SHEET-LIKE PLASMA GENERATOR AND FILM DEPOSITION METHOD AND EQUIPMENT EMPLOYING SUCH SHEET-LIKE PLASMA GENERATOR

• Main Authors: SAITOU TOMOYASU, MORIWAKI TAKAYUKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.09.2009
• Subjects: CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OFNEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMICBEAMS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

The present invention provides a sheet-like plasma generator in which film deposition area can be enlarged while making the film thickness distribution more uniform, and film deposition equipment employing such sheet-like plasma generator. The sheet-like plasma generator generates sheet-like plasma by passing a plasma beam, which let out from a plasma gun by means of a convergence coil, through a magnetic field formed by a sheet magnet assembly consisting of a pair of sheet magnets in the form of permanent magnets extending in the direction perpendicular to the advancing direction of the plasma beam and arranged in parallel to oppose each other, and deforming the plasma beam into a sheet-like plasma beam. The sheet magnet assembly includes at least one sheet magnet in which the repulsion field strength at a portion corresponding to the central side of the plasma beams is higher than that at a portion corresponding to the outer edge side of the plasma beam.