Dry etching device and method

Claim 2

A dry etching method for supplying power between a cathode and an anode, generating a plasma of an etchant gas within a reaction chamber, and etching a sample placed on the cathode by ions attracted from the plasma toward the cathode, characterized in that a magnetic field is induced having field lines perpendicular to an electric field at a surface of a sample to be etched and a strength of the magnetic field is not less than 350 Gauss at the surface of the sample.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein a magnetron mode is generated by the magnetic and electric fields which are mutually perpendicular.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is induced by a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the sample to be etched is moved relative to the magnet during etching.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of high plasma density areas are formed at the surface of the cathode, and the areas overlap each other.

Claim 6

A dry etching method for supplying power between a cathode and an anode, generating a plasma of an etchant gas within a reaction chamber, and etching a sample placed on the cathode by ions attracted from the plasma toward the cathode, characterized in that a magnetic field is induced having field lines perpendicular to an electric field at a surface of a sample to be etched, and the etching is performed under the conditions indicated by an area inside a curve obtained by connecting points of coordinates X = 50 Gauss and Y = 1.6 W/cm 2 , X = 200 Gauss and Y = 0.4 W/cm 2 , X = 600 Gauss and Y = 0.2 W/cm 2 , and X = 1000 Gauss and Y = 0 .1 W/ cm 2 ; where X denotes a magnetic field strength at the surface of the sample and Y denotes high frequency power.

Claim 7

A dry etching method for supplying power between a cathode and an anode, generating a plasma of an etchant gas within a reaction chamber, and etching a sample placed on the cathode by ions attracted from the plasma toward the cathode, characterized in that a magnetic field is induced having field lines perpendicular to an electric field at a surface of a sample to be etched, and the etching is performed under the conditions indicated by an area inside a curve obtained by connecting points of coordinates X = 50 Gauss and Y = 1.6 W/cm 2 , X = 200 Gauss and Y = 0.4 W/cm 2 , X = 600 Gauss and Y = 0.2 W/cm 2 , and X = 1000 Gauss and Y = 0 .1 W/ cm 2 ; where X denotes a magnetic field strength at the surface of the sample and Y denotes high frequency power.

Claim 8

6 . A method according to claim 5, wherein a magnetron mode is generated by the magnetic and electric fields which are---perpendicular to each other.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 5, wherein the magnetic field is induced by a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and the sampe to be etched is moved relative to the magnet during etching.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of high plasma density areas are formed at the surface of the cathode, and the areas overlap each other.

Claim 11

A dry etching device having a reaction chamber which has an anode and cathode, means for introducing an etchant gas in the reaction chamber, and means for supplying power between the anode and cathode so that a sample placed on the cathode is etched, characterized by further including means for inducing a magnetic field having field lines perpendicular to an electric field, and means for changing relative positions of the sample and said means for inducing the magnetic field.

Claim 12

A dry etching device having a reaction chamber which has an anode and cathode, means for introducing an etchant gas in the reaction chamber, and means for supplying power between the anode and cathode so that a sample placed on the cathode is etched, characterized by further including means for inducing a magnetic field having field lines perpendicular to an electric field, and means for changing relative positions of the sample and said means for inducing the magnetic field.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 9, wherein said means for inducing the magnetic field has a discharge gap of closed loops, an inner part and an outer part of the discharge gap are opposite magnetic poles, and a magnetic field is induced between said inner and outer parts.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 10, wherein a magnet is mounted within a pole piece of magnetic material, and the discharge gap is formed in the surface of the pole piece.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 10, wherein two magnets are disposed inside and outside relative to each other to define the discharge gap therebetween.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 10, wherein the entire sample passes over the discharge gap by said means for changing the relative positions of the sample and the means for inducing the magnetic field.