Patent ID: 7323081

Claim:
A High-Frequency (HF) plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a process chamber in which a substrate to be processed is placed; a pumping line pumping the process chamber at a required vacuum pressure; a process-gas introduction line for introducing a process gas into the process chamber; a first HF electrode provided in the process chamber; a first HF power source for applying voltage to the first HF electrode, thereby generating plasma of the process gas; a second HF electrode facing the first HF electrode in the process chamber, interposing discharge space; a coaxial resonator interconnecting the second electrode and the ground; an inner conductor supporting the second electrode at an end; and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor outside the process chamber, wherein: the inner conductor and the outer conductor are components of the coaxial resonator; the coaxial resonator is resonant as a distributed constant circuit at the frequency of the first HF power source; the coaxial resonator has a circuit length from the second electrode to the ground; and series resonance takes place in the whole circuit length of the coaxial resonator at a frequency of the first HF power source.