US 12,451,326 B2
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
Taro Ikeda, Nirasaki (JP); Satoru Kawakami, Nirasaki (JP); and Masaki Hirayama, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/299,979
Filed by TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP); and TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, Miyagi (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/046211
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 4, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/116245, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-229222 (JP), filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0375588 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32091 (2013.01) [H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01J 37/32715 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3321 (2013.01); H01J 2237/334 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a processing container;
a stage;
a dielectric plate including a central portion, an outer peripheral portion, and a transition portion that constitutes a stepped portion between the central portion and the outer peripheral portion;
an upper electrode disposed above the dielectric plate; and
a gas diffusion space between the upper electrode and the dielectric plate;
wherein the gas diffusion space conforms to a contour of the dielectric plate;
wherein the stage is provided within the processing container,
the dielectric plate includes a plurality of through-holes for gas injection,
an upper surface of the dielectric plate is provided with a conductive film,
a space between the conductive film and the stage within the processing container is used as a plasma processing space,
upper surfaces of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion include flat portions,
the central portion is larger in thickness than the outer peripheral portion,
an upper surface of the transition portion is a surface including an inclined surface connecting the central portion and the outer peripheral portion, and a lower surface of the transition portion includes a flat portion, and
from a direction along a normal of a surface of the conductive film, a thickness of the conductive film on the transition portion is larger than thicknesses of the conductive film on both the flat portion of the central portion and the flat portion of the outer peripheral portion.