Many-particle charged-particle plasma simulations using spatial meshes for the electromagnetic field solutions, particle-in-cell (PIC) merged with Monte Carlo collision (MCC) calculations, are coming into wide use for application to partially ionized gases. The author emphasizes the development of PIC computer experiments since the 1950s starting with one-dimensional (1-D) charged-sheet models, the addition of the mesh, and fast direct Poisson equation solvers for 2-D and 3-D. Details are provided for adding the collisions between the charged particles and neutral atoms. The result is many-particle simulations with many of the features met in low-temperature collision plasmas; for example, with applications to plasma-assisted materials processing, but also related to warmer plasmas at the edges of magnetized fusion plasmas. >

Particle-in-Cell Charged Particle Simulations, plus Monte Carlo Collisions with Neutral Atoms, PIC-MCC

Process gas discharged from a bypass pipe to a gas exhaust system can be prevented from diffusing back to the inside of a process chamber without having to install a dedicated vacuum pump at the downstream side of the bypass pipe. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber accommodating a substrate, a gas supply system supplying process gas from a process gas source to the process chamber for processing the substrate, a gas exhaust system configured to exhaust the process chamber, two or more vacuum pumps installed in series at the gas exhaust system, and a bypass pipe connected between the gas supply system and the gas exhaust system. The most upstream one of the vacuum pumps is a mechanical booster pump, and the bypass pipe is connected between the mechanical booster pump and the rest vacuum pumps located at a downstream side of the mechanical booster pump.

Substrate Processing Apparatus

A tray for a dry etching apparatus includes substrate accommodation holes penetrating a thickness direction and a substrate support portion supporting an outer peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of a substrate. An upper portion includes a tray support surface supporting a lower surface of the tray, substrate placement portions on each of which a lower surface of the substrate to be placed, and a concave portion for accommodating the substrate support portion. A dc voltage applying mechanism applies a dc voltage to an electrostatic attraction electrode. A heat conduction gas supply mechanism supplies a heat conduction gas between the substrate and substrate placement portion. During carrying of the substrate, the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate is supported by the substrate accommodation hole. During processing of the substrate, the substrate support portion is accommodated in the concave portion.

Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method

In a state that a plate-shaped insulator is disposed adjacent to a plate-shaped electrode, a discharge gas containing an inert gas is supplied to a vicinity of a processing object from one gas exhaust port located nearer from the plate-shaped electrode, out of at least two-line gas exhaust ports which are disposed around the plate-shaped electrode and which are formed so as to be surrounded by the plate-shaped insulator and moreover which are different in distance to the plate-shaped electrode from each other, while a discharge control gas is supplied from the other gas exhaust port to the vicinity of the processing object. Simultaneously with the supply of the gases, electric power is supplied to the plate-shaped electrode or the processing object, by which plasma processing of the processing object is carried out. Thus, plasma processing method and apparatus capable of processing for desired fine linear portions with high precision are provided.

Plasma processing method and apparatus

So as to provide a substrate temperature control system capable of unifying the temperature of the substrate and capable of shortening the temperature elevation time (temperature lowering time), the substrate temperature control system is equipped with a temperature control plate (heating or cooling plate) having a plurality of projections on the surface and serving to set the temperature of the substrate, and a chuck mechanism to fix the substrate in contact to a plurality of the projections by chucking the substrate toward the direction of the temperature control plate.

Substrate temperature control system and method for controlling temperature of substrate

A wafer stage for use in wafer processing apparatus which comprises a liquid cooling jacket with a built-in coolant liquid circulation path and a ceramic plate that is attached onto the liquid cooling jacket and has therein a heater and an electrode for electrostatic chuck use, the wafer stage performing wafer processing while letting a wafer be mounted on the ceramic plate, wherein the liquid cooling jacket permits attachment of the ceramic plate through a coolant gas circulating gap as formed over the liquid cooling jacket while disposing between the liquid cooling jacket and the ceramic plate more than one heat resistant seal material containing therein an elastic body for sealing the coolant gas.

Wafer stage for wafer processing apparatus and wafer processing method

In a high-frequency inductive plasma etching apparatus, a space between an antenna to which a high-frequency power is fed and a processing chamber is insulated with an insulating material having a suitable thickness, while the antenna is protected from a plasma or a reactive gas for plasma processing and the surface of a side in contact with the plasma is covered by an insulating material such as alumina and quartz. The insulating material and the antenna are placed in a vacuum. Since the processing chamber which contains the insulating material and the antenna can take a pressure differential with atmospheric pressure, all that is required of the insulating material is its capacity to take the plasma atmosphere. Consequently, the insulating material can be made thin and the plasma is generated uniformly in high density. Heat generated at the antenna is dissipated to the outside either by making a gap between the antenna and its surroundings as small as possible or by bringing the pressure of the gap closer to the pressure in the processing chamber. Alternatively, several Torr of a non-reactive heat-transfer promoting gas such as He gas may be introduced into fine gaps formed around the antenna to dissipate heat generated at the antenna.

Plasma treatment device

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a unit for generating a plasma in a vacuum chamber, a wafer stage for holding a semiconductor wafer introduced into the vacuum chamber, a high frequency power supply for applying a high frequency voltage to the wafer stage, a wafer voltage probe for measuring a voltage of the semiconductor wafer at a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, a current and voltage probe for measuring at least one of a voltage and a current applied to the wafer stage from the high frequency power supply, and a control portion. The control portion obtains an impedance from the semiconductor wafer to earth through the plasma on the basis of a voltage value of the semiconductor wafer measured by the wafer voltage probe, and a voltage value or a current value measured by the current and voltage probe, and performs a processing based on the obtained impedance.

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and method of processing semiconductor wafer using plasma, and wafer voltage probe

A method and apparatus for measuring a potential difference for plasma processing with a plasma processing apparatus that processes a sample by introducing a gas into a vacuum chamber and generates plasma. A light-emitting portion is formed on a measurement-use sample of the sample to be processed and a current flows into the light-emitting portion according to a potential difference that has been generated across the light-emitting portion. An intensity of light emitted from the light-emitting portion according to a predetermined light intensity is measured and a potential difference on the measurement-use sample according to a predetermined light intensity is measured.

Process monitoring methods in a plasma processing apparatus, monitoring units, and a sample processing method using the monitoring units

The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus capable of minimizing the non-uniformity of potential distribution around wafer circumference, and providing a uniform process across the wafer surface. The apparatus is equipped with a focus ring formed of a dielectric, a conductor or a semiconductor and having RF applied thereto, the design of which is optimized for processing based on a design technique clarifying physical conditions for flattening a sheath-plasma interface above a wafer and the sheath-plasma interface above the focus ring. A surface voltage of the focus ring is determined to be not less than a minimum voltage for preventing reaction products caused by wafer processing from depositing thereon. The surface height, surface voltage, material and structure of the focus ring are optimized so that the height of an ion sheath formed on the focus ring surface is either equal or has a height difference within an appropriate tolerance range to the height of the ion sheath formed on the wafer surface. Optimization of the structure is realized by setting up an appropriate tolerance range taking into consideration the variation caused by consumption of the focus ring.

Ryoji Nishio

Papers

Wafer stage for wafer processing apparatus and wafer processing method

Plasma treatment device

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and method of processing semiconductor wafer using plasma, and wafer voltage probe

Process monitoring methods in a plasma processing apparatus, monitoring units, and a sample processing method using the monitoring units

Method and apparatus for plasma processing