Plasma processing apparatus comprising electron supply chamber and high frequency electric field generation means

Claim 1

An apparatus for processing a substrate while using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the substrate in the processing chamber; means for generating a high frequency electric field in the processing chamber; means for introducing processing gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass form said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in the path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.

Claim 2

An apparatus for processing a substrate while using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the substrate in the processing chamber; means for generating a high frequency electric field in the processing chamber; means for introducing processing gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass form said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in the path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.

Claim 13

An apparatus for etching a semiconductor wafer using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the wafer in the processing chamber; a pair of parallel electrodes arranged in the processing chamber, the support means being formed on a surface of one of the parallel electrodes opposite to the other of said parallel electrodes; a high frequency power source for applying high frequency voltage between the pair of parallel electrodes for generating an electric field of high frequency, perpendicular to a face of the wafer to be processed, in the processing chamber; means for introducing etching gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass from said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in said path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.

Claim 14

An apparatus for etching a semiconductor wafer using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the wafer in the processing chamber; a pair of parallel electrodes arranged in the processing chamber, the support means being formed on a surface of one of the parallel electrodes opposite to the other of said parallel electrodes; a high frequency power source for applying high frequency voltage between the pair of parallel electrodes for generating an electric field of high frequency, perpendicular to a face of the wafer to be processed, in the processing chamber; means for introducing etching gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass from said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in said path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.

Claim 21

An apparatus for processing a substrate while using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the substrate in the processing chamber; means for generating a high frequency electric field in the processing chamber; means for introducing processing gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass from said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in the path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field is disposed around the outer circumference of the attraction electrode so as to be in intimate contact with the attraction electrode, and wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.

Claim 22

An apparatus for processing a substrate while using plasma, comprising: a processing chamber capable of attaining a vacuum state; means for supporting the substrate in the processing chamber; means for generating a high frequency electric field in the processing chamber; means for introducing processing gas, to be formed into plasma, into the processing chamber; an electron supply chamber connected to the processing chamber through a path extending in a given direction; electron generator means arranged in the electron supply chamber for generating electrons which pass from said electron supply chamber into said processing chamber along said path; an attraction electrode for attracting said electrons generated in the electron supply chamber, the attraction electrode being arranged in said path and having an opening through which said electrons pass; a DC power source for applying a voltage between the electron generator means and the attraction electrode such that the attraction electrode has an electric potential higher than that of the electron generator means; and means for generating a guiding magnetic field in the path to guide said electrons from the electron supply chamber into the processing chamber, wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field is disposed around the outer circumference of the attraction electrode so as to be in intimate contact with the attraction electrode, and wherein said means for generating said guiding magnetic field includes a coil magnet located around said attraction electrode such that the coil magnet and the attraction electrode have a common central axis which extends in said given direction, and wherein a plane perpendicular to said common central axis bisects said attraction electrode and said means for generating said guiding magnetic field.