Patent ID: 8336490
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. A vertical plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a plurality of target objects, together at a time, the apparatus comprising: a vertically elongated process container having a process field configured to accommodate the target objects and to be set in an airtightly state; a holder configured to stack thereon the plurality of target objects at intervals in a vertical direction with a holding span having a predetermined vertical length inside the process field; a gas supply system configured to supply a process gas into the process container; an exhaust system configured to exhaust gas from inside the process container; and an activation mechanism configured to turn the process gas into plasma, wherein the activation mechanism includes, a vertically elongated plasma generation box having a rectangular shape in a cross-section attached to outside the process container extending vertically entirely over the process field, and defining a plasma generation area airtightly communicating with the process field, such that the plasma generation box includes an opening having a vertical length entirely over the holding span and connecting the plasma generation area to the process field, first and second sidewalls extending outward from the process container in a radial direction one on either side of the opening and facing each other, and a backside wall that connects outer ends of the first and second sidewalls to each other, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) electrode provided to the plasma generation box to generate inductively coupled plasma of the process gas in the plasma generation area, the ICP electrode being an electrode band extending in a vertical direction and curved at a plurality of positions to form first and second meandering portions respectively along the outside of the first and second sidewalls vertically entirely over the holding span, and the electrode band including a bent back portion connecting the first and second meandering portions to each other at one vertical end of the plasma generation box and further including first and second terminal ends respectively connected to the first and second meandering portions at the other vertical end of the plasma generation box, and a radio frequency (RF) power supply connected to the ICP electrode through an electric feed circuit and configured to apply an RF power across the first and second terminal ends, and wherein the gas supply system is configured to deliver the process gas directly inside the plasma generation box such that the process gas is supplied to the process field through a position inside the plasma generation box corresponding to the ICP electrode.