Patent ID: 7537672

Claim:
A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to be maintained at a reduced pressure; a first electrode and a second electrode arranged to be opposed to each other in the chamber, wherein said second electrode supports a substrate to be processed; a process gas source connected to the chamber; a high frequency electric power source connected to the first electrode; an electrode plate formed of conductor or semiconductor material and provided on a face of the first electrode such that a face of the electrode plate opposes the second electrode; and a dielectric member provided at a central portion of a face of the electrode plate that is opposite to the face of the electrode plate which opposes the second electrode, wherein a diameter of the dielectric member is smaller than a diameter of the electrode plate and the entire dielectric member is covered with the electrode plate and first electrode, and wherein there is a gas diffusion space within the first electrode, and the process gas is supplied to a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode via the gas diffusion space.