface of the wafer and an upper surface of the sintered ceramic plate; and

a sensor disposed in the metallic basic member for sensing a temperature, wherein the sensor is connected to a controller configured to receive an output from the sensor and to adjust a quantity of heat generated by the heater by use of feedback control using data detected from output of the sensor

wherein the dielectric film has the thickness thereof such that the quantity of heat generated per a unit area of the upper surface thereof is configured to be uniform in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction thereof after the second dielectric film is formed through the plasma spray process on an upper surface of the first dielectric film and the film-shaped heater and before the sintered ceramic plate is adhered onto the dielectric film via the adhesive layer.

8. A sample stage according to claim 7 , wherein the electrostatic-chuck electrode film is disposed in the sintered plate, and configured to conduct an electrostatic-chuck operation.