Plasma etching apparatus and plasma etching method

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma generating unit having a first power source, a gas supply unit, a lower electrode having a sample table surface for holding a sample in the vacuum processing chamber, and a vacuum pumping unit. The apparatus further includes a plate disposed at a position opposed to the sample table surface, a disc electricity conductor disposed in contact with the plate, a second power source for applying an RF frequency bias power to the disc electricity conductor, and a unit for controlling a temperature of the plate to a predetermined value. The plate is made of silicon or carbon at high purity, and the disc electricity conductor and the plate have a plurality of holes for introducing processing gas from the gas supply unit into the vacuum processing chamber.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation application of Ser. No. 10 / 617,019, filed Jul. 11, 2003, which is a continuation application of Ser. No. 09 / 983,946, filed Oct. 26, 2001, which is a continuation application of Ser. No. 09 / 421,044, filed Oct. 20, 1999, which is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09 / 227,332, filed Jan. 8, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,438, which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 08 / 611,758, filed Mar. 8, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,012, entitled “Plasma Processing Apparatus and Plasma Processing Method”, by some of the inventors herein, the subject matter of the aforementioned applications being incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a plasma etching apparatus and etching method and, more particularly, to a plasma etching apparatus and etching method suitable for forming a fine pattern in the semiconductor manufacture process. [0003] In the...

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Benefits of technology

[0016] The present invention is designed to eliminate the difficulties mentioned above and an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma etching apparatus maintaining the reproducibility and reliability of the process at a low cost for a long period of time so as to prevent the etching characteristic from a change with time by controlling the inner temperature of the reactor and deposition of reaction products.

Problems solved by technology

On the other hand, in the reactor, there is a part or a component part where the control in the aforementioned low temperature zone is difficult.

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