Plasma processing apparatus

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate using a plasma, comprising:

a process chamber in which the processing takes place;

a plasma source for providing a plasma to the process chamber;

a substrate mount within the process chamber for holding the substrate on a surface of the substrate mount, the surface having a plurality of apertures, wherein the apertures are through-holes extending through an entire thickness of the substrate mount, wherein the through-holes are open spaces without any physical structure within the through-holes, the through-holes configured to increase flow of plasma from a first side of the substrate mount to a second side of the substrate mount.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein a width of the apertures substantially corresponds to twice the thickness of a plasma sheath formed on the substrate mount.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a two dimensional grid configuration.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each aperture includes at least two nearest neighbor apertures spaced an equal distance from the each aperture.

5. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the two dimensional grid is a square grid configuration.

6. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the two dimensional grid is a hexagonal grid configuration.

7. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apertures have a width between 1 mm and 15 mm.

8. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apertures in the substrate mount are substantially circular.

9. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apertures in the substrate mount are substantially square, and wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged in a two dimensional grid configuration, wherein the two dimensional grid is a square grid configuration.

10. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apertures are substantially uniformly distributed over the surface of the substrate mount in a two dimensional grid configuration.

11. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate mount is substantially sheet-shaped, and wherein a width of the apertures is greater than a thickness of the substrate mount.

12. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate mount is a grounded electrode.

13. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate mount is a floating electrode.

14. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one RF electrode for providing an electric field within the process chamber.

15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the RF electrode comprises a plurality of apertures.

16. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate using a plasma, comprising:

a process chamber in which the processing takes place;

a plasma source for providing a plasma to the process chamber;

a substrate mount within the process chamber for holding the substrate on a surface of the substrate mount, the surface having a plurality of apertures, wherein the apertures are through-holes extending through an entire thickness of the substrate mount, wherein the through-holes are open spaces without any physical structure within the through-holes, the through-holes configured to increase flow of plasma from a first side of the substrate mount to a second side of the substrate mount, wherein the substrate mount is a floating electrode; and

wherein the apertures are substantially uniformly distributed over the surface of the substrate mount in a two dimensional grid configuration,

wherein a width of the apertures is greater than a thickness of the substrate mount.