Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
Plasma processing apparatus, comprising a waveguide for delivering microwaves to a plasma generation region of the apparatus, in which region a reactive gas is subjected to microwaves, to generate a plasma with free radicals, when the apparatus is in use, and a reaction region, in which an object to be processed is placed, to be exposed to the free radicals, when the apparatus is in use, in which apparatus the plasma generation region is provided within the waveguide and defined by dielectric means through which the microwaves are transmitted to the plasma generation region, and radical transmission means are provided between the plasma generation region and the reaction region, which means allow the passage of free radicals from the plasma generation region to the reaction region whilst substantially preventing leakage of microwaves and plasma from the plasma generation region to the reaction region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
Plasma processing apparatus, comprising a waveguide for delivering microwaves to a plasma generation region of the apparatus, in which region a reactive gas is subjected to microwaves, to generate a plasma with free radicals, when the apparatus is in use, and a reaction region, in which an object to be processed is placed, to be exposed to the free radicals, when the apparatus is in use, in which apparatus the plasma generation region is provided within the waveguide and defined by dielectric means through which the microwaves are transmitted to the plasma generation region, and radical transmission means are provided between the plasma generation region and the reaction region, which means allow the passage of free radicals from the plasma generation region to the reaction region whilst substantially preventing leakage of microwaves and plasma from the plasma generation region to the reaction region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric means comprise a dielectric window in the waveguide, which divides one portion of the waveguide, forming the plasma generation region, from other portions of the waveguide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dielectric window is formed of ceramic material or of silica glass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the dimensions of the waveguide in the directions of the electric fields of the microwaves are less in the plasma generation region than in the other portions of the waveguide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the waveguide is terminated by a dummy load, and is such that the microwaves which generate plasma in the plasma generation region substantially consist of travelling waves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the reaction region is adjoined to the plasma generation region by way of the radical transmission means, and the distance between the radical transmission means and the location of an object to be processed when the apparatus is in use is no more than 5 cm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the radical transmittion means is a metallic mesh or a metallic grid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the radical transmssion means consist of holes formed in a wall of the waveguide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein wall sufaces bounding the plasma generation region have a ceramic layer coating or a silica glass coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a microwave power source; and a gas inlet opening through which the reactive gas is fed into the plasma generation region when the apparatus is in use.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
ll. Use of the apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, for plasma processing of semiconductor substrates, employing a reactive gas which is a gas mixture of oxygen ( 02 ) and carbon tetrafluoride (CF 4 ).