Etching method and etching apparatus

Claim 2

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein urging means includes pressure adjusting means for arbitrarily varying an urging force to be a desired pressure.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an insulating layer having an insulation resistance of not less than 900 MΩ is formed on at least the surface of at least one of said electrodes to be brought into contact with the plasma gas.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an impedance of a portion of said electrode for holding an object to be processed is uniformly set.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein means for uniforming the impedance is a synthetic polymer film formed between said object to be processed and said electrode for holding said object to be processed.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said synthetic polymer film is a heat-resistant polyimide resin.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said synthetic polymer film is adhered on said electrode for holding said object to be processed by a heat-resistant acrylic resin adhesive.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an interval between the centers of said opposed electrodes is 0.7 to 1.5 cm.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said object to be processed is a semiconductor substrate.

Claim 11

An etching method comprising the steps of: setting in a vacuum vessel an electrode having a projecting mounting surface consisting of a curved surface identical to a curved surface deformed when an object to be processed is subjected to a uniform load; mounting the object to be processed in contact with the mounting surface by urging means; arranging a counter electrode to be opposed to said electrode at a predetermined interval; supplying a process gas in said vacuum vessel; applying a predetermined voltage between said electrode and said counter electrode to convert the process gas into a plasma; and performing etching of said object to be processed by the process gas in a plasma state.

Claim 12

An etching method comprising the steps of: setting in a vacuum vessel an electrode having a projecting mounting surface consisting of a curved surface identical to a curved surface deformed when an object to be processed is subjected to a uniform load; mounting the object to be processed in contact with the mounting surface by urging means; arranging a counter electrode to be opposed to said electrode at a predetermined interval; supplying a process gas in said vacuum vessel; applying a predetermined voltage between said electrode and said counter electrode to convert the process gas into a plasma; and performing etching of said object to be processed by the process gas in a plasma state.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 10, wherein an impedance of a portion of said electrode for holding an object to be processed is uniformly set.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 10, wherein an interval between the centers of said electrode and said counter electrode is 0.7 to 1.5 cm.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 10, wherein the process gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, chlorofluorocarbon tetrachloride and boron trichloride.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 10, wherein said object to be processed is a semiconductor substrate.

Claim 17

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings; and wherein the insulating coating has an insulation resistance of not less than 900 MΩ is formed on at least the surface of at least one of said electrodes to be brought into contact with the plasma gas.

Claim 18

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings; and wherein the insulating coating has an insulation resistance of not less than 900 MΩ is formed on at least the surface of at least one of said electrodes to be brought into contact with the plasma gas.

Claim 19

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and has a uniformly set impedance; and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 20

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and has a uniformly set impedance; and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 21

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a interval of 0.7 to 1.5 cm center to center, in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 22

An etching apparatus in which an object to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a interval of 0.7 to 1.5 cm center to center, in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said object to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said object to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface obtained by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 23

An etching apparatus in which a semiconductor substrate to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said semiconductor substrate to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said semiconductor substrate to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface semiconductor substrate by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 24

An etching apparatus in which a semiconductor substrate to be processed set on one of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined interval in a vacuum vessel is urged against the surface of said electrode, a voltage is applied between said electrodes to convert a process gas into a plasma, and said semiconductor substrate to be processed is etched by the plasma gas, wherein a mounting surface of said electrode on which said semiconductor substrate to be processed is mounted has a projecting shape having a curved surface identical to a curved surface semiconductor substrate by deforming said object to be processed by a uniform load, and wherein electrically conductive members around said electrode are insulated with coatings.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein means for uniforming the impedance is a synthetic polymer film formed between said object to be processed and said electrode for holding said object to be processed.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said synthetic polymer film is a heat-resistant polyimide resin.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said synthetic polymer film is adhered on said electrode for holding said object to be processed by a heat-resistant acrylic resin adhesive.