| US 7,565,879 B2 | ||
| Plasma processing apparatus | ||
| Saburo Kanai, Hikari (Japan); Kazue Takahashi, Kudamatsu (Japan); Kouichi Okamura, Tokuyama (Japan); Ryoji Hamasaki, Hikari (Japan); and Satoshi Ito, Hikari (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Hitachi, Ltd, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 30, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/953,539. | ||
| Application 10/953539 is a continuation of application No. 10/617019, filed on Jul. 11, 2003, abandoned. | ||
| Application 10/617019 is a continuation of application No. 09/983946, filed on Oct. 26, 2001, granted, now 6,815,365. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0064717 A1, Mar. 24, 2005 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. C23C 16/511 (2006.01); C23C 16/52 (2006.01); C23C 16/22 (2006.01); C23C 16/06 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 118—723MW [118/663; 118/666; 156/345.24; 156/345.27; 156/345.36; 156/345.37] | 4 Claims |
| 1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a specimen comprising: a process chamber capable of having an inside pressure thereof reduced, the process chamber including an outer cylinder having a metallic surface and having the capability of withstanding a reduced pressure, and an inner cylinder arranged inside the outer cylinder so as to delimit a gap between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being made of non-magnetic material and being detachably connected to the outer cylinder so as to be detachable from the outer cylinder; a process gas supply unit for supplying gas to the process chamber; a plasma generating unit for generating a plasma inside of the inner cylinder of the process chamber; a heat transfer gas supply system for supplying heat transfer gas into the gap; a pressure controller for controlling pressure in the gap so as to control a temperature difference between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder; a specimen table disposed inside of the inner cylinder for holding a specimen; a vacuum pumping unit for evacuating the process chamber; a temperature monitoring unit for monitoring a temperature of the inner cylinder; and a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the outer cylinder using a heater mounted on the outer cylinder, the temperature controller enabling comparison of a predetermined inner cylinder temperature which is given in advance in response to a processing condition of the specimens with the monitored temperature of the inner cylinder and for controlling the temperature of the outer cylinder in response to a result of the comparison so as to control the inner cylinder temperature to the predetermined inner cylinder temperature. |