Abstract: Automatic generation of processing conditions will be provided, based on a database and process modeling by a computer equipped in semiconductor device fabrication equipment, by using input of wafer processing history including the thickness and quality. The computer equipped in semiconductor device fabrication equipment obtains the wafer processing and inspection results from a production line management computer in order to assist input of the process history. The computer in the fabrication equipment can be connected to computers in a fabrication equipment manufacturer on a communication network to automatically provide process conditions and maintenance schedule.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dry cleaning technology in which the particles left on the surface of the ultra-fine structure such as a semiconductor device and the like can be cleaned and removed totally in a vacuum environment without being dependent on a wet cleaning method performed in the surrounding atmosphere. In the dry cleaning device of the present invention, the pad is approached to the surface of the wafer such as a semiconductor wafer and the like, cleaning gas is injected into a fine clearance formed between both members to generate a high-speed gas flow along the surface of the wafer and the particles left on the surface of the wafer are physically cleaned and removed with the high-speed gas flow. In addition, in order to assist this physical cleaning action, either a chemical or an electrical cleaning method such as a plasma or the like can be used together.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which efficiently carries out a process on a semiconductor substrate, such as dry etching, and cleaning for removing a foreign matter after the process. The method includes a step of removing a foreign matter by using both an electric action of a plasma generated by plasma generation means and a physical action caused by a frictional stress of a fast gas stream formed by a pad structure which is arranged close to a wafer surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dry cleaning method capable of totally cleaning and removing particles left at the surfaces of the ultra fine structure of the semiconductor device within the vacuum state without being dependent on a wet cleaning method performed in the surrounding atmosphere. The dry cleaning method of the present invention is carried out such that each of the pads is approached to each of the front surface and the rear surface of a processed item such as the semiconductor wafer and the like, cleaning gas is injected into a fine clearance formed between both of them to generate a high-speed gas flow along the surface of the processed item and the particles left at the surfaces of the processed item are physically cleaned and removed with the high-speed gas flow. In order to assist this physical cleaning action, it is also possible to apply either a chemical cleaning method or an electrical cleaning method under application of plasma.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method are provided. The plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method are capable of easily performing precise working of a fine pattern to a large sized sample having a diameter of 300 mm or larger, and also capable of improving a selectivity during micro processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dry chemical-mechanical polishing method to perform etching in efficient manner. The dry chemical-mechanical polishing method comprises the steps of bringing surface of a polishing specimen retained on a specimen stand 114 into contact with a polishing tool while supplying plasma 106 from a plasma source, moving relative positions of the polishing specimen and the polishing tool and then polishing, and planarizing the surface of the polishing specimen, whereby diameter of the polishing specimen is increased to larger than diameter of the polishing tool, for instance, so that at least a part of the surface of the polishing specimen is exposed to an atmosphere of the plasma during polishing operation.

Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a vacuum chamber having a gas introducing unit, and an electromagnetic wave introducing planar plate and electromagnets disposed in the chamber. A distance between the planar plate and a sample is equal to or less than one half of the smaller one of the diameters of the planar plate and the sample. An electromagnetic wave with a frequency ranging from 300 MHz to 500 MHz and an electromagnetic wave with a frequency ranging from 50 kHz to 30 MHz are superposed to the planar plate. Reaction between the resultant electromagnetic wave superposed and a magnetic field of the electromagnets generates plasma to achieve plasma processing of the sample.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprising a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma generating means including a pair of electrodes, a sample table for mounting a sample to be processed inside the vacuum processing chamber and also serving as one of the electrodes, and a evacuating means for evacuating the vacuum processing chamber, which further comprises a high frequency electric power source for applying an electric power of a VHF band from 50 MHz to 200 MHz between the pair of electrodes; and a magnetic field forming means for forming a static magnetic field or a low frequency magnetic field larger than 10 gausses and smaller than 110 gausses in a direction intersecting an electric field generated between the pair of electrodes and the vicinity by the high frequency electric power source; therein the magnetic field forming means being set so that a portion where a component of the magnetic field in a direction along the surface of the sample table becomes maximum is brought to a position in the opposite side o

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.

Abstract: Because of environmental pollution prevention laws, PFC (perfluorocarbon) and HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), both etching gases for silicon oxide and silicon nitride films, are expected to be subjected to limited use or become difficult to obtain in the future. To accommodate such a problem, an etching gas containing fluorine atoms is introduced into a plasma chamber. In a region where plasma etching takes place, the fluorine-containing gas plasma is made to react with solid-state carbon in order to produce a molecular chemical species such as CF.sub.4, CF.sub.2, CF.sub.3 and C.sub.2 F.sub.4 for etching. This method assures a high etching rate and high selectivity while keeping a process window wide.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and method are provided which are capable of easily performing precise working of a fine pattern on a large sized sample having a diameter of 300 mm or larger, and also capable of improving selectivity during micro processing. The apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma generating arrangement including a pair of electrodes, a sample table for mounting a sample to be processed inside the vacuum processing chamber and also serving as one of the electrodes, and an evacuating means for evacuating the vacuum processing chamber. The apparatus further includes a high frequency electric power source for applying an electric power of VHF band from 50 MHz to 200 MHz between the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus in which power consumption is reduced, which can generate uniform plasma in a large range and in which minute processing in high etching selectivity and in high aspect ratio is enabled is disclosed. High density plasma is generated in a vacuum vessel housing a processed sample utilizing an electron cyclotron resonance phenomenon caused by an electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band and a magnetic field and the surface of the processed sample is etched using this plasma. An electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band for generating plasma is radiated from a planar conductive plate consisting of graphite or silicon which is arranged opposite to the surface of the processed sample into space inside the vacuum vessel. High density plasma in the low degree of dissociation can be generated by using an electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band and as a result, the controllability of etching reaction can be enhanced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus in which power consumption is reduced, which can generate uniform plasma in a large range and in which minute processing in high etching selectivity and in high aspect ratio is enabled is disclosed. High density plasma is generated in a vacuum vessel housing a processed sample utilizing an electron cyclotron resonance phenomenon caused by an electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band and a magnetic field and the surface of the processed sample is etched using this plasma. An electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band for generating plasma is radiated from a planar conductive plate consisting of graphite or silicon which is arranged opposite to the surface of the processed sample into space inside the vacuum vessel. High density plasma in the low degree of dissociation can be generated by using an electromagnetic wave in an ultra-high frequency band and as a result, the controllability of etching reaction can be enhanced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.

Abstract: With recent decreases in the size of semiconductor memories, isolation problems typically arise during fabrication of a capacitor for a high-capacity semiconductor memory device. To overcome this, arrangements are provided to improve the isolation between capacitor elements even if those elements are extremely close together. For example, if a material such as platinum is used as a capacitor bottom electrode, a thin layer of titanium oxide can be deposited before forming the platinum, to provide a structure in which the titanium oxide is on the bottom portion of the trench. A high-dielectric-constant insulator is then formed over that structure by the Chemical Vapor Deposition. The high-dielectric-constant insulator has a composition which satisfies the stoichiometric composition over the platinum and which has more titanium atoms than those of the stoichiometric composition on the trench bottom.

Abstract: Etching of an article is carried out by maintaining the article at a temperature at which the vapor pressure of etching gas molecules becomes equal to or higher than the pressure of etching gas and the vapor pressure of neutral radicals contained in a plasma becomes equal to or lower than the pressure of an etching gas. An etching pattern with a substantially vertical side profile and extremely small in dimensional shift from the mask can be formed at high precision.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions. The first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film, or the presence, absence or shape of a taper angle. Various parameters for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated.