Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing method for subjecting a sample on which a metal element-containing film is disposed to plasma etching in a processing chamber. The method comprises: subjecting an inside of the processing chamber to plasma cleaning using a boron element-containing gas; removing the boron element using plasma after the plasma cleaning; subjecting the inside of the processing chamber to plasma cleaning using a fluorine element-containing gas after removing the boron element; depositing a deposited film in the processing chamber by plasma using a silicon element-containing gas after the plasma cleaning using the fluorine element-containing gas; and subjecting the sample to plasma etching after depositing the deposited film.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber disposed inside a vacuum container and in which plasma is formed; and a member which is a member forming an inner wall surface of the processing chamber and is disposed on a surface to be exposed to the plasma and has a coating film formed by spraying of yttrium fluoride or a material containing the yttrium fluoride. A ratio of an orthorhombic crystal of the yttrium fluoride or the material containing the yttrium fluoride forming the coating film relative to the entirety is 60% or more.

Abstract: A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.

Abstract: To reduce the damage caused due to the degradation of sealing material without complicating the structure of the vacuum sealing material of the vacuum container and to perform cleaning without affecting the lifetime of the sealing material in a plasma processing apparatus, this invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which a window portion and a processing chamber are coupled to each other with an elastomeric sealing material sandwiched therebetween, and a sealing material is arranged at a position where a ratio of a distance from the inner wall surface of a processing chamber in an interstice portion to the sealing material with respect to the interstice between the window portion and the processing chamber having the sealing material sandwiched there between is 3 or more, in a vacuum state with the air exhausted from the processing chamber by the vacuum exhaust unit.

Abstract: In time-series data indicating light emission of plasma when plasma processing is carried out on a sample by generating the plasma, an analysis apparatus creates combinations of a plurality of light emission wavelengths of elements and a plurality of time intervals within a plasma processing interval and calculates, for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals, a correlation between an average value of light emission intensity and the number of times the plasma processing is carried out on the samples for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals that have been created. Thereafter, the data analysis apparatus selects, as a combination of the wavelength and the time interval used to observe or control the plasma processing, a combination of a wavelength of light emitting from a specific element and a specific time interval having a maximum correlation.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, occurrence of unplanned maintenance is predicted in advance so that a time when the work should be incorporated into planned maintenance can be determined. An apparatus diagnostic apparatus including a degradation score estimation unit that receives an output of a sensor mounted on a plasma processing apparatus and estimates a degradation score of the plasma processing device; a maintenance work occurrence probability estimation unit that calculates a probability of occurrence of an unplanned maintenance work that is not included in an original maintenance plan based on the degradation score; an actual maintenance cost calculation unit that calculates an actual maintenance cost; and a plan incorporated maintenance cost calculation unit that outputs a correction plan of maintenance plan in which the original maintenance plan is corrected by incorporating the unplanned maintenance work based on the probability of occurrence of the unplanned maintenance work.

Abstract: A plasma processing method which can realize a reduction of process variation in the first one of lot processing includes a first step of supplying gas to a processing chamber and a second step of etching the sample by using plasma after the first step. The gas is a gas containing a carbon element and a hydrogen element, a gas containing a chlorine element, or a mixed gas containing all of the gases used in the second step.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a plasma processing chamber in which an electrode for placing a substrate to be processed is provided; a power supply; and a control device configured to control the power supply, in which the control device is configured to execute heat-retaining discharge under a first condition in which the substrate is not placed on the electrode inside the plasma processing chamber to generate first plasma to heat an inner wall surface to a first temperature, rapid temperature control discharge under a second condition to generate second plasma inside the plasma processing chamber to heat the inner wall surface to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and product processing of controlling the power supply under a third condition in a state where the substrate is placed on the electrode to generate third plasma inside the plasma processing chamber to process the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus capable of obtaining desired etch profiles and preventing the degradation of yield rates due to the adhesion of particles, and equipped with a processing chamber in which a sample is plasma-treated; a radio-frequency power source for supplying radio-frequency power used to generate plasma; a sample stage which is provided with electrodes for electrostatically adsorbing the sample and on which the sample is mounted; and a DC power supply for applying DC voltages to the electrodes, the apparatus being further equipped with a control apparatus for controlling the DC power supply so as to apply such DC voltages as to decrease the absolute value of the potential of the sample in the absence of the plasma.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus capable of obtaining desired etch profiles and preventing the degradation of yield rates due to the adhesion of particles, and equipped with a processing chamber in which a sample is plasma-treated; a radio-frequency power source for supplying radio-frequency power used to generate plasma; a sample stage which is provided with electrodes for electrostatically adsorbing the sample and on which the sample is mounted; and a DC power supply for applying DC voltages to the electrodes, the apparatus being further equipped with a control apparatus for controlling the DC power supply so as to apply such DC voltages as to decrease the absolute value of the potential of the sample in the absence of the plasma.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing method capable of removing complex depositions of metal and non-metal deposited in a processing chamber by etching processing of a wafer to reduce generation of particle due to the depositions, in a plasma processing method for plasma-etching the wafer such as a semiconductor substrate. According to the present invention, there is provided a plasma processing method for plasma-etching a sample in a processing chamber and plasma-cleaning the inside of the processing chamber, the method comprising: an etching step for plasma-etching a predetermined number of the samples; a metal removing step of removing a deposited film containing a metal element by using a plasma after the etching step; and a non-metal removing step of removing the deposited film containing the non-metal element by using a plasma different from the plasma in the metal removing step, in which the metal removing step and the non-metal removing step are repeated twice or more.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing method capable of removing complex depositions of metal and non-metal deposited in a processing chamber by etching processing of a wafer to reduce generation of particle due to the depositions, in a plasma processing method for plasma-etching the wafer such as a semiconductor substrate. According to the present invention, there is provided a plasma processing method for plasma-etching a sample in a processing chamber and plasma-cleaning the inside of the processing chamber, the method comprising: an etching step for plasma-etching a predetermined number of the samples; a metal removing step of removing a deposited film containing a metal element by using a plasma after the etching step; and a non-metal removing step of removing the deposited film containing the non-metal element by using a plasma different from the plasma in the metal removing step, in which the metal removing step and the non-metal removing step are repeated twice or more.

Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for diagnosing a state of a plasma processing apparatus, prior distribution information including a probability distribution function is previously obtained for each of first sensors by using first sensor values obtained by the first sensors in a first plasma processing apparatus, a probability distribution in each of second sensors corresponding to each of the first sensors is estimated based on the previously obtained prior distribution information and second sensor values obtained by the second sensors in a second plasma processing apparatus different from the first plasma processing apparatus, and a state of the second plasma processing apparatus is diagnosed by using the estimated probability distribution.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a radio frequency power source; a sample stage on which a sample is mounted; an electrode which is arranged inside the sample stage and electrostatically chucks the sample; a DC power source which applies a DC voltage to the electrode; and a control device which controls an output voltage of the DC power source so that an electric potential difference between an electric potential of the sample and an electric potential of an inner wall of the plasma processing chamber is reduced to an electric potential difference within a predetermined range during interruption of plasma discharge.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber processing a sample using plasma, a radio frequency power supply supplying radio frequency power for generating the plasma, a sample stage including an electrode electrostatically chucking the sample, mounting the sample thereon, a DC power supply applying DC voltage to the electrode, and a control device shifting the DC voltage previously set, in a negative direction by a first shift amount during discharge of the plasma, shifting the DC voltage having been shifted in the negative direction by the first shift amount, in a positive direction by a second shift amount after the discharge of the plasma. The first shift amount has a value changing potential over a surface of the sample to 0 V, upon shifting the DC voltage in the positive direction. The second shift amount has a value obtained based on a floating potential of the plasma.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a radio frequency power source; a sample stage on which a sample is mounted; an electrode which is arranged inside the sample stage and electrostatically chucks the sample; a DC power source which applies a DC voltage to the electrode; and a control device which controls an output voltage of the DC power source so that an electric potential difference between an electric potential of the sample and an electric potential of an inner wall of the plasma processing chamber is reduced to an electric potential difference within a predetermined range during interruption of plasma discharge.

Abstract: A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.

Abstract: To reduce the damage caused due to the degradation of sealing material without complicating the structure of the vacuum sealing material of the vacuum container and to perform cleaning without affecting the lifetime of the sealing material in a plasma processing apparatus, this invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which a window portion and a processing chamber are coupled to each other with an elastomeric sealing material sandwiched therebetween, and a sealing material is arranged at a position where a ratio of a distance from the inner wall surface of a processing chamber in an interstice portion to the sealing material with respect to the interstice between the window portion and the processing chamber having the sealing material sandwiched there between is 3 or more, in a vacuum state with the air exhausted from the processing chamber by the vacuum exhaust unit.

Abstract: A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a state prediction apparatus that predicts an apparatus state of the plasma processing apparatus configured to include an apparatus data recording unit that records apparatus data output from the plasma processing apparatus during the processing of the sample, a physical environment measurement data recording unit that measures physical environment in the processing chamber and records apparatus physical environment data, data correction unit that extracts a temporal change component of the physical environment from a plurality of the apparatus physical environment data recorded in the physical environment measurement data recording unit and extracts the temporal change component of the physical environment from the apparatus data to remove the temporal change components, and an apparatus state prediction calculation unit that predicts the state of the plasma processing apparatus using the apparatus data from which the temporal change component of the physical environme