US 12,176,187 B2
Cleaning method and plasma processing apparatus
Chishio Koshimizu, Miyagi (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/238,522.
Application 18/238,522 is a continuation of application No. 17/178,833, filed on Feb. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,804,368.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-034907 (JP), filed on Mar. 2, 2020; and application No. 2020-197852 (JP), filed on Nov. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0402269 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32862 (2013.01) [H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01J 37/32568 (2013.01); H01J 37/32642 (2013.01); H01J 37/32715 (2013.01); H01J 2237/1502 (2013.01); H01J 2237/334 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processing chamber;
a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber, the substrate support including:
a lower electrode;
a first electrostatic chuck;
and a second electrostatic chuck;
an edge ring disposed that surrounds a substrate on the substrate support;
an actuator configured to vertically move the edge ring between an upper position and a lower position, wherein in the upper position, a gap is formed between the edge ring and the second electrostatic chuck;
a gas supply configured to supply a cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber during a cleaning operation;
the second electrostatic chuck having at least one ring electrode and the second electrostatic chuck being disposed below the edge ring in the substrate support, wherein the second electrostatic chuck is disposed between the edge ring and the lower electrode, such that the edge ring overlaps the second electrostatic chuck and the lower electrode in a vertical direction;
a first RF generator configured to supply a first RF signal to the at least one ring electrode of the second electrostatic chuck; and
a controller configured to control the gas supply to supply the cleaning gas into the plasma processing chamber and control the first RF generator to supply the first RF signal to the at least one ring electrode of the second electrostatic chuck to generate a plasma from the cleaning gas in the gap while the edge ring is maintained at the upper position to cause the edge ring and the second electrostatic chuck to be cleaned by the plasma, wherein during the cleaning operation, RF signals are not supplied to the lower electrode or the first electrostatic chuck.