Patent ID: 8426764
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A plasma processing apparatus comprising a vacuum processing chamber; a sample stand having an electrode with electrostatic chuck within the vacuum processing chamber; a plasma generating means for generating plasma of a processing gas introduced into the vacuum processing chamber and processing the surface of a sample to be processed mounted on the electrode with electrostatic chuck by the plasma; and a refrigerating cycle including a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve which disposed outside the vacuum processing chamber, respectively, wherein the refrigerating cycle further includes a refrigerant passage provided in a lower portion of the electrode with electrostatic chuck of the sample stand as a first evaporator, wherein the refrigerant passage has a supply port and an ejection port provided in the sample stand, and the passage sectional areas of the refrigerant passage increase successively from the supply port to the ejection port, wherein the refrigerating cycle further includes a refrigerant evaporator functioning as a second evaporator that is disposed between the ejection port and the compressor and outside the vacuum processing chamber, and control means for controlling a refrigerant supplied to and ejected from the refrigerant passage, wherein the control means controls the flow rate of the refrigerant to prevent dryout from occurring in the first evaporator due to heat inputted from the sample to be processed, wherein the refrigerant evaporator has a function to vaporize a refrigerant not evaporating within the refrigerant passage, and wherein the inside wall of the refrigerant passage has projections and depressions formed, and the height of the of the projections and depressions decreases successively between the supply port and the ejection port of the refrigerant.