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US-20260128259-A1 - Plasma Processing Apparatus and Plasma Processing Method

US20260128259A1US 20260128259 A1US20260128259 A1US 20260128259A1US-20260128259-A1

Abstract

Provided is a plasma processing apparatus for removing a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber configured to be depressurized and accommodating the substrate; a substrate support located in the processing chamber and configured to support the substrate; an injection head located above the substrate support and configured to inject a gas toward the substrate supported by the substrate support; a plasma supply mechanism configured to supply plasma to the peripheral edge of the substrate supported by the substrate support; and one or more partition plates that divide a space between the substrate supported by the substrate support and the injection head into a plurality of regions along a circumferential direction of the substrate, wherein the injection head injects the gas with an adjusted flow rate for each of the regions.

Inventors

  • Koji Kotani
  • Ikki KON

Assignees

  • TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251028
Priority Date
20241101

Claims (16)

  1. 1 . A plasma processing apparatus for removing a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber configured to be depressurized and accommodating the substrate; a substrate support located in the processing chamber and configured to support the substrate; an injection head located above the substrate support and configured to inject a gas toward the substrate supported by the substrate support; a plasma supply mechanism configured to supply plasma to the peripheral edge of the substrate supported by the substrate support; and one or more partition plates that divide a space between the substrate supported by the substrate support and the injection head into a plurality of regions along a circumferential direction of the substrate, wherein the injection head injects the gas with an adjusted flow rate for each of the regions.
  2. 2 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the injection head has a recess that is recessed upward to define the space, and said one or more partition plates pass through the deepest portion of the recess.
  3. 3 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a height of a lower end of the partition plate measured from the substrate support is greater than or equal to a height of a lower end of a peripheral wall forming the recess of the injection head measured from the substrate support.
  4. 4 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a gap is provided between the peripheral wall forming the recess of the injection head and the outer edge of the partition plate.
  5. 5 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a gap is provided between the peripheral wall forming the recess of the injection head and the outer edge of the partition plate.
  6. 6 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of a plurality of gas supply lines is connected to each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions, and a flow rate controller is provided at each supply line.
  7. 7 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of a plurality of gas supply lines is connected to each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions, and a flow rate controller is provided at each supply line.
  8. 8 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of a plurality of gas supply lines is connected to each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions, and a flow rate controller is provided at each supply line.
  9. 9 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a pressure sensor is provided to measure a pressure in each of the regions.
  10. 10 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a pressure sensor is provided to measure a pressure in each of the regions.
  11. 11 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a pressure sensor is provided to measure a pressure in each of the regions.
  12. 12 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of gas injection holes are provided for each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions.
  13. 13 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of gas injection holes are provided for each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions.
  14. 14 . The plasma processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a plurality of gas injection holes are provided for each portion of the injection head corresponding to a respective one of the regions.
  15. 15 . A plasma processing method for removing a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate using plasma, comprising: bringing an injection head and the substrate close to each other; injecting a gas from the injection head into a plurality of regions obtained by dividing a first space between the injection head and the substrate along a circumferential direction of the substrate at a flow rate adjusted for each region; and supplying plasma into a second space surrounding the outer periphery of the injection head.
  16. 16 . The plasma processing method of claim 15 , wherein in said injecting, the gas is injected into the respective regions such that pressures in the respective regions become the same.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-192682 filed on November 1, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method. BACKGROUND Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2024-70682 discloses a plasma processing apparatus that uses plasma to remove a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate. The plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber that can be depressurized and accommodates a substrate, a substrate support installed in the processing chamber and having an upper surface serving as a placing surface on which the substrate is placed, an injection head installed above the substrate support to inject a gas toward the placing surface, and a plasma supply mechanism that supplies plasma to the edge of the substrate placed on the placing surface. The plasma processing apparatus further includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the relative position and inclination between the injection head and the substrate support. SUMMARY The technique of the present disclosure suppresses non-uniform removal of a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate by plasma in a circumferential direction of the substrate using a simple configuration. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a plasma processing apparatus for removing a film formed on a peripheral edge of a substrate using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber configured to be depressurized and accommodating the substrate; a substrate support located in the processing chamber and configured to support the substrate; an injection head located above the substrate support and configured to inject a gas toward the substrate supported by the substrate support; a plasma supply mechanism configured to supply plasma to the peripheral edge of the substrate supported by the substrate support; and one or more partition plates that divide a space between the substrate supported by the substrate support and the injection head into a plurality of regions along a circumferential direction of the substrate, wherein the injection head injects the gas with an adjusted flow rate for each of the regions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a shower structure. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the shower structure. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating another example of a partition plate. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the partition plate. FIG. 6 illustrates the effects of providing a gap between an outer peripheral edge of the partition plate and an inner peripheral edge of a peripheral wall. FIG. 7 illustrates another example of injection holes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, like reference numerals will be used for like parts having substantially the same functional configurations, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. Plasma processing apparatus FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIGS. 2 and 3 are a bottom view and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a shower structure (to be described later), respectively, and show a state in which a partition plate to be described later is attached. A plasma processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 processes a peripheral edge of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as "wafer") W as a substrate using plasma. Specifically, the plasma processing apparatus 1 removes an undesired film formed on the peripheral edge of the wafer W using plasma. The plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a processing chamber 10. The processing chamber 10 accommodates the wafer W and is configured to be depressurized. Therefore, the processing chamber 10 is connected to an exhaust mechanism (not shown) that exhausts the inside of the processing chamber 10. The exhaust mechanism is connected to the bottom wall of the processing chamber 10, for example. The processing chamber 10 is made of, e.g., aluminum, and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The processing chamber 10 is grounded. A loading/unloading port (not shown) for the wafer W is provided on the sidewall of the processing chamber 10, and a gate valve (not shown) that opens and closes the loading/unloading port is installed at the loading/unloading port. A stage 11 serving as a substrate support is provided in the processing chamber 10. The stage 11 supports the wafer W. An upper surface 11a of the st