Method of plasma etching

Abstract

A plasma etching system using a ground electrode made of silicon carbide and a cover made of a dielectric material not containing aluminum, where the cover is laid over the substrate electrode, thereby preventing aluminum from being produced out of these parts and reducing device damage. Namely, a plasma etching system has a substrate electrode mounted in a vacuum process chamber, a ground electrode and a plasma generating source, and uses plasma to provide etching of substrates mounted on said substrate electrode. The plasma etching system is characterized in that the ground electrode is made of carbon or silicon carbide, and the dielectric material containing a Si compound covers the surface portion of the substrate electrode facing inside the substrate installation portion of the vacuum process chamber, except for the substrate installation portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for plasma etching a substrate, comprising: 
 placing the substrate, to be plasma etched, in a processing chamber having a ground electrode and a substrate electrode, the substrate being mounted on a portion of the substrate electrode; and    generating a plasma in the processing chamber, in an etching gas, and etching the substrate by said plasma,    wherein the ground electrode is made of carbon or silicon carbide, and wherein a dielectric material containing a silicon compound covers a portion of the surface of the substrate electrode, except for the portion of the substrate electrode upon which the substrate is mounted.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the etching gas includes at least one of chlorine and hydrogen bromide gas.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said substrate includes silicon to be etched.