Abstract: There is provided an etching method including: loading a substrate having a recess and an etching target portion existing on an inner surface of the recess into a processing container, the etching target portion being made of SiN or Si; preferentially modifying a surface of the etching target portion at a top portion of the recess by performing an oxygen-containing plasma process on the substrate inside the processing container; and subsequently, dry-etching the etching target portion in an isotropic manner.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate mounted on a mounting table in a processing chamber by supplying a gas to the substrate, the apparatus includes: a partition unit provided, between a processing space where a substrate is provided and a diffusion space where a first gas is diffused, to face the mounting table; a first gas supply unit for supplying the first gas to the diffusion space; first gas injection holes, formed through the partition unit, for injecting the first gas diffused in the diffusion space into the processing space; and a second gas supply unit including second gas injection holes opened on a gas injection surface of the partition unit which faces the processing space. The second gas supply unit independently supplies a second gas to each of a plurality of regions arranged in a horizontal direction in the processing space separately from the first gas.

Abstract: In a substrate processing method for etching a silicon oxide layer formed on a surface of a substrate, a surface of the silicon oxide layer is hydrophilized. Then, the silicon oxide layer is etched by supplying a halogen-containing gas to the substrate and sublimating a reaction product generated by reaction between the halogen-containing gas and the silicon oxide layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a toner for development of electrostatic images, including step (1) of mixing a releasing agent and a water dispersion of resin particles (A) to obtain a water dispersion of releasing agent particles; step (2) of mixing the obtained water dispersion of the releasing agent particles and a water dispersion of resin particles (B) to aggregate the releasing agent particles and the resin particles (B), thereby obtaining aggregated particles; and step (3) of coalescing the obtained aggregated particles to obtain coalesced particles, in which the resin particles (A) include a composite resin including a segment (a1) constituted of a polyester resin and a vinyl-based resin segment (a2) containing a constitutional unit derived from a styrene-based compound; and a resin constituting the resin particles (B) includes a segment (b1) constituted of a polyester resin in an amount of not less than 50% by mass.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning method for removing a first deposit, formed on an upper electrode through an etching of a metal layer containing a metal, by using a plasma generated between a lower electrode of a lower structure and the upper electrode in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. The method includes a step of colliding ions with the first deposit formed on the upper electrode and a step of removing a second deposit, which is generated by said colliding and formed on the lower structure. Further, a cycle including the step of colliding and the step of removing is repeated multiple times.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate mounted on a mounting table in a processing chamber by supplying a gas to the substrate, the apparatus includes: a partition unit provided, between a processing space where a substrate is provided and a diffusion space where a first gas is diffused, to face the mounting table; a first gas supply unit for supplying the first gas to the diffusion space; first gas injection holes, formed through the partition unit, for injecting the first gas diffused in the diffusion space into the processing space; and a second gas supply unit including second gas injection holes opened on a gas injection surface of the partition unit which faces the processing space. The second gas supply unit independently supplies a second gas to each of a plurality of regions arranged in a horizontal direction in the processing space separately from the first gas.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning method for removing a first deposit, formed on an upper electrode through an etching of a metal layer containing a metal, by using a plasma generated between a lower electrode of a lower structure and the upper electrode in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. The method includes a step of colliding ions with the first deposit formed on the upper electrode and a step of removing a second deposit, which is generated by said colliding and formed on the lower structure. Further, a cycle including the step of colliding and the step of removing is repeated multiple times.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus which includes: a process container configured to accommodate a substrate; a partition member disposed between plasma generated inside the process container and the substrate, the partition member configured to selectively transmit radicals in the plasma toward the substrate; and a heat shield plate disposed between the partition member and the substrate. The heat shield plate is disposed so as to face the substrate. The heat shield plate is made of metal or silicon and is connected to the process container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for removing, from a target substrate having an insulating film with a predetermined pattern formed thereon, a silicon-containing oxide film formed in a silicon portion at a bottom of the pattern. The method includes: forming a carbon-based protective film on the entire surface of the insulating film including the pattern by ALD using a carbon source gas; selectively removing the carbon-based protective film on an upper surface of the insulating film and on the bottom of the pattern by an anisotropic plasma processing; removing the silicon-containing oxide film formed on the bottom of the pattern by etching; and removing a remaining portion of the carbon-based protective film.

Abstract: An etching method is provided for etching a multilayer film material that includes a metal laminated film having an insulating layer arranged between a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer. The etching method includes an etching step of generating a plasma by supplying a first gas to a processing chamber and etching the metal laminated film using the generated plasma. The first gas is a gas containing PF3 gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a toner for development of electrostatic images, including step (1) of mixing a releasing agent and a water dispersion of resin particles (A) to obtain a water dispersion of releasing agent particles; step (2) of mixing the obtained water dispersion of the releasing agent particles and a water dispersion of resin particles (B) to aggregate the releasing agent particles and the resin particles (B), thereby obtaining aggregated particles; and step (3) of coalescing the obtained aggregated particles to obtain coalesced particles, in which the resin particles (A) include a composite resin including a segment (a1) constituted of a polyester resin and a vinyl-based resin segment (a2) containing a constitutional unit derived from a styrene-based compound; and a resin constituting the resin particles (B) includes a segment (b1) constituted of a polyester resin in an amount of not less than 50% by mass.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for removing, from a target substrate having an insulating film with a predetermined pattern formed thereon, a silicon-containing oxide film formed in a silicon portion at a bottom of the pattern. The method includes: forming a carbon-based protective film on the entire surface of the insulating film including the pattern by ALD using a carbon source gas; selectively removing the carbon-based protective film on an upper surface of the insulating film and on the bottom of the pattern by an anisotropic plasma processing; removing the silicon-containing oxide film formed on the bottom of the pattern by etching; and removing a remaining portion of the carbon-based protective film.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus, for generating a plasma from a gas by a high frequency energy and etching a substrate in a processing chamber by radicals in the plasma, includes a high frequency power supply configured to supply the high frequency energy into the processing chamber, a gas supply source configured to introduce the gas into the processing chamber, a mounting table configured to mount the substrate thereon, and a partition plate provided in the processing chamber and configured to divide an inner space of the processing chamber into a plasma generation space and a substrate processing space and suppress passage of ions therethrough. The partition plate and a portion of an inner wall surface of the processing chamber which is positioned at least above the mounting table are covered by a dielectric material having a recombination coefficient of 0.002 or less.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, insulating members are horizontally and separately arranged above a mounting unit in a processing chamber. Each insulating member serves as a partition between a vacuum atmosphere in the processing chamber and an external atmosphere of the processing chamber. Antennas are provided on the respective insulating members to generate an inductively coupled plasma. A first processing gas is supplied into the processing chamber and adsorbed onto a substrate on the mounting unit. A second processing gas is turned into a plasma by power supplied from the antennas and is supplied to activate the first processing gas adsorbed onto the substrate or react with the first processing gas adsorbed onto the substrate. The supply of the first processing gas and the supply of the second processing gas are alternately repeated multiple times with a process of evacuating an inside of the processing chamber interposed therebetween.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method which includes: treating a substrate using a fluorine-containing gas; and exposing the substrate to a moisture-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a target substrate is processed; an application electrode and a facing electrode provided to face each other in the processing chamber, a plasma generation space being formed between the application electrode and the facing electrode; and an RF power supply connected to the application electrode, an RF power being supplied from the RF power supply to the application electrode. At least one of the application electrode and the facing electrode includes a base formed of a metal, and a dielectric body inserted into the base, one or more metal plate electrodes being buried in the dielectric body.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a supporting unit, provided in a processing chamber having a gas exhaust port, for supporting a substrate; one or more nozzle units, each for ejecting gas clusters to a peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the supporting unit to remove unnecessary substances from the peripheral portion; and a moving mechanism for changing relative positions of the supporting unit and the nozzle unit during ejecting the gas clusters. Each nozzle unit discharges a cleaning gas having a pressure higher than that in the processing chamber so that the cleaning gas is adiabatically expanded to form aggregates of atoms and/or molecules.

Abstract: A method of etching a copper layer of a target object including, on the copper layer, a mask having a pattern to be transferred onto the copper layer is provided. The method includes etching the copper layer by using plasma of a first gas containing a hydrogen gas; and processing the target object by using plasma of a second gas containing a hydrogen gas and a gas (hereinafter, referred to as “deposition gas”) that is deposited on the target object. Further, the etching of the copper layer by using plasma of the first gas and the processing of the target object by using plasma of the second gas are repeated alternately.

Abstract: A method includes: etching a target layer of a target object in a processing chamber by generating a plasma of a first gas containing at least one of SF6, ClF3 and F2 supplied into the processing chamber to; and forming a protective film on the target layer by generating a plasma of a second gas containing at least one of hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon, and fluorohydrocarbon supplied into the processing chamber. In the etching, a pressure in the processing chamber is set to a first pressure and a first bias power is applied to a lower electrode. In the forming, the pressure is set to a second pressure lower than the first pressure and a second bias power higher than the first bias power is applied to the lower electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning method for removing a first deposit, formed on an upper electrode through an etching of a metal layer containing a metal, by using a plasma generated between a lower electrode of a lower structure and the upper electrode in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. The method includes a step of colliding ions with the first deposit formed on the upper electrode and a step of removing a second deposit, which is generated by said colliding and formed on the lower structure. Further, a cycle including the step of colliding and the step of removing is repeated multiple times.