IP Library Granted Patent US 12,424,409
Granted Patent B2
US 12,424,409 · App. 18/425,033 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Inventors: Teruo Yoshino (Toyama, JP); Naofumi Ohashi (Toyama, JP); Tadashi Takasaki (Toyama, JP)
Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
H01J37/321H01J37/32128H01J37/32183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,424,409
App. No.
18/425,033
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a technique capable of improving a uniformity of a substrate processing on a substrate surface. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate processing room; a plasma generation room; a gas supplier supplying a gas into the plasma generation room; a first coil surrounding the plasma generation room and to which an electric power is supplied; and a second coil surrounding the plasma generation room and to which an electric power is supplied. An axial direction of the second coil is equal to that of the first coil, a winding diameter of the second coil is different from that of the first coil, and a peak of a voltage distribution generated by supplying the electric power to the second coil does not overlap with a peak of a voltage distribution generated by the first coil.

Claims (30)

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a plasma generation space capable of generating a plasma;

a substrate processing space capable of processing a substrate;

a gas supplier capable of supplying a gas into the plasma generation space;

a first coil provided to surround the plasma generation space and configured to generate a first voltage distribution; and

a second coil provided to surround the plasma generation space and configured to generate a second voltage distribution such that a peak of the second voltage distribution does not overlap with a peak of the first voltage distribution,

wherein the first coil partially overlaps with the second coil when viewed along a vertical direction.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second coil is further configured such that, in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction, the peak of the second voltage distribution does not overlap with the peak of the first voltage distribution.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second coil is further configured such that, in an axial direction, the peak of the second voltage distribution does not overlap with the peak of the first voltage distribution.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first arrangement region in which a conductor constituting the first coil and a conductor constituting the second coil are alternately arranged in an axial direction, and a second arrangement region in which the conductor constituting the first coil is arranged and wounded a plurality of times with a gap without arranging the conductor constituting the second coil in the axial direction are provided at an outer side of the plasma generation space.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second arrangement region is provided closer to a substrate support on which the substrate is placed than the first arrangement region in the axial direction.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising an exhauster capable of exhausting the gas from an outer periphery of the substrate support.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, in the first arrangement region, the conductor of the first coil and the conductor of the second coil are separated from each other at a distance such that no arc discharge is generated therebetween, and, in the second arrangement region, the conductor of the first coil is provided such that no arc discharge is generated between wounded portions of the conductor of the first coil.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second arrangement region is provided farther from a substrate support on which the substrate is placed than the first arrangement region in the axial direction.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a third arrangement region in which the conductor of the first coil and the conductor of the second coil are alternately arranged in the axial direction is provided on an outer periphery of the plasma generation space opposite to the first arrangement region with the second arrangement region provided therebetween.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a winding diameter of the first coil is set to be different from a winding diameter of the second coil.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a winding diameter of the first coil is set to be less than a winding diameter of the second coil.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first coil comprises a pair of ground connection portions capable of being connected to a ground, and an electrical length between the pair of ground connection portions of the first coil is set to be a multiple of a wavelength of an electric power supplied to the first coil.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second coil comprises a pair of ground connection portions capable of being connected to the ground, and an electrical length between the pair of ground connection portions of the second coil is set to be a multiple of a wavelength of an electric power supplied to the second coil.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a position of a ground connection portion among the pair of ground connection portions of the first coil located adjacent to a first end of the first coil in an axial direction is set to be different from a position of a ground connection portion among the pair of ground connection portions of the second coil located adjacent to a first end of the second coil in the axial direction.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a position of a ground connection portion among the pair of ground connection portions of the first coil located adjacent to a second end of the first coil in an axial direction is set to be different from a position of a ground connection portion among the pair of ground connection portions of the second coil located adjacent to a second end of the second coil in the axial direction.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a waveform adjustment circuit configured to correct an electrical length is provided at at least one of the first coil or the second coil such that the electrical length of the first coil and the electrical length of the second coil are equal to each other.

17. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an axial direction of the first coil is equal to that of the second coil.

18. A substrate processing method, comprising:

(a) generating a first voltage distribution by a first coil provided to surround a plasma generation space and generating a second voltage distribution by a second coil provided to surround the plasma generation space, wherein a peak of the second voltage distribution does not overlap with a peak of the first voltage distribution, and the first coil partially overlaps with the second coil when viewed along a vertical direction; and

(b) generating a plasma by supplying a gas into the plasma generation space, and processing a substrate accommodated in a substrate processing space.

19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the substrate processing method of claim 18 .

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes, by a computer, a substrate processing apparatus to perform:

(a) generating a first voltage distribution by a first coil provided to surround a plasma generation space and generating a second voltage distribution by a second coil provided to surround the plasma generation space, wherein a peak of the second voltage distribution does not overlap with a peak of the first voltage distribution, and the first coil partially overlaps with the second coil when viewed along a vertical direction; and

(b) generating a plasma by supplying a gas into the plasma generation space, and processing a substrate accommodated in a substrate processing space.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: YOSHINO, TERUO; OHASHI, NAOFUMI; TAKASAKI, TADASHI
To: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066279/0382 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-178348 · Oct 29, 2021 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17994763 · Nov 28, 2022
Continuation 17692722 · Mar 11, 2022
Related Publication 20240170253A1 · May 23, 2024
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