Abstract: Standard patterns of differential values of interference light that correspond to a predetermined step height of the first material being processed and standard patterns of differential values of interference light that correspond to a predetermined remaining mask layer thickness of the material are set. These standard patterns use wavelengths as parameters. Then, the intensities of interference light of multiple wavelengths are measured for a second material that has the same structure as the first material. Actual patterns with wavelength as parameter are determined from differential values of the measured interference light intensities. Based on the standard patterns and the actual patterns of the differential values, the step height and the remaining mask layer thickness of the second material are determined.

Abstract: An etching end point judging device which uses emission spectroscopy for dry etching. The device includes an AND converter for obtaining time series data of emission intensity of a specific wavelength produced during etching, a first digital filter for performing smoothening of the time series data, a differential operator for obtaining a differential coefficient of the smoothened time series data, a second digital filter for smoothening the calculated differential coefficient of the time series data, and a discriminator for judging the etching end point by comparing said smoothened differential coefficient with a value set beforehand.

Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus for etching of a sample having an etching chamber having an upper wall and a sidewall, an exchangeable jacket which is held inside of the sidewall and a heating mechanism for generating heat which radiates toward an interior of the etching chamber, the sample being disposed in the etching chamber. The apparatus includes an evacuation system which evacuates the etching chamber, an etching gas supply which supplies an etching gas into the chamber and a plasma generator which generates a plasma for performing etching of the sample in the etching chamber and at least one temperature controller for controlling a temperature of at least one such upper wall and said sidewall of said etching chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for plasma processing of a substrate, having a plasma processing chamber, a supplier of a plasma processing gas, an evacuator of the plasma processing chamber, a plasma generator, and a processor which processes a substrate to be processed by exposing the substrate to the plasma which is generated. The plasma generator includes a first conductive component having a first high-frequency electric power supplied thereto, at least one second conductive component having a second high-frequency electric power supplied thereto, an insulator which insulates the first conductive component with respect to the second conductive component, and a generator which generates a high-frequency electric field between the first conductive component and the second conductive component so as to enable generation of a high-frequency electric field between the first conductive component and the second conductive component.

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes the steps of evacuating a vacuum vessel by an evacuation system, introducing a processing gas into the vacuum vessel, disposing an object or example to be processed within the vacuum vessel, supplying electrical bias power to a lower electrode within the vacuum vessel, radiating a high frequency electromagnetic wave within the vacuum vessel, and causing said processing gas to change into a plasma for performing processing of the object to be processed. The vacuum vessel includes a processing chamber having a sidewall and subjecting the sidewall to temperature control so that the temperature of the sidewall is controlled so as to be maintained within ±10° C. in a range of 20 to 80° C.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus has plasma generating means including a means for generating capacitive coupled discharge and a means for radiating electromagnetic waves, so that the energy state of electrons is independently controlled by a combination of a plasma due to capacitive coupled discharge and a plasma due to radiation of electromagnetic waves of a high-frequency, to thereby control the occurrence of radical species, and thereby establishing a compatibility, for example, between high selective etching and high accuracy and high speed in etching or between film quality and film formation rate. Since the density distribution of the plasma can be controlled without any change in hardware configuration by adjusting distributions of the power for capacitive coupled discharge and the power for radiation of electromagnetic waves, the entire surface of a large-sized substrate can be etched at a high accuracy into a fine pattern.

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: A plasma etching apparatus for etching of a sample having an etching chamber having a sidewall, an exchangeable jacket which is held inside of the sidewall and a heating mechanism provided proximate to a top end of the exchangeable jacket for generating heat which radiates toward an interior of the etching chamber, the sample being disposed in the etching chamber. An evacuation system which evacuates the etching chamber, an etching gas supply which supplies an etching gas into the chamber and a plasma generator which generates a plasma for performing etching of the sample in the etching chamber.

Abstract: A plasma etching method for etching a sample within an etching chamber having a sidewall, an exchangeable jacket which is held inside of the sidewall, and a heating mechanism proximate to top end of the exchangeable jacket for generating heat which radiates towards an inside of the etching chamber. The plasma etching method further including a step of evacuating the etching chamber by an evacuation system, a step of supplying an etching gas into the etching chamber, a step of generating a plasma for performing etching of the sample in the etching chamber, and a step of conducting a heating operation by the heating mechanism during an initial stage of the step of generating a plasma.

Abstract: In an oxide film etching, a plasma having a suitable ratio CF3, CF2, CF, F is necessary and there is a problem in which in accordance with a temperature fluctuation of an etching chamber an etching characteristic is fluctuated. Using UHF type ECR plasma etching apparatus having a low electron temperature, a suitable dissociation can be obtained, and forming a temperature adjustment range of a side wall at from 10° C. and 120° C. a stable etching characteristic can be obtained. Since the oxide film etching using the low electron temperature and high density plasma can be obtained, an etching result having a superior characteristic can be obtained, and also since a side wall temperature adjustment range is low, an apparatus structure and a heat resistant performance countermeasure can be performed easily.

Abstract: A standard pattern of a differential value of an interference light is set with respect to a predetermined film thickness of a first member to be processed. The standard pattern uses a wavelength as a parameter. Then, an intensity of an interference light of a second member to be processed, composed just like the first member, is measured with respect to each of a plurality of wavelengths so as to obtain a real pattern of an differential value of the measured interference light intensity. The real pattern also uses a wavelength as a parameter. Then, the film thickness of the second member is obtained according to the standard pattern and the real pattern of the differential value.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum vessel as evacuated by an evacuation system, a gas supply for supplying a processing gas into the vacuum vessel, an electrostatic chucking device for holding thereon a sample to be processed within the vacuum vessel, a lower electrode, a bias power source connected to the lower electrode for supplying bias power, and a radiator for radiating a high frequency electromagnetic wave within the vacuum vessel. The processing gas is made plasmatic and plasma is generated for use in performing processing of the sample to be processed. The radiator for radiating a high frequency electromagnetic wave including an antenna which is provided within the vacuum vessel. The antenna includes a conductor opposing the lower electrode and being connected to a high frequency bias power supply and a plate contacted with the conductor.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and a method therefor which can achieve a preferred process rate, a fine pattern process capability, a selectivity and uniformity of processing at the same time compatibly for a large size wafer, which effects are achieved by controlling the plasma state and the dissociation state of etching gas through control of the electron resonance through application of a magnetic field thereto. A high frequency power at 20-300 MHz is applied across a pair of electrodes in a vacuum process chamber, and a magnetic field is formed parallel to the plane of the electrodes in the space between the electrodes. By controlling the intensity of the magnetic field in a range of 100 gauss or smaller, formation of electron cyclotron resonance and electron sheath resonance occurring from interaction between the electrical field and the magnetic field in the electrode sheath portion is controlled. Thereby, the plasma state, i.e.

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 plasma processing apparatus and method of processing a specimen by a plasma. The method and apparatus includes independently controlling a density distribution of the plasma.

Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma generation device, a processing gas supply for supplying processing gas to the processing chamber, an electrode for holding a sample to be processed in the vacuum processing chamber, and an evacuation system for reducing the pressure of the vacuum processing chamber. The processing gas includes at least one kind of gas having a composition for forming a polymerized film by plasma discharge, wherein the processing gas is made plasmatic by plasma discharge in the processing chamber. At least one surface of an inner wall surface of the processing chamber in contact with plasma in the processing chamber and a surface of an internal component part is controlled to a predetermined temperature which is lower than the temperature of the sample to be processed and a strong polymerized film is formed on the inner wall surface of the processing chamber.

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 includes a plasma processing chamber defining a plasma region. The plasma processing chamber has an inner metallic portion defining at least a portion of the plasma region. The plasma processing apparatus also includes a sample table disposed in the plasma region for holding a sample to be subjected to plasma processing, elements for applying an AC voltage to the sample table, elements for generating a plasma, including a region of intense plasma, in the plasma region independently of the AC voltage applied to the sample table such that the AC voltage applied to the sample table has no effect on the generation of the plasma, and an insulator having a thickness of several tens to several hundreds of micrometers (.mu.m) disposed on the inner metallic portion of the plasma processing chamber in a neighborhood of the region of intense plasma.

Abstract: An electromagnetically coupled plasma processing apparatus is arranged so that a microwave sent through a coaxial waveguide is enlarged by a parallel disk waveguide before being radiated from an enlarged coaxial portion. The electromagnetically coupled plasma processing apparatus has a loop antenna for passing a high-frequency wave, a cavity resonator for surrounding the loop antenna, and a slit in double-layer structure in a position where the cavity resonator faces a plasma. The plasma on the surface of a wafer can be processed uniformly with various desirable effects including: (1) preventing foreign matter from being produced and abnormal discharge because of electrostatic coupling; (2) improving the ignitability and stability of a plasma; (3) lowering the antenna voltage; and (4) effecting uniform processing by providing an opposed grounding electrode.

Abstract: There are provided a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method which are suitable for processing a processed substance using a gas plasma containing fluorine atoms.Structural materials used for a high vacuum processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus are aluminum, aluminum having an anodic oxide coating processed surface and a material having a film of aluminum oxide or a film having aluminum oxide as a main component. A part or the whole of the inner surfaces of the processing chamber is constructed with a pre-fluorinated material.When plasma processing of a processed substance is performed using a gas plasma containing fluorine atoms in the processing chamber having the pre-fluorinated inner surfaces, time-varying processing characteristic can be suppressed.