Patent ID: 6284674
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: C23C,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
A method of setting conditions of a microwave and a magnetic field in a plasma process apparatus in which the microwave and the magnetic field are generated to bring about electron cyclotron resonance, thereby generating a plasma which is applied to an object to be processed,the apparatus comprisinga microwave generator configured to generate the microwave,a microwave transmitter configured to transmit the microwave,a process chamber configured to have the object placed therein, the microwave being introduced into the process chamber through the microwave transmitter,a process gas supply configured to supply a process gas into the process chamber, anda magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field within the process chamber,the method comprising the steps of:establishing as an upper frequency limit a maximum frequency of frequencies at which a standing wave of the microwave does not occur on the surface of the object;establishing as a lower frequency limit a cutoff frequency determined by the inner diameter of the process chamber;setting a to-be-used frequency of the microwave within a range between the upper and lower frequency limits; andsetting a to-be-used intensity of the magnetic field based on the to-be-used frequency of the microwave to bring about the electron cyclotron resonance.