The present disclosure relates to a cold plasma generating apparatus that can efficiently ignite (initially discharge) cold plasma and easily match common impedance and that is optimized for use in applications related to sterilization because it can uniformly distribute power to multiple plasma sources through a single power supply in a multi-plasma array configuration and increase effective plasma volume, and a multi-cold plasma array apparatus comprising the same.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a mounting table for mounting thereon a target object in the chamber, a plasma source configured to introduce microwaves into the chamber through a ceiling wall of the chamber and generate a surface wave plasma in the chamber, a first gas introduction unit for introducing a first gas into the chamber from the ceiling wall, and a second gas introduction unit for introducing a second gas into the chamber from a location between the ceiling wall and the mounting table. The second gas introduction unit includes a ring-shaped member having a plurality of gas injection holes and provided at a predetermined height position between the ceiling wall and the mounting table, and a leg part which connects the ceiling wall and the ring-shaped member. The second gas is supplied to the ring-shaped member through the leg part.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container including an opening provided in a ceiling wall of the processing container, and a microwave radiation source. The microwave radiation source includes a slot antenna including a slot and configured to radiate microwaves from the slot, and a transmission window configured to close the opening and to radiate the microwaves from the slot into the processing container. The transmission window includes a first surface including a skirt which suspends to cover a side wall of the opening, and a second surface which is an opposite surface to the first surface and faces the slot antenna with a gap between the slot antenna and the second surface.

A microwave magnetron includes a cathode for emitting electrons, a filament for receiving a filament current to heat the cathode to enable to cathode to emit the electrons, and an anode to which anodic power can be applied to affect a flow of the electrons. An anodic power input receives the anodic power to be applied to the anode, the anodic power being characterized by an anodic current, an anodic voltage, and an anodic impedance, the anodic impedance being a quotient of the anodic voltage and the anodic current. An electromagnet power input receives electromagnet power and applies the electromagnet power to an electromagnet to control an intensity of a magnetic field, the electromagnet power being characterized by an electromagnet current. A controller adjusts at least one of the parameters of the magnetron to affect the flow of electrons while maintaining the anodic impedance constant.

A plasma chemical vapor deposition device includes an adhesion suppressing sheet suppressing a processing gas from adhering to an inner wall of a reactor. The adhesion suppressing sheet is arranged between a placement position of a workpiece and the inner wall of the reactor. The adhesion suppressing sheet is a fabric that includes first fiber bundles and second fiber bundles that extend in directions different from each other. In the first fiber bundles, front side portions and rear side portions are alternately arranged in a first direction. In the second fiber bundles, front side portions and rear side portions are alternately arranged in a second direction.

A method of forming a silicon nitride film on a substrate in a vacuum vessel, includes forming the silicon nitride film by depositing a layer of reaction product by repeating a cycle a plurality of times. The cycle includes a first process of supplying a gas of a silicon raw material to the substrate to adsorb the silicon raw material to the substrate, subsequently, a second process of supplying a gas of ammonia in a non-plasma state to the substrate to physically adsorb the gas of the ammonia to the substrate, and subsequently, a third process of supplying active species obtained by converting a plasma forming gas containing a hydrogen gas for forming plasma into plasma to the substrate and causing the ammonia physically adsorbed to the substrate to react with the silicon raw material to form the layer of reaction product.

This microwave plasma processing apparatus has, as a gas introduction mechanism for introducing a working gas inside a chamber (10), electrical discharge prevention members (96(1) to 96(8)), each of which is provided to a plurality of dielectric window gas passages (94(1) to (94(8)) through which a dielectric window (54) passes. Each electrical discharge prevention member (96(n)), a portion (114) of which protrudes only a height h, which is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance H, upward from the rear surface of a dielectric window (52) on the inlet side, passes through an opening (54a) of a slot plate (54), and inserts into a branched gas supply path (92(n)) of a gas branch part (90). The gas branch part (90), spring coils (116) and the slot plate (54), which surround the protruding portion (114) of each electrical discharge prevention member (96(n)), constitute an enclosing conductor (118).

Described herein are technologies related to a radical source with a housing that includes a plasma cavity that is designed to contain a plasma created by a plasma generator. The housing has at least one gas injector designed to inject process gas into the plasma. The plasma produces radicals from the gas injected into the plasma. The cavity has an exit or opening formed therein that ejects the radicals from the cavity. The ejected radicals may be directed towards a subject wafer substrate under the radical source. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Plasma is generated in a semiconductor process chamber by a plurality of microwave inputs with slow or fast rotation. Radial uniformity of the plasma is controlled by regulating the power ratio of a center-high mode and an edge-high mode of the plurality of microwave inputs into a microwave cavity. The radial uniformity of the generated plasma in a plasma chamber is attained by adjusting the power ratio for the two modes without inputting time-splitting parameters for each mode.

Methods and apparatus provide plasma generation for semiconductor process chambers. In some embodiments, the plasma is generated by a system that may comprise a process chamber having at least two upper microwave cavities separated from a lower microwave cavity by a metallic plate with a plurality of radiation slots, at least one microwave input port connected to a first one of the at least two upper microwave cavities, at least two microwave input ports connected to a second one of the at least two upper microwave cavities, and the lower microwave cavity receives radiation through the plurality of radiation slots in the metallic plate from both of the at least two upper microwave cavities, the lower microwave cavity is configured to form an electric field that provides uniform plasma distribution in a process volume of the process chamber.