Abstract: A plasma etching is performed on a substrate having a pattern wherein an interval between neighboring openings formed on a resist mask is equal to or less than 200 nm, wherein the etching is performed by converting a processing gas comprising an active species generating gas which includes a compound having carbon and fluorine, and a nonreactive gas which includes xenon gas into a plasma. The nonreactive gas further includes argon gas.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process by employing a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber for performing the plasma process on a target object, a mounting table for mounting thereon the target object in the processing chamber, a peripheral member disposed around a periphery of the mounting table, and a voltage application unit. The voltage application unit applies a voltage to the peripheral member based on an amount of abrasion of the peripheral member, a result of a pre-performed processing or a variation of an electric field formed over the peripheral member.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an evacuation ring with high plasma resistance and capable of minimizing abnormal discharge is provided. A processing chamber 100 includes a ceiling unit 110 at which an upper electrode 112 is provided and a container unit 120 having a lower electrode 122 provided to face opposite the upper electrode 112, on which a substrate can be placed. An evacuation ring 126 is provided around the lower electrode 122 so as to divide the space in the processing chamber 100 into a plasma processing space 102 and an evacuation space 104. At the evacuation ring 126, through holes 126a and blind holes 126b which are fewer than the through holes 126a and open toward the plasma processing space 102 are formed. An insulation coating constituted of Y2O3 is applied onto the surface of the evacuation ring 126 towards the plasma processing space 102.

Abstract: In a first step and a thirst step, etching gases are used which contain fluorocarbon gases having C/F atom number ratios higher than that in a second step. A hole is formed to a midpoint in a silicon oxide film in the first step, the hole is formed until a base SiN film begins to be exposed or immediately before it is exposed in the second step, and overetching is performed in the third step. This enables even a hole having a fine diameter and a high aspect ratio to be formed in an excellent shape.

Abstract: A plasma processing method is arranged to supply a predetermined process gas into a plasma generation space in which a target substrate is placed, and turn the process gas into plasma. The substrate is subjected to a predetermined plasma process by this plasma. The spatial distribution of density of the plasma and the spatial distribution of density of radicals in the plasma are controlled independently of each other relative to the substrate by a facing portion opposite the substrate to form a predetermined process state over the entire target surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a process container configured to have a vacuum atmosphere therein. A first upper electrode is disposed to have a ring shape and to face a target substrate placed within the process container. A second upper electrode is disposed radially inside the first upper electrode and electrically insulated therefrom. A first electric feeder is configured to supply a first RF output from a first RF power supply to the first upper electrode at a first power value. A second electric feeder branches from the first electric feeder and is configured to supply the first RF output from the first RF power supply to the second upper electrode at a second power value smaller than the first power value.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a process container configured to have a vacuum atmosphere therein. An upper electrode is disposed to face a target substrate placed within the process container. An electric feeder includes a first cylindrical conductive member continuously connected to the upper electrode in an annular direction. The electric feeder is configured to supply a first RF output from a first RF power supply to the upper electrode.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an evacuation ring with high plasma resistance and capable of minimizing abnormal discharge is provided. A processing chamber 100 includes a ceiling unit 110 at which an upper electrode 112 is provided and a container unit 120 having a lower electrode 122 provided to face opposite the upper electrode 112, on which a substrate can be placed. An evacuation ring 126 is provided around the lower electrode 122 so as to divide the space in the processing chamber 100 into a plasma processing space 102 and an evacuation space 104. At the evacuation ring 126, through holes 126a and blind holes 126b which are fewer than the through holes 126a and open toward the plasma processing space 102 are formed. An insulation coating constituted of Y2O3 is applied onto the surface of the evacuation ring 126 towards the plasma processing space 102.

Abstract: A plasma etching is performed on a substrate having a pattern wherein an interval between neighboring openings formed on a resist mask is equal to or less than 200 nm, wherein the etching is performed by converting a processing gas comprising an active species generating gas which includes a compound having carbon and fluorine, and a nonreactive gas which includes xenon gas into a plasma. The nonreactive gas further includes argon gas.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an evacuation ring with high plasma resistance and capable of minimizing abnormal discharge is provided. A processing chamber 100 includes a ceiling unit 110 at which an upper electrode 112 is provided and a container unit 120 having a lower electrode 122 provided to face opposite the upper electrode 112, on which a substrate can be placed. An evacuation ring 126 is provided around the lower electrode 122 so as to divide the space in the processing chamber 100 into a plasma processing space 102 and an evacuation space 104. At the evacuation ring 126, through holes 126a and blind holes 126b which are fewer than the through holes 126a and open toward the plasma processing space 102 are formed. An insulation coating constituted of Y2O3 is applied onto the surface of the evacuation ring 126 towards the plasma processing space 102.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having an evacuation ring with high plasma resistance and capable of minimizing abnormal discharge is provided. A processing chamber 100 includes a ceiling unit 110 at which an upper electrode 112 is provided and a container unit 120 having a lower electrode 122 provided to face opposite the upper electrode 112, on which a substrate can be placed. An evacuation ring 126 is provided around the lower electrode 122 so as to divide the space in the processing chamber 100 into a plasma processing space 102 and an evacuation space 104. At the evacuation ring 126, through holes 126a and blind holes 126b which are fewer than the through holes 126a and open toward the plasma processing space 102 are formed. An insulation coating constituted of Y2O3 is applied onto the surface of the evacuation ring 126 towards the plasma processing space 102.

Abstract: In a plasma apparatus 1 for performing plasma processing on a substrate W to be processed, an upper electrode 21, which faces opposite a susceptor 5 which is a lower electrode, has an electrode supporting body 22 and an electrode plate 23. In the center on the side of the electrode supporting body at the boundary between the two, a hollow 62, the dimensions of which are determined such that a resonance is generated at a frequency of supplied high-frequency electric power and an electric field orthogonal to the electrode plate 23 is generated inside, is provided. Furthermore, a shield ring which surrounds the electrode plate 23 has a shape in which the lower surface is in the same level as the electrode plate 23, and it is made of a material that is not easily eroded by the plasma. By this, processing small features becomes possible with uniform distribution of plasma and in less degradation due to change over time.

Abstract: A wafer is subjected to a plasma process, using plasma generated while a process gas is fed into a process room, and a plus DC voltage is applied to an electrostatic chuck in order to attract and hold the wafer on the electrostatic chuck by an electrostatic force. A minus DC voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck while nitrogen gas is fed into the process room in order to cause DC discharge after the processed wafer is separated from the electrostatic chuck and before a next wafer is attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck. By doing so, plus electric charge in the gas is attracted to the electrostatic chuck, so that the surface of the electrostatic chuck is charged with plus electric charge, thereby preventing its attracting function from being deteriorated.

Abstract: A lower insulating member 13 is arranged around a suscepter 6 as a lower electrode, and an upper insulating member 31 is arranged around an upper electrode 21. An outer end portion 31a of the upper insulating member is positioned outside an lower insulating member 13, to be lower than the upper surface of a wafer W. The narrowest distance between the lower insulating member 13 and the upper insulating member 31 is arranged to be smaller than a gap G between electrodes. Diffusion of a plasma generated between electrodes is restricted and prevented from spreading to the sides, so that inner walls of a processing container 3 are not sputtered.

Abstract: An object to be etched is loaded in a low-pressure vapor phase processing chamber, and then an etching gas obtained by adding a small amount of additive gas of oxygen or additive gas at least containing oxygen to a reaction gas used for etching is fed to the low-pressure vapor phase processing chamber so as to suppress a reaction between the wall of the low-pressure vapor phase processing chamber and the reaction gas. In this state, the object to be etched is dry-etched with the etching gas.

Abstract: In order to etch an object to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer, the object to be processed is placed in a vacuum processing chamber, an etching gas is introduced into the vacuum processing chamber, and electrical power is applied to a pair of electrodes within the vacuum processing chamber by a high-frequency electrical power source. A mixed gas of carbon monoxide and a gas which does not contain hydrogen and which contains at least one element from the group IV elements and at least one element from group VII elements is used as the etching gas. A halogenated carbon gas, typically a fluorocarbon such as C.sub.4 F.sub.8, is used as the gas containing elements from the group IV and group VII elements. The concentration of carbon monoxide in the etching gas could be 50% or more. At least approximately 86% of an inert gas, such as argon, xenon, krypton, or N.sub.2 and O.sub.2 could be added to the etching gas.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber contains a first electrode for supporting a wafer, and a second electrode opposing the first electrode. A supply system and an exhaustion system are connected to the vacuum chamber. The system supplies a reactive gas into the chamber, and the system exhaust the used gas from the chamber. A radio-frequency power supply is connected to the first electrode, for supplying power between the electrodes to generate an electric field E. An annular magnet assembly is provided around the chamber, for generating a magnetic field B which has a central plane intersecting with the electric field E. The magnet assembly has a plurality of magnet elements which have different magnetization axes in the central plane of the magnetic field. Electrons drift due to a force resulting from an outer product (E.times.B) of the electric field E and the magnetic field B.

Abstract: A plasma process system for producing gas plasma in an air-tight chamber by high frequency power to process a substrate with the gas plasma comprising a lower electrode on which the substrate to be plasma-processed is mounted, an upper electrode arranged above the lower electrode, a plasma generator circuit for generating plasma between the upper and the lower electrode, a power source for supplying high frequency power to the plasma generator circuit, and bias generator for generating negative voltage in the upper or lower electrode when high frequency power is supplied from the power source to the upper or lower electrode, wherein the plasma generator circuit includes transformer for supplying a part of high frequency power, which is supplied from the power source, to the bias generator.

Abstract: Under a reduced pressure, an RF electric field is applied at a right angle to a main face of an article-to-be-treated such as a semiconductor, wafer placed on a cathode in treatment chamber. At the same time, a magnetic field is applied thereto by a magnetic field applying device to generate a plasma by a magnetron discharge. The magnetic field is formed in such a fashion that adjacent magnetic lines of flux are not in parallel with one another on the main face of the article-to-be-treated. Charged particles in the plasma drift in a diverging direction with Lorenz force so as to prevent electrification of the article-to-be-treated.

Abstract: A magnetron plasma processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber for housing an object to be processed, an electric field generating device, provided in the reaction chamber and having a first electrode for placing the object to be processed thereon and a second electrode opposing the first electrode, for generating an electric field between the first and second electrodes, a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field having a component perpendicular to the electric field, and a device for supplying a reaction gas into the reaction chamber to generate a magnetron plasma by functions of the electric field and the magnetic field. A ring for strengthening the component of the electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field and for increasing the plasma generated at the peripheral portion of the object to be processed is provided to surround the peripheral portion of the object to be processed.