Patent ID: 8308897

Claim:
A plasma processing apparatus for processing an object using a plasma, comprising: a processing chamber defining a processing cavity for containing an object to be processed and a process gas therein; a microwave radiating antenna having a microwave radiating surface for radiating a microwave in order to excite a plasma in the processing cavity; and a dielectric body provided so as to be opposed to the microwave radiating surface; wherein no additional microwave radiating antenna is placed between the microwave radiating antenna and the dielectric body; wherein a distance D between the microwave radiating surface and a surface of the dielectric body facing away from the microwave radiating surface, which is represented with a wavelength of the microwave being a distance unit, is determined to be in a range satisfying an inequality 0.7 ×n/ 4 ≦D≦ 1.3 ×n/ 4 (n being a natural number); whereby a standing wave of the microwave is formed between the microwave radiating surface and a plasma exciting surface, thereby exciting a plasma at the plasma exciting surface by being supplied with energy from the standing wave of the microwave, the plasma exciting surface substantially coinciding with the surface of the dielectric body facing away from the microwave radiating surface, the plasma being formed between the plasma exciting surface and the object to be processed, the standing wave not entering the plasma, wherein one end of the standing wave is positioned on the plasma exciting surface.