JP2011029475A - Plasma processing device, and plasma processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method capable of more accurately managing a temperature state.
A processing container capable of maintaining an atmosphere depressurized from atmospheric pressure, a decompression unit that decompresses the inside of the processing container to a predetermined pressure, and a workpiece to be processed provided in the processing container are mounted. A placement part to be placed, a region for generating plasma inside, a discharge tube provided at a position separated from the processing vessel, and a microwave emitted from a microwave generation part to propagate, An introduction waveguide for introducing microwaves into a region for generating plasma, a gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating plasma, a transport tube for communicating the discharge tube, and the processing vessel; There is provided a plasma processing apparatus comprising: a first temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the discharge tube.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method.

  Dry processes using plasma are used in a wide range of technical fields such as semiconductor device manufacturing, surface hardening of metal parts, surface activation of plastic parts, and non-chemical sterilization. For example, when manufacturing a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display, various plasma processes such as an ashing process, an etching process, a thin film deposition (film formation) process, or a surface modification process are performed. The dry process using plasma is advantageous in that it is low-cost, high-speed, and can reduce environmental pollution because it does not use chemicals.

  In such a plasma treatment, a plasma product such as neutral active species or ions is generated by exciting and activating a process gas with the generated plasma. Then, a plasma process (for example, an etching process or an ashing process) is performed on an object to be processed with the generated neutral active species or ions.

  By the way, in recent years, the demand for the stability of plasma processing has become stricter. For example, a demand for stability of processing accuracy in plasma processing (for example, dimensional accuracy in etching processing) is becoming strict. In this case, the stability of the plasma processing varies depending on the state of the plasma processing apparatus. For example, it varies depending on the temperature of an element such as a processing container of the plasma processing apparatus, the amount of deposits deposited in the processing container, and the like.

  Therefore, when the plasma treatment is repeatedly performed on the object to be processed, “warming-up process” for controlling the temperature of an element such as a processing container, “cleaning process” for removing deposits accumulated in the processing container, and the like. The “preprocessing” is appropriately performed.

Here, prior to the plasma processing on the object to be processed, a technique has been proposed in which plasma is generated for a preset time to heat the inner wall surface of the processing container to control the inner wall surface temperature (Patent Document 1). See).
According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the inner wall surface temperature of the processing container can be controlled prior to the plasma processing on the object to be processed, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus can be stabilized. As a result, the stability of the plasma processing can be improved.
However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inner wall surface temperature of the processing container is indirectly controlled based on a preset time. Therefore, there remains room for improvement in that the temperature state in the plasma processing apparatus or plasma processing is more accurately managed.

JP 2006-210948 A

  The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method capable of more accurately managing the temperature state.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing container capable of maintaining an atmosphere depressurized from atmospheric pressure, a decompression unit that decompresses the interior of the processing container to a predetermined pressure, and an interior of the processing container are provided. A placing portion for placing an object to be treated, a region for generating plasma inside, a discharge tube provided at a position separated from the processing vessel, and a microwave emitted from the microwave generating portion An introduction waveguide that propagates and introduces microwaves into the region that generates the plasma, a gas supply unit that supplies a process gas to the region that generates the plasma, the discharge tube, and the processing vessel, A transport tube to be communicated, a first temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the discharge tube,
A plasma processing apparatus is provided.

  Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, a processing container having a region for generating plasma therein and capable of maintaining an atmosphere depressurized from atmospheric pressure, and the inside of the processing container up to a predetermined pressure A decompression unit for depressurization, a placement unit for placing an object to be processed provided in the processing container, a plasma generation unit for generating plasma by supplying electromagnetic energy to the region for generating plasma, A gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas to the region where the plasma is generated; and a second temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma is generated. A featured plasma processing apparatus is provided.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, plasma is generated in an atmosphere whose pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, a process gas supplied to the plasma is excited to generate a plasma product, and the plasma A plasma processing method for performing plasma processing on an object to be processed using a product, wherein the member is controlled by controlling generation of plasma based on a temperature of a member provided at a position facing a region where plasma is generated. There is provided a plasma processing method comprising: a first processing step for controlling the temperature of the substrate; and a second processing step for performing plasma processing on the object to be processed using the plasma product.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method which can perform temperature state management more correctly are provided.

It is a schematic cross section for illustrating the plasma processing apparatus concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic cross section for illustrating the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is AA arrow sectional drawing in FIG. It is a schematic cross section for illustrating the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same component and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted suitably.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
A plasma processing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a microwave excitation type plasma processing apparatus generally called a “CDE (Chemical Dry Etching) apparatus”. That is, it is an example of a plasma processing apparatus that generates a plasma product from a process gas using plasma excited and generated by microwaves and processes an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma generation unit 2, a decompression unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a microwave generation unit 5, a processing vessel 6, a temperature detection unit 7, a control unit 8, and the like. .
The plasma generator 2 is provided with a discharge tube 9 and an introduction waveguide 10.
The discharge tube 9 has a region for generating plasma therein and is provided at a position separated from the processing vessel 6. Further, the discharge tube 9 has a tubular shape and is made of a material that has a high transmittance with respect to the microwave M and is difficult to be etched. For example, the discharge tube 9 can be made of a dielectric such as alumina or quartz.

  A tubular shield 18 is provided so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9. A predetermined gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the shielding portion 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9, and the shielding portion 18 and the discharge tube 9 are disposed so as to be substantially coaxial. The gap is dimensioned so that the microwave M does not leak. Therefore, leakage of the microwave M by the shielding part 18 can be suppressed.

  In addition, the introduction waveguide 10 is connected to the shielding portion 18 so as to be substantially orthogonal to the discharge tube 9. A termination matching unit 11 a is provided at the end of the introduction waveguide 10. Further, a stub tuner 11b is provided on the inlet side of the introduction waveguide 10 (the introduction side of the microwave M). The introduction waveguide 10 propagates the microwave M radiated from the microwave generation unit 5 described later, and introduces the microwave M into a region where the plasma P is generated.

  An annular slot 12 is provided at a connection portion between the introduction waveguide 10 and the shielding portion 18. The slot 12 is for radiating the microwave M guided inside the introduction waveguide 10 toward the discharge tube 9. As will be described later, plasma P is generated inside the discharge tube 9, but the portion facing the slot 12 is substantially the center of the region where the plasma P is generated.

  A temperature detector 7 is provided outside the discharge tube 9 so as to face the region where the plasma P is generated. The temperature detector 7 is not particularly limited, and may be a contact type using a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor, or a non-contact type such as a radiation thermometer. . In FIG. 1, a non-contact type is illustrated as an example.

  In this case, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 7 so that the temperature of the part that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W may be detected. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detector 7 so as to detect the temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and having a certain heat capacity. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detector 7 is arranged so that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 can be detected.

  Here, if the temperature detection unit 7 is provided inside the discharge tube 9, the temperature detection unit 7 may be damaged by the plasma P, or metal contamination may be caused. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature detector 7 is provided outside the discharge tube 9 to detect the temperature of the discharge tube 9.

  Further, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 detected by the temperature detector 7 can be corrected as necessary. That is, in consideration of the influence on the plasma processing for the workpiece W, the temperature is corrected to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the inner wall surface temperature of the discharge tube 9 or the average temperature of the discharge tube 9 closer to the region where the plasma P is generated. You can also. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, the correction value can be obtained by obtaining this correlation in advance through experiments or the like.

  The temperature detection unit 7 is provided to face the region where the plasma P is generated. Therefore, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided in a region where the shielding unit 18 is provided. In this case, the temperature detection unit 7 or the probe portion of the temperature detection unit 7 can be provided in a gap provided between the inner peripheral surface of the shielding unit 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge tube 9. However, as described above, since this gap is dimensioned so that the microwave M does not leak, it is difficult to install it unless it is a small temperature detector 7 or a small probe part.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided outside the shielding unit 18. And since the temperature detection part 7 is provided outside the shielding part 18, the hole 18a for a detection is provided in the part which faces the temperature detection part 7 of the shielding part 18. FIG. In this case, an opening / closing part 19 for opening / closing the hole 18a may be provided. A driving unit (not shown) is connected to the opening / closing unit 19. The opening / closing part 19 can be moved in the axial direction of the shielding part 18 by a driving part (not shown). Therefore, the opening / closing part 19 can be moved to open / close the hole 18a.

If the opening / closing part 19 is provided, the hole 18a can be closed when temperature detection is not performed. Therefore, the microwave can be prevented from leaking from the hole 18a. In addition, although the case where the opening / closing part 19 was provided in the inner wall surface side of the shielding part 18 was illustrated, the opening / closing part 19 can also be provided in the outer wall surface side. Moreover, although the case where the opening / closing part 19 was moved to the axial direction of the shielding part 18 was illustrated, the opening / closing part 19 can also be moved along the circumferential direction of the shielding part 18.
When the temperature detection unit 7 is a contact type, the probe portion can be held by the shielding unit 18. By doing so, the opening and closing part 19 can be made unnecessary because the hole is closed by the held probe part.

  A microwave generator 5 is provided at one end of the introduction waveguide 10. The microwave generation unit 5 can generate a microwave M having a predetermined frequency (eg, 2.75 GHz) and radiate it toward the introduction waveguide 10.

  A gas supply unit 4 is connected to one end of the discharge tube 9 through a flow rate control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. The process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region in the discharge tube 9 where plasma is generated via the flow rate control unit 13. Further, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 8.

  One end of the transport tube 14 is connected to the other end of the discharge tube 9, and the other end of the transport tube 14 is connected to the processing vessel 6. That is, the transport tube 14 allows the discharge tube 9 and the processing vessel 6 to communicate with each other. The transport pipe 14 is made of a material that can withstand corrosion by neutral active species, such as quartz, stainless steel, ceramics, fluororesin, and the like.

  The processing container 6 has a bottomed substantially cylindrical shape, and its upper end is closed by a top plate 6a. Inside the processing container 6 is provided a mounting portion 15 containing an electrostatic chuck (not shown), and a workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate) is placed on the upper surface (mounting surface). It can be held.

  A decompression unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to the bottom surface of the processing vessel 6 via a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 6 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 6 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 6. That is, the processing container 6 can accommodate an object to be processed W such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate and can maintain an atmosphere reduced from the atmospheric pressure.

  A rectifying plate 17 is provided below the connecting portion with the transport pipe 14 and above the mounting portion 15 so as to face the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15. The rectifying plate 17 rectifies the flow of the gas containing neutral active species introduced from the transport pipe 14 so that the amount of the neutral active species on the processing surface of the workpiece W is substantially uniform. belongs to. The current plate 17 is a substantially circular plate-like body provided with a large number of holes 17 a and is fixed to the inner wall of the processing container 6. And the area | region between the baffle plate 17 and the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting part 15 becomes the process space 20 in which the process with respect to a to-be-processed object is performed. Further, the inner wall surface of the processing vessel 6 and the surface of the rectifying plate 17 are covered with a material that does not easily react with the neutral active species (for example, a ceramic material such as tetrafluororesin (PTFE) or alumina).

The control unit 8 controls the decompression unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the microwave generation unit 5, the pressure control unit 16, the flow rate control unit 13, and the like. Further, the control unit 8 determines the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) based on the detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7. Then, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detector 7. In this case, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 can be controlled prior to the plasma treatment for the workpiece W.
In addition, temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 8, and the operator determines the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) based on this display. It can also be.
The determination of the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) is performed based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. be able to.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1.
First, “pre-processing” is performed prior to the plasma processing for the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a “warm-up process” for controlling the temperature of the discharge tube 9 will be described as an example of “pre-process”.

  The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state where the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 6. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be mounted and held so that the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15 is not damaged.

First, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is detected by the temperature detection unit 7, and a detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7 is sent to the control unit 8. When the above-described opening / closing part 19 is provided, the opening / closing part 19 is opened, and the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is detected through the hole 18a.
The control unit 8 determines the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) based on the detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) is performed based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. Can be.

If it is determined that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is low, plasma P is generated to raise the temperature of the discharge tube 9. First, the inside of the processing container 6 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 6 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16. Further, the inside of the discharge tube 9 communicating with the processing vessel 6 is also decompressed.
Then, plasma P is generated in the discharge tube 9 by the plasma generator 2, and the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is raised by the heat of the generated plasma P. In this case, a gas having a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 via the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or an Ar (argon) gas used for plasma processing on the workpiece W described later). Can also be supplied into the discharge tube 9. Details regarding the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

When the controller 8 determines that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 has fallen within an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warm-up process” is terminated. In addition, temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 8, and the operator determines the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) based on this display. It can also be. In this case, the operator inputs a command for stopping the generation of the plasma P to the control unit 8.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is high, the discharge tube 9 can be cooled by supplying gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the discharge tube 9. Alternatively, the discharge tube 9 may be cooled by flowing a cooling medium through a cooling tube (not shown) wound around the outer peripheral wall of the discharge tube 9.

  The above is the case of “warm-up process” in which the “pretreatment” controls the temperature of the discharge tube 9. The same procedure can be used when “cleaning process” is performed as “pre-processing”. In this case, the gas supplied into the discharge tube 9 is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen or an inert gas such as Ar (argon)). Further, it is possible to determine the end point of the “cleaning process” by providing a spectroscope (not shown). That is, the end point of the “cleaning process” can be determined from the light emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of “pretreatment” is “cleaning treatment”, it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the discharge tube 9 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1) within an appropriate range. Therefore, even if it is determined that the “cleaning process” has been completed based on the emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength, if the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is appropriate. The generation of the plasma P is continued until it falls within this range. When the controller 8 determines that the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is within the proper range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. When the temperature of the discharge tube 9 is higher than a predetermined temperature at the end of the “cleaning process”, the “cleaning process” is ended and the temperature of the discharge tube 9 falls within an appropriate range. End pre-processing. In this case, the discharge tube 9 can be cooled by supplying gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the discharge tube 9. Alternatively, the discharge tube 9 may be cooled by flowing a cooling medium through a cooling tube (not shown) wound around the outer peripheral wall of the discharge tube 9.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing for the workpiece W, first, the workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, etc.) is carried into the processing container 6 by a transfer device (not shown) and placed on the placement portion 15. Retained.
Next, the inside of the processing container 6 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 6 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16. Further, the inside of the discharge tube 9 communicating with the processing vessel 6 is also decompressed.

Next, a plasma product containing neutral active species is generated by the plasma generator 2. That is, first, a process gas G (eg, CF ₄ ) having a predetermined flow rate is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 through the flow rate control unit 13 into the discharge tube 9. On the other hand, a microwave M having a predetermined power is radiated from the microwave generator 5 into the introduction waveguide 10. The radiated microwave M is guided in the introduction waveguide 10 and radiated toward the discharge tube 9 through the slot 12.

  The microwave M radiated toward the discharge tube 9 propagates through the surface of the discharge tube 9 and is radiated into the discharge tube 9. In this way, plasma P is generated by the energy of the microwave M radiated into the discharge tube 9. When the electron density in the generated plasma P becomes equal to or higher than the density (cut-off density) that can shield the microwave M supplied through the discharge tube 9, the microwave M is discharged from the inner wall surface of the discharge tube 9 to the discharge tube. Reflected until it enters the space in 9 by a certain distance (skin depth). Therefore, a standing wave of the microwave M is formed between the reflection surface of the microwave M and the lower surface of the slot 12. As a result, the reflection surface of the microwave M becomes a plasma excitation surface, and the plasma P is stably excited and generated on this plasma excitation surface. In the plasma P excited and generated on the plasma excitation surface, the process gas G is excited and activated to generate plasma products such as neutral active species and ions.

  The generated gas containing the plasma product is conveyed into the processing container 6 through the transport pipe 14. At this time, ions having a short life cannot reach the processing container 6, and only neutral active species having a long life reach the processing container 6. The gas containing neutral active species introduced into the processing container 6 is rectified by the rectifying plate 17 and reaches the surface of the workpiece W, and plasma processing such as etching processing is performed. In the present embodiment, an isotropic treatment (for example, isotropic etching or the like) is mainly performed using neutral active species.

  The to-be-processed object W which the process complete | finished is carried out of the processing container 6 with the conveying apparatus which is not shown in figure. Thereafter, if necessary, the plasma processing on the workpiece W is repeated. The above-described “pretreatment” can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1 or at the time of lot switching. In addition, “pre-processing” can be appropriately performed in the production process. In this case, the “preprocessing” can be periodically performed, and the necessity of the “preprocessing” can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 7 or a spectroscope (not shown).

  As illustrated above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, the plasma P is generated in an atmosphere depressurized from the atmospheric pressure, and the process gas G supplied toward the plasma P is excited to generate the plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on the workpiece W using the generated plasma product, wherein a member (discharge tube 9) is provided at a position facing a region where plasma P is generated. ) To control the generation of the plasma P based on the temperature of the first processing step (“pretreatment” step) for controlling the temperature of the member, and the workpiece W using the generated plasma product. And a second treatment step for performing a plasma treatment on the substrate.

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 7, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece. Therefore, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be known more accurately than when the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1 is estimated by time management or the like. Since more appropriate “pre-processing” can be performed, the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 1 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing for the workpiece W varies depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1. Therefore, productivity, yield, quality, and the like can be improved by more accurately managing the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.
The plasma processing apparatus 30 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a microwave-excited plasma processing apparatus generally referred to as “SWP (Surface Wave Plasma) apparatus”. That is, it is an example of a plasma processing apparatus that generates a plasma product from a process gas using plasma excited and generated by microwaves and processes an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plasma processing apparatus 30 includes a plasma generation unit 31, a decompression unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a microwave generation unit 5, a processing vessel 32, a temperature detection unit 7, a control unit 33, and the like. .
The plasma generator 31 generates the plasma P by supplying microwaves (electromagnetic energy) to a region where the plasma P is generated.
The plasma generator 31 is provided with a transmission window 34 and an introduction waveguide 35. The transmission window 34 has a flat plate shape and is made of a material that has a high transmittance with respect to the microwave M and is difficult to be etched. For example, the transmission window 34 can be made of a dielectric such as alumina or quartz. The transmission window 34 is provided at the upper end of the processing container 32 so as to be airtight.

An introduction waveguide 35 is provided outside the processing container 32 and on the top surface of the transmission window 34. Although illustration is omitted, a terminal matching unit and a stub tuner may be provided as appropriate. The introduction waveguide 35 guides the microwave M radiated from the microwave generation unit 5 toward the transmission window 34.
A slot 36 is provided at a connection portion between the introduction waveguide 35 and the transmission window 34. The slot 36 is for radiating the microwave M guided inside the introduction waveguide 35 toward the transmission window 34.

  As described above, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detector 7 so as to detect the temperature of the portion that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detector 7 so as to detect the temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and having a certain heat capacity. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 7 is provided so that the temperature of the transmission window 34 can be detected. In addition, the temperature detection part 7 can also be arrange | positioned so that temperature, such as the current plate 17 and the wall surface of the processing container 32, can be detected. In the following, the case of detecting the temperature of the transmission window 34 will be exemplified.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a temperature detection unit 7 is provided on the side of the introduction waveguide 35 so as to face the region where the plasma P is generated.
Further, the temperature of the transmission window 34 detected by the temperature detection unit 7 can be corrected as necessary. That is, in consideration of the influence on the plasma processing for the workpiece W, the temperature is corrected to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the inner wall surface temperature of the transmission window 34 or the average temperature of the transmission window 34 closer to the region where the plasma P is generated. be able to. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, the correction value can be obtained by obtaining this correlation in advance through experiments or the like.

  Further, similarly to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the shield 28 is provided outside the transmission window 34, and the shield 28 that suppresses the leakage of the microwave M and the portion of the shield 28 that faces the temperature detection unit 7 are provided. A hole 28a and an opening / closing part 29 for opening and closing the hole 28a can also be provided.

A microwave generator 5 is provided at one end of the introduction waveguide 35. The microwave generator 5 can generate a microwave M having a predetermined frequency (eg, 2.75 GHz) and radiate it toward the introduction waveguide 35.
A gas supply unit 4 is connected to the upper portion of the side wall of the processing vessel 32 via a flow rate control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. Then, the process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region where the plasma P in the processing container 32 is generated via the flow rate control unit 13. Further, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 33.

The processing container 32 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, and a mounting portion 15 including an electrostatic chuck (not shown) is provided therein. A workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate) can be placed and held on the upper surface (placement surface) of the placement portion 15.
A decompression unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to the bottom surface of the processing vessel 32 via a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 32 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 32 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 32. That is, the processing container 32 has a region for generating the plasma P inside, and can maintain an atmosphere that is depressurized from the atmospheric pressure.

  A rectifying plate 17 is provided below the connecting portion with the gas supply unit 4 and above the mounting unit 15 so as to face the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting unit 15. The rectifying plate 17 rectifies the flow of the gas containing the plasma product generated in the region where the plasma P is generated, so that the amount of the plasma product on the processing surface of the workpiece W becomes substantially uniform. Is for.

  The rectifying plate 17 is a substantially circular plate-like body provided with a large number of holes 17 a, and is fixed to the inner wall of the processing container 32. And the area | region between the baffle plate 17 and the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting part 15 becomes the process space 20 in which the process with respect to a to-be-processed object is performed. Further, the inner wall surface of the processing vessel 32 and the surface of the rectifying plate 17 are covered with a material that does not easily react with the neutral active species (for example, a ceramic material such as tetrafluororesin (PTFE) or alumina).

  The control unit 33 controls the decompression unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the microwave generation unit 5, the pressure control unit 16, the flow rate control unit 13, and the like. Further, the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is determined based on the detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7. Then, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the temperature of the transmission window 34 can be controlled prior to the plasma processing for the workpiece W.

The temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 33, and the operator determines the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) based on this display. It can also be.
In this case, the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is determined based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. Can be.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 30.
Also in the present embodiment, the “pretreatment” is performed prior to the plasma treatment on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, the “warm-up process” for controlling the temperature of the transmission window 34 will be described as an example of “pre-processing”.

The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state where the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 32. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be mounted and held so that the upper surface (mounting surface) of the mounting portion 15 is not damaged.
First, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is detected by the temperature detection unit 7, and a detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7 is sent to the control unit 33. In the case where the aforementioned opening / closing part 29 is provided, the opening / closing part 29 is opened and the temperature of the transmission window 34 is detected through the hole 28a.
The control unit 33 determines the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) based on the detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 7. In this case, the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) is determined based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. Can be.

When it is determined that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is low, plasma P is generated to increase the temperature of the transmission window 34. First, the inside of the processing container 32 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 32 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16.
Then, the plasma P is generated by the plasma generator 31, and the temperature of the transmission window 34, the rectifying plate 17, the wall surface of the processing container 32, etc. is increased by the heat of the generated plasma P. In this case, a gas having a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 via the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or an Ar (argon) gas used for plasma processing on the workpiece W described later). Can be supplied to the region in the processing chamber 32 where the plasma P is generated. Details regarding the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

  When the controller 33 determines that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is within an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warm-up process” is ended. The temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 33, and the operator determines the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) based on this display. It can also be. In this case, the operator inputs a command for stopping the generation of the plasma P to the control unit 33.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is high, the transmission window 34 can be cooled by supplying gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 32.

  The above is a case where “pretreatment” is “warm-up processing” for controlling the temperature of the transmission window 34. The same procedure can be used when “cleaning process” is performed as “pre-processing”. In this case, the gas supplied to the region in the processing chamber 32 where the plasma P is generated is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen or an inert gas such as Ar (argon)). Further, it is possible to determine the end point of the “cleaning process” by providing a spectroscope (not shown). That is, the end point of the “cleaning process” can be determined from the light emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of “preprocessing” is “cleaning processing”, it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the transmission window 34 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30) within an appropriate range. Therefore, even when it is determined that the “cleaning process” has been completed based on the light emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength, if the temperature of the transmission window 34 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the transmission window 34 is appropriate. The generation of the plasma P is continued until it falls within this range. When the control unit 33 determines that the temperature of the transmission window 34 is within an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. When the temperature of the transmission window 34 is higher than a predetermined temperature at the end of the “cleaning process”, the “cleaning process” is ended and the temperature of the transmission window 34 is kept within an appropriate range. End pre-processing. In this case, the transmission window 34 can be cooled by supplying gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 32.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing for the workpiece W, first, the workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, etc.) is carried into the processing container 32 by a transfer device (not shown) and placed on the placement portion 15. Retained.
Next, the inside of the processing container 32 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 32 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16.

Next, a plasma product containing neutral active species is generated by the plasma generator 31. That is, first, a predetermined amount of process gas G (for example, CF ₄ or the like) is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region where the plasma P in the processing container 32 is generated via the flow rate control unit 13. On the other hand, a microwave M having a predetermined power is radiated from the microwave generator 5 into the introduction waveguide 35. The radiated microwave M is guided in the introduction waveguide 35 and radiated toward the transmission window 34 through the slot 36.

  The microwave M radiated toward the transmission window 34 propagates through the surface of the transmission window 34 and is radiated into the processing container 32. Plasma P is generated by the energy of the microwave M radiated into the processing container 32 in this way. When the electron density in the generated plasma P becomes equal to or higher than the density (cut-off density) that can shield the microwave M supplied through the transmission window 34, the microwave M passes from the lower surface of the transmission window 34 to the processing container 32. It will be reflected before it enters a certain distance (skin depth) toward the inner space. Therefore, a standing wave of the microwave M is formed between the reflection surface of the microwave M and the lower surface of the slot 36. As a result, the reflection surface of the microwave M becomes a plasma excitation surface, and the plasma P is stably excited and generated on this plasma excitation surface.

  In the plasma P excited and generated on the plasma excitation surface, the process gas G is excited and activated to generate plasma products such as neutral active species and ions. The generated gas containing the plasma product is rectified by the rectifying plate 17 and reaches the surface of the workpiece W, and plasma processing such as etching processing is performed.

  In the present embodiment, ions and electrons are removed when the gas containing the plasma product passes through the rectifying plate 17. For this reason, an isotropic treatment (for example, isotropic etching or the like) using mainly neutral active species is performed. An anisotropic process (for example, anisotropic etching) can be performed by applying a bias voltage so that ions can pass through the rectifying plate 17.

  The workpiece W for which processing has been completed is carried out of the processing container 32 by a transfer device (not shown). Thereafter, if necessary, the plasma processing on the workpiece W is repeated. It should be noted that the above-mentioned “pretreatment” can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 30 or at the time of lot switching. In addition, “pre-processing” can be appropriately performed in the production process. In this case, the “preprocessing” can be periodically performed, and the necessity of the “preprocessing” can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 7 or a spectroscope (not shown).

  As illustrated above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, the plasma P is generated in an atmosphere depressurized from the atmospheric pressure, and the process gas G supplied toward the plasma P is excited to generate the plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on an object to be processed W using the generated plasma product, the member being provided at a position facing a region where plasma P is generated (for example, transmission) The generation of the plasma P based on the temperature of the window 34, etc.), the first processing step (“pretreatment” step) for controlling the temperature of the member, and the generated plasma product And a second processing step for performing plasma processing on the workpiece W.

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 7, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece. Therefore, the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30 can be known more accurately than when the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30 is estimated by time management or the like. Since more appropriate “pre-processing” can be performed, temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 30 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W varies depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30. Therefore, productivity, yield, quality, and the like can be improved by more accurately managing the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 30.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating a plasma processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the invention.
The plasma processing apparatus 40 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) processing apparatus generally called a “parallel plate RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) apparatus”. That is, it is an example of a plasma processing apparatus that generates a plasma product from the process gas G using plasma generated by applying high-frequency power to parallel plate electrodes, and processes an object to be processed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the plasma processing apparatus 40 includes a plasma generation unit 43, a decompression unit 3, a gas supply unit 4, a power supply unit 44, a processing vessel 42, a temperature detection unit 47, a control unit 41, and the like.
The processing container 42 has a substantially cylindrical shape with both ends closed, and has an airtight structure capable of maintaining a reduced-pressure atmosphere.

A plasma generator 43 that generates plasma P is provided inside the processing vessel 42. The plasma generating unit 43 is provided with a lower electrode 48 and an upper electrode 49.
The lower electrode 48 is provided below the region in the processing container 42 where the plasma P is generated. The lower electrode 48 is provided with a holding portion (not shown) for holding the workpiece W. The holding unit (not shown) can be, for example, an electrostatic chuck. Therefore, the lower electrode 48 also serves as a placement unit that places and holds the workpiece W on the upper surface (mounting surface).

  The upper electrode 49 is provided so as to face the lower electrode 48. A power supply 45 is connected to the lower electrode 48 via a blocking capacitor 46, and the upper electrode 49 is grounded. Therefore, the plasma generator 43 can generate the plasma P by supplying electromagnetic energy to a region where the plasma P is generated.

  Here, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 47 so that the temperature of the part that may affect the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece W may be detected. That is, it is preferable to dispose the temperature detection unit 47 so as to detect the temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma P is generated and having a certain heat capacity. In the following, an example in which the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is detected will be described.

  A temperature detector 47 is built in the upper electrode 49. The temperature detection unit 47 is not particularly limited, and may be a contact type using a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector, a thermistor, or a non-contact type such as a radiation thermometer. . In the present embodiment, a contact type is used to incorporate the temperature detection unit 47 in the upper electrode 49.

  Here, if the temperature detection unit 47 is provided so as to be exposed inside the processing container 42, the temperature detection unit 47 may be damaged by the plasma P, or metal contamination may be caused. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the temperature detection unit 47 is built in the upper electrode 49. The temperature detection unit 47 can be built in the lower electrode 48, or the temperature detection unit 47 can be built in the wall surface of the processing container 42. Further, the temperature detector 47 may be provided outside the processing container 42 to detect the wall surface temperature of the processing container 42 and the like. Further, the temperature detection unit 47 may be a contact type, or may be a non-contact type similar to the temperature detection unit 7 described above.

  In addition, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 detected by the temperature detection unit 47 can be corrected as necessary. That is, in consideration of the influence on the plasma processing on the workpiece W, the temperature is corrected to the most appropriate temperature, for example, the surface temperature of the upper electrode 49 or the average temperature of the upper electrode 49 closer to the region where the plasma P is generated. Can do. Since there is a certain correlation between the temperature at the detection position and these temperatures, the correction value can be obtained by obtaining this correlation in advance through experiments or the like.

The power supply unit 44 is provided with a power supply 45 and a blocking capacitor 46.
The power supply 45 applies high frequency power of about 100 KHz to 100 MHz to the lower electrode 48. The blocking capacitor 46 is provided to prevent movement of electrons generated in the plasma P and reaching the lower electrode 48.

  A decompression unit 3 such as a turbo molecular pump (TMP) is connected to the bottom surface of the processing vessel 42 via a pressure control unit (Auto Pressure Controller: APC) 16. The decompression unit 3 decompresses the inside of the processing container 42 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control unit 16 controls the internal pressure of the processing container 42 to be a predetermined pressure based on the output of a vacuum gauge (not shown) that detects the internal pressure of the processing container 42. That is, the processing vessel 42 has a region for generating the plasma P inside, and can maintain an atmosphere that is depressurized from the atmospheric pressure.

  A gas supply unit 4 is connected to the upper portion of the side wall of the processing vessel 42 via a flow rate control unit (Mass Flow Controller: MFC) 13. Then, the process gas G can be supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region where the plasma P in the processing container 42 is generated via the flow rate control unit 13. Further, the supply amount of the process gas G can be adjusted by controlling the flow rate control unit 13 by the control unit 41.

The control unit 41 controls the decompression unit 3, the gas supply unit 4, the power source 45, the pressure control unit 16, the flow rate control unit 13, and the like.
Further, the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is determined based on a detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 47. Then, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is controlled by controlling the generation of the plasma P based on the detection signal from the temperature detection unit 47. In this case, the temperature control of the upper electrode 49 can be performed prior to the plasma processing for the workpiece W.

The temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 41, and the operator determines the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) based on this display. It can also be.
In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is performed based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. Can be.

Next, the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment will be illustrated together with the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 40.
Also in the present embodiment, the “pretreatment” is performed prior to the plasma treatment on the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a “warm-up process” for controlling the temperature of the upper electrode 49 will be described as an example of “pre-process”.

The “warm-up process” can be performed in a state where the workpiece W is not carried into the processing container 42. In this case, a so-called dummy wafer can be placed and held so that the upper surface (mounting surface) of the lower electrode 48 is not damaged.
First, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is detected by the temperature detection unit 47, and a detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 47 is sent to the control unit 41.
The control unit 41 determines the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) based on the detection signal (temperature detection value) from the temperature detection unit 47. In this case, the determination of the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) is performed based on a threshold value (for example, a temperature limit value related to the stability of the etching rate) obtained in advance through experiments or the like. Can be.

If it is determined that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is low, plasma P is generated to raise the temperature of the upper electrode 49. First, the inside of the processing container 42 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 42 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16.
Then, plasma P is generated by the plasma generator 43, and the temperature of the upper electrode 49, the lower electrode 48, the wall surface of the processing vessel 42, etc. is increased by the heat of the generated plasma P. In this case, a gas having a predetermined flow rate from the gas supply unit 4 via the flow rate control unit 13 (for example, an inert gas such as a process gas G or an Ar (argon) gas used for plasma processing on the workpiece W described later). May be supplied to a region in the processing chamber 42 where the plasma P is generated. Details regarding the generation of the plasma P will be described later.

  If the controller 41 determines that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is within an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “warming-up process” is terminated. The temperature information is displayed on a display device (not shown) electrically connected to the control unit 41, and the operator determines the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) based on this display. It can also be. In this case, the operator inputs a command for stopping the generation of the plasma P to the control unit 41.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is high, the upper electrode 49 can be cooled by supplying gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 42.

  The above is the case where “pretreatment” is “warm-up processing” for controlling the temperature of the upper electrode 49. The same procedure can be used when “cleaning process” is performed as “pre-processing”. In this case, the gas supplied to the region in the processing chamber 42 where the plasma P is generated is a cleaning gas (for example, a gas containing oxygen or an inert gas such as Ar (argon)). Further, it is possible to determine the end point of the “cleaning process” by providing a spectroscope (not shown). That is, the end point of the “cleaning process” can be determined from the light emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength. However, even if the main purpose of “pre-processing” is “cleaning processing”, it is necessary to keep the temperature state of the upper electrode 49 (temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40) within an appropriate range. For this reason, even if it is determined that the “cleaning process” is completed based on the light emission intensity of light having a predetermined wavelength, if the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is appropriate. The generation of the plasma P is continued until it falls within this range. When the control unit 41 determines that the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is within an appropriate range, the generation of the plasma P is stopped and the “cleaning process” is ended. If the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is higher than a predetermined temperature at the end of the “cleaning process”, the “cleaning process” is ended and the temperature of the upper electrode 49 is kept within an appropriate range. End pre-processing. In this case, the upper electrode 49 can be cooled by supplying a gas from the gas supply unit 4 into the processing container 42.

Next, plasma processing is performed on the workpiece W.
In the plasma processing for the workpiece W, first, the workpiece W (for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate) is carried into the processing container 42 by a transfer device (not shown), and is placed and held on the lower electrode 48. Is done.
Next, the inside of the processing container 42 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure by the decompression unit 3. At this time, the pressure in the processing container 42 is adjusted by the pressure controller 16.

Next, a plasma product containing neutral active species is generated by the plasma generator 43. That is, first, a predetermined amount of process gas G (for example, CF ₄ or the like) is supplied from the gas supply unit 4 to the region where the plasma P in the processing container 42 is generated via the flow rate control unit 13.
On the other hand, high frequency power of about 100 kHz to 100 MHz is applied to the lower electrode 48 from the power supply unit 44. Then, since the lower electrode 48 and the upper electrode 49 constitute a parallel plate electrode, discharge occurs between the electrodes and plasma P is generated. The process gas G is excited and activated by the generated plasma P, and plasma products such as neutral active species, ions, and electrons are generated. The generated plasma product descends in the processing container 42 and reaches the surface of the workpiece W, and plasma processing such as etching processing is performed.

  In this case, among the generated ions and electrons, the lighter mass electrons move faster and immediately reach the lower electrode 48 and the upper electrode 49. Electrons reaching the lower electrode 48 are prevented from moving by the blocking capacitor 46 and charge the lower electrode 48. The charged voltage of the lower electrode 48 reaches about 400V to 1000V, which is called “cathode drop”. On the other hand, since the upper electrode 49 is grounded, the movement of the reached electrons is not blocked and the upper electrode 49 is hardly charged.

  Then, ions move in the direction of the lower electrode 48 (processed object W) along a vertical electric field generated by the cathode fall, and are incident on the surface of the processed object W, so that a physical plasma process (anisotropic process) is performed. ) Is performed. The neutral active species descend by gas flow or gravity and reach the surface of the workpiece W, and chemical plasma treatment (isotropic treatment) is performed.

  The workpiece W that has been processed is carried out of the processing container 42 by a transfer device (not shown). Thereafter, if necessary, the plasma processing on the workpiece W is repeated. Note that the above-described “pretreatment” can be performed at the start of operation of the plasma processing apparatus 40 or at the time of lot switching. In addition, “pre-processing” can be appropriately performed in the production process. In this case, “pre-processing” can be periodically performed, and necessity of “pre-processing” can be determined based on signals from the temperature detection unit 47, a spectroscope (not shown), and the like.

  As illustrated above, in the plasma processing method according to the present embodiment, the plasma P is generated in an atmosphere depressurized from the atmospheric pressure, and the process gas G supplied toward the plasma P is excited to generate the plasma. A plasma processing method for generating a product and performing plasma processing on a workpiece W using the generated plasma product, wherein a member (for example, an upper part) provided at a position facing a region where plasma P is generated The generation of the plasma P is controlled based on the temperature of the electrode 49 or the like), and the first processing step (“pretreatment” step) for controlling the temperature of the member and the generated plasma product And a second processing step for performing plasma processing on the workpiece W.

According to the present embodiment, by providing the temperature detection unit 47, it is possible to directly detect the temperature of the portion that affects the stability of the plasma processing on the workpiece. Therefore, it is possible to know the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40 more accurately than when estimating the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40 by time management or the like. Since more appropriate “pre-processing” can be performed, the temperature state management of the plasma processing apparatus 40 can be performed more accurately.
In this case, the stability of the plasma processing for the workpiece W varies depending on the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40. Therefore, productivity, yield, quality, and the like can be improved by more accurately managing the temperature state of the plasma processing apparatus 40.

Heretofore, the present embodiment has been illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions.
As long as the features of the present invention are provided, those skilled in the art appropriately modified the design of the above-described embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.
For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, and the like of each element included in the plasma processing apparatus 1, the plasma processing apparatus 30, and the plasma processing apparatus 40 are not limited to those illustrated, but can be changed as appropriate.

  In addition, the microwave excitation type and capacitive coupling type plasma processing apparatuses have been described as examples, but the plasma generation method is not limited to these, and can be changed as appropriate. The plasma treatment is not limited to etching treatment or ashing treatment. For example, various types of treatment such as surface activation treatment, film formation treatment (sputtering, plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), etc.), non-chemical sterilization treatment, etc. Plasma treatment can be performed.

  Moreover, each element with which each embodiment mentioned above is combined can be combined as much as possible, and what combined these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as the characteristics of the present invention are included.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plasma processing apparatus, 2 Plasma generation part, 3 Pressure reduction part, 4 Gas supply part, 5 Microwave generation part, 6 Processing container, 7 Temperature detection part, 8 Control part, 9 Discharge tube, 10 Introduction | transduction waveguide, 14 Transport Tube, 15 mounting section, 16 pressure control section, 30 plasma processing apparatus, 31 plasma generation section, 32 processing vessel, 33 control section, 34 transmission window, 35 introduction waveguide, 40 plasma processing apparatus, 41 control section, 42 Processing vessel, 43 Plasma generation unit, 44 Power supply unit, 45 Power supply, 46 Blocking capacitor, 47 Temperature detection unit, 48 Lower electrode, 49 Upper electrode, M microwave, P plasma, W Workpiece

Claims (8)

A treatment container capable of maintaining an atmosphere depressurized from atmospheric pressure;
A decompression section for decompressing the inside of the processing container to a predetermined pressure;
A placement unit for placing the object to be processed provided in the processing container;
A discharge tube provided in a position separated from the processing vessel, having a region for generating plasma inside;
An introduction waveguide for propagating the microwave radiated from the microwave generation unit and introducing the microwave into the region for generating the plasma;
A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating the plasma;
A transport tube for communicating the discharge tube and the processing vessel;
A first temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the discharge tube;
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first control unit that controls the temperature of the discharge tube by controlling generation of the plasma based on a detection signal from the first temperature detection unit. Plasma processing equipment.   3. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first control unit executes control of the temperature of the discharge tube prior to plasma processing for an object to be processed. A processing container having a region for generating plasma inside and capable of maintaining an atmosphere reduced in pressure from atmospheric pressure;
A decompression section for decompressing the inside of the processing container to a predetermined pressure;
A placement unit for placing the object to be processed provided in the processing container;
A plasma generator for generating plasma by supplying electromagnetic energy to the region for generating the plasma;
A gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the region for generating the plasma;
A second temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of a member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma is generated;
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:   5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a second control unit configured to control the temperature of the member by controlling generation of the plasma based on a detection signal from the second temperature detection unit. Plasma processing equipment.   The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second control unit executes the temperature control of the member prior to the plasma processing for the workpiece. Plasma is generated in an atmosphere depressurized from atmospheric pressure, a process gas supplied toward the plasma is excited to generate a plasma product, and a plasma process is performed on an object to be processed using the plasma product. A plasma processing method comprising:
A first treatment step of controlling the temperature of the member by controlling the generation of the plasma based on the temperature of the member provided at a position facing the region where the plasma is generated;
A second processing step of performing plasma processing on an object to be processed using the plasma product;
A plasma processing method comprising:   8. The plasma processing method according to claim 7, wherein the member is a discharge tube having a region for generating plasma therein.

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