Plasma processing apparatus and method for generating plasma
The plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a chamber, a radio-frequency power supply, and a correction signal generator. The radio-frequency power supply outputs a pulsed radio-frequency power in a first period. The radio-frequency power supply outputs a pulsed radio-frequency power in one or more second periods after the first period. The correction signal generator generates a correction signal that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to a reflected wave monitor signal in the first period. The radio-frequency power supply generates a combined radio-frequency power using the correction signal. The power supply is configured to alternately repeat output of the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period and output of the combined radio-frequency power in the one or more second periods.
1. An apparatus for plasma processing comprising:
a chamber;
a radio-frequency power supply configured to output a pulsed radio-frequency power or a combined radio-frequency power in order to generate plasma from a gas in the chamber, wherein the combined radio-frequency power is a combined power of the pulsed radio-frequency power with a correction radio-frequency power that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to a reflected wave of the pulsed radio-frequency power; and
a correction signal generator configured to generate a correction signal that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to a reflected wave monitor signal representing the reflected wave of the pulsed radio-frequency power,
wherein the radio-frequency power supply is configured to output the pulsed radio-frequency power in a first period,
the correction signal generator is configured to generate the correction signal from the reflected wave monitor signal in the first period, and
the radio-frequency power supply is configured to output the combined radio-frequency power generated using the correction signal in each of one or more second periods after the first period, and alternately repeat output of the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period and output of the combined radio-frequency power in the one or more second periods.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles specified by a predetermined frequency.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes the radio-frequency power supply as a first radio-frequency power supply, and further comprises:
a support stage having a lower electrode and configured to support a substrate thereon in the chamber;
a second radio-frequency power supply electrically connected to the support stage and configured to output another radio-frequency power, wherein a frequency of the another radio-frequency power is lower than a frequency of the pulsed radio-frequency power; and
a synchronization signal generator configured to generate a synchronization signal synchronized with the other radio-frequency power,
wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles of the other radio-frequency power, and
wherein the first radio-frequency power supply is configured to generate the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period according to the synchronization signal, and generate the combined radio-frequency power in each of the one or more second periods in response to the synchronization signal.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a directional coupler provided on an electric path through which the pulsed radio-frequency power output from the radio-frequency power supply and the combined radio-frequency power are transmitted,
wherein the correction signal generator is configured to generate the correction signal from the reflected wave monitor signal output by the directional coupler,
wherein the radio-frequency power supply includes:
a radio-frequency signal generator configured to generate a pulsed radio-frequency signal,
an adder configured to add the correction signal to the pulsed radio-frequency signal, thereby generating a combined radio-frequency signal, and
an amplifier configured to amplify the pulsed radio-frequency signal to generate the pulsed radio-frequency power, and amplify the combined radio-frequency signal to generate the combined radio-frequency power, and
wherein the correction signal is not added to the pulsed radio-frequency signal in the first period.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles specified by a predetermined frequency.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes the radio-frequency power supply as a first radio-frequency power supply, and further comprises:
a support stage having a lower electrode and configured to support a substrate thereon in the chamber;
a second radio-frequency power supply electrically connected to the support stage and configured to output another radio-frequency power, wherein a frequency of the another radio-frequency power is lower than a frequency of the pulsed radio-frequency power; and
a synchronization signal generator configured to generate a synchronization signal synchronized with the other radio-frequency power,
wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles of the other radio-frequency power, and
wherein the first radio-frequency power supply is configured to generate the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period according to the synchronization signal, and generate the combined radio-frequency power in each of the one or more second periods in response to the synchronization signal.
7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the correction signal generator is configured to generate the correction signal by generating a reverse phase signal of the reflected wave monitor signal, and correcting the reverse phase signal so as to eliminate a dependency of an amplification factor on an amplitude of an input signal of the amplifier.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles specified by a predetermined frequency.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the apparatus includes the radio-frequency power supply as a first radio-frequency power supply, and further comprises:
a support having a lower electrode and configured to support a substrate thereon in the chamber;
a second radio-frequency power supply electrically connected to the support and configured to output another radio-frequency power, wherein a frequency of the another radio-frequency power is lower than a frequency of the pulsed radio-frequency power; and
a synchronization signal generator configured to generate a synchronization signal synchronized with the other radio-frequency power,
wherein the first period and the one or more second periods are respectively same as a plurality of successive cycles of the other radio-frequency power, and
wherein the first radio-frequency power supply is configured to generate the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period according to the synchronization signal, and generate the combined radio-frequency power in each of the one or more second periods in response to the synchronization signal.
10. A method of generating plasma within a chamber of an apparatus for plasma processing, the method comprising:
outputting a pulsed radio-frequency power in a first period to generate plasma from a gas in the chamber;
generating a correction signal that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to a reflected wave monitor signal representing a reflected wave of the pulsed radio-frequency power; and
outputting a combined radio-frequency power in each of one or more second periods after the first period to generate plasma from gas in the chamber, wherein the combined radio-frequency power is a combined power of the pulsed radio-frequency power with a correction radio-frequency power that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to the reflected wave of the pulsed radio-frequency power, the correction radio-frequency power being generated using the correction signal,
wherein the outputting the pulsed radio-frequency power and the outputting the combined radio-frequency power are executed such that output of the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period and output of the combined radio-frequency power in the one or more second periods are alternately repeated.