IP Library Granted Patent US 9,336,999
Granted Patent B2
US 9,336,999 · App. 14/183,556 · Granted May 10, 2016

Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,336,999
App. No.
14/183,556
Granted
May 10, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a plasma processing apparatus including a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in a vacuum chamber, a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to a sample stage on which a sample is mounted, and a matching box for the second radio-frequency power supply, the matching box samples information for performing matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power until an end of the on-state and maintains a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after the end of the on-state until a next sampling effective period.

Claims (26)

1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in the vacuum chamber;

a sample stage disposed in the vacuum chamber on which a sample is mounted;

a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to the sample stage;

a matching box which performs matching for suppressing reflection of the second radio-frequency power; and

a control part,

wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box to conduct sampling of information when the first radio-frequency power and the second radio-frequency power are time-modulated, the sampling of information being used for performing the matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time, which is determined based on a parameter related to time-modulated plasma density, until an end of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power,

wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box not to conduct the sampling of information for performing the matching during the prescribed time starting from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power, and

wherein the control part is configured to obtain the sampling effective period based on a frequency of time-modulation of the second radio-frequency power, a duty ratio of time-modulation of the second radio-frequency power, and the prescribed time.

2. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control part is configured to obtain the prescribed time based on a time required to stabilize Vpp which is a peak-to-peak value of the second radio-frequency power.

3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control part is configured to obtain the prescribed time based on a time required to stabilize emission intensity of the plasma.

4. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control part is configured to cause the second radio-frequency power to be time-modulated at a frequency of an integral multiple of a frequency of the sampling.

5. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box to maintain a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after an end of the sampling effective period until a next sampling effective period.

6. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in the vacuum chamber;

a sample stage disposed in the vacuum chamber on which a sample is mounted;

a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to the sample stage;

a matching box which performs matching for suppressing reflection of the second radio-frequency power; and

a control part,

wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box to conduct sampling of information when the first radio-frequency power and the second radio-frequency power are time-modulated, the sampling of information being used for performing the matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time period, during which the sampling of information for performing the matching is not conducted, until an end of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power,

wherein the control part is further configured to obtain the prescribed time starting from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power by subtracting the sampling effective time, which is determined in advance, from a time of the on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power obtained from a frequency of time-modulation of the second radio-frequency power and a duty ratio of time-modulation of the second radio-frequency power.

7. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control part is configured to cause the second radio-frequency power to be time-modulated at a frequency of an integral multiple of a frequency of the sampling.

8. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box to maintain a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after an end of the sampling effective period until a next sampling effective period.

9. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control part is configured to cause the matching box to maintain a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after an end of the sampling effective period until a next sampling effective period.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2014
From: MORIMOTO, MICHIKAZU; YASUI, NAOKI; OHGOSHI, YASUO
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032243/0515 →