Abstract: A plasma etching method by using a plasma etching apparatus having a depressurizable processing chamber; a lower electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber; an upper electrode facing the lower electrode in the processing chamber with a plasma generation region formed therebetween; a radio frequency power supply unit for applying a radio frequency power between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to thereby form a radio frequency electric field in the plasma generation region, the method comprising: supplying a first gas including etchant gas to an upper gas inlet to introduce the first gas through the upper electrode into the plasma generation region; and feeding a second gas including dilution gas to a side gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a sidewall of the processing chamber into the plasma generation region.

Abstract: A plasma etching method by using a plasma etching apparatus having a depressurizable processing chamber; a lower electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber; an upper electrode facing the lower electrode in the processing chamber with a plasma generation region formed therebetween; a radio frequency power supply unit for applying a radio frequency power between the upper electrode and the lower electrode to thereby form a radio frequency electric field in the plasma generation region, the method comprising: supplying a first gas including etchant gas to an upper gas inlet to introduce the first gas through the upper electrode into the plasma generation region; and feeding a second gas including dilution gas to a side gas inlet to introduce the second gas through a sidewall of the processing chamber into the plasma generation region.

Abstract: In order to improve a controllability of etching characteristics by way of precisely and freely controlling a flow or a density distribution of a processing gas introduced into a processing chamber, a plasma etching apparatus includes, as a gas inlet for introducing an etching gas into a plasma generation region PS in a chamber 10, an upper gas inlet (an upper central shower head 66a and an upper peripheral shower head 68a) for introducing a gas through an upper electrode 38; and a side gas inlet for introducing a gas through a sidewall of the chamber 10. The side gas inlet 104 has a side shower head 108 attached to the sidewall of the chamber 10.