Apparatus and method for plasma etching

Abstract

A plasma etching apparatus capable of performing processing with excellent in-plane uniformity on an object to be processed having a large diameter is provided. The present invention provides a plasma etching apparatus including a processing chamber 13 which performs plasma processing on an object to be processed 1 , a first processing gas supply source 40 , a second processing gas supply source 50 , a first gas inlet 65 - 1 which introduces a processing gas into the processing chamber, second gas inlets 65 - 2 which introduce the processing gas into the processing chamber, flow rate regulators 42 and 53 which regulate the flow rate of the processing gas and a gas shunt 60 which divides the first processing gas into a plurality of portions, wherein at least two gas pipes branched by the shunt 60 are provided with the first gas inlet 65 - 1 or second gas inlets 65 - 2 and merging sections 63 - 1 and 63 - 2 are provided between the shunt 60 and the first gas inlet 65 - 1 and between the shunt 60 and the second gas inlets 65 - 2 for merging the second processing gas.

1 . A plasma etching apparatus comprising: 
 a processing chamber for performing plasma etching on an object to be processed;    a first gas supply source for supplying a processing gas;    a second gas supply source provided separately from said first processing gas;    a first gas inlet for introducing the processing gas into said processing chamber;    a second gas inlet provided separately from said first gas inlet;    a flow rate regulator for regulating the flow rate of the processing gas; and    a gas shunt for dividing the processing gas into a plurality of portions,    wherein said second gas is supplied between said gas shunt and at least one of said first and second gas inlets.    
   
   
       2 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein gases of different flow rates or compositions are introduced through said first gas inlet and said second gas inlet.  
   
   
       3 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a measuring instrument for measuring the object to be processed before etching or after etching;    a database for storing the result of said measurement;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal based on said control command.    
   
   
       4 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one photoreception section for receiving plasma emission during etching;    a spectroscopic section for discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    a database for storing the result of said spectroscopy;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal based on said control command.    
   
   
       5 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a photoreception section for receiving light from the center portion of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a photoreception section placed in a different location from that of said photoreception section of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a spectroscopic section for discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    a database for storing the result of said spectroscopy;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal based on said control command.    
   
   
       6 . A plasma etching apparatus comprising: 
 a processing chamber for performing plasma etching on an object to be processed;    a first processing gas supply source;    a second processing gas supply source;    a first gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber;    a second gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber;    a flow rate regulator for regulating the flow rate of the processing gas; and    a gas shunt for dividing the first processing gas into a plurality of portions,    wherein at least two gas pipes branched by the gas shunt are each provided with a first gas inlet and a second gas inlet respectively, and    a merging section for merging the second processing gas is provided between the gas shunt and the first gas inlet and between the gas shunt and the second gas inlet.    
   
   
       7 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein different flow rates or compositions are applied for the processing gas supplied to the first gas inlet and the processing gas supplied to the second gas inlet.  
   
   
       8 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 6  or  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a database for storing the result of measurement of the object to be processed before etching or after etching;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in the database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal for changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and second gas inlet based on the control command.    
   
   
       9 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 6  or  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 at least one photoreception section for receiving plasma emission during etching;    a spectroscopic section for discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    a database for storing the result of said spectroscopy;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generates a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal for changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet based on said control command.    
   
   
       10 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 6  or  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a photoreception section for receiving light from the center portion of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a photoreception section placed in a different location from that of said photoreception section of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a spectroscopic section for discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    a database for storing the results of said spectroscopy;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal for changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet based on said control command.    
   
   
       11 . The plasma etching apparatus according to  claim 6  or  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a photoreception section for receiving light from the center portion of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a photoreception section placed in a different location from that of said photoreception section of said quasi-cylindrical processing chamber;    a spectroscopic section for discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    a database for storing the result of said spectroscopy;    an analysis section for performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    a control section for generating a control signal for changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet based on said control command.    
   
   
       12 . A plasma etching method for a plasma etching apparatus comprising: 
 a processing chamber for performing plasma etching on an object to be processed;    a first gas supply source;    a second gas supply source;    a first gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber;    a second gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber;    a flow rate regulator for regulating the flow rate of the processing gas; and    a gas shunt for dividing the first processing gas into a plurality of portions,    wherein the second processing gas is merged with at least one part between the gas shunt and the first gas inlet and between the gas shunt and the second gas inlet.    
   
   
       13 . The plasma etching method according to  claim 12 , wherein different flow rates or compositions are applied for the processing gas supplied to said first gas inlet and the processing gas supplied to said second gas inlet.  
   
   
       14 . The plasma etching method according to  claim 12  or  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 measuring the object to be processed before etching or after etching;    storing the result of said measurement in a database;    performing an analysis based on the data stored in the database and generating a control command; and    changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet based on the control command.    
   
   
       15 . The plasma etching method according to  claim 12  or  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving plasma emission during etching;    discomposing said plasma emission into a plurality of wavelength components;    storing the result of said spectroscopy in a database;    performing an analysis based on the data stored in said database and generating a control command; and    changing the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases supplied to the first gas inlet and the second gas inlet based on said control command.