Abstract: This application discloses an insulation-film etching system that etches an insulator film on a substrate by a species produced in plasma. The apparatus comprises a process chamber in which the etching process is carried out, a substrate holder that is provided in the process chamber and holds the substrate, a gas introduction line to introduce a gas having an etching function into the process chamber, a plasma generator to generate the plasma of the introduced gas, and a transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate into the process chamber and to transfer the substrate out of the process chamber. The gas introduction line is capable of introducing a gas having a cleaning function to remove a deposited film on an exposed surface in the process chamber, instead of the gas for the etching. The system comprises a control unit that carries out the sequence control. According as the sequence control, the cleaning is carried out after the etching.

Abstract: This application discloses an insulation-film etching system that etches an insulator film on a substrate by a species produced in plasma. The apparatus comprises a process chamber in which the etching process is carried out, a substrate holder that is provided in the process chamber and holds the substrate, a gas introduction line to introduce a gas having an etching function into the process chamber, a plasma generator to generate the plasma of the introduced gas, and a transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate into the process chamber and to transfer the substrate out of the process chamber. The gas introduction line is capable of introducing a gas having a cleaning function to remove a deposited film on an exposed surface in the process chamber, instead of the gas for the etching. The system comprises a control unit that carries out the sequence control. According as the sequence control, the cleaning is carried out after the etching.

Abstract: To eliminate variations in process characteristics by suppressing variations in the temperature of a characteristic correction ring as time passes, a substrate holder holds a substrate 10 while the desired process is performed on the substrate 10 with plasma P. The substrate holder is equipped with a holder main body 1 that holds the substrate 10 in planar contact with a substrate holding surface 20. A substrate temperature regulation mechanism 5 regulates the temperature of the substrate 10 by exchanging heat across the substrate holding surface 20, and a characteristic correction ring 9 surrounds the substrate 10 and corrects variations in process characteristics at the peripheral parts of the substrate 10, wherein the characteristic correction ring 9 is provided with a ring cooling mechanism that prevents the characteristic correction ring 9 from storing up heat from the plasma P and increasing in temperature as time passes.