Patent ID: 7819082

Claim:
A surface-wave microwave plasma processing apparatus for applying a process to a substrate to be processed, the surface-wave microwave plasma processing apparatus comprising: a chamber of which interior can be depressurized; an exhaust gas system configured and arranged to depressurize the chamber; an electrode provided in the chamber to hold the substrate to be processed; a flat plate dielectric material plate configured and arranged to serve as a part of a wall forming the chamber; a flat plate slot antenna arranged above the flat plate dielectric material plate; a flat plate dielectric material shower plate provided adjacent to the flat plate dielectric material plate on a side opposite to the flat plate slot antenna, a gap being formed between the flat plate dielectric material shower plate and the flat plate dielectric material plate to cause a plasma excitation gas flows therethrough, the flat plate dielectric material shower plate having a gas discharge hole for introducing the plasma excitation gas into the chamber; and a metallic shower head arranged between the flat plate dielectric shower plate and the electrode, the metallic shower head having a plurality of gas discharge openings for introducing a process gas into a plasma diffusion space, wherein a plasma excited by a surface-wave microwave flows into the plasma diffusion space by passing through the gas discharge openings.