Patent ID: 6720037
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
In a plasma processing method comprising introducing a gas into a discharge space having provided therein a cathode electrode and an opposing electrode opposed to the cathode electrode, and converting the gas into a plasma by a high frequency power, the improvement which comprises the steps of:(a) providing on a back side of the cathode electrode at least one conductor plate d. c. potentially insulated from the cathode electrode and the opposing electrode; (b) enclosing the cathode electrode and the conductor plate with a shielding wall to configure a discharge space such that an electrode coupling capacitance ratio of (i) an inter-electrode coupling capacitance provided by the cathode electrode and the opposing electrode to (ii) a coupling capacitance provided by the cathode electrode and a bottom surface of the shielding wall on the back side of the conductor plate, is not less than a predetermined value; and (c) supplying a high frequency power with a pulse modulation directly to the cathode electrode to convert the gas into a plasma.