Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus which reduces damage from plasma generated in a discharge vessel and lengthens the replacement cycle of the discharge vessel. A plasma processing apparatus 1 is provided with a processing chamber 2 partitioning a processing space, a discharge vessel 3 whose one end opens facing inside the processing chamber 2 and the other end is closed, an antenna 4 which is disposed around the discharge vessel 3 and generates an induced electric field to generate plasma in the discharge vessel 3 under reduced pressure, and an electromagnet 9 which is arranged around the discharge vessel 3 and forms a divergent magnetic field in the discharge vessel 3. The discharge vessel 3 has at its closed end portion a protrusion 15 projecting toward the processing chamber 2.

Abstract: The present invention has an objective to provide a processing method and an ion beam processing apparatus capable of inhibiting deposition of redeposited films even for fine patterns. In an embodiment of the present invention, ion beam processing is performed such that an etching amount of an ion beam incident in extending directions of pattern trenches formed on a substrate is made larger than the etching amount of the ion beam incident in other directions. This processing enables fine patterns to be processed while inhibiting redeposited films from being deposited on the bottom portions of the trenches of the fine patterns.

Abstract: To restrict generation of particles or deterioration in process reproducibility caused by a large amount or carbon polymers generated in a plasma generation portion in an ion beam etching apparatus when a magnetic film on a substrate is etched with reactive ion beam etching in manufacturing a magnetic device. In an ion beam etching apparatus, first carbon-containing gas is introduced by a first gas introduction part into a plasma generation portion, and second carbon-containing gas is additionally introduced by a second gas introduction part into a substrate processing space to perform reactive ion beam etching, thereby etching a magnetic material at preferable selection ratio and etching rate while restricting carbon polymers from being formed in the plasma generation portion.

Abstract: The present invention has an objective to provide a processing method and an ion beam processing apparatus capable of inhibiting deposition of redeposited films even for fine patterns. In an embodiment of the present invention, ion beam processing is performed such that an etching amount of an ion beam incident in extending directions of pattern trenches formed on a substrate is made larger than the etching amount of the ion beam incident in other directions. This processing enables fine patterns to be processed while inhibiting redeposited films from being deposited on the bottom portions of the trenches of the fine patterns.

Abstract: An ion beam etching device includes a grid provided between a treatment chamber and a plasma generation chamber, and for forming an ion beam by drawing ions from the plasma generation chamber; a gas introduction unit for introducing discharge gas into the plasma generation chamber; an exhaust for exhausting the treatment chamber; a substrate holder; a control unit to receive a measurement result of an in-plane film thickness distribution before the substrate is processed; and an electromagnetic coil provided outside of the plasma generation chamber in a ceiling portion opposite to the grid of the plasma generation chamber. The electromagnetic coil includes an outer coil provided on an outer circumference of the ceiling portion and an inner coil provided on an inner circumference of the ceiling portion, and the control unit controls the currents applied to the outer coil and the inner coil in accordance with the measurement result.

Abstract: The present invention has an objective to provide a processing method and an ion beam processing apparatus capable of inhibiting deposition of redeposited films even for fine patterns. In an embodiment of the present invention, ion beam processing is performed such that an etching amount of an ion beam incident in extending directions of pattern trenches formed on a substrate is made larger than the etching amount of the ion beam incident in other directions. This processing enables fine patterns to be processed while inhibiting redeposited films from being deposited on the bottom portions of the trenches of the fine patterns.

Abstract: An ion beam etching device includes a grid provided between a treatment chamber and a plasma generation chamber, and for forming an ion beam by drawing ions from the plasma generation chamber; a gas introduction unit for introducing discharge gas into the plasma generation chamber; an exhaust for exhausting the treatment chamber; a substrate holder; a control unit to receive a measurement result of an in-plane film thickness distribution before the substrate is processed; and an electromagnetic coil provided outside of the plasma generation chamber in a ceiling portion opposite to the grid of the plasma generation chamber. The electromagnetic coil includes an outer coil provided on an outer circumference of the ceiling portion and an inner coil provided on an inner circumference of the ceiling portion, and the control unit controls the currents applied to the outer coil and the inner coil in accordance with the measurement result.

Abstract: A production process in which in an element isolation process for a magnetoresistive effect element, a re-deposited film adhered to a side wall of the element is efficiently removed by ion beam etching. Ion beam etching is performed while a substrate located being inclined relative to the grid is rotated. In the ion beam etching, an energy amount of an ion beam entering from a direction in which a pattern groove formed on the substrate extends is increased larger than the energy amount of the ion beam entering from another direction by controlling a rotation speed of the substrate, and the re-deposited film adhered to the side wall of the magnetoresistive effect element formed on the substrate is efficiently removed by etching.

Abstract: A film thickness distribution exists in a substrate plane after CMP step. This film thickness distribution results in, for example, variation in gate threshold value voltages of metal gates, and causes variation in element characteristics. It is an object of the present invention to easily improve the film thickness distribution processed by this CMP step. By using the ion beam etching method after the CMP step, the film thickness distribution in the plane of the substrate 111 is corrected. More specifically, when the ion beam etching is performed, the plasma density in the plasma generation chamber 102 is caused to be different between a position facing a central portion in the plane of the substrate 111 and a position facing an outer peripheral portion, so that the etching rate in the central portion in the plane of the substrate 111 and the etching rate in the outer peripheral portion in the substrate plane 111 are caused to be different.

Abstract: This invention provides a production process in which in a process for producing a magnetoresistive effect element, noble metal atoms in a re-deposited film adhered to a side wall after element isolation are efficiently removed to prevent short-circuiting due to the re-deposited film. The noble metal atoms are selectively removed from the re-deposited film by applying an ion beam, formed using a plasma of a Kr gas or a Xe gas, to the re-deposited film formed on the side wall of the magnetoresistive effect element after the element isolation.

Abstract: An ion beam etching apparatus includes: a processing chamber connected to the plasma generation chamber including an internal space; a plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma in the internal space; an extracting unit configured to extract ions from the plasma, from the internal space to the processing chamber, the extracting unit including first, second and a third electrodes, each of which has a plurality of ion passage holes; a first ring member provided closer to the plasma generation chamber; a second ring member provided closer to the processing chamber; a fixing member having one end and another end, the fixing member penetrating the first, second and third electrodes, and having the one end connected to the first ring member and the other end connected to the second ring member; and a heating unit configured to heat the third electrode from outside of the plasma generation chamber.

Abstract: A production process in which in an element isolation process for a magnetoresistive effect element, a re-deposited film adhered to a side wall of the element is efficiently removed by ion beam etching. Ion beam etching is performed while a substrate located being inclined relative to the grid is rotated. In the ion beam etching, an energy amount of an ion beam entering from a direction in which a pattern groove formed on the substrate extends is increased larger than the energy amount of the ion beam entering from another direction by controlling a rotation speed of the substrate, and the re-deposited film adhered to the side wall of the magnetoresistive effect element formed on the substrate is efficiently removed by etching.

Abstract: In fin FET fabrication, side walls of a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate have certain roughness. Using such fins having roughness may induce variations in characteristics between transistors due to their shapes or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a fin FET fabrication method capable of improving device characteristic by easily reducing the roughness of the side walls of fins after formation. In one embodiment of the present invention, side walls of a semiconductor fin are etched by an ion beam extracted from a grid to reduce the roughness of the side walls.

Abstract: A film thickness distribution exists in a substrate plane after CMP step. This film thickness distribution results in, for example, variation in gate threshold value voltages of metal gates, and causes variation in element characteristics. It is an object of the present invention to easily improve the film thickness distribution processed by this CMP step. By using the ion beam etching method after the CMP step, the film thickness distribution in the plane of the substrate 111 is corrected. More specifically, when the ion beam etching is performed, the plasma density in the plasma generation chamber 102 is caused to be different between a position facing a central portion in the plane of the substrate 111 and a position facing an outer peripheral portion, so that the etching rate in the central portion in the plane of the substrate 111 and the etching rate in the outer peripheral portion in the substrate plane 111 are caused to be different.

Abstract: This invention provides a production process in which in a process for producing a magnetoresistive effect element, noble metal atoms in a re-deposited film adhered to a side wall after element isolation are efficiently removed to prevent short-circuiting due to the re-deposited film. The noble metal atoms are selectively removed from the re-deposited film by applying an ion beam, formed using a plasma of a Kr gas or a Xe gas, to the re-deposited film formed on the side wall of the magnetoresistive effect element after the element isolation.

Abstract: The present invention has an objective to provide a processing method and an ion beam processing apparatus capable of inhibiting deposition of redeposited films even for fine patterns. In an embodiment of the present invention, ion beam processing is performed such that an etching amount of an ion beam incident in extending directions of pattern trenches formed on a substrate is made larger than the etching amount of the ion beam incident in other directions. This processing enables fine patterns to be processed while inhibiting redeposited films from being deposited on the bottom portions of the trenches of the fine patterns.

Abstract: To restrict generation of particles or deterioration in process reproducibility caused by a large amount or carbon polymers generated in a plasma generation portion in an ion beam etching apparatus when a magnetic film on a substrate is etched with reactive ion beam etching in manufacturing a magnetic device. In an ion beam etching apparatus, first carbon-containing gas is introduced by a first gas introduction part into a plasma generation portion, and second carbon-containing gas is additionally introduced by a second gas introduction part into a substrate processing space to perform reactive ion beam etching, thereby etching a magnetic material at preferable selection ratio and etching rate while restricting carbon polymers from being formed in the plasma generation portion.

Abstract: In fin FET fabrication, side walls of a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate have certain roughness. Using such fins having roughness may induce variations in characteristics between transistors due to their shapes or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a fin FET fabrication method capable of improving device characteristic by easily reducing the roughness of the side walls of fins after formation. In one embodiment of the present invention, side walls of a semiconductor fin are etched by an ion beam extracted from a grid to reduce the roughness of the side walls.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for manufacturing a magnetoresistive device which are suitable for manufacturing a high-quality magnetoresistive device by reducing damages caused during the processing of a multilayer magnetic film as a component of the magnetoresistive device, thereby preventing deterioration of magnetic characteristics due to such damages. Specifically disclosed is a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive device, which includes processing a multilayer magnetic film by performing a reactive ion etching on a substrate which is provided with the multilayer magnetic film as a component of the magnetoresistive device. This method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive device includes irradiating the multilayer magnetic film with an ion beam after the reactive ion etching.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus which reduces damage from plasma generated in a discharge vessel and lengthen the replacement cycle of the discharge vessel. A plasma processing apparatus 1 is provided with a processing chamber 2 partitioning a processing space, a discharge vessel 3 whose one end opens facing inside the processing chamber 2 and the other end is closed, an antenna 4 which is disposed around the discharge vessel 3 and generates an induced electric field to generate plasma in the discharge vessel 3 under reduced pressure, and an electromagnet 9 which is arranged around the discharge vessel 3 and forms a divergent magnetic field in the discharge vessel 3. The discharge vessel 3 has at is closed end portion a protrusion 15 projecting toward the processing chamber 2.